VFSUX vs. VAIPX
VFSUX (Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares) and VAIPX (Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VFSUX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard, while VAIPX is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VFSUX returned 2.64%/yr vs 2.64%/yr for VAIPX. A 0.63 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. Both charge a 0.10% expense ratio.
Performance
VFSUX vs. VAIPX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFSUX achieves a 0.82% return, which is significantly lower than VAIPX's 1.65% return. Over a longer period, both investments have demonstrated similar performance, with their 10-year annualized returns being quite close: VFSUX at 2.64% and VAIPX at 2.64%.
VFSUX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.31%
- YTD
- 0.82%
- 6M
- 1.11%
- 1Y
- 4.80%
- 3Y*
- 5.63%
- 5Y*
- 2.41%
- 10Y*
- 2.64%
VAIPX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.13%
- YTD
- 1.65%
- 6M
- 1.27%
- 1Y
- 5.31%
- 3Y*
- 4.04%
- 5Y*
- 1.17%
- 10Y*
- 2.64%
VFSUX vs. VAIPX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFSUX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares | 0.82% | 6.87% | 5.08% | 6.17% | -5.75% | -0.62% | 5.26% | 5.85% | 0.98% | 2.13% |
VAIPX Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares | 1.65% | 6.87% | 1.85% | 3.83% | -11.92% | 5.69% | 10.96% | 8.16% | -1.39% | 2.91% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFSUX and VAIPX is 0.68, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 13, 2005 | 0.63 |
The correlation between VFSUX and VAIPX shifts across timeframes, from 0.63 (all time) to 0.75 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VFSUX vs. VAIPX — Risk / Return Rank
VFSUX
VAIPX
VFSUX vs. VAIPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares (VFSUX) and Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares (VAIPX). 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.
| VFSUX | VAIPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.53 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.35 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.47 | 1.28 | +0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.83 | 2.53 | +0.30 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.18 | 8.02 | +3.16 |
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
| VFSUX | VAIPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.08 | 1.54 | +0.53 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.81 | 0.20 | +0.61 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.06 | 0.50 | +0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.35 | 0.52 | +0.83 |
Drawdowns
VFSUX vs. VAIPX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFSUX drawdown since its inception was -9.24%, smaller than the maximum VAIPX drawdown of -15.04%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFSUX and VAIPX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFSUX | VAIPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.24% | -15.04% | +5.80% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.71% | -2.05% | +0.34% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.71% | -4.52% | +2.81% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.24% | -14.40% | +5.16% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.24% | -14.40% | +5.16% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.23% | -0.09% | -0.14% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.87% | -3.81% | +2.94% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.43% | 0.65% | -0.22% |
Volatility
VFSUX vs. VAIPX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares (VFSUX) is 0.75%, while Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares (VAIPX) has a volatility of 0.97%. This indicates that VFSUX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VAIPX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFSUX | VAIPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.75% | 0.97% | -0.22% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.66% | 2.32% | -0.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.33% | 3.38% | -1.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.99% | 5.99% | -3.00% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.49% | 5.32% | -2.83% |
VFSUX vs. VAIPX - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both VFSUX and VAIPX have an expense ratio of 0.10%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VFSUX vs. VAIPX - Dividend Comparison
VFSUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.72%, more than VAIPX's 4.49% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VAIPX Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Admiral Shares | 4.49% | 4.74% | 4.17% | 4.31% | 8.45% | 5.13% | 1.38% | 2.29% | 3.12% | 2.41% | 3.49% | 0.88% |
VFSUX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Admiral Shares | 4.72% | 4.59% | 4.16% | 3.14% | 2.03% | 1.79% | 2.34% | 2.92% | 2.79% | 2.11% | 2.14% | 2.09% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VFSUX and VAIPX have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VAIPX has higher volatility (0.97%) compared to VFSUX (0.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VFSUX dropped -9.24% vs VAIPX's -15.04%.
VFSUX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.08 vs 1.54), 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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