VUSUX vs. VBTLX
VUSUX (Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares) and VBTLX (Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VUSUX is a Government Bonds fund managed by Vanguard, while VBTLX is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. Over the past 10 years, VUSUX returned -1.01%/yr vs 1.58%/yr for VBTLX. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VUSUX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VBTLX.
Performance
VUSUX vs. VBTLX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VUSUX achieves a -0.01% return, which is significantly lower than VBTLX's 0.42% return. Over the past 10 years, VUSUX has underperformed VBTLX with an annualized return of -1.01%, while VBTLX has yielded a comparatively higher 1.58% annualized return.
VUSUX
- 1D
- 0.26%
- 1M
- 1.18%
- YTD
- -0.01%
- 6M
- -1.12%
- 1Y
- 5.94%
- 3Y*
- -0.37%
- 5Y*
- -4.93%
- 10Y*
- -1.01%
VBTLX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.55%
- YTD
- 0.42%
- 6M
- 0.35%
- 1Y
- 5.34%
- 3Y*
- 4.05%
- 5Y*
- 0.21%
- 10Y*
- 1.58%
VUSUX vs. VBTLX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VUSUX Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | -0.01% | 5.66% | -6.30% | 3.43% | -29.51% | -4.71% | 18.10% | 14.26% | -1.80% | 8.72% |
VBTLX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | 0.42% | 7.17% | 1.26% | 5.74% | -13.16% | -1.81% | 7.72% | 8.73% | -0.25% | 3.56% |
Correlation
The correlation between VUSUX and VBTLX is 0.92, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.92 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.92 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 13, 2001 | 0.91 |
The correlation between VUSUX and VBTLX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.91 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VUSUX vs. VBTLX — Risk / Return Rank
VUSUX
VBTLX
VUSUX vs. VBTLX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VUSUX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX). 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.
| VUSUX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.71 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.07 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.24 | -0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.81 | 1.86 | -1.04 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.15 | 5.58 | -3.44 |
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
| VUSUX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.64 | 1.36 | -0.71 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.34 | 0.04 | -0.37 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.07 | 0.32 | -0.39 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.30 | 0.76 | -0.46 |
Drawdowns
VUSUX vs. VBTLX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VUSUX drawdown since its inception was -46.12%, which is greater than VBTLX's maximum drawdown of -18.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUSUX and VBTLX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VUSUX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.12% | -18.81% | -27.31% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.18% | -2.89% | -4.29% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.67% | -6.00% | -11.67% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -41.34% | -18.14% | -23.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.12% | -18.81% | -27.31% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -35.99% | -2.18% | -33.81% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.53% | -2.67% | -8.86% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.71% | 0.96% | +1.75% |
Volatility
VUSUX vs. VBTLX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VUSUX) has a higher volatility of 2.72% compared to Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBTLX) at 1.38%. This indicates that VUSUX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VBTLX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VUSUX | VBTLX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.72% | 1.38% | +1.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.18% | 2.80% | +3.38% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.09% | 3.97% | +5.12% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.62% | 6.01% | +8.61% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.76% | 4.98% | +8.78% |
VUSUX vs. VBTLX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VUSUX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than VBTLX's 0.04% 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
VUSUX vs. VBTLX - Dividend Comparison
VUSUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.56%, more than VBTLX's 3.98% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBTLX Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Admiral Shares | 3.98% | 3.87% | 3.69% | 3.10% | 2.59% | 1.96% | 2.39% | 2.74% | 2.57% | 2.56% | 2.53% | 2.82% |
VUSUX Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | 4.56% | 4.39% | 4.15% | 3.43% | 3.05% | 4.46% | 10.28% | 2.92% | 2.91% | 2.74% | 5.38% | 5.62% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.92, VUSUX and VBTLX 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.
VUSUX has higher volatility (2.72%) compared to VBTLX (1.38%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VUSUX dropped -46.12% vs VBTLX's -18.81%.
VBTLX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.36 vs 0.64), 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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