VFIDX vs. BNDX
VFIDX (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares) and BNDX (Vanguard Total International Bond ETF) are both funds - VFIDX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard, while BNDX is a Global Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index (USD Hedged). Over the past 10 years, VFIDX returned 2.69%/yr vs 1.74%/yr for BNDX. A 0.68 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VFIDX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for BNDX.
Performance
VFIDX vs. BNDX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFIDX achieves a -0.15% return, which is significantly lower than BNDX's 1.27% return. Over the past 10 years, VFIDX has outperformed BNDX with an annualized return of 2.69%, while BNDX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.74% annualized return.
VFIDX
- 1D
- -0.34%
- 1M
- 0.43%
- YTD
- -0.15%
- 6M
- 0.38%
- 1Y
- 5.18%
- 3Y*
- 6.09%
- 5Y*
- 1.20%
- 10Y*
- 2.69%
BNDX
- 1D
- 0.23%
- 1M
- 0.90%
- YTD
- 1.27%
- 6M
- 1.25%
- 1Y
- 2.23%
- 3Y*
- 4.22%
- 5Y*
- 0.46%
- 10Y*
- 1.74%
VFIDX vs. BNDX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFIDX Vanguard Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares | -0.15% | 9.67% | 3.29% | 8.63% | -13.77% | -1.51% | 10.44% | 10.50% | -0.44% | 4.28% |
BNDX Vanguard Total International Bond ETF | 1.27% | 2.86% | 3.57% | 8.77% | -12.76% | -2.29% | 4.65% | 7.87% | 2.81% | 2.40% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFIDX and BNDX is 0.74, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.74 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.78 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 4, 2013 | 0.68 |
The correlation between VFIDX and BNDX shifts across timeframes, from 0.68 (all time) to 0.80 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VFIDX vs. BNDX — Risk / Return Rank
VFIDX
BNDX
VFIDX vs. BNDX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares (VFIDX) and Vanguard Total International Bond ETF (BNDX). 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.
| VFIDX | BNDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.63 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.98 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.12 | +0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.63 | 0.76 | +0.87 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.33 | 2.11 | +3.23 |
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Drawdowns
VFIDX vs. BNDX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFIDX drawdown since its inception was -20.14%, which is greater than BNDX's maximum drawdown of -16.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFIDX and BNDX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFIDX | BNDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -20.14% | -16.23% | -3.91% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.34% | -2.93% | -0.41% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.08% | -2.93% | -3.15% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.14% | -15.86% | -4.28% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -20.14% | -16.23% | -3.91% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.63% | -0.77% | -0.86% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.60% | -3.10% | +0.50% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.02% | 1.06% | -0.04% |
Volatility
VFIDX vs. BNDX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares (VFIDX) has a higher volatility of 1.34% compared to Vanguard Total International Bond ETF (BNDX) at 0.97%. This indicates that VFIDX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BNDX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFIDX | BNDX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.34% | 0.97% | +0.37% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.25% | 2.98% | +0.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.27% | 3.46% | +0.81% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.40% | 4.89% | +1.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.20% | 4.09% | +1.11% |
VFIDX vs. BNDX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFIDX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than BNDX's 0.07% 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
VFIDX vs. BNDX - Dividend Comparison
VFIDX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.12%, more than BNDX's 4.46% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BNDX Vanguard Total International Bond ETF | 4.46% | 4.39% | 4.18% | 4.42% | 1.51% | 3.74% | 1.11% | 3.40% | 3.01% | 2.23% | 1.89% | 1.63% |
VFIDX Vanguard Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares | 5.12% | 4.91% | 4.65% | 3.90% | 3.20% | 3.61% | 5.80% | 3.13% | 3.32% | 3.06% | 3.94% | 3.64% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VFIDX and BNDX have a correlation of 0.74, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VFIDX has higher volatility (1.34%) compared to BNDX (0.97%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VFIDX dropped -20.14% vs BNDX's -16.23%.
VFIDX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.28 vs 0.65), 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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