VBILX vs. VFIRX
VBILX (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) and VFIRX (Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VBILX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard, while VFIRX is a Government Bonds fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VBILX returned 1.91%/yr vs 1.71%/yr for VFIRX. A 0.80 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VBILX charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for VFIRX.
Performance
VBILX vs. VFIRX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBILX achieves a -0.05% return, which is significantly lower than VFIRX's 0.44% return. Over the past 10 years, VBILX has outperformed VFIRX with an annualized return of 1.91%, while VFIRX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.71% annualized return.
VBILX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.37%
- YTD
- -0.05%
- 6M
- -0.26%
- 1Y
- 5.07%
- 3Y*
- 4.38%
- 5Y*
- 0.30%
- 10Y*
- 1.91%
VFIRX
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- 0.12%
- YTD
- 0.44%
- 6M
- 0.65%
- 1Y
- 3.58%
- 3Y*
- 4.12%
- 5Y*
- 1.51%
- 10Y*
- 1.71%
VBILX vs. VFIRX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBILX Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | -0.05% | 8.57% | 1.54% | 6.09% | -13.59% | -2.36% | 9.82% | 10.20% | -0.15% | 3.86% |
VFIRX Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | 0.44% | 5.47% | 3.85% | 3.66% | -4.61% | -0.80% | 4.06% | 3.71% | 1.47% | 0.40% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBILX and VFIRX is 0.86, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.83 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.82 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.77 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 13, 2001 | 0.80 |
The correlation between VBILX and VFIRX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.77 to 0.86 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VBILX vs. VFIRX — Risk / Return Rank
VBILX
VFIRX
VBILX vs. VFIRX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBILX) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIRX). 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.
| VBILX | VFIRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.46 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.35 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.49 | 2.49 | -1.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.50 | 8.39 | -3.88 |
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
| VBILX | VFIRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.23 | 1.68 | -0.46 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 | 0.57 | -0.52 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.36 | 0.81 | -0.45 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.67 | 1.16 | -0.48 |
Drawdowns
VBILX vs. VFIRX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBILX drawdown since its inception was -19.26%, which is greater than VFIRX's maximum drawdown of -6.73%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBILX and VFIRX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBILX | VFIRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.26% | -6.73% | -12.53% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.43% | -1.40% | -2.03% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.05% | -1.40% | -4.65% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.15% | -6.73% | -12.42% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -19.26% | -6.73% | -12.53% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.84% | -0.56% | -1.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.16% | -0.71% | -2.45% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.13% | 0.42% | +0.71% |
Volatility
VBILX vs. VFIRX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBILX) has a higher volatility of 1.44% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIRX) at 0.61%. This indicates that VBILX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFIRX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBILX | VFIRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.44% | 0.61% | +0.83% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.00% | 1.50% | +1.50% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.16% | 2.08% | +2.08% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.39% | 2.68% | +3.71% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.36% | 2.12% | +3.24% |
VBILX vs. VFIRX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBILX has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than VFIRX's 0.10% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VBILX vs. VFIRX - Dividend Comparison
VBILX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.21%, more than VFIRX's 3.85% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBILX Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 4.21% | 4.01% | 3.80% | 3.09% | 1.99% | 3.39% | 2.94% | 2.73% | 2.87% | 2.73% | 3.06% | 3.09% |
VFIRX Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | 3.85% | 3.99% | 4.49% | 4.07% | 2.03% | 0.60% | 2.30% | 2.49% | 2.21% | 1.25% | 1.28% | 0.93% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VBILX and VFIRX have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VBILX has higher volatility (1.44%) compared to VFIRX (0.61%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBILX dropped -19.26% vs VFIRX's -6.73%.
VFIRX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.68 vs 1.23), 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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