VCOBX vs. BSV
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Core Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VCOBX) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV).
VCOBX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Mar 28, 2016. BSV is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Apr 3, 2007.
Performance
VCOBX vs. BSV - Performance Comparison
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VCOBX vs. BSV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCOBX Vanguard Core Bond Fund Admiral Shares | -0.05% | 7.73% | 2.21% | 6.39% | -13.13% | -1.51% | 10.41% | 9.64% | -0.85% | 3.89% |
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.16% | 6.00% | 3.78% | 4.90% | -5.49% | -1.09% | 4.70% | 4.98% | 1.34% | 1.20% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VCOBX achieves a -0.05% return, which is significantly lower than BSV's 0.16% return. Over the past 10 years, VCOBX has outperformed BSV with an annualized return of 2.24%, while BSV has yielded a comparatively lower 1.97% annualized return.
VCOBX
- 1D
- 0.22%
- 1M
- -1.42%
- YTD
- -0.05%
- 6M
- 0.75%
- 1Y
- 4.24%
- 3Y*
- 4.38%
- 5Y*
- 0.68%
- 10Y*
- 2.24%
BSV
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- -0.57%
- YTD
- 0.16%
- 6M
- 1.15%
- 1Y
- 4.05%
- 3Y*
- 4.27%
- 5Y*
- 1.68%
- 10Y*
- 1.97%
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VCOBX vs. BSV - Expense Ratio Comparison
VCOBX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than BSV's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
VCOBX vs. BSV — Risk / Return Rank
VCOBX
BSV
VCOBX vs. BSV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Core Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VCOBX) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV). 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.
| VCOBX | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.11 | 2.04 | -0.93 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.60 | 3.25 | -1.65 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.40 | -0.20 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.77 | 3.23 | -1.46 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.33 | 12.23 | -6.91 |
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
| VCOBX | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.11 | 2.04 | -0.93 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.12 | 0.62 | -0.51 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.47 | 0.83 | -0.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.48 | 0.86 | -0.38 |
Correlation
The correlation between VCOBX and BSV is 0.83, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
VCOBX vs. BSV - Dividend Comparison
VCOBX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.35%, more than BSV's 3.93% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCOBX Vanguard Core Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 4.35% | 4.80% | 5.04% | 4.44% | 3.01% | 1.23% | 3.09% | 3.08% | 3.10% | 2.20% | 2.29% | 0.00% |
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 3.93% | 3.83% | 3.38% | 2.46% | 1.50% | 1.45% | 1.79% | 2.29% | 1.99% | 1.65% | 1.48% | 1.40% |
Drawdowns
VCOBX vs. BSV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VCOBX drawdown since its inception was -18.14%, which is greater than BSV's maximum drawdown of -8.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCOBX and BSV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VCOBX | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.14% | -8.54% | -9.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.70% | -1.29% | -1.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.03% | -8.54% | -9.49% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.14% | -8.54% | -9.60% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.88% | -0.76% | -1.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.22% | -0.98% | -3.24% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.90% | 0.34% | +0.56% |
Volatility
VCOBX vs. BSV - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Core Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VCOBX) has a higher volatility of 1.60% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) at 0.78%. This indicates that VCOBX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BSV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VCOBX | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.60% | 0.78% | +0.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.46% | 1.19% | +1.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.15% | 2.00% | +2.15% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.75% | 2.71% | +3.04% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.74% | 2.37% | +2.37% |