VGSH vs. GOOGL
VGSH (Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF) is Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index, while GOOGL (Alphabet Inc. Class A) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, VGSH returned 1.73%/yr vs 25.76%/yr for GOOGL. At a correlation of -0.08, they often move in opposite directions.
Performance
VGSH vs. GOOGL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGSH achieves a 0.57% return, which is significantly lower than GOOGL's 15.06% return. Over the past 10 years, VGSH has underperformed GOOGL with an annualized return of 1.73%, while GOOGL has yielded a comparatively higher 25.76% annualized return.
VGSH
- 1D
- -0.03%
- 1M
- 0.16%
- YTD
- 0.57%
- 6M
- 0.83%
- 1Y
- 3.36%
- 3Y*
- 4.25%
- 5Y*
- 1.83%
- 10Y*
- 1.73%
GOOGL
- 1D
- 0.53%
- 1M
- -9.30%
- YTD
- 15.06%
- 6M
- 16.44%
- 1Y
- 106.51%
- 3Y*
- 43.10%
- 5Y*
- 24.46%
- 10Y*
- 25.76%
VGSH vs. GOOGL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.57% | 5.07% | 4.00% | 4.31% | -3.86% | -0.60% | 3.04% | 3.52% | 1.55% | 0.04% |
GOOGL Alphabet Inc. Class A | 15.06% | 65.99% | 36.01% | 58.32% | -39.09% | 65.30% | 30.85% | 28.18% | -0.80% | 32.93% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGSH and GOOGL is 0.16, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.04 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2009 | -0.08 |
The correlation between VGSH and GOOGL shifts across timeframes, from -0.08 (all time) to 0.16 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VGSH vs. GOOGL — Risk / Return Rank
VGSH
GOOGL
VGSH vs. GOOGL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) and Alphabet Inc. Class A (GOOGL). 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.
| VGSH | GOOGL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.01 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.61 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.55 | 1.59 | -0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.76 | 5.20 | -1.44 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.67 | 18.48 | -3.81 |
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Drawdowns
VGSH vs. GOOGL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGSH drawdown since its inception was -5.70%, smaller than the maximum GOOGL drawdown of -65.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGSH and GOOGL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGSH | GOOGL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.70% | -65.29% | +59.59% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.88% | -20.37% | +19.49% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.97% | -29.81% | +28.84% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.66% | -44.32% | +38.66% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.70% | -44.32% | +38.62% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.21% | -10.61% | +10.40% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.60% | -13.01% | +12.41% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.23% | 5.72% | -5.49% |
Volatility
VGSH vs. GOOGL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) is 0.37%, while Alphabet Inc. Class A (GOOGL) has a volatility of 7.24%. This indicates that VGSH experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GOOGL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGSH | GOOGL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.37% | 7.24% | -6.87% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.90% | 20.82% | -19.92% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.28% | 29.31% | -28.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.97% | 31.33% | -29.36% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.58% | 29.13% | -27.55% |
Dividends
VGSH vs. GOOGL - Dividend Comparison
VGSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.87%, more than GOOGL's 0.24% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GOOGL Alphabet Inc. Class A | 0.24% | 0.27% | 0.32% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 3.87% | 4.00% | 4.18% | 3.31% | 1.15% | 0.66% | 1.74% | 2.28% | 1.79% | 1.10% | 0.84% | 0.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGSH and GOOGL have a correlation of 0.16, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GOOGL has higher volatility (7.24%) compared to VGSH (0.37%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGSH dropped -5.70% vs GOOGL's -65.29%.
GOOGL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.62 vs 2.61), 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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