VGIT vs. FLOT
VGIT (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF) and FLOT (iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VGIT is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 3-10 Year Index, while FLOT is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg US Floating Rate Note < 5 Years Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VGIT returned 1.20%/yr vs 3.04%/yr for FLOT. At a correlation of -0.01, they often move in opposite directions. VGIT charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for FLOT.
Performance
VGIT vs. FLOT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGIT achieves a -0.29% return, which is significantly lower than FLOT's 1.99% return. Over the past 10 years, VGIT has underperformed FLOT with an annualized return of 1.20%, while FLOT has yielded a comparatively higher 3.04% annualized return.
VGIT
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 0.06%
- YTD
- -0.29%
- 6M
- 0.04%
- 1Y
- 3.19%
- 3Y*
- 3.69%
- 5Y*
- 0.01%
- 10Y*
- 1.20%
FLOT
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.47%
- YTD
- 1.99%
- 6M
- 2.23%
- 1Y
- 4.87%
- 3Y*
- 5.66%
- 5Y*
- 4.22%
- 10Y*
- 3.04%
VGIT vs. FLOT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | -0.29% | 7.34% | 1.39% | 4.28% | -10.53% | -2.64% | 7.71% | 6.19% | 1.35% | 1.70% |
FLOT iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF | 1.99% | 4.91% | 6.53% | 6.43% | 1.28% | 0.45% | 0.87% | 3.97% | 1.48% | 1.65% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGIT and FLOT is 0.06, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.08 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.04 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.01 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 17, 2011 | -0.01 |
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Return for Risk
VGIT vs. FLOT — Risk / Return Rank
VGIT
FLOT
VGIT vs. FLOT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT) and iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF (FLOT). 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.
| VGIT | FLOT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -5.59 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -10.37 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 3.23 | -2.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.13 | 11.32 | -10.19 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.18 | 105.27 | -102.09 |
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Drawdowns
VGIT vs. FLOT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGIT drawdown since its inception was -16.05%, which is greater than FLOT's maximum drawdown of -13.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGIT and FLOT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGIT | FLOT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -16.05% | -13.54% | -2.51% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.83% | -0.43% | -2.40% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.34% | -1.57% | -2.77% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.02% | -2.36% | -12.66% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -16.05% | -13.54% | -2.51% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.22% | 0.00% | -2.22% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.52% | -0.21% | -3.31% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.01% | 0.05% | +0.96% |
Volatility
VGIT vs. FLOT - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT) has a higher volatility of 1.15% compared to iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF (FLOT) at 0.21%. This indicates that VGIT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FLOT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGIT | FLOT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.15% | 0.21% | +0.94% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.40% | 0.63% | +1.77% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.34% | 0.75% | +2.59% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.38% | 1.77% | +3.61% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.50% | 4.15% | +0.35% |
VGIT vs. FLOT - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGIT has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than FLOT's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VGIT vs. FLOT - Dividend Comparison
VGIT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.86%, less than FLOT's 4.53% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLOT iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF | 4.53% | 4.84% | 5.82% | 5.66% | 2.06% | 0.43% | 1.25% | 2.78% | 2.41% | 1.46% | 0.97% | 0.53% |
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | 3.86% | 3.79% | 3.67% | 2.73% | 1.74% | 1.69% | 2.23% | 2.24% | 2.05% | 1.67% | 1.69% | 1.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGIT and FLOT have a correlation of 0.06, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VGIT has higher volatility (1.15%) compared to FLOT (0.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGIT dropped -16.05% vs FLOT's -13.54%.
On 10-year performance, FLOT leads with 3.04% vs 1.20% for VGIT. On fees, VGIT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, FLOT has been the lower-risk option at 0.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, FLOT has performed better with a 3.04% return vs 1.20%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGIT is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for FLOT.
FLOT has the higher dividend yield at 4.53%, compared with 3.86% for VGIT.
VGIT is categorized as Government Bonds, while FLOT is Ultrashort Bond. VGIT tracks Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 3-10 Year Index, while FLOT tracks Bloomberg US Floating Rate Note < 5 Years Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VGIT and 0.15% for FLOT.
FLOT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (6.56 vs 0.96), 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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