VFIAX vs. AGG
VFIAX (Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares) and AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both funds - VFIAX is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VFIAX returned 15.40%/yr vs 1.57%/yr for AGG. At a correlation of -0.11, they often move in opposite directions. VFIAX charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for AGG.
Performance
VFIAX vs. AGG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFIAX achieves a 8.58% return, which is significantly higher than AGG's 0.52% return. Over the past 10 years, VFIAX has outperformed AGG with an annualized return of 15.40%, while AGG has yielded a comparatively lower 1.57% annualized return.
VFIAX
- 1D
- 1.75%
- 1M
- -0.55%
- YTD
- 8.58%
- 6M
- 8.92%
- 1Y
- 23.76%
- 3Y*
- 21.03%
- 5Y*
- 13.30%
- 10Y*
- 15.40%
AGG
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 0.43%
- YTD
- 0.52%
- 6M
- 0.93%
- 1Y
- 4.50%
- 3Y*
- 4.19%
- 5Y*
- 0.06%
- 10Y*
- 1.57%
VFIAX vs. AGG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares | 8.58% | 17.83% | 24.97% | 26.24% | -18.16% | 28.65% | 18.32% | 31.46% | -4.45% | 21.78% |
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 0.52% | 7.19% | 1.31% | 5.65% | -13.02% | -1.77% | 7.48% | 8.46% | 0.09% | 3.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFIAX and AGG is 0.35, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 26, 2003 | -0.11 |
The correlation between VFIAX and AGG shifts across timeframes, from -0.11 (all time) to 0.35 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VFIAX vs. AGG — Risk / Return Rank
VFIAX
AGG
VFIAX vs. AGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). 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.
| VFIAX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.78 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.91 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.21 | +0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.73 | 1.63 | +1.10 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.43 | 4.82 | +7.61 |
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Drawdowns
VFIAX vs. AGG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFIAX drawdown since its inception was -55.20%, which is greater than AGG's maximum drawdown of -18.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFIAX and AGG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFIAX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.20% | -18.43% | -36.77% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.90% | -2.76% | -6.14% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.75% | -6.11% | -12.64% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.53% | -17.82% | -6.71% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.83% | -18.43% | -15.40% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.79% | -1.88% | -0.91% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.39% | -2.71% | -6.68% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.95% | 0.94% | +1.01% |
Volatility
VFIAX vs. AGG - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX) has a higher volatility of 4.43% compared to iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) at 1.37%. This indicates that VFIAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFIAX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.43% | 1.37% | +3.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.70% | 2.81% | +6.89% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.37% | 3.82% | +8.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.97% | 6.09% | +10.88% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.10% | 5.41% | +12.69% |
VFIAX vs. AGG - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFIAX has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is higher than AGG'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%.
Dividends
VFIAX vs. AGG - Dividend Comparison
VFIAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.04%, less than AGG's 3.98% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 3.98% | 3.89% | 3.74% | 3.13% | 2.39% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 2.70% | 2.72% | 2.32% | 2.39% | 2.45% |
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.04% | 1.12% | 1.24% | 1.45% | 1.68% | 1.24% | 1.53% | 1.87% | 2.05% | 1.78% | 2.02% | 2.10% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VFIAX and AGG have a correlation of 0.35, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VFIAX has higher volatility (4.43%) compared to AGG (1.37%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VFIAX dropped -55.20% vs AGG's -18.43%.
VFIAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.97 vs 1.19), 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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