VFSTX vs. BND
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares (VFSTX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND).
VFSTX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Oct 29, 1982. BND is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Apr 3, 2007.
Performance
VFSTX vs. BND - Performance Comparison
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VFSTX vs. BND - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFSTX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares | -0.40% | 6.75% | 4.98% | 6.06% | -5.84% | -0.70% | 5.16% | 5.75% | 0.87% | 2.02% |
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 0.05% | 7.08% | 1.38% | 5.65% | -13.11% | -1.86% | 7.71% | 8.84% | -0.12% | 3.57% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFSTX achieves a -0.40% return, which is significantly lower than BND's 0.05% return. Over the past 10 years, VFSTX has outperformed BND with an annualized return of 2.49%, while BND has yielded a comparatively lower 1.67% annualized return.
VFSTX
- 1D
- 0.19%
- 1M
- -1.42%
- YTD
- -0.40%
- 6M
- 0.73%
- 1Y
- 4.26%
- 3Y*
- 5.14%
- 5Y*
- 2.21%
- 10Y*
- 2.49%
BND
- 1D
- 0.22%
- 1M
- -1.74%
- YTD
- 0.05%
- 6M
- 0.95%
- 1Y
- 4.24%
- 3Y*
- 3.59%
- 5Y*
- 0.24%
- 10Y*
- 1.67%
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VFSTX vs. BND - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFSTX has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than BND'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
VFSTX vs. BND — Risk / Return Rank
VFSTX
BND
VFSTX vs. BND - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares (VFSTX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND). 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.
| VFSTX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.90 | 0.99 | +0.91 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 3.11 | 1.41 | +1.70 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.42 | 1.18 | +0.25 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.90 | 1.81 | +1.09 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.78 | 4.98 | +6.80 |
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
| VFSTX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.90 | 0.99 | +0.91 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.75 | 0.04 | +0.71 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.02 | 0.30 | +0.71 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.51 | 0.59 | +0.92 |
Correlation
The correlation between VFSTX and BND is 0.70, 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
VFSTX vs. BND - Dividend Comparison
VFSTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.20%, more than BND's 3.91% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFSTX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares | 4.20% | 4.48% | 4.06% | 3.05% | 1.93% | 1.70% | 2.24% | 2.83% | 2.68% | 2.00% | 2.04% | 1.99% |
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 3.91% | 3.86% | 3.67% | 3.09% | 2.60% | 2.12% | 2.38% | 2.72% | 2.81% | 2.54% | 2.51% | 2.57% |
Drawdowns
VFSTX vs. BND - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFSTX drawdown since its inception was -9.35%, smaller than the maximum BND drawdown of -18.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFSTX and BND.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFSTX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.35% | -18.58% | +9.23% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.71% | -2.44% | +0.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.35% | -17.91% | +8.56% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.35% | -18.58% | +9.23% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.42% | -2.58% | +1.16% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.12% | -3.07% | +1.95% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.42% | 0.89% | -0.47% |
Volatility
VFSTX vs. BND - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares (VFSTX) is 0.75%, while Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) has a volatility of 1.63%. This indicates that VFSTX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BND based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFSTX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.75% | 1.63% | -0.88% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.49% | 2.52% | -1.03% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.51% | 4.30% | -1.79% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.94% | 6.00% | -3.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.46% | 5.52% | -3.06% |