VFIUX vs. VSBSX
VFIUX (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares) and VSBSX (Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both Government Bonds funds from Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VFIUX returned 1.34%/yr vs 1.75%/yr for VSBSX. A 0.80 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VFIUX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VSBSX.
Performance
VFIUX vs. VSBSX - 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 VSBSX's 0.45% return. Over the past 10 years, VFIUX has underperformed VSBSX with an annualized return of 1.34%, while VSBSX has yielded a comparatively higher 1.75% annualized return.
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%
VSBSX
- 1D
- -0.05%
- 1M
- 0.06%
- YTD
- 0.45%
- 6M
- 0.78%
- 1Y
- 3.25%
- 3Y*
- 4.26%
- 5Y*
- 1.86%
- 10Y*
- 1.75%
VFIUX vs. VSBSX - 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% |
VSBSX Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund Admiral Shares | 0.45% | 5.08% | 4.39% | 4.23% | -3.87% | -0.69% | 3.09% | 3.51% | 1.52% | 0.35% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFIUX and VSBSX is 0.85, 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 | 0.85 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.83 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.85 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.82 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 24, 2009 | 0.80 |
The correlation between VFIUX and VSBSX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.80 to 0.85 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VFIUX vs. VSBSX — Risk / Return Rank
VFIUX
VSBSX
VFIUX vs. VSBSX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIUX) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund Admiral Shares (VSBSX). 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 | VSBSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.71 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.92 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.57 | -0.40 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.18 | 4.09 | -2.92 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.41 | 16.83 | -13.42 |
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 | VSBSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.97 | 2.68 | -1.71 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.01 | 0.96 | -0.95 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 | 1.14 | -0.85 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.69 | 1.07 | -0.38 |
Drawdowns
VFIUX vs. VSBSX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFIUX drawdown since its inception was -15.41%, which is greater than VSBSX's maximum drawdown of -5.77%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFIUX and VSBSX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFIUX | VSBSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -15.41% | -5.77% | -9.64% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.19% | -0.84% | -2.35% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.75% | -0.84% | -3.91% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.88% | -5.77% | -9.11% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -15.41% | -5.77% | -9.64% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.27% | -0.27% | -2.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.80% | -0.59% | -2.21% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.10% | 0.20% | +0.90% |
Volatility
VFIUX vs. VSBSX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VFIUX) has a higher volatility of 1.25% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund Admiral Shares (VSBSX) at 0.36%. This indicates that VFIUX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VSBSX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFIUX | VSBSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.25% | 0.36% | +0.89% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.74% | 0.87% | +1.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.88% | 1.28% | +2.60% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.63% | 1.95% | +3.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.67% | 1.54% | +3.13% |
VFIUX vs. VSBSX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFIUX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than VSBSX'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
VFIUX vs. VSBSX - Dividend Comparison
VFIUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.04%, more than VSBSX's 3.85% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
VSBSX Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund Admiral Shares | 3.85% | 3.98% | 4.50% | 3.29% | 1.12% | 0.63% | 1.72% | 2.26% | 1.80% | 1.10% | 0.76% | 0.71% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VFIUX and VSBSX have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VFIUX has higher volatility (1.25%) compared to VSBSX (0.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VFIUX dropped -15.41% vs VSBSX's -5.77%.
VSBSX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.68 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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