VGCAX vs. VEXRX
VGCAX (Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Admiral Shares) and VEXRX (Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VGCAX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard, while VEXRX is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 5 years, VGCAX returned 0.91%/yr vs 6.23%/yr for VEXRX. Their 0.15 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. VGCAX charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.29%/yr for VEXRX.
Performance
VGCAX vs. VEXRX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGCAX achieves a 0.35% return, which is significantly lower than VEXRX's 14.71% return.
VGCAX
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- -1.04%
- 6M
- -0.22%
- YTD
- 0.35%
- 1Y
- 2.91%
- 3Y*
- 5.66%
- 5Y*
- 0.91%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 3.77%
VEXRX
- 1D
- 1.67%
- 1M
- -2.76%
- 6M
- 10.60%
- YTD
- 14.71%
- 1Y
- 25.54%
- 3Y*
- 14.34%
- 5Y*
- 6.23%
- 10Y*
- 12.84%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.09%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
VGCAX vs. VEXRX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGCAX Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 0.35% | 7.30% | 3.99% | 9.22% | -13.43% | -0.64% | 10.81% | 13.05% | 0.96% |
VEXRX Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares | 14.71% | 7.19% | 17.40% | 19.90% | -23.23% | 16.07% | 31.51% | 31.42% | -8.38% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGCAX and VEXRX is 0.42, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.42 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.26 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 15, 2018 | 0.15 |
Over the past year, VGCAX and VEXRX have become more correlated (0.42) than their long-term average of 0.15, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VGCAX vs. VEXRX — Risk / Return Rank
VGCAX
VEXRX
VGCAX vs. VEXRX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VGCAX) and Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares (VEXRX). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| VGCAX | VEXRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.17 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.29 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.21 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.19 | 2.15 | -0.95 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.74 | 7.79 | -4.05 |
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Drawdowns
VGCAX vs. VEXRX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGCAX drawdown since its inception was -18.63%, smaller than the maximum VEXRX drawdown of -57.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGCAX and VEXRX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGCAX | VEXRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.63% | -57.26% | +38.63% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.90% | -10.16% | +7.26% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -3.54% | -24.35% | +20.81% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.63% | -32.67% | +14.04% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -39.86% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.41% | -4.73% | +3.32% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.27% | -9.89% | +5.62% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.92% | 2.81% | -1.89% |
Volatility
VGCAX vs. VEXRX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VGCAX) is 0.87%, while Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares (VEXRX) has a volatility of 4.48%. This indicates that VGCAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VEXRX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGCAX | VEXRX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.87% | 4.48% | -3.61% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.74% | 13.88% | -11.14% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.31% | 18.00% | -14.69% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.08% | 21.44% | -16.36% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.81% | 21.80% | -16.99% |
VGCAX vs. VEXRX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGCAX has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than VEXRX's 0.29% expense ratio.
Dividends
VGCAX vs. VEXRX - Dividend Comparison
VGCAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.06%, less than VEXRX's 6.57% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VEXRX Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares | 6.57% | 7.54% | 12.72% | 0.89% | 5.22% | 16.17% | 6.76% | 5.08% | 11.13% | 11.46% | 4.63% | 10.89% |
VGCAX Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 5.06% | 4.91% | 4.65% | 4.48% | 2.72% | 3.16% | 4.65% | 6.88% | 0.36% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGCAX and VEXRX have a correlation of 0.42, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VEXRX has higher volatility (4.48%) compared to VGCAX (0.87%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGCAX dropped -18.63% vs VEXRX's -57.26%.
VEXRX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.21 vs 1.05), 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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