VBTIX vs. IEF
VBTIX (Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutional Shares) and IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both funds - VBTIX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard, while IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. Over the past 10 years, VBTIX returned 1.53%/yr vs 0.53%/yr for IEF. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VBTIX charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEF.
Performance
VBTIX vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBTIX achieves a -0.09% return, which is significantly higher than IEF's -1.16% return. Over the past 10 years, VBTIX has outperformed IEF with an annualized return of 1.53%, while IEF has yielded a comparatively lower 0.53% annualized return.
VBTIX
- 1D
- -0.41%
- 1M
- -0.49%
- YTD
- -0.09%
- 6M
- 0.35%
- 1Y
- 4.92%
- 3Y*
- 3.84%
- 5Y*
- 0.05%
- 10Y*
- 1.53%
IEF
- 1D
- -0.11%
- 1M
- -1.19%
- YTD
- -1.16%
- 6M
- -0.96%
- 1Y
- 3.91%
- 3Y*
- 2.43%
- 5Y*
- -1.34%
- 10Y*
- 0.53%
VBTIX vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBTIX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutional Shares | -0.09% | 7.18% | 1.27% | 5.75% | -13.15% | -1.95% | 7.75% | 8.74% | -0.24% | 3.56% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -1.16% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 0.99% | 2.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBTIX and IEF is 0.92, 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 | 0.92 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.96 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 29, 2002 | 0.91 |
The correlation between VBTIX and IEF has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.91 to 0.96 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VBTIX vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
VBTIX
IEF
VBTIX vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutional Shares (VBTIX) and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF). 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.
| VBTIX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.28 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.40 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.14 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.52 | 0.96 | +0.56 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.51 | 2.79 | +1.72 |
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
| VBTIX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.12 | 0.84 | +0.28 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.01 | -0.17 | +0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.31 | 0.08 | +0.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.94 | 0.50 | +0.44 |
Drawdowns
VBTIX vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBTIX drawdown since its inception was -18.90%, smaller than the maximum IEF drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBTIX and IEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBTIX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.90% | -23.93% | +5.03% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.89% | -4.07% | +1.18% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.99% | -7.74% | +1.75% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.13% | -21.40% | +3.27% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.90% | -23.93% | +5.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.76% | -11.80% | +9.04% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.32% | -5.35% | +3.03% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.97% | 1.40% | -0.43% |
Volatility
VBTIX vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutional Shares (VBTIX) is 1.31%, while iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) has a volatility of 1.51%. This indicates that VBTIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBTIX | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.31% | 1.51% | -0.20% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.81% | 3.36% | -0.55% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.94% | 4.69% | -0.75% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.02% | 7.71% | -1.69% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.98% | 6.63% | -1.65% |
VBTIX vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBTIX has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than IEF's 0.15% 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
VBTIX vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
VBTIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.01%, more than IEF's 3.92% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.92% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
VBTIX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Institutional Shares | 4.01% | 3.88% | 3.69% | 3.12% | 2.61% | 1.81% | 2.41% | 2.75% | 2.58% | 2.56% | 2.54% | 2.84% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.92, VBTIX and IEF move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
IEF has higher volatility (1.51%) compared to VBTIX (1.31%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBTIX dropped -18.90% vs IEF's -23.93%.
VBTIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.12 vs 0.84), 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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