VTSMX vs. VBIAX
VTSMX (Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares) and VBIAX (Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VTSMX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while VBIAX is a Diversified Portfolio fund tracking the 60% CRSP US Total Market Index / 40% Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. Over the past 10 years, VTSMX returned 14.85%/yr vs 9.78%/yr for VBIAX. With a 0.98 correlation, they move nearly in lockstep. VTSMX charges 0.14%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VBIAX.
Performance
VTSMX vs. VBIAX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTSMX achieves a 11.11% return, which is significantly higher than VBIAX's 6.79% return. Over the past 10 years, VTSMX has outperformed VBIAX with an annualized return of 14.85%, while VBIAX has yielded a comparatively lower 9.78% annualized return.
VTSMX
- 1D
- -0.76%
- 1M
- 4.06%
- YTD
- 11.11%
- 6M
- 10.83%
- 1Y
- 28.00%
- 3Y*
- 21.68%
- 5Y*
- 12.43%
- 10Y*
- 14.85%
VBIAX
- 1D
- -0.53%
- 1M
- 2.54%
- YTD
- 6.79%
- 6M
- 6.67%
- 1Y
- 18.45%
- 3Y*
- 14.83%
- 5Y*
- 7.75%
- 10Y*
- 9.78%
VTSMX vs. VBIAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTSMX Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares | 11.11% | 16.63% | 22.76% | 26.38% | -19.60% | 25.59% | 20.87% | 30.63% | -5.27% | 21.05% |
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares | 6.79% | 13.61% | 14.58% | 17.54% | -16.90% | 14.21% | 16.40% | 21.78% | -2.86% | 13.89% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTSMX and VBIAX is 0.98 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.98 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 14, 2000 | 0.98 |
The correlation between VTSMX and VBIAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.97 to 0.98 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VTSMX vs. VBIAX — Risk / Return Rank
VTSMX
VBIAX
VTSMX vs. VBIAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares (VTSMX) and Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX). 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.
| VTSMX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.07 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.23 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.44 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.15 | 3.23 | -0.07 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.54 | 14.71 | -0.17 |
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
| VTSMX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.31 | 2.38 | -0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.72 | 0.70 | +0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.81 | 0.87 | -0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.59 | 0.64 | -0.05 |
Drawdowns
VTSMX vs. VBIAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTSMX drawdown since its inception was -55.38%, which is greater than VBIAX's maximum drawdown of -35.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTSMX and VBIAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTSMX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.38% | -35.90% | -19.48% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.93% | -5.83% | -3.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.63% | -11.70% | -7.93% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.43% | -21.53% | -3.90% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.98% | -22.78% | -12.20% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.76% | -0.53% | -0.23% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.90% | -4.44% | -4.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.93% | 1.27% | +0.66% |
Volatility
VTSMX vs. VBIAX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares (VTSMX) has a higher volatility of 3.05% compared to Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX) at 2.31%. This indicates that VTSMX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VBIAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTSMX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.05% | 2.31% | +0.74% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.21% | 6.11% | +3.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.22% | 7.92% | +4.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.36% | 11.05% | +6.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.41% | 11.21% | +7.20% |
VTSMX vs. VBIAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTSMX has a 0.14% expense ratio, which is higher than VBIAX's 0.07% 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
VTSMX vs. VBIAX - Dividend Comparison
VTSMX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.94%, less than VBIAX's 5.24% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.24% | 6.00% | 5.27% | 4.35% | 2.83% | 3.19% | 2.65% | 2.28% | 2.32% | 1.95% | 2.09% | 2.09% |
VTSMX Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares | 0.94% | 0.75% | 0.89% | 1.33% | 1.54% | 1.11% | 1.33% | 1.67% | 1.92% | 1.61% | 1.83% | 1.86% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.98, VTSMX and VBIAX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
VTSMX has higher volatility (3.05%) compared to VBIAX (2.31%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTSMX dropped -55.38% vs VBIAX's -35.90%.
VBIAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 2.31), 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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