VLTCX vs. QLTA
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VLTCX) and iShares Aaa - A Rated Corporate Bond ETF (QLTA).
VLTCX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Jan 19, 2010. QLTA is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Corporate Aaa - A Capped Index. It was launched on Feb 14, 2012.
Performance
VLTCX vs. QLTA - Performance Comparison
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VLTCX vs. QLTA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VLTCX Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | -1.46% | 7.27% | -1.47% | 11.05% | -25.77% | -1.16% | 13.68% | 23.19% | -6.85% | 12.40% |
QLTA iShares Aaa - A Rated Corporate Bond ETF | -0.32% | 7.36% | 1.23% | 7.60% | -15.14% | -2.32% | 9.62% | 12.54% | -2.27% | 5.69% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VLTCX achieves a -1.46% return, which is significantly lower than QLTA's -0.32% return. Over the past 10 years, VLTCX has outperformed QLTA with an annualized return of 2.52%, while QLTA has yielded a comparatively lower 2.09% annualized return.
VLTCX
- 1D
- 1.01%
- 1M
- -3.70%
- YTD
- -1.46%
- 6M
- -1.93%
- 1Y
- 3.19%
- 3Y*
- 3.01%
- 5Y*
- -1.45%
- 10Y*
- 2.52%
QLTA
- 1D
- 0.51%
- 1M
- -1.78%
- YTD
- -0.32%
- 6M
- 0.33%
- 1Y
- 4.58%
- 3Y*
- 3.95%
- 5Y*
- 0.23%
- 10Y*
- 2.09%
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VLTCX vs. QLTA - Expense Ratio Comparison
VLTCX has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than QLTA's 0.15% 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
VLTCX vs. QLTA — Risk / Return Rank
VLTCX
QLTA
VLTCX vs. QLTA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VLTCX) and iShares Aaa - A Rated Corporate Bond ETF (QLTA). 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.
| VLTCX | QLTA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.41 | 0.86 | -0.45 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.61 | 1.21 | -0.60 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.08 | 1.16 | -0.08 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.85 | 1.70 | -0.85 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.99 | 5.04 | -3.05 |
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
| VLTCX | QLTA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.41 | 0.86 | -0.45 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.12 | 0.03 | -0.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.24 | 0.30 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.44 | 0.39 | +0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between VLTCX and QLTA is 0.85, 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
VLTCX vs. QLTA - Dividend Comparison
VLTCX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.16%, more than QLTA's 4.38% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VLTCX Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.16% | 5.48% | 5.58% | 4.65% | 4.41% | 3.03% | 3.15% | 3.82% | 4.56% | 4.01% | 4.37% | 4.71% |
QLTA iShares Aaa - A Rated Corporate Bond ETF | 4.38% | 4.33% | 4.11% | 3.39% | 2.79% | 1.96% | 2.31% | 2.99% | 3.09% | 2.67% | 2.59% | 2.99% |
Drawdowns
VLTCX vs. QLTA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VLTCX drawdown since its inception was -34.56%, which is greater than QLTA's maximum drawdown of -22.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VLTCX and QLTA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VLTCX | QLTA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -34.56% | -22.27% | -12.29% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.29% | -2.81% | -2.48% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.56% | -21.36% | -13.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.56% | -22.27% | -12.29% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -16.08% | -4.02% | -12.06% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.97% | -4.69% | -3.28% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.26% | 0.95% | +1.31% |
Volatility
VLTCX vs. QLTA - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VLTCX) has a higher volatility of 3.47% compared to iShares Aaa - A Rated Corporate Bond ETF (QLTA) at 2.20%. This indicates that VLTCX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QLTA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VLTCX | QLTA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.47% | 2.20% | +1.27% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.29% | 3.04% | +2.25% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.94% | 5.33% | +3.61% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 11.87% | 7.22% | +4.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.59% | 7.02% | +3.57% |