VBINX vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Balanced Index Fund (VBINX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
VBINX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 9, 1992. SPY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Jan 22, 1993.
Performance
VBINX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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VBINX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBINX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund | -4.20% | 13.46% | 17.63% | 17.41% | -16.98% | 13.62% | 16.26% | 21.67% | -2.97% | 13.75% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -4.37% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with VBINX having a -4.20% return and SPY slightly lower at -4.37%. Over the past 10 years, VBINX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 8.91%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 13.98% annualized return.
VBINX
- 1D
- -0.06%
- 1M
- -5.44%
- YTD
- -4.20%
- 6M
- -2.43%
- 1Y
- 10.77%
- 3Y*
- 12.47%
- 5Y*
- 6.80%
- 10Y*
- 8.91%
SPY
- 1D
- 2.91%
- 1M
- -4.94%
- YTD
- -4.37%
- 6M
- -1.82%
- 1Y
- 17.59%
- 3Y*
- 18.19%
- 5Y*
- 11.69%
- 10Y*
- 13.98%
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VBINX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBINX has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
VBINX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
VBINX
SPY
VBINX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Balanced Index Fund (VBINX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.
| VBINX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.00 | 0.93 | +0.07 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.49 | 1.45 | +0.04 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.22 | -0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.29 | 1.53 | -0.23 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.13 | 7.30 | -1.17 |
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
| VBINX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.00 | 0.93 | +0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.62 | 0.69 | -0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.80 | 0.78 | +0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.76 | 0.56 | +0.19 |
Correlation
The correlation between VBINX and SPY is 0.96, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
VBINX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
VBINX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.72%, more than SPY's 1.14% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBINX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund | 5.72% | 5.89% | 7.88% | 4.25% | 2.71% | 2.71% | 2.54% | 2.19% | 2.20% | 1.83% | 1.97% | 1.95% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.14% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Drawdowns
VBINX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBINX drawdown since its inception was -35.97%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBINX and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBINX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.97% | -55.19% | +19.22% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.80% | -12.05% | +4.25% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.61% | -24.50% | +2.89% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.78% | -33.72% | +10.94% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.84% | -6.24% | +0.40% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.16% | -9.09% | +4.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.65% | 2.52% | -0.87% |
Volatility
VBINX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Balanced Index Fund (VBINX) is 3.08%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 5.31%. This indicates that VBINX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBINX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.08% | 5.31% | -2.23% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.94% | 9.47% | -3.53% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.28% | 19.05% | -7.77% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 11.06% | 17.06% | -6.00% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.19% | 17.92% | -6.73% |