VIPSX vs. VCIT
VIPSX (Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares) and VCIT (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF) are both funds - VIPSX is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund managed by Vanguard, while VCIT is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 5-10 Year Corporate Bond Index. Over the past 10 years, VIPSX returned 2.52%/yr vs 2.97%/yr for VCIT. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VIPSX charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VCIT.
Performance
VIPSX vs. VCIT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VIPSX achieves a 1.42% return, which is significantly higher than VCIT's 0.31% return. Over the past 10 years, VIPSX has underperformed VCIT with an annualized return of 2.52%, while VCIT has yielded a comparatively higher 2.97% annualized return.
VIPSX
- 1D
- -0.17%
- 1M
- -0.00%
- YTD
- 1.42%
- 6M
- 1.12%
- 1Y
- 4.57%
- 3Y*
- 3.87%
- 5Y*
- 0.95%
- 10Y*
- 2.52%
VCIT
- 1D
- 0.13%
- 1M
- 0.24%
- YTD
- 0.31%
- 6M
- 0.39%
- 1Y
- 5.69%
- 3Y*
- 6.09%
- 5Y*
- 1.24%
- 10Y*
- 2.97%
VIPSX vs. VCIT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VIPSX Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares | 1.42% | 6.77% | 1.74% | 3.73% | -12.04% | 5.57% | 10.90% | 8.06% | -1.48% | 2.81% |
VCIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.31% | 9.34% | 3.20% | 8.98% | -13.98% | -1.77% | 9.46% | 14.10% | -1.74% | 5.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between VIPSX and VCIT 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 (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.87 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 24, 2009 | 0.74 |
The correlation between VIPSX and VCIT shifts across timeframes, from 0.74 (all time) to 0.87 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VIPSX vs. VCIT — Risk / Return Rank
VIPSX
VCIT
VIPSX vs. VCIT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares (VIPSX) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT). 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.
| VIPSX | VCIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.25 | +0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.50 | 1.93 | +0.57 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.64 | 6.44 | +1.20 |
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
| VIPSX | VCIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.49 | 1.40 | +0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.16 | 0.19 | -0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.47 | 0.47 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.76 | 0.76 | 0.00 |
Drawdowns
VIPSX vs. VCIT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VIPSX drawdown since its inception was -15.13%, smaller than the maximum VCIT drawdown of -20.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VIPSX and VCIT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VIPSX | VCIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -15.13% | -20.56% | +5.43% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.02% | -2.96% | +0.94% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -4.57% | -6.11% | +1.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.55% | -20.56% | +6.01% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -14.55% | -20.56% | +6.01% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.28% | -1.22% | +0.94% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.24% | -3.16% | -0.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.66% | 0.89% | -0.23% |
Volatility
VIPSX vs. VCIT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares (VIPSX) is 1.02%, while Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT) has a volatility of 1.38%. This indicates that VIPSX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VCIT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VIPSX | VCIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.02% | 1.38% | -0.36% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.33% | 3.06% | -0.73% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.40% | 4.10% | -0.70% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.99% | 6.61% | -0.62% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.33% | 6.28% | -0.95% |
VIPSX vs. VCIT - Expense Ratio Comparison
VIPSX has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than VCIT'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
VIPSX vs. VCIT - Dividend Comparison
VIPSX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.39%, less than VCIT's 4.80% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 4.80% | 4.62% | 4.43% | 3.72% | 3.03% | 2.87% | 2.78% | 3.37% | 3.61% | 3.21% | 3.29% | 3.34% |
VIPSX Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares | 4.39% | 4.64% | 4.07% | 4.20% | 8.34% | 5.03% | 1.28% | 2.22% | 3.03% | 2.32% | 3.38% | 0.77% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VIPSX and VCIT 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.
VCIT has higher volatility (1.38%) compared to VIPSX (1.02%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VIPSX dropped -15.13% vs VCIT's -20.56%.
VIPSX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.49 vs 1.40), 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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