VAIPX vs. VFSUX
VAIPX (Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares) and VFSUX (Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VAIPX is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund managed by Vanguard, while VFSUX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VAIPX returned 2.64%/yr vs 2.64%/yr for VFSUX. A 0.63 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.10% expense ratio.
Performance
VAIPX vs. VFSUX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VAIPX achieves a 1.65% return, which is significantly higher than VFSUX's 0.82% return. Over a longer period, both investments have demonstrated similar performance, with their 10-year annualized returns being quite close: VAIPX at 2.64% and VFSUX at 2.64%.
VAIPX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.13%
- YTD
- 1.65%
- 6M
- 1.27%
- 1Y
- 5.31%
- 3Y*
- 4.04%
- 5Y*
- 1.17%
- 10Y*
- 2.64%
VFSUX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.31%
- YTD
- 0.82%
- 6M
- 1.11%
- 1Y
- 4.80%
- 3Y*
- 5.63%
- 5Y*
- 2.41%
- 10Y*
- 2.64%
VAIPX vs. VFSUX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VAIPX Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares | 1.65% | 6.87% | 1.85% | 3.83% | -11.92% | 5.69% | 10.96% | 8.16% | -1.39% | 2.91% |
VFSUX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares | 0.82% | 6.87% | 5.08% | 6.17% | -5.75% | -0.62% | 5.26% | 5.85% | 0.98% | 2.13% |
Correlation
The correlation between VAIPX and VFSUX is 0.68, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 13, 2005 | 0.63 |
The correlation between VAIPX and VFSUX shifts across timeframes, from 0.63 (all time) to 0.75 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VAIPX vs. VFSUX — Risk / Return Rank
VAIPX
VFSUX
VAIPX vs. VFSUX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares (VAIPX) and Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares (VFSUX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| VAIPX | VFSUX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.53 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.35 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.47 | -0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.53 | 2.83 | -0.30 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.02 | 11.18 | -3.16 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VAIPX | VFSUX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.54 | 2.08 | -0.53 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.20 | 0.81 | -0.61 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.50 | 1.06 | -0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.52 | 1.35 | -0.83 |
Drawdowns
VAIPX vs. VFSUX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VAIPX drawdown since its inception was -15.04%, which is greater than VFSUX's maximum drawdown of -9.24%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VAIPX and VFSUX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VAIPX | VFSUX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -15.04% | -9.24% | -5.80% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.05% | -1.71% | -0.34% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.52% | -1.71% | -2.81% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.40% | -9.24% | -5.16% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.40% | -9.24% | -5.16% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.09% | -0.23% | +0.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.81% | -0.87% | -2.94% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.65% | 0.43% | +0.22% |
Volatility
VAIPX vs. VFSUX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares (VAIPX) has a higher volatility of 0.97% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares (VFSUX) at 0.75%. This indicates that VAIPX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFSUX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VAIPX | VFSUX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.97% | 0.75% | +0.22% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.32% | 1.66% | +0.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.38% | 2.33% | +1.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.99% | 2.99% | +3.00% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.32% | 2.49% | +2.83% |
VAIPX vs. VFSUX - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both VAIPX and VFSUX have an expense ratio of 0.10%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VAIPX vs. VFSUX - Dividend Comparison
VAIPX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.49%, less than VFSUX's 4.72% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VAIPX Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares | 4.49% | 4.74% | 4.17% | 4.31% | 8.45% | 5.13% | 1.38% | 2.29% | 3.12% | 2.41% | 3.49% | 0.88% |
VFSUX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares | 4.72% | 4.59% | 4.16% | 3.14% | 2.03% | 1.79% | 2.34% | 2.92% | 2.79% | 2.11% | 2.14% | 2.09% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VAIPX and VFSUX have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VAIPX has higher volatility (0.97%) compared to VFSUX (0.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VAIPX dropped -15.04% vs VFSUX's -9.24%.
VFSUX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.08 vs 1.54), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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