VEXRX vs. VFSIX
VEXRX (Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares) and VFSIX (Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares) are both mutual funds - VEXRX is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while VFSIX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VEXRX returned 12.84%/yr vs 2.51%/yr for VFSIX. Their -0.11 correlation means they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. VEXRX charges 0.29%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VFSIX.
Performance
VEXRX vs. VFSIX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VEXRX achieves a 14.71% return, which is significantly higher than VFSIX's 0.55% return. Over the past 10 years, VEXRX has outperformed VFSIX with an annualized return of 12.84%, while VFSIX has yielded a comparatively lower 2.51% annualized return.
VEXRX
- 1D
- 1.67%
- 1M
- -2.76%
- 6M
- 10.60%
- YTD
- 14.71%
- 1Y
- 25.54%
- 3Y*
- 14.34%
- 5Y*
- 6.23%
- 10Y*
- 12.84%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.09%
VFSIX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -0.48%
- 6M
- 0.16%
- YTD
- 0.55%
- 1Y
- 2.82%
- 3Y*
- 5.29%
- 5Y*
- 2.24%
- 10Y*
- 2.51%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.63%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
VEXRX vs. VFSIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VEXRX Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares | 14.71% | 7.19% | 17.40% | 19.90% | -23.23% | 16.07% | 31.51% | 31.42% | -2.34% | 22.64% |
VFSIX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares | 0.55% | 6.89% | 5.12% | 5.88% | -5.72% | -0.59% | 5.28% | 5.88% | 1.00% | 2.15% |
Correlation
The correlation between VEXRX and VFSIX is 0.32, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.32 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.19 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.18 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 12, 2001 | -0.11 |
The correlation between VEXRX and VFSIX shifts across timeframes, from -0.11 (all time) to 0.32 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VEXRX vs. VFSIX — Risk / Return Rank
VEXRX
VFSIX
VEXRX vs. VFSIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares (VEXRX) and Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares (VFSIX). 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.
| VEXRX | VFSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.43 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.98 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.35 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.15 | 2.19 | -0.05 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.79 | 8.24 | -0.45 |
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Drawdowns
VEXRX vs. VFSIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VEXRX drawdown since its inception was -57.26%, which is greater than VFSIX's maximum drawdown of -9.21%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VEXRX and VFSIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VEXRX | VFSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -57.26% | -9.21% | -48.05% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.16% | -1.71% | -8.45% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.35% | -1.71% | -22.64% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.67% | -9.21% | -23.46% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.86% | -9.21% | -30.65% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.73% | -0.58% | -4.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.89% | -0.79% | -9.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.81% | 0.45% | +2.36% |
Volatility
VEXRX vs. VFSIX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares (VEXRX) has a higher volatility of 4.48% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares (VFSIX) at 0.48%. This indicates that VEXRX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFSIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VEXRX | VFSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.48% | 0.48% | +4.00% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.88% | 1.77% | +12.11% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.00% | 2.28% | +15.72% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.44% | 3.00% | +18.44% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.80% | 2.49% | +19.31% |
VEXRX vs. VFSIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VEXRX has a 0.29% expense ratio, which is higher than VFSIX's 0.07% expense ratio.
Dividends
VEXRX vs. VFSIX - Dividend Comparison
VEXRX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.57%, more than VFSIX's 4.37% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VEXRX Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares | 6.57% | 7.54% | 12.72% | 0.89% | 5.22% | 16.17% | 6.76% | 5.08% | 11.13% | 11.46% | 4.63% | 10.89% |
VFSIX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares | 4.37% | 4.61% | 4.19% | 2.88% | 2.06% | 1.81% | 2.35% | 2.95% | 2.80% | 2.13% | 2.17% | 2.12% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VEXRX and VFSIX have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VEXRX has higher volatility (4.48%) compared to VFSIX (0.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VEXRX dropped -57.26% vs VFSIX's -9.21%.
VFSIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.64 vs 1.21), 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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