VCMDX vs. COMB

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

VCMDX (Vanguard Commodity Strategy Fund Admiral Shares) and COMB (GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF) are both Commodities funds. Both are actively managed. Over the past 5 years, VCMDX returned 10.30%/yr vs 10.11%/yr for COMB. Their correlation of 0.93 means they have usually moved in the same direction. VCMDX charges 0.16%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for COMB.

Performance

VCMDX vs. COMB - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Commodity Strategy Fund Admiral Shares (VCMDX) and GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF (COMB). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VCMDX achieves a 18.03% return, which is significantly lower than COMB's 22.64% return.

VCMDX

• 1D: -0.16%
• 1M: 6.12%
• 6M: 8.44%
• YTD: 18.03%
• 1Y: 30.34%
• 3Y*: 11.75%
• 5Y*: 10.30%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 12.13%

COMB

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 7.61%
• 6M: 10.31%
• YTD: 22.64%
• 1Y: 35.68%
• 3Y*: 12.14%
• 5Y*: 10.11%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 7.34%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
COMB GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF	$2.15M	$1.37M	$1.67M
VCMDX Vanguard Commodity Strategy Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

VCMDX vs. COMB - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VCMDX Vanguard Commodity Strategy Fund Admiral Shares	18.03%	18.20%	5.27%	-7.45%	13.83%	34.82%	5.07%	2.74%
COMB GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF	22.64%	15.12%	5.24%	-7.75%	14.56%	26.34%	-2.95%	2.41%

Correlation

The correlation between VCMDX and COMB is 0.89, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.89
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.92
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.93
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 26, 2019	0.93

The correlation between VCMDX and COMB has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.89 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

VCMDX vs. COMB — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

VCMDX

VCMDX Risk / Return Rank: 68
VCMDX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
VCMDX Sortino Ratio Rank: 71
VCMDX Omega Ratio Rank: 74
VCMDX Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
VCMDX Martin Ratio Rank: 51

COMB

COMB Risk / Return Rank: 76
COMB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
COMB Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
COMB Omega Ratio Rank: 82
COMB Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
COMB Martin Ratio Rank: 63

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

VCMDX vs. COMB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Commodity Strategy Fund Admiral Shares (VCMDX) and GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF (COMB). 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.

	VCMDX	COMB	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.79	1.99	-0.19
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.35	2.58	-0.23
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.35	-0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.06	2.37	-0.31
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.78	7.56	-0.78

VCMDX vs. COMB - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VCMDX Sharpe Ratio is 1.79, which is comparable to the COMB Sharpe Ratio of 1.99. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VCMDX and COMB, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

VCMDX vs. COMB - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VCMDX drawdown since its inception was -26.67%, smaller than the maximum COMB drawdown of -33.50%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCMDX and COMB.

Drawdown Indicators

	VCMDX	COMB	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-26.67%	-33.50%	+6.83%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.39%	-14.84%	+1.45%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.39%	-14.84%	+1.45%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.45%	-26.63%	+1.18%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.22%	-7.49%	+0.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.81%	-12.02%	+1.21%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.09%	4.64%	-0.55%

Volatility

VCMDX vs. COMB - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Commodity Strategy Fund Admiral Shares (VCMDX) is 4.00%, while GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF (COMB) has a volatility of 5.09%. This indicates that VCMDX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than COMB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VCMDX	COMB	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.00%	5.09%	-1.09%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.56%	15.26%	-2.70%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.38%	17.71%	-2.33%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.83%	16.72%	-0.89%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.37%	15.17%	+0.20%

VCMDX vs. COMB - Expense Ratio Comparison

VCMDX has a 0.16% expense ratio, which is lower than COMB's 0.25% 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

VCMDX vs. COMB - Dividend Comparison

VCMDX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.89%, more than COMB's 7.38% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
COMB GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF	7.38%	9.05%	2.48%	6.57%	30.85%	15.83%	0.07%	1.48%	0.97%	0.20%
VCMDX Vanguard Commodity Strategy Fund Admiral Shares	12.89%	15.21%	2.19%	2.50%	14.21%	30.56%	0.50%	0.60%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VCMDX and COMB in my portfolio?

VCMDX and COMB have a correlation of 0.89, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VCMDX or COMB?

COMB has higher volatility (5.09%) compared to VCMDX (4.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCMDX dropped -26.67% vs COMB's -33.50%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

COMB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.99 vs 1.79), 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.