VBTLX vs. FANCX
VBTLX (Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares) and FANCX (Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C) are both Total Bond Market funds. Over the past 5 years, VBTLX returned -0.23%/yr vs 1.18%/yr for FANCX. A 0.69 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VBTLX charges 0.04%/yr vs 1.51%/yr for FANCX.
Performance
VBTLX vs. FANCX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBTLX achieves a -0.28% return, which is significantly lower than FANCX's -0.01% return.
VBTLX
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- -0.60%
- 6M
- -0.39%
- YTD
- -0.28%
- 1Y
- 3.72%
- 3Y*
- 3.78%
- 5Y*
- -0.23%
- 10Y*
- 1.40%
FANCX
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- -0.00%
- 6M
- 0.11%
- YTD
- -0.01%
- 1Y
- 2.13%
- 3Y*
- 3.55%
- 5Y*
- 1.18%
- 10Y*
- —
VBTLX vs. FANCX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBTLX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | -0.28% | 7.17% | 1.26% | 5.74% | -13.16% | -1.81% | 7.72% | 8.73% | -0.25% | 3.56% |
FANCX Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C | -0.01% | 4.38% | 3.74% | 3.91% | -4.63% | -1.81% | 2.74% | 2.90% | 0.23% | -0.02% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBTLX and FANCX is 0.72, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 22, 2016 | 0.69 |
The correlation between VBTLX and FANCX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.69 to 0.75 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VBTLX vs. FANCX — Risk / Return Rank
VBTLX
FANCX
VBTLX vs. FANCX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX) and Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C (FANCX). 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.
| VBTLX | FANCX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.23 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.55 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.26 | -0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.25 | 1.82 | -0.57 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.45 | 5.39 | -1.93 |
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Drawdowns
VBTLX vs. FANCX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBTLX drawdown since its inception was -18.81%, which is greater than FANCX's maximum drawdown of -7.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBTLX and FANCX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBTLX | FANCX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.81% | -7.79% | -11.02% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.89% | -1.18% | -1.71% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.00% | -1.18% | -4.82% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.14% | -7.24% | -10.90% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.81% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.87% | -0.58% | -2.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.66% | -1.54% | -1.12% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.05% | 0.40% | +0.65% |
Volatility
VBTLX vs. FANCX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX) has a higher volatility of 1.18% compared to Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C (FANCX) at 0.66%. This indicates that VBTLX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FANCX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBTLX | FANCX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.18% | 0.66% | +0.52% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.94% | 1.36% | +1.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.82% | 1.82% | +2.00% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.01% | 2.14% | +3.87% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.98% | 1.77% | +3.21% |
VBTLX vs. FANCX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBTLX has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than FANCX's 1.51% expense ratio.
Dividends
VBTLX vs. FANCX - Dividend Comparison
VBTLX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.04%, more than FANCX's 3.09% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FANCX Fidelity Advisor Short-Term Bond Fund Class C | 3.09% | 3.20% | 2.95% | 1.75% | 0.15% | 0.36% | 1.68% | 1.00% | 0.69% | 0.21% | 0.07% | 0.00% |
VBTLX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | 4.04% | 3.87% | 3.69% | 3.10% | 2.59% | 1.96% | 2.39% | 2.74% | 2.57% | 2.56% | 2.53% | 2.82% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VBTLX and FANCX have a correlation of 0.72, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VBTLX has higher volatility (1.18%) compared to FANCX (0.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBTLX dropped -18.81% vs FANCX's -7.79%.
FANCX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.18 vs 0.95), 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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