VGVT vs. AGG
VGVT (Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF) and AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VGVT is a Intermediate Core Bond fund actively managed by Vanguard, while AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. VGVT is actively managed, while AGG is passively managed. Over the past year, VGVT returned 3.46% vs 3.67% for AGG. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VGVT charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for AGG.
Performance
VGVT vs. AGG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGVT achieves a -0.14% return, which is significantly higher than AGG's -0.22% return.
VGVT
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- -0.33%
- 6M
- -0.37%
- YTD
- -0.14%
- 1Y
- 3.46%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
AGG
- 1D
- -0.38%
- 1M
- -0.73%
- 6M
- -0.45%
- YTD
- -0.22%
- 1Y
- 3.67%
- 3Y*
- 3.75%
- 5Y*
- -0.21%
- 10Y*
- 1.42%
VGVT vs. AGG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
VGVT Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF | -0.14% | 3.56% |
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | -0.22% | 3.86% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGVT and AGG is 0.89, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 9, 2025 | 0.89 |
The correlation between VGVT and AGG has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.89 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VGVT vs. AGG — Risk / Return Rank
VGVT
AGG
VGVT vs. AGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF (VGVT) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). 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.
| VGVT | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.17 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.17 | +0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.25 | 1.33 | -0.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.30 | 3.74 | -0.43 |
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Drawdowns
VGVT vs. AGG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGVT drawdown since its inception was -2.77%, smaller than the maximum AGG drawdown of -18.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGVT and AGG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGVT | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -2.77% | -18.43% | +15.66% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.77% | -2.76% | -0.01% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -6.11% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -17.82% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -18.43% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.00% | -2.60% | +0.60% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.77% | -2.70% | +1.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.05% | 0.98% | +0.07% |
Volatility
VGVT vs. AGG - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF (VGVT) is 1.02%, while iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) has a volatility of 1.26%. This indicates that VGVT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGVT | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.02% | 1.26% | -0.24% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.49% | 2.94% | -0.45% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.24% | 3.79% | -0.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.25% | 6.10% | -2.85% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.25% | 5.41% | -2.16% |
VGVT vs. AGG - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGVT has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than AGG'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%.
Dividends
VGVT vs. AGG - Dividend Comparison
VGVT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.38%, more than AGG's 4.03% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 4.03% | 3.89% | 3.74% | 3.13% | 2.39% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 2.70% | 2.72% | 2.32% | 2.39% | 2.45% |
VGVT Vanguard Government Securities Active ETF | 4.38% | 2.29% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGVT and AGG have a correlation of 0.89, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AGG has higher volatility (1.26%) compared to VGVT (1.02%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGVT dropped -2.77% vs AGG's -18.43%.
On 1-year performance, AGG leads with 3.67% vs 3.46% for VGVT. On fees, AGG is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VGVT has been the lower-risk option at 1.02%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, AGG has performed better with a 3.67% return vs 3.46%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
AGG is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.10% for VGVT.
VGVT has the higher dividend yield at 4.38%, compared with 4.03% for AGG.
VGVT is categorized as Intermediate Core Bond, while AGG is Total Bond Market. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for VGVT and 0.03% for AGG.
VGVT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.07 vs 0.97), 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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