VFIRX vs. SCHO
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIRX) and Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHO).
VFIRX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 13, 2001. SCHO is a passively managed fund by Charles Schwab that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index. It was launched on Aug 5, 2010.
Performance
VFIRX vs. SCHO - Performance Comparison
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VFIRX vs. SCHO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFIRX Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | -0.01% | 5.47% | 3.85% | 3.66% | -4.61% | -0.80% | 4.06% | 3.71% | 1.47% | 0.40% |
SCHO Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 0.26% | 5.49% | 3.65% | 4.31% | -3.87% | -0.64% | 3.11% | 3.47% | 1.37% | 0.33% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFIRX achieves a -0.01% return, which is significantly lower than SCHO's 0.26% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VFIRX having a 1.68% annualized return and SCHO not far ahead at 1.72%.
VFIRX
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -0.70%
- YTD
- -0.01%
- 6M
- 0.94%
- 1Y
- 3.42%
- 3Y*
- 3.83%
- 5Y*
- 1.48%
- 10Y*
- 1.68%
SCHO
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- -0.31%
- YTD
- 0.26%
- 6M
- 1.27%
- 1Y
- 3.69%
- 3Y*
- 4.00%
- 5Y*
- 1.79%
- 10Y*
- 1.72%
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VFIRX vs. SCHO - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFIRX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHO'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
VFIRX vs. SCHO — Risk / Return Rank
VFIRX
SCHO
VFIRX vs. SCHO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIRX) and Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHO). 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.
| VFIRX | SCHO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.59 | 2.44 | -0.84 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.63 | 3.92 | -1.28 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.50 | -0.16 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.78 | 4.42 | -1.64 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.85 | 17.32 | -7.47 |
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
| VFIRX | SCHO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.59 | 2.44 | -0.84 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.56 | 0.92 | -0.35 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.80 | 1.11 | -0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.16 | 1.00 | +0.16 |
Correlation
The correlation between VFIRX and SCHO is 0.75, 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
VFIRX vs. SCHO - Dividend Comparison
VFIRX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.57%, less than SCHO's 3.98% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFIRX Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | 3.57% | 3.99% | 4.49% | 4.07% | 2.03% | 0.60% | 2.30% | 2.49% | 2.21% | 1.25% | 1.28% | 0.93% |
SCHO Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF | 3.98% | 4.06% | 4.29% | 3.76% | 1.34% | 0.41% | 1.27% | 2.27% | 1.60% | 1.12% | 0.82% | 0.68% |
Drawdowns
VFIRX vs. SCHO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFIRX drawdown since its inception was -6.73%, which is greater than SCHO's maximum drawdown of -5.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFIRX and SCHO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFIRX | SCHO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -6.73% | -5.69% | -1.04% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.40% | -0.86% | -0.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -6.73% | -5.69% | -1.04% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -6.73% | -5.69% | -1.04% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.00% | -0.43% | -0.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.71% | -0.61% | -0.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.40% | 0.22% | +0.18% |
Volatility
VFIRX vs. SCHO - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIRX) has a higher volatility of 0.66% compared to Schwab Short-Term U.S. Treasury ETF (SCHO) at 0.52%. This indicates that VFIRX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SCHO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFIRX | SCHO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.66% | 0.52% | +0.14% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.42% | 0.87% | +0.55% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.25% | 1.52% | +0.73% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.65% | 1.97% | +0.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.11% | 1.55% | +0.56% |