VTABX vs. SSAFX
VTABX (Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares) and SSAFX (State Street Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio) are both mutual funds - VTABX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard, while SSAFX is a Intermediate Core Bond fund managed by State Street. Over the past 10 years, VTABX returned 1.79%/yr vs 27.80%/yr for SSAFX. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VTABX charges 0.11%/yr vs 0.02%/yr for SSAFX.
Performance
VTABX vs. SSAFX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTABX achieves a 0.40% return, which is significantly higher than SSAFX's 0.22% return. Over the past 10 years, VTABX has underperformed SSAFX with an annualized return of 1.79%, while SSAFX has yielded a comparatively higher 27.80% annualized return.
VTABX
- 1D
- -0.26%
- 1M
- 0.55%
- YTD
- 0.40%
- 6M
- 0.39%
- 1Y
- 1.89%
- 3Y*
- 4.07%
- 5Y*
- 0.36%
- 10Y*
- 1.79%
SSAFX
- 1D
- -0.20%
- 1M
- 0.09%
- YTD
- 0.22%
- 6M
- 0.32%
- 1Y
- 4.55%
- 3Y*
- 3.83%
- 5Y*
- -0.03%
- 10Y*
- 27.80%
VTABX vs. SSAFX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTABX Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 0.40% | 2.96% | 3.92% | 8.77% | -12.92% | -2.22% | 4.54% | 8.83% | 2.97% | 2.39% |
SSAFX State Street Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio | 0.22% | 6.81% | 1.34% | 5.61% | -13.30% | -1.72% | 978.57% | 8.69% | -0.12% | 3.38% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTABX and SSAFX is 0.69, 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 | 0.69 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.76 |
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 Sep 23, 2014 | 0.74 |
The correlation between VTABX and SSAFX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.69 to 0.78 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VTABX vs. SSAFX — Risk / Return Rank
VTABX
SSAFX
VTABX vs. SSAFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTABX) and State Street Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio (SSAFX). 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.
| VTABX | SSAFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.77 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.18 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.25 | -0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.65 | 1.89 | -1.24 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.84 | 5.75 | -3.92 |
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
| VTABX | SSAFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.63 | 1.39 | -0.77 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.08 | -0.01 | +0.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.50 | 0.10 | +0.40 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.74 | 0.09 | +0.64 |
Drawdowns
VTABX vs. SSAFX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTABX drawdown since its inception was -16.16%, smaller than the maximum SSAFX drawdown of -18.74%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTABX and SSAFX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTABX | SSAFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -16.16% | -18.74% | +2.58% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.90% | -2.74% | -0.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -2.90% | -6.09% | +3.19% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.81% | -18.10% | +2.29% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -16.16% | -18.74% | +2.58% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.46% | -2.81% | +1.35% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.05% | -4.41% | +1.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.03% | 0.90% | +0.13% |
Volatility
VTABX vs. SSAFX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTABX) and State Street Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio (SSAFX) have volatilities of 1.31% and 1.26%, 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
| VTABX | SSAFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.31% | 1.26% | +0.05% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.56% | 2.63% | -0.07% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.04% | 3.74% | -0.70% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 4.44% | 5.95% | -1.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.61% | 277.46% | -273.85% |
VTABX vs. SSAFX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTABX has a 0.11% expense ratio, which is higher than SSAFX's 0.02% 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
VTABX vs. SSAFX - Dividend Comparison
VTABX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.47%, more than SSAFX's 4.17% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SSAFX State Street Aggregate Bond Index Portfolio | 4.17% | 3.70% | 3.76% | 3.16% | 2.49% | 1.90% | 2.41% | 2.88% | 2.82% | 2.42% | 2.21% | 3.21% |
VTABX Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund Admiral Shares | 4.47% | 4.36% | 4.33% | 4.39% | 1.48% | 3.70% | 1.08% | 4.28% | 3.00% | 2.23% | 1.80% | 1.64% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTABX and SSAFX have a correlation of 0.69, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VTABX has higher volatility (1.31%) compared to SSAFX (1.26%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTABX dropped -16.16% vs SSAFX's -18.74%.
SSAFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.39 vs 0.63), 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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