VLTCX vs. VSTBX
VLTCX (Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) and VSTBX (Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares) are both Corporate Bonds funds from Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VLTCX returned 2.42%/yr vs 3.01%/yr for VSTBX. A 0.73 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VLTCX charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for VSTBX.
Performance
VLTCX vs. VSTBX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VLTCX achieves a 1.22% return, which is significantly higher than VSTBX's 0.73% return. Over the past 10 years, VLTCX has underperformed VSTBX with an annualized return of 2.42%, while VSTBX has yielded a comparatively higher 3.01% annualized return.
VLTCX
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- 1.99%
- YTD
- 1.22%
- 6M
- 0.35%
- 1Y
- 8.16%
- 3Y*
- 4.67%
- 5Y*
- -1.46%
- 10Y*
- 2.42%
VSTBX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.30%
- YTD
- 0.73%
- 6M
- 1.00%
- 1Y
- 4.66%
- 3Y*
- 5.68%
- 5Y*
- 2.43%
- 10Y*
- 3.01%
VLTCX vs. VSTBX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VLTCX Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.22% | 7.27% | -1.47% | 11.05% | -25.77% | -1.16% | 13.68% | 23.19% | -6.85% | 12.40% |
VSTBX Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares | 0.73% | 6.75% | 5.37% | 6.17% | -5.73% | -0.41% | 5.07% | 9.68% | 0.92% | 2.48% |
Correlation
The correlation between VLTCX and VSTBX is 0.77, 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 | 0.77 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.78 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.74 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 24, 2009 | 0.73 |
The correlation between VLTCX and VSTBX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.73 to 0.80 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VLTCX vs. VSTBX — Risk / Return Rank
VLTCX
VSTBX
VLTCX vs. VSTBX - 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 Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSTBX). 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 | VSTBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.56 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.54 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.54 | -0.34 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.60 | 3.57 | -1.96 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.93 | 14.23 | -10.30 |
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 | VSTBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.11 | 2.67 | -1.56 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.12 | 0.90 | -1.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.23 | 1.27 | -1.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.45 | 1.47 | -1.02 |
Drawdowns
VLTCX vs. VSTBX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VLTCX drawdown since its inception was -34.56%, which is greater than VSTBX's maximum drawdown of -9.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VLTCX and VSTBX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VLTCX | VSTBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -34.56% | -9.34% | -25.22% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.29% | -1.31% | -3.98% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -12.87% | -1.31% | -11.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.56% | -9.34% | -25.22% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.56% | -9.34% | -25.22% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.80% | -0.24% | -13.56% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.04% | -0.96% | -7.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.15% | 0.33% | +1.82% |
Volatility
VLTCX vs. VSTBX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VLTCX) has a higher volatility of 2.46% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSTBX) at 0.57%. This indicates that VLTCX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VSTBX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VLTCX | VSTBX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.46% | 0.57% | +1.89% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.52% | 1.27% | +4.25% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.68% | 1.76% | +5.92% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 11.87% | 2.71% | +9.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.60% | 2.38% | +8.22% |
VLTCX vs. VSTBX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VLTCX has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is higher than VSTBX's 0.05% 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
VLTCX vs. VSTBX - Dividend Comparison
VLTCX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.50%, more than VSTBX's 4.44% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VLTCX Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.50% | 5.48% | 5.58% | 4.65% | 4.41% | 3.03% | 3.15% | 3.82% | 4.56% | 4.01% | 4.37% | 4.71% |
VSTBX Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Institutional Shares | 4.44% | 4.34% | 4.29% | 3.09% | 2.00% | 1.80% | 2.27% | 5.40% | 2.67% | 2.27% | 1.96% | 2.25% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VLTCX and VSTBX have a correlation of 0.77, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VLTCX has higher volatility (2.46%) compared to VSTBX (0.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VLTCX dropped -34.56% vs VSTBX's -9.34%.
VSTBX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.67 vs 1.11), 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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