VGUS vs. FCVT
VGUS (Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF) and FCVT (First Trust SSI Strategic Convertible Securities ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VGUS is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg Short Treasury Index, while FCVT is a Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund actively managed by First Trust. VGUS is passively managed, while FCVT is actively managed. Over the past year, VGUS returned 3.95% vs 47.07% for FCVT. At a correlation of -0.18, they often move in opposite directions. VGUS charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.95%/yr for FCVT.
Performance
VGUS vs. FCVT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGUS achieves a 1.44% return, which is significantly lower than FCVT's 25.61% return.
VGUS
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 1.44%
- 6M
- 1.76%
- 1Y
- 3.95%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
FCVT
- 1D
- -1.20%
- 1M
- 7.08%
- YTD
- 25.61%
- 6M
- 25.00%
- 1Y
- 47.07%
- 3Y*
- 21.35%
- 5Y*
- 7.58%
- 10Y*
- 12.36%
VGUS vs. FCVT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
VGUS Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF | 1.44% | 3.77% |
FCVT First Trust SSI Strategic Convertible Securities ETF | 25.61% | 16.20% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGUS and FCVT is -0.15, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.15 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 12, 2025 | -0.18 |
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Return for Risk
VGUS vs. FCVT — Risk / Return Rank
VGUS
FCVT
VGUS vs. FCVT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF (VGUS) and First Trust SSI Strategic Convertible Securities ETF (FCVT). 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.
| VGUS | FCVT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +9.13 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +31.40 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 10.91 | 1.50 | +9.41 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 54.56 | 5.58 | +48.98 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 414.20 | 20.90 | +393.30 |
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
| VGUS | FCVT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.10 | 2.97 | +9.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.54 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.83 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 11.72 | 0.68 | +11.04 |
Drawdowns
VGUS vs. FCVT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGUS drawdown since its inception was -0.07%, smaller than the maximum FCVT drawdown of -31.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGUS and FCVT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGUS | FCVT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -0.07% | -31.79% | +31.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.07% | -8.47% | +8.40% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -15.06% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -30.43% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -31.79% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.20% | +1.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.00% | -10.36% | +10.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.01% | 2.26% | -2.25% |
Volatility
VGUS vs. FCVT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF (VGUS) is 0.11%, while First Trust SSI Strategic Convertible Securities ETF (FCVT) has a volatility of 6.07%. This indicates that VGUS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FCVT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGUS | FCVT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.11% | 6.07% | -5.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.18% | 12.99% | -12.81% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.33% | 15.94% | -15.61% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 0.34% | 14.09% | -13.75% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 0.34% | 14.85% | -14.51% |
VGUS vs. FCVT - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGUS has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than FCVT's 0.95% expense ratio.
Dividends
VGUS vs. FCVT - Dividend Comparison
VGUS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.61%, more than FCVT's 1.19% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FCVT First Trust SSI Strategic Convertible Securities ETF | 1.19% | 1.98% | 1.30% | 1.76% | 3.71% | 23.07% | 1.72% | 1.60% | 1.85% | 2.18% | 1.88% | 0.59% |
VGUS Vanguard Ultra-Short Treasury ETF | 3.61% | 3.12% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGUS and FCVT have a correlation of -0.15, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FCVT has higher volatility (6.07%) compared to VGUS (0.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGUS dropped -0.07% vs FCVT's -31.79%.
On 1-year performance, FCVT leads with 47.07% vs 3.95% for VGUS. On fees, VGUS is cheaper at 0.07% per year. On volatility, VGUS has been the lower-risk option at 0.11%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, FCVT has performed better with a 47.07% return vs 3.95%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGUS is cheaper with a 0.07% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for FCVT.
VGUS has the higher dividend yield at 3.61%, compared with 1.19% for FCVT.
VGUS is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while FCVT is Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.07% for VGUS and 0.95% for FCVT.
VGUS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (12.10 vs 2.97), 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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