VISTX vs. BSV
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund (VISTX) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV).
VISTX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Jun 19, 2015. BSV is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. 1–5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Apr 3, 2007.
Performance
VISTX vs. BSV - Performance Comparison
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VISTX vs. BSV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VISTX Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund | 0.32% | 5.68% | 5.56% | 4.98% | -3.73% | -0.04% | 3.92% | 4.20% | 1.83% | 1.42% |
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 0.16% | 6.00% | 3.78% | 4.90% | -5.49% | -1.09% | 4.70% | 4.98% | 1.34% | 1.20% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VISTX achieves a 0.32% return, which is significantly higher than BSV's 0.16% return. Over the past 10 years, VISTX has outperformed BSV with an annualized return of 2.44%, while BSV has yielded a comparatively lower 1.97% annualized return.
VISTX
- 1D
- 0.08%
- 1M
- -0.38%
- YTD
- 0.32%
- 6M
- 1.37%
- 1Y
- 4.33%
- 3Y*
- 4.97%
- 5Y*
- 2.45%
- 10Y*
- 2.44%
BSV
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- -0.57%
- YTD
- 0.16%
- 6M
- 1.15%
- 1Y
- 4.05%
- 3Y*
- 4.27%
- 5Y*
- 1.68%
- 10Y*
- 1.97%
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VISTX vs. BSV - Expense Ratio Comparison
VISTX has a 0.02% expense ratio, which is lower than BSV's 0.03% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
VISTX vs. BSV — Risk / Return Rank
VISTX
BSV
VISTX vs. BSV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund (VISTX) and Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV). 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.
| VISTX | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 3.00 | 2.04 | +0.96 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 4.71 | 3.25 | +1.46 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.68 | 1.40 | +0.28 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.15 | 3.23 | +1.92 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 20.61 | 12.23 | +8.37 |
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
| VISTX | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.00 | 2.04 | +0.96 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.33 | 0.62 | +0.71 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.67 | 0.83 | +0.83 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.70 | 0.86 | +0.85 |
Correlation
The correlation between VISTX and BSV is 0.78, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
VISTX vs. BSV - Dividend Comparison
VISTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.10%, more than BSV's 3.93% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VISTX Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund | 4.10% | 4.53% | 5.03% | 3.91% | 1.76% | 1.85% | 2.33% | 2.72% | 2.32% | 1.78% | 1.51% | 0.00% |
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares | 3.93% | 3.83% | 3.38% | 2.46% | 1.50% | 1.45% | 1.79% | 2.29% | 1.99% | 1.65% | 1.48% | 1.40% |
Drawdowns
VISTX vs. BSV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VISTX drawdown since its inception was -5.64%, smaller than the maximum BSV drawdown of -8.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VISTX and BSV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VISTX | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -5.64% | -8.54% | +2.90% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.86% | -1.29% | +0.43% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.64% | -8.54% | +2.90% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -5.64% | -8.54% | +2.90% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.56% | -0.76% | +0.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.69% | -0.98% | +0.29% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.22% | 0.34% | -0.12% |
Volatility
VISTX vs. BSV - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund (VISTX) is 0.45%, while Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV) has a volatility of 0.78%. This indicates that VISTX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BSV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VISTX | BSV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.45% | 0.78% | -0.33% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.85% | 1.19% | -0.34% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.45% | 2.00% | -0.55% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.85% | 2.71% | -0.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 1.47% | 2.37% | -0.90% |