VBLAX vs. VWELX
VBLAX (Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) and VWELX (Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares) are both mutual funds - VBLAX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard, while VWELX is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by Vanguard. Over the past 5 years, VBLAX returned -5.20%/yr vs 7.80%/yr for VWELX. Their 0.17 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. VBLAX charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.24%/yr for VWELX.
Performance
VBLAX vs. VWELX - 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 VWELX's 5.37% 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%
VWELX
- 1D
- 0.47%
- 1M
- -0.68%
- 6M
- 4.23%
- YTD
- 5.37%
- 1Y
- 14.19%
- 3Y*
- 13.77%
- 5Y*
- 7.80%
- 10Y*
- 9.79%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.39%
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. VWELX - 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% |
VWELX Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares | 5.37% | 16.54% | 14.73% | 14.29% | -14.36% | 18.99% | 10.57% | 16.49% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBLAX and VWELX is 0.39, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.39 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.37 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.32 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 7, 2019 | 0.17 |
Over the past year, VBLAX and VWELX have become more correlated (0.39) than their long-term average of 0.17, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VBLAX vs. VWELX — Risk / Return Rank
VBLAX
VWELX
VBLAX vs. VWELX - 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 Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX). 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 | VWELX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.45 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.00 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.00 | 1.26 | -0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.02 | 1.97 | -1.99 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.05 | 8.31 | -8.36 |
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Drawdowns
VBLAX vs. VWELX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBLAX drawdown since its inception was -38.62%, which is greater than VWELX's maximum drawdown of -36.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBLAX and VWELX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBLAX | VWELX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.62% | -36.12% | -2.50% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.45% | -6.78% | +0.33% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.56% | -11.98% | +0.42% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.32% | -20.88% | -15.44% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -25.33% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -27.42% | -1.62% | -25.80% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.25% | -3.91% | -14.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.75% | 1.60% | +1.15% |
Volatility
VBLAX vs. VWELX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBLAX) is 2.10%, while Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX) has a volatility of 2.83%. This indicates that VBLAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VWELX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBLAX | VWELX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.10% | 2.83% | -0.73% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.00% | 7.62% | -1.62% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.87% | 9.32% | -1.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.81% | 11.26% | +1.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 12.56% | 11.55% | +1.01% |
VBLAX vs. VWELX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBLAX has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than VWELX's 0.24% 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. VWELX - Dividend Comparison
VBLAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.54%, less than VWELX's 10.98% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% | 0.00% |
VWELX Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares | 10.98% | 11.46% | 10.76% | 6.01% | 8.19% | 8.64% | 7.77% | 4.67% | 9.49% | 5.82% | 4.44% | 7.03% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VBLAX and VWELX have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VWELX has higher volatility (2.83%) compared to VBLAX (2.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBLAX dropped -38.62% vs VWELX's -36.12%.
VWELX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.43 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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