VCORX vs. VGCIX
VCORX (Vanguard Core Bond Fund Investor Shares) and VGCIX (Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Investor Shares) are both Total Bond Market funds from Vanguard. Over the past 5 years, VCORX returned 0.34%/yr vs 1.25%/yr for VGCIX. Their correlation of 0.92 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VCORX charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for VGCIX.
Performance
VCORX vs. VGCIX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VCORX achieves a 0.50% return, which is significantly lower than VGCIX's 1.08% return.
VCORX
- 1D
- -0.22%
- 1M
- 0.60%
- YTD
- 0.50%
- 6M
- 0.61%
- 1Y
- 4.57%
- 3Y*
- 4.57%
- 5Y*
- 0.34%
- 10Y*
- 2.11%
VGCIX
- 1D
- -0.21%
- 1M
- 0.73%
- YTD
- 1.08%
- 6M
- 1.29%
- 1Y
- 4.96%
- 3Y*
- 6.09%
- 5Y*
- 1.25%
- 10Y*
- —
VCORX vs. VGCIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCORX Vanguard Core Bond Fund Investor Shares | 0.50% | 7.68% | 2.10% | 5.90% | -13.27% | -0.80% | 10.19% | 9.47% | 1.81% |
VGCIX Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Investor Shares | 1.08% | 7.26% | 3.82% | 9.17% | -13.61% | -0.70% | 10.70% | 12.93% | 0.95% |
Correlation
The correlation between VCORX and VGCIX is 0.91, 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 | 0.91 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 15, 2018 | 0.92 |
The correlation between VCORX and VGCIX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.91 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VCORX vs. VGCIX — Risk / Return Rank
VCORX
VGCIX
VCORX vs. VGCIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Core Bond Fund Investor Shares (VCORX) and Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Investor Shares (VGCIX). 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.
| VCORX | VGCIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.20 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.27 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.83 | 1.76 | +0.07 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.23 | 5.82 | -0.59 |
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Drawdowns
VCORX vs. VGCIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VCORX drawdown since its inception was -18.14%, roughly equal to the maximum VGCIX drawdown of -18.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCORX and VGCIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VCORX | VGCIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.14% | -18.69% | +0.55% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.64% | -2.95% | +0.31% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.99% | -4.13% | -1.86% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.14% | -18.69% | +0.55% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.14% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.28% | -0.67% | -0.61% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.25% | -4.42% | +0.17% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.92% | 0.89% | +0.03% |
Volatility
VCORX vs. VGCIX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Core Bond Fund Investor Shares (VCORX) has a higher volatility of 1.01% compared to Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Investor Shares (VGCIX) at 0.96%. This indicates that VCORX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGCIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VCORX | VGCIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.01% | 0.96% | +0.05% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.75% | 2.71% | +0.04% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.67% | 3.44% | +0.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.81% | 5.15% | +0.66% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.81% | 4.90% | -0.09% |
VCORX vs. VGCIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VCORX has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is lower than VGCIX's 0.35% expense ratio.
Dividends
VCORX vs. VGCIX - Dividend Comparison
VCORX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.64%, less than VGCIX's 4.85% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCORX Vanguard Core Bond Fund Investor Shares | 4.64% | 4.70% | 4.93% | 3.99% | 2.90% | 1.91% | 2.95% | 2.93% | 2.98% | 2.62% | 2.20% |
VGCIX Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Investor Shares | 4.85% | 4.82% | 4.54% | 4.38% | 2.61% | 3.05% | 4.55% | 6.77% | 0.35% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.91, VCORX and VGCIX 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.
VCORX has higher volatility (1.01%) compared to VGCIX (0.96%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCORX dropped -18.14% vs VGCIX's -18.69%.
VGCIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.52 vs 1.32), 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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