VFIUX vs. IEI
VFIUX (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares) and IEI (iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both Government Bonds funds. Over the past 10 years, VFIUX returned 1.34%/yr vs 1.30%/yr for IEI. Their correlation of 0.95 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VFIUX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEI.
Performance
VFIUX vs. IEI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFIUX achieves a -0.57% return, which is significantly lower than IEI's -0.33% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VFIUX having a 1.34% annualized return and IEI not far behind at 1.30%.
VFIUX
- 1D
- -0.20%
- 1M
- -0.26%
- YTD
- -0.57%
- 6M
- -0.43%
- 1Y
- 3.22%
- 3Y*
- 3.40%
- 5Y*
- 0.05%
- 10Y*
- 1.34%
IEI
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- -0.13%
- YTD
- -0.33%
- 6M
- -0.22%
- 1Y
- 2.93%
- 3Y*
- 3.54%
- 5Y*
- 0.25%
- 10Y*
- 1.30%
VFIUX vs. IEI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFIUX Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | -0.57% | 7.65% | 1.49% | 3.85% | -10.34% | -2.30% | 8.31% | 6.40% | 1.11% | 1.67% |
IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.33% | 6.96% | 1.81% | 4.42% | -9.51% | -2.54% | 6.95% | 5.71% | 1.36% | 1.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFIUX and IEI is 0.94, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.96 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 12, 2007 | 0.95 |
The correlation between VFIUX and IEI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.94 to 0.97 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VFIUX vs. IEI — Risk / Return Rank
VFIUX
IEI
VFIUX vs. IEI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIUX) and iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI). 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.
| VFIUX | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.01 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.00 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.17 | 0.00 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.18 | 1.18 | 0.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.41 | 3.52 | -0.10 |
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
| VFIUX | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.97 | 0.98 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.01 | 0.05 | -0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 | 0.33 | -0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.69 | 0.70 | -0.01 |
Drawdowns
VFIUX vs. IEI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFIUX drawdown since its inception was -15.41%, which is greater than IEI's maximum drawdown of -14.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFIUX and IEI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFIUX | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -15.41% | -14.60% | -0.81% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.19% | -2.50% | -0.69% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.75% | -3.66% | -1.09% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.88% | -13.88% | -1.00% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -15.41% | -14.60% | -0.81% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.27% | -1.76% | -0.51% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.80% | -2.67% | -0.13% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.10% | 0.84% | +0.26% |
Volatility
VFIUX vs. IEI - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIUX) has a higher volatility of 1.25% compared to iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) at 0.91%. This indicates that VFIUX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFIUX | IEI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.25% | 0.91% | +0.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.74% | 2.13% | +0.61% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.88% | 3.04% | +0.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.63% | 4.77% | +0.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.67% | 3.93% | +0.74% |
VFIUX vs. IEI - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFIUX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than IEI's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VFIUX vs. IEI - Dividend Comparison
VFIUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.04%, more than IEI's 3.64% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.64% | 3.48% | 3.18% | 2.36% | 1.37% | 0.73% | 1.12% | 2.01% | 1.95% | 1.51% | 1.33% | 1.39% |
VFIUX Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | 4.04% | 3.99% | 4.16% | 3.25% | 2.07% | 1.07% | 4.94% | 2.40% | 2.44% | 1.86% | 2.87% | 2.60% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.94, VFIUX and IEI move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
VFIUX has higher volatility (1.25%) compared to IEI (0.91%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VFIUX dropped -15.41% vs IEI's -14.60%.
IEI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.98 vs 0.97), 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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