VSTSX vs. DFIHX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VSTSX (Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Select Shares) and DFIHX (DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio) are both mutual funds - VSTSX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while DFIHX is a Ultrashort Bond fund managed by Dimensional. Over the past 5 years, VSTSX returned 13.07%/yr vs 2.76%/yr for DFIHX. At a correlation of -0.01, they often move in opposite directions. VSTSX charges 0.01%/yr vs 0.13%/yr for DFIHX.

Performance

VSTSX vs. DFIHX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Select Shares (VSTSX) and DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VSTSX achieves a 11.99% return, which is significantly higher than DFIHX's 1.52% return.

VSTSX

• 1D: 0.24%
• 1M: 5.76%
• YTD: 11.99%
• 6M: 11.89%
• 1Y: 29.14%
• 3Y*: 22.38%
• 5Y*: 13.07%
• 10Y*: —

DFIHX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.30%
• YTD: 1.52%
• 6M: 1.83%
• 1Y: 3.65%
• 3Y*: 4.46%
• 5Y*: 2.76%
• 10Y*: 1.98%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

VSTSX vs. DFIHX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VSTSX Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Select Shares	11.99%	17.16%	23.27%	26.54%	-19.49%	25.75%	21.02%	30.81%	-5.15%	20.21%
DFIHX DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio	1.52%	3.41%	5.41%	4.98%	-1.19%	-0.19%	0.62%	2.44%	1.87%	0.94%

Correlation

The correlation between VSTSX and DFIHX is 0.09, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.09
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.02
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.04
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 4, 2017	-0.01

The correlation between VSTSX and DFIHX shifts across timeframes, from -0.01 (all time) to 0.09 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VSTSX vs. DFIHX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

VSTSX

VSTSX Risk / Return Rank: 72
VSTSX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
VSTSX Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
VSTSX Omega Ratio Rank: 63
VSTSX Calmar Ratio Rank: 75
VSTSX Martin Ratio Rank: 83

DFIHX

DFIHX Risk / Return Rank: 99
DFIHX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
DFIHX Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
DFIHX Omega Ratio Rank: 100
DFIHX Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
DFIHX Martin Ratio Rank: 99

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

VSTSX vs. DFIHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Select Shares (VSTSX) and DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX). 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.

	VSTSX	DFIHX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.47	5.17	-2.70
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.37	8.94	-5.58
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.44	7.53	-6.09
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.38	9.49	-6.11
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	15.60	57.84	-42.25
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VSTSX vs. DFIHX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VSTSX Sharpe Ratio is 2.47, which is lower than the DFIHX Sharpe Ratio of 5.17. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VSTSX and DFIHX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VSTSX	DFIHX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.47	5.17	-2.70
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.76	2.78	-2.02
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	2.50	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.80	1.52	-0.72

Drawdowns

VSTSX vs. DFIHX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VSTSX drawdown since its inception was -34.97%, which is greater than DFIHX's maximum drawdown of -2.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSTSX and DFIHX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VSTSX	DFIHX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.97%	-2.53%	-32.44%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.92%	-0.39%	-8.53%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.36%	-0.49%	-18.87%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.35%	-2.26%	-23.09%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-2.26%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.89%	-0.15%	-4.74%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.93%	0.06%	+1.87%

Volatility

VSTSX vs. DFIHX - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Select Shares (VSTSX) has a higher volatility of 2.95% compared to DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio (DFIHX) at 0.16%. This indicates that VSTSX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DFIHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VSTSX	DFIHX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.95%	0.16%	+2.79%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.19%	0.43%	+8.76%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.19%	0.72%	+11.47%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.36%	1.00%	+16.36%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.76%	0.80%	+17.96%

VSTSX vs. DFIHX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VSTSX has a 0.01% expense ratio, which is lower than DFIHX's 0.13% 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%.

Dividends

VSTSX vs. DFIHX - Dividend Comparison

VSTSX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.02%, less than DFIHX's 3.58% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DFIHX DFA One Year Fixed Income Portfolio	3.58%	3.26%	4.99%	3.37%	1.07%	0.00%	0.62%	2.12%	1.85%	1.13%	0.66%	0.51%
VSTSX Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Institutional Select Shares	1.02%	1.13%	1.27%	1.43%	1.67%	1.23%	1.44%	1.79%	2.07%	1.74%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VSTSX and DFIHX in my portfolio?

VSTSX and DFIHX have a correlation of 0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VSTSX or DFIHX?

VSTSX has higher volatility (2.95%) compared to DFIHX (0.16%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VSTSX dropped -34.97% vs DFIHX's -2.53%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DFIHX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (5.17 vs 2.47), 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.