VSCSX vs. VTAPX
VSCSX (Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) and VTAPX (Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VSCSX is a Corporate Bonds fund managed by Vanguard, while VTAPX is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VSCSX returned 2.73%/yr vs 3.13%/yr for VTAPX. A 0.64 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VSCSX charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for VTAPX.
Performance
VSCSX vs. VTAPX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VSCSX achieves a 0.71% return, which is significantly lower than VTAPX's 2.05% return. Over the past 10 years, VSCSX has underperformed VTAPX with an annualized return of 2.73%, while VTAPX has yielded a comparatively higher 3.13% annualized return.
VSCSX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.33%
- YTD
- 0.71%
- 6M
- 0.99%
- 1Y
- 4.63%
- 3Y*
- 5.66%
- 5Y*
- 2.40%
- 10Y*
- 2.73%
VTAPX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.04%
- YTD
- 2.05%
- 6M
- 2.04%
- 1Y
- 4.69%
- 3Y*
- 5.23%
- 5Y*
- 3.38%
- 10Y*
- 3.13%
VSCSX vs. VTAPX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSCSX Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 0.71% | 6.75% | 5.36% | 6.11% | -5.72% | -0.43% | 5.06% | 6.85% | 0.88% | 2.46% |
VTAPX Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares | 2.05% | 6.03% | 4.73% | 4.59% | -2.84% | 5.26% | 4.97% | 4.85% | 0.53% | 0.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between VSCSX and VTAPX is 0.57, 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 | 0.57 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.75 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2013 | 0.64 |
The correlation between VSCSX and VTAPX shifts across timeframes, from 0.57 (1 year) to 0.75 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VSCSX vs. VTAPX — Risk / Return Rank
VSCSX
VTAPX
VSCSX vs. VTAPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VSCSX) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTAPX). 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.
| VSCSX | VTAPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.34 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.89 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.55 | 1.65 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.44 | 6.45 | -3.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.75 | 25.59 | -11.84 |
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
| VSCSX | VTAPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.69 | 3.03 | -0.34 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.89 | 1.27 | -0.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.16 | 1.41 | -0.25 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.36 | 1.07 | +0.29 |
Drawdowns
VSCSX vs. VTAPX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VSCSX drawdown since its inception was -9.36%, which is greater than VTAPX's maximum drawdown of -5.33%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSCSX and VTAPX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VSCSX | VTAPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -9.36% | -5.33% | -4.03% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.36% | -0.72% | -0.64% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.36% | -0.92% | -0.44% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.36% | -5.33% | -4.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -9.36% | -5.33% | -4.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.26% | -0.04% | -0.22% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.98% | -1.03% | +0.05% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.34% | 0.18% | +0.16% |
Volatility
VSCSX vs. VTAPX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VSCSX) and Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTAPX) have volatilities of 0.57% and 0.57%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VSCSX | VTAPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.57% | 0.57% | 0.00% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.27% | 1.11% | +0.16% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.75% | 1.52% | +0.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.71% | 2.67% | +0.04% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.37% | 2.23% | +0.14% |
VSCSX vs. VTAPX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VSCSX has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is higher than VTAPX's 0.06% 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
VSCSX vs. VTAPX - Dividend Comparison
VSCSX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.42%, more than VTAPX's 3.55% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSCSX Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 4.42% | 4.32% | 4.27% | 3.07% | 1.98% | 1.78% | 2.25% | 2.85% | 2.66% | 2.26% | 1.93% | 2.21% |
VTAPX Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund Admiral Shares | 3.55% | 3.78% | 2.68% | 2.84% | 6.82% | 4.67% | 1.19% | 1.94% | 2.45% | 1.52% | 0.76% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VSCSX and VTAPX have a correlation of 0.57, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VTAPX has higher volatility (0.57%) compared to VSCSX (0.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VSCSX dropped -9.36% vs VTAPX's -5.33%.
VTAPX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.03 vs 2.69), 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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