VBIUX vs. VBIAX
VBIUX (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Institutional Plus) and VBIAX (Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VBIUX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard, while VBIAX is a Diversified Portfolio fund tracking the 60% CRSP US Total Market Index / 40% Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. Over the past 10 years, VBIUX returned 1.89%/yr vs 9.83%/yr for VBIAX. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VBIUX charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VBIAX.
Performance
VBIUX vs. VBIAX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBIUX achieves a -0.04% return, which is significantly lower than VBIAX's 7.35% return. Over the past 10 years, VBIUX has underperformed VBIAX with an annualized return of 1.89%, while VBIAX has yielded a comparatively higher 9.83% annualized return.
VBIUX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.37%
- YTD
- -0.04%
- 6M
- -0.25%
- 1Y
- 5.09%
- 3Y*
- 4.29%
- 5Y*
- 0.29%
- 10Y*
- 1.89%
VBIAX
- 1D
- 0.15%
- 1M
- 3.71%
- YTD
- 7.35%
- 6M
- 7.26%
- 1Y
- 19.35%
- 3Y*
- 15.04%
- 5Y*
- 8.01%
- 10Y*
- 9.83%
VBIUX vs. VBIAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBIUX Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Institutional Plus | -0.04% | 8.60% | 1.56% | 5.53% | -13.24% | -2.64% | 9.83% | 10.23% | -0.13% | 3.90% |
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares | 7.35% | 13.61% | 14.58% | 17.54% | -16.90% | 14.21% | 16.40% | 21.78% | -2.86% | 13.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBIUX and VBIAX is 0.38, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 28, 2011 | 0.02 |
Over the past year, VBIUX and VBIAX have become more correlated (0.38) than their long-term average of 0.02, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VBIUX vs. VBIAX — Risk / Return Rank
VBIUX
VBIAX
VBIUX vs. VBIAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Institutional Plus (VBIUX) and Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX). 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.
| VBIUX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.29 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.73 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.47 | -0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.54 | 3.42 | -1.88 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.54 | 15.60 | -11.06 |
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
| VBIUX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.24 | 2.52 | -1.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 | 0.73 | -0.68 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.35 | 0.88 | -0.53 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.47 | 0.64 | -0.17 |
Drawdowns
VBIUX vs. VBIAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBIUX drawdown since its inception was -19.18%, smaller than the maximum VBIAX drawdown of -35.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBIUX and VBIAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBIUX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -19.18% | -35.90% | +16.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.33% | -5.83% | +2.50% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.05% | -11.70% | +5.65% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.83% | -21.53% | +2.70% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -19.18% | -22.78% | +3.60% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.83% | 0.00% | -1.83% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.09% | -4.44% | +0.35% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.12% | 1.27% | -0.15% |
Volatility
VBIUX vs. VBIAX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Institutional Plus (VBIUX) is 1.37%, while Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX) has a volatility of 2.26%. This indicates that VBIUX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VBIAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBIUX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.37% | 2.26% | -0.89% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.98% | 6.11% | -3.13% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.15% | 7.90% | -3.75% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.39% | 11.05% | -4.66% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.38% | 11.21% | -5.83% |
VBIUX vs. VBIAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBIUX has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than VBIAX's 0.07% 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
VBIUX vs. VBIAX - Dividend Comparison
VBIUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.24%, less than VBIAX's 5.21% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.21% | 6.00% | 5.27% | 4.35% | 2.83% | 3.19% | 2.65% | 2.28% | 2.32% | 1.95% | 2.09% | 2.09% |
VBIUX Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Institutional Plus | 4.24% | 4.04% | 3.82% | 2.59% | 2.42% | 3.08% | 2.95% | 2.76% | 2.89% | 2.77% | 3.09% | 3.14% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VBIUX and VBIAX have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VBIAX has higher volatility (2.26%) compared to VBIUX (1.37%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBIUX dropped -19.18% vs VBIAX's -35.90%.
VBIAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.52 vs 1.24), 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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