VBLAX vs. VUSFX
VBLAX (Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) and VUSFX (Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares) are both Total Bond Market funds from Vanguard. Over the past 5 years, VBLAX returned -5.20%/yr vs 3.60%/yr for VUSFX. Their 0.41 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. VBLAX charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for VUSFX.
Performance
VBLAX vs. VUSFX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBLAX achieves a -3.42% return, which is significantly lower than VUSFX's 1.99% return.
VBLAX
- 1D
- -0.50%
- 1M
- -3.76%
- 6M
- -3.26%
- YTD
- -3.42%
- 1Y
- -1.17%
- 3Y*
- 1.23%
- 5Y*
- -5.20%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 0.08%
VUSFX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.25%
- 6M
- 1.58%
- YTD
- 1.99%
- 1Y
- 4.07%
- 3Y*
- 5.35%
- 5Y*
- 3.60%
- 10Y*
- 2.75%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.69%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
VBLAX vs. VUSFX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBLAX Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | -3.42% | 6.57% | -4.14% | 7.55% | -27.22% | -3.36% | 15.75% | 16.45% |
VUSFX Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 1.99% | 5.11% | 6.11% | 5.53% | -0.38% | 0.08% | 2.10% | 3.00% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBLAX and VUSFX is 0.44, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.44 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.47 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.50 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 7, 2019 | 0.41 |
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Return for Risk
VBLAX vs. VUSFX — Risk / Return Rank
VBLAX
VUSFX
VBLAX vs. VUSFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBLAX) and Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VUSFX). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| VBLAX | VUSFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -7.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -13.93 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 4.12 | -3.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.02 | 17.23 | -17.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.05 | 99.26 | -99.30 |
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Drawdowns
VBLAX vs. VUSFX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBLAX drawdown since its inception was -38.62%, which is greater than VUSFX's maximum drawdown of -1.71%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBLAX and VUSFX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBLAX | VUSFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.62% | -1.71% | -36.91% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.45% | -0.25% | -6.20% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.56% | -0.35% | -11.21% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.32% | -1.71% | -34.61% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -1.71% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -27.42% | 0.00% | -27.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.25% | -0.15% | -18.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.75% | 0.04% | +2.71% |
Volatility
VBLAX vs. VUSFX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBLAX) has a higher volatility of 2.10% compared to Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VUSFX) at 0.17%. This indicates that VBLAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VUSFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBLAX | VUSFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.10% | 0.17% | +1.93% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.00% | 0.45% | +5.55% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.87% | 0.60% | +7.27% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.81% | 0.81% | +12.00% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 12.56% | 0.68% | +11.88% |
VBLAX vs. VUSFX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBLAX has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than VUSFX'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
VBLAX vs. VUSFX - Dividend Comparison
VBLAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.54%, more than VUSFX's 4.09% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBLAX Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 4.54% | 4.64% | 4.61% | 4.08% | 4.13% | 2.62% | 5.39% | 3.25% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VUSFX Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 4.09% | 4.73% | 5.52% | 4.15% | 1.38% | 0.53% | 1.62% | 2.68% | 2.23% | 1.52% | 1.07% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VBLAX and VUSFX have a correlation of 0.44, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VBLAX has higher volatility (2.10%) compared to VUSFX (0.17%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBLAX dropped -38.62% vs VUSFX's -1.71%.
VUSFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (7.12 vs -0.02), 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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