VGWIX vs. IRTR
VGWIX (Vanguard Global Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares) and IRTR (iShares LifePath Retirement ETF) are both funds - VGWIX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by Vanguard, while IRTR is a Target Retirement Date fund actively managed by iShares. Over the past year, VGWIX returned 11.12% vs 13.71% for IRTR. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VGWIX charges 0.41%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for IRTR.
Performance
VGWIX vs. IRTR - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGWIX achieves a 4.39% return, which is significantly lower than IRTR's 5.18% return.
VGWIX
- 1D
- 0.12%
- 1M
- 0.32%
- YTD
- 4.39%
- 6M
- 4.57%
- 1Y
- 11.12%
- 3Y*
- 9.48%
- 5Y*
- 5.08%
- 10Y*
- —
IRTR
- 1D
- -0.21%
- 1M
- 0.85%
- YTD
- 5.18%
- 6M
- 5.24%
- 1Y
- 13.71%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VGWIX vs. IRTR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
VGWIX Vanguard Global Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares | 4.39% | 13.18% | 6.02% | 8.48% |
IRTR iShares LifePath Retirement ETF | 5.18% | 12.70% | 7.59% | 11.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGWIX and IRTR is 0.79, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 19, 2023 | 0.84 |
The correlation between VGWIX and IRTR has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.79 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VGWIX vs. IRTR — Risk / Return Rank
VGWIX
IRTR
VGWIX vs. IRTR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Global Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares (VGWIX) and iShares LifePath Retirement ETF (IRTR). 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.
| VGWIX | IRTR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.06 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.42 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.40 | 2.86 | -0.45 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.05 | 12.37 | -3.33 |
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Drawdowns
VGWIX vs. IRTR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGWIX drawdown since its inception was -17.74%, which is greater than IRTR's maximum drawdown of -6.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGWIX and IRTR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGWIX | IRTR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -17.74% | -6.29% | -11.45% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.59% | -4.82% | +0.23% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.35% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.95% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.50% | -0.37% | -0.13% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.68% | -0.78% | -1.90% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.22% | 1.11% | +0.11% |
Volatility
VGWIX vs. IRTR - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Global Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares (VGWIX) is 1.60%, while iShares LifePath Retirement ETF (IRTR) has a volatility of 2.43%. This indicates that VGWIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IRTR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGWIX | IRTR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.60% | 2.43% | -0.83% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 4.23% | 5.27% | -1.04% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 5.18% | 6.32% | -1.14% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.26% | 7.11% | -0.85% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.79% | 7.11% | -0.32% |
VGWIX vs. IRTR - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGWIX has a 0.41% expense ratio, which is higher than IRTR's 0.08% expense ratio.
Dividends
VGWIX vs. IRTR - Dividend Comparison
VGWIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.85%, more than IRTR's 2.99% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IRTR iShares LifePath Retirement ETF | 2.99% | 3.03% | 3.03% | 0.85% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VGWIX Vanguard Global Wellesley Income Fund Investor Shares | 3.85% | 3.88% | 3.77% | 3.03% | 1.41% | 2.27% | 1.89% | 2.17% | 4.25% | 0.29% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VGWIX and IRTR have a correlation of 0.79, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IRTR has higher volatility (2.43%) compared to VGWIX (1.60%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGWIX dropped -17.74% vs IRTR's -6.29%.
IRTR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.18 vs 2.13), 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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