VGIVX vs. DFFGX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares (VGIVX) and DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio (DFFGX).
VGIVX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 11, 2015. DFFGX is managed by Dimensional. It was launched on May 31, 1987.
Performance
VGIVX vs. DFFGX - Performance Comparison
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VGIVX vs. DFFGX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGIVX Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares | -2.20% | 13.05% | 6.31% | 10.48% | -16.72% | -2.41% | 5.83% | 14.03% | -2.72% | 8.47% |
DFFGX DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio | 0.87% | 3.12% | 5.29% | 5.01% | -4.41% | -1.27% | 0.39% | 2.52% | 1.17% | 0.51% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGIVX achieves a -2.20% return, which is significantly lower than DFFGX's 0.87% return. Over the past 10 years, VGIVX has outperformed DFFGX with an annualized return of 3.50%, while DFFGX has yielded a comparatively lower 1.18% annualized return.
VGIVX
- 1D
- 0.04%
- 1M
- -3.76%
- YTD
- -2.20%
- 6M
- 0.55%
- 1Y
- 8.13%
- 3Y*
- 8.28%
- 5Y*
- 2.22%
- 10Y*
- 3.50%
DFFGX
- 1D
- 0.06%
- 1M
- 0.26%
- YTD
- 0.87%
- 6M
- 1.92%
- 1Y
- 2.99%
- 3Y*
- 4.36%
- 5Y*
- 1.83%
- 10Y*
- 1.18%
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VGIVX vs. DFFGX - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both VGIVX and DFFGX have an expense ratio of 0.18%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
VGIVX vs. DFFGX — Risk / Return Rank
VGIVX
DFFGX
VGIVX vs. DFFGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares (VGIVX) and DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio (DFFGX). 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.
| VGIVX | DFFGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.86 | 1.55 | +0.32 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.65 | 1.70 | +0.95 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.38 | 2.20 | -0.83 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.13 | 3.09 | -0.96 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.84 | 9.14 | -0.30 |
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
| VGIVX | DFFGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.86 | 1.55 | +0.32 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.36 | 0.99 | -0.64 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.56 | 0.76 | -0.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.65 | 0.49 | +0.15 |
Correlation
The correlation between VGIVX and DFFGX is 0.17, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
VGIVX vs. DFFGX - Dividend Comparison
VGIVX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.51%, more than DFFGX's 2.86% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGIVX Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares | 5.51% | 5.95% | 6.58% | 5.53% | 5.32% | 3.53% | 4.21% | 4.62% | 4.62% | 4.67% | 4.76% | 4.55% |
DFFGX DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio | 2.86% | 2.98% | 4.87% | 3.57% | 1.85% | 0.15% | 0.29% | 1.83% | 1.53% | 1.18% | 0.99% | 1.27% |
Drawdowns
VGIVX vs. DFFGX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGIVX drawdown since its inception was -26.79%, which is greater than DFFGX's maximum drawdown of -10.09%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGIVX and DFFGX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGIVX | DFFGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -26.79% | -10.09% | -16.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.93% | -1.00% | -2.93% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.79% | -6.49% | -20.30% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -26.79% | -6.49% | -20.30% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.90% | 0.00% | -3.90% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.75% | -0.86% | -3.89% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.95% | 0.34% | +0.61% |
Volatility
VGIVX vs. DFFGX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares (VGIVX) has a higher volatility of 1.87% compared to DFA Short-Term Government Portfolio (DFFGX) at 0.15%. This indicates that VGIVX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DFFGX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGIVX | DFFGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.87% | 0.15% | +1.72% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.70% | 0.40% | +2.30% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.48% | 1.43% | +3.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.25% | 1.85% | +4.40% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.33% | 1.57% | +4.76% |