VUSUX vs. VSBSX
VUSUX (Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares) and VSBSX (Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both Government Bonds funds from Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VUSUX returned -1.70%/yr vs 1.76%/yr for VSBSX. Their 0.59 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. VUSUX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for VSBSX.
Performance
VUSUX vs. VSBSX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VUSUX achieves a -3.34% return, which is significantly lower than VSBSX's 0.81% return. Over the past 10 years, VUSUX has underperformed VSBSX with an annualized return of -1.70%, while VSBSX has yielded a comparatively higher 1.76% annualized return.
VUSUX
- 1D
- 0.40%
- 1M
- -3.33%
- 6M
- -2.97%
- YTD
- -3.34%
- 1Y
- -1.80%
- 3Y*
- -0.01%
- 5Y*
- -7.22%
- 10Y*
- -1.70%
- ALL TIME*
- 3.62%
VSBSX
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- 0.16%
- 6M
- 0.65%
- YTD
- 0.81%
- 1Y
- 2.61%
- 3Y*
- 4.32%
- 5Y*
- 1.92%
- 10Y*
- 1.76%
- ALL TIME*
- 1.41%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
VUSUX vs. VSBSX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VUSUX Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | -3.34% | 5.66% | -6.30% | 3.43% | -29.51% | -4.71% | 18.10% | 14.26% | -1.80% | 8.72% |
VSBSX Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund Admiral Shares | 0.81% | 5.08% | 4.39% | 4.23% | -3.87% | -0.69% | 3.09% | 3.51% | 1.52% | 0.35% |
Correlation
The correlation between VUSUX and VSBSX is 0.65, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.65 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.64 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.64 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.61 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2009 | 0.59 |
The correlation between VUSUX and VSBSX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.59 to 0.65 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VUSUX vs. VSBSX — Risk / Return Rank
VUSUX
VSBSX
VUSUX vs. VSBSX - 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 Short-Term Treasury Index Fund Admiral Shares (VSBSX). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| VUSUX | VSBSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.38 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.48 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.98 | 1.43 | -0.45 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.21 | 3.20 | -3.41 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.47 | 12.75 | -13.22 |
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Drawdowns
VUSUX vs. VSBSX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VUSUX drawdown since its inception was -46.12%, which is greater than VSBSX's maximum drawdown of -5.77%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUSUX and VSBSX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VUSUX | VSBSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.12% | -5.77% | -40.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.42% | -0.84% | -6.58% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.56% | -0.84% | -12.72% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -41.34% | -5.72% | -35.62% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.12% | -5.77% | -40.35% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -38.12% | 0.00% | -38.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.70% | -0.59% | -11.11% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.29% | 0.21% | +3.08% |
Volatility
VUSUX vs. VSBSX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares (VUSUX) has a higher volatility of 2.32% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund Admiral Shares (VSBSX) at 0.36%. This indicates that VUSUX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VSBSX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VUSUX | VSBSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.32% | 0.36% | +1.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.42% | 0.99% | +5.43% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.45% | 1.22% | +7.23% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.50% | 1.96% | +12.54% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.69% | 1.54% | +12.15% |
VUSUX vs. VSBSX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VUSUX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than VSBSX's 0.06% 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. VSBSX - Dividend Comparison
VUSUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.35%, more than VSBSX's 3.80% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSBSX Vanguard Short-Term Treasury Index Fund Admiral Shares | 3.80% | 3.98% | 4.50% | 3.29% | 1.12% | 0.63% | 1.72% | 2.26% | 1.80% | 1.10% | 0.76% | 0.71% |
VUSUX Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Fund Admiral Shares | 4.35% | 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
VUSUX and VSBSX have a correlation of 0.65, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VUSUX has higher volatility (2.32%) compared to VSBSX (0.36%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VUSUX dropped -46.12% vs VSBSX's -5.77%.
VSBSX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.19 vs -0.18), 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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