VTIP vs. VIPSX
VTIP (Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF) and VIPSX (Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares) are both Inflation-Protected Bonds funds from Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VTIP returned 3.14%/yr vs 2.54%/yr for VIPSX. A 0.75 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VTIP charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for VIPSX.
Performance
VTIP vs. VIPSX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTIP achieves a 2.05% return, which is significantly higher than VIPSX's 1.59% return. Over the past 10 years, VTIP has outperformed VIPSX with an annualized return of 3.14%, while VIPSX has yielded a comparatively lower 2.54% annualized return.
VTIP
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.04%
- YTD
- 2.05%
- 6M
- 2.03%
- 1Y
- 4.70%
- 3Y*
- 5.26%
- 5Y*
- 3.37%
- 10Y*
- 3.14%
VIPSX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.08%
- YTD
- 1.59%
- 6M
- 1.20%
- 1Y
- 5.19%
- 3Y*
- 3.93%
- 5Y*
- 1.07%
- 10Y*
- 2.54%
VTIP vs. VIPSX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF | 2.05% | 6.07% | 4.74% | 4.62% | -2.94% | 5.36% | 4.95% | 4.86% | 0.56% | 0.82% |
VIPSX Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares | 1.59% | 6.77% | 1.74% | 3.73% | -12.04% | 5.57% | 10.90% | 8.06% | -1.48% | 2.81% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTIP and VIPSX is 0.75, 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 | 0.75 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.82 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.82 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.78 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 17, 2012 | 0.75 |
The correlation between VTIP and VIPSX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.75 to 0.82 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VTIP vs. VIPSX — Risk / Return Rank
VTIP
VIPSX
VTIP vs. VIPSX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) and Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares (VIPSX). 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.
| VTIP | VIPSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.66 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +3.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.67 | 1.26 | +0.41 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 6.75 | 2.50 | +4.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 26.06 | 7.64 | +18.42 |
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
| VTIP | VIPSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.15 | 1.48 | +1.66 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 1.22 | 0.18 | +1.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 1.15 | 0.48 | +0.67 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.89 | 0.76 | +0.13 |
Drawdowns
VTIP vs. VIPSX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTIP drawdown since its inception was -6.27%, smaller than the maximum VIPSX drawdown of -15.13%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTIP and VIPSX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTIP | VIPSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -6.27% | -15.13% | +8.86% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.70% | -2.02% | +1.32% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -0.98% | -4.57% | +3.59% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -5.50% | -14.55% | +9.05% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -6.27% | -14.55% | +8.28% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.02% | -0.11% | +0.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -1.04% | -3.24% | +2.20% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.18% | 0.66% | -0.48% |
Volatility
VTIP vs. VIPSX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF (VTIP) is 0.43%, while Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares (VIPSX) has a volatility of 1.01%. This indicates that VTIP experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VIPSX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTIP | VIPSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.43% | 1.01% | -0.58% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.02% | 2.35% | -1.33% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.50% | 3.40% | -1.90% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.77% | 5.99% | -3.22% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 2.74% | 5.33% | -2.59% |
VTIP vs. VIPSX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTIP has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than VIPSX's 0.20% 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
VTIP vs. VIPSX - Dividend Comparison
VTIP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.58%, less than VIPSX's 4.39% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VIPSX Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares | 4.39% | 4.64% | 4.07% | 4.20% | 8.34% | 5.03% | 1.28% | 2.22% | 3.03% | 2.32% | 3.38% | 0.77% |
VTIP Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities ETF | 3.58% | 3.81% | 2.70% | 2.86% | 6.84% | 4.68% | 1.20% | 1.95% | 2.45% | 1.52% | 0.76% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTIP and VIPSX have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VIPSX has higher volatility (1.01%) compared to VTIP (0.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTIP dropped -6.27% vs VIPSX's -15.13%.
VTIP currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.15 vs 1.48), 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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