VSGBX vs. VGAVX
VSGBX (Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Investor Shares) and VGAVX (Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VSGBX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard, while VGAVX is a Government Bonds fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VSGBX returned 1.80%/yr vs 3.67%/yr for VGAVX. At a 0.34 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.20% expense ratio.
Performance
VSGBX vs. VGAVX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VSGBX achieves a 0.50% return, which is significantly lower than VGAVX's 1.35% return. Over the past 10 years, VSGBX has underperformed VGAVX with an annualized return of 1.80%, while VGAVX has yielded a comparatively higher 3.67% annualized return.
VSGBX
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- 0.02%
- YTD
- 0.50%
- 6M
- 0.82%
- 1Y
- 3.70%
- 3Y*
- 4.40%
- 5Y*
- 1.57%
- 10Y*
- 1.80%
VGAVX
- 1D
- -0.30%
- 1M
- 0.71%
- YTD
- 1.35%
- 6M
- 1.71%
- 1Y
- 10.46%
- 3Y*
- 9.62%
- 5Y*
- 2.22%
- 10Y*
- 3.67%
VSGBX vs. VGAVX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSGBX Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Investor Shares | 0.50% | 5.83% | 4.17% | 3.82% | -5.31% | -0.66% | 4.36% | 4.10% | 1.27% | 0.69% |
VGAVX Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.35% | 12.98% | 6.27% | 10.44% | -16.68% | -1.74% | 5.82% | 14.01% | -2.77% | 8.45% |
Correlation
The correlation between VSGBX and VGAVX is 0.47, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.52 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.51 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2014 | 0.34 |
The correlation between VSGBX and VGAVX shifts across timeframes, from 0.34 (all time) to 0.52 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VSGBX vs. VGAVX — Risk / Return Rank
VSGBX
VGAVX
VSGBX vs. VGAVX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Investor Shares (VSGBX) and Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VGAVX). 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.
| VSGBX | VGAVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.83 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.02 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.39 | 1.55 | -0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.91 | 2.76 | +0.15 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.31 | 11.09 | -0.78 |
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
| VSGBX | VGAVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.84 | 2.66 | -0.83 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.59 | 0.35 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.84 | 0.58 | +0.26 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.64 | 0.68 | +0.96 |
Drawdowns
VSGBX vs. VGAVX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VSGBX drawdown since its inception was -7.42%, smaller than the maximum VGAVX drawdown of -26.77%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSGBX and VGAVX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VSGBX | VGAVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -7.42% | -26.77% | +19.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.35% | -3.97% | +2.62% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.35% | -7.11% | +5.76% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -7.42% | -26.77% | +19.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -7.42% | -26.77% | +19.35% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.50% | -0.38% | -0.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.73% | -4.68% | +3.95% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.38% | 0.99% | -0.61% |
Volatility
VSGBX vs. VGAVX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Investor Shares (VSGBX) is 0.71%, while Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VGAVX) has a volatility of 1.54%. This indicates that VSGBX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VGAVX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VSGBX | VGAVX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.71% | 1.54% | -0.83% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.54% | 3.33% | -1.79% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.14% | 4.13% | -1.99% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.67% | 6.32% | -3.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.16% | 6.37% | -4.21% |
VSGBX vs. VGAVX - Expense Ratio Comparison
Both VSGBX and VGAVX have an expense ratio of 0.20%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VSGBX vs. VGAVX - Dividend Comparison
VSGBX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.85%, less than VGAVX's 5.81% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGAVX Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.81% | 5.88% | 6.56% | 5.50% | 5.29% | 4.27% | 4.20% | 4.60% | 4.54% | 4.62% | 4.73% | 4.94% |
VSGBX Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Investor Shares | 3.85% | 3.69% | 3.47% | 3.32% | 1.67% | 1.37% | 1.68% | 2.32% | 1.92% | 1.35% | 1.33% | 1.20% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VSGBX and VGAVX have a correlation of 0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VGAVX has higher volatility (1.54%) compared to VSGBX (0.71%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VSGBX dropped -7.42% vs VGAVX's -26.77%.
VGAVX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.66 vs 1.84), 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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