VGIT vs. VGSH
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH).
VGIT and VGSH are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VGIT is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Barclays U.S. 3-10 Year Government Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Nov 19, 2009. VGSH is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index. It was launched on Nov 19, 2009. Both VGIT and VGSH are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
VGIT vs. VGSH - Performance Comparison
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VGIT vs. VGSH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | -0.03% | 7.34% | 1.39% | 4.28% | -10.53% | -2.64% | 7.71% | 6.19% | 1.35% | 1.70% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.28% | 5.07% | 4.00% | 4.31% | -3.86% | -0.60% | 3.04% | 3.52% | 1.55% | 0.04% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGIT achieves a -0.03% return, which is significantly lower than VGSH's 0.28% return. Over the past 10 years, VGIT has underperformed VGSH with an annualized return of 1.32%, while VGSH has yielded a comparatively higher 1.74% annualized return.
VGIT
- 1D
- 0.20%
- 1M
- -1.66%
- YTD
- -0.03%
- 6M
- 1.07%
- 1Y
- 4.13%
- 3Y*
- 3.29%
- 5Y*
- 0.32%
- 10Y*
- 1.32%
VGSH
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- -0.49%
- YTD
- 0.28%
- 6M
- 1.37%
- 1Y
- 3.75%
- 3Y*
- 3.98%
- 5Y*
- 1.79%
- 10Y*
- 1.74%
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VGIT vs. VGSH - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGIT has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is higher than VGSH'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
VGIT vs. VGSH — Risk / Return Rank
VGIT
VGSH
VGIT vs. VGSH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH). 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.
| VGIT | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.09 | 2.62 | -1.53 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.63 | 4.21 | -2.58 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.57 | -0.37 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.78 | 4.26 | -2.48 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.53 | 16.28 | -10.75 |
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
| VGIT | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.09 | 2.62 | -1.53 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.06 | 0.92 | -0.86 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 | 1.11 | -0.81 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 1.02 | -0.51 |
Correlation
The correlation between VGIT and VGSH is 0.75, 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
VGIT vs. VGSH - Dividend Comparison
VGIT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.81%, less than VGSH's 3.95% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF | 3.81% | 3.79% | 3.67% | 2.73% | 1.74% | 1.69% | 2.23% | 2.24% | 2.05% | 1.67% | 1.69% | 1.69% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 3.95% | 4.00% | 4.18% | 3.31% | 1.15% | 0.66% | 1.74% | 2.28% | 1.79% | 1.10% | 0.84% | 0.69% |
Drawdowns
VGIT vs. VGSH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGIT drawdown since its inception was -16.05%, which is greater than VGSH's maximum drawdown of -5.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGIT and VGSH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGIT | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -16.05% | -5.70% | -10.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.42% | -0.88% | -1.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.02% | -5.70% | -9.32% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -16.05% | -5.70% | -10.35% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.97% | -0.49% | -1.48% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.54% | -0.60% | -2.94% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.78% | 0.23% | +0.55% |
Volatility
VGIT vs. VGSH - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Treasury ETF (VGIT) has a higher volatility of 1.33% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) at 0.52%. This indicates that VGIT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGSH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGIT | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.33% | 0.52% | +0.81% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.28% | 0.84% | +1.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.81% | 1.44% | +2.37% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.36% | 1.96% | +3.40% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.50% | 1.57% | +2.93% |