VFSIX vs. PREF
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares (VFSIX) and Principal Spectrum Preferred Secs Active ETF (PREF).
VFSIX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Sep 30, 1997. PREF is an actively managed fund by Principal. It was launched on Jul 10, 2017.
Performance
VFSIX vs. PREF - Performance Comparison
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VFSIX vs. PREF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFSIX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares | -0.38% | 6.89% | 5.12% | 5.88% | -5.72% | -0.59% | 5.28% | 5.88% | 1.00% | 0.37% |
PREF Principal Spectrum Preferred Secs Active ETF | -0.46% | 7.64% | 11.43% | 7.36% | -11.80% | 2.08% | 7.52% | 17.32% | -5.45% | 2.05% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFSIX achieves a -0.38% return, which is significantly higher than PREF's -0.46% return.
VFSIX
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -1.42%
- YTD
- -0.38%
- 6M
- 0.78%
- 1Y
- 4.38%
- 3Y*
- 5.16%
- 5Y*
- 2.28%
- 10Y*
- 2.59%
PREF
- 1D
- 0.48%
- 1M
- -1.76%
- YTD
- -0.46%
- 6M
- 0.91%
- 1Y
- 5.77%
- 3Y*
- 8.59%
- 5Y*
- 3.06%
- 10Y*
- —
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VFSIX vs. PREF - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFSIX has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than PREF's 0.55% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
VFSIX vs. PREF — Risk / Return Rank
VFSIX
PREF
VFSIX vs. PREF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares (VFSIX) and Principal Spectrum Preferred Secs Active ETF (PREF). 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.
| VFSIX | PREF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.94 | 1.69 | +0.25 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 3.20 | 2.22 | +0.98 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.43 | 1.34 | +0.09 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.98 | 1.95 | +1.02 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.10 | 8.56 | +3.54 |
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
| VFSIX | PREF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.94 | 1.69 | +0.25 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.77 | 0.64 | +0.14 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.05 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.53 | 0.63 | +0.89 |
Correlation
The correlation between VFSIX and PREF is 0.22, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
VFSIX vs. PREF - Dividend Comparison
VFSIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.32%, less than PREF's 5.01% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFSIX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares | 4.32% | 4.61% | 4.19% | 2.88% | 2.06% | 1.81% | 2.35% | 2.95% | 2.80% | 2.13% | 2.17% | 2.12% |
PREF Principal Spectrum Preferred Secs Active ETF | 5.01% | 4.87% | 4.65% | 4.67% | 4.63% | 4.07% | 4.35% | 4.67% | 5.49% | 2.35% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
VFSIX vs. PREF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFSIX drawdown since its inception was -9.21%, smaller than the maximum PREF drawdown of -22.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFSIX and PREF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFSIX | PREF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.21% | -22.99% | +13.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.71% | -2.88% | +1.17% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.21% | -16.99% | +7.78% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.21% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.42% | -1.96% | +0.54% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.79% | -3.73% | +2.94% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.42% | 0.66% | -0.24% |
Volatility
VFSIX vs. PREF - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Institutional Shares (VFSIX) is 0.75%, while Principal Spectrum Preferred Secs Active ETF (PREF) has a volatility of 1.73%. This indicates that VFSIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PREF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFSIX | PREF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.75% | 1.73% | -0.98% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.50% | 2.49% | -0.99% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.53% | 3.44% | -0.91% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.95% | 4.84% | -1.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.47% | 6.35% | -3.88% |