VFIRX vs. VGSH
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIRX) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH).
VFIRX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 13, 2001. VGSH is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index. It was launched on Nov 19, 2009.
Performance
VFIRX vs. VGSH - Performance Comparison
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VFIRX vs. VGSH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFIRX Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | -0.11% | 5.47% | 3.85% | 3.66% | -4.61% | -0.80% | 4.06% | 3.71% | 1.47% | 0.40% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.28% | 5.07% | 4.00% | 4.31% | -3.86% | -0.60% | 3.04% | 3.52% | 1.55% | 0.04% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFIRX achieves a -0.11% return, which is significantly lower than VGSH's 0.28% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VFIRX having a 1.67% annualized return and VGSH not far ahead at 1.74%.
VFIRX
- 1D
- 0.20%
- 1M
- -1.10%
- YTD
- -0.11%
- 6M
- 0.94%
- 1Y
- 3.42%
- 3Y*
- 3.79%
- 5Y*
- 1.46%
- 10Y*
- 1.67%
VGSH
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- -0.49%
- YTD
- 0.28%
- 6M
- 1.37%
- 1Y
- 3.75%
- 3Y*
- 3.98%
- 5Y*
- 1.79%
- 10Y*
- 1.74%
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VFIRX vs. VGSH - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFIRX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than VGSH'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. VGSH — Risk / Return Rank
VFIRX
VGSH
VFIRX vs. VGSH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIRX) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH). 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 | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.69 | 2.62 | -0.93 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.83 | 4.21 | -1.38 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.57 | -0.21 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.93 | 4.26 | -1.33 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.51 | 16.28 | -5.76 |
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 | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.69 | 2.62 | -0.93 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.56 | 0.92 | -0.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 | 1.11 | -0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.16 | 1.02 | +0.14 |
Correlation
The correlation between VFIRX and VGSH is 0.74, 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. VGSH - Dividend Comparison
VFIRX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.58%, less than VGSH's 3.95% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFIRX Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | 3.58% | 3.99% | 4.49% | 4.07% | 2.03% | 0.60% | 2.30% | 2.49% | 2.21% | 1.25% | 1.28% | 0.93% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 3.95% | 4.00% | 4.18% | 3.31% | 1.15% | 0.66% | 1.74% | 2.28% | 1.79% | 1.10% | 0.84% | 0.69% |
Drawdowns
VFIRX vs. VGSH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFIRX drawdown since its inception was -6.73%, which is greater than VGSH's maximum drawdown of -5.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFIRX and VGSH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFIRX | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -6.73% | -5.70% | -1.03% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.40% | -0.88% | -0.52% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -6.73% | -5.70% | -1.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -6.73% | -5.70% | -1.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.10% | -0.49% | -0.61% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.71% | -0.60% | -0.11% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.39% | 0.23% | +0.16% |
Volatility
VFIRX vs. VGSH - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIRX) has a higher volatility of 0.70% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) at 0.52%. This indicates that VFIRX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGSH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFIRX | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.70% | 0.52% | +0.18% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.42% | 0.84% | +0.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.25% | 1.44% | +0.81% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.65% | 1.96% | +0.69% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.11% | 1.57% | +0.54% |