WATFX vs. BND
Compare and contrast key facts about Western Asset Core Bond Fund (WATFX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND).
WATFX is managed by Franklin Templeton. It was launched on Sep 4, 1990. BND is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Apr 3, 2007.
Performance
WATFX vs. BND - Performance Comparison
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WATFX vs. BND - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WATFX Western Asset Core Bond Fund | -0.58% | 8.01% | 0.44% | 5.52% | -17.32% | -2.13% | 9.12% | 10.44% | -0.62% | 5.21% |
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 0.09% | 7.08% | 1.38% | 5.65% | -13.11% | -1.86% | 7.71% | 8.84% | -0.12% | 3.57% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, WATFX achieves a -0.58% return, which is significantly lower than BND's 0.09% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with WATFX having a 1.61% annualized return and BND not far ahead at 1.68%.
WATFX
- 1D
- 0.28%
- 1M
- -1.85%
- YTD
- -0.58%
- 6M
- 0.34%
- 1Y
- 4.10%
- 3Y*
- 3.22%
- 5Y*
- -0.87%
- 10Y*
- 1.61%
BND
- 1D
- 0.04%
- 1M
- -1.30%
- YTD
- 0.09%
- 6M
- 0.74%
- 1Y
- 3.96%
- 3Y*
- 3.60%
- 5Y*
- 0.25%
- 10Y*
- 1.68%
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WATFX vs. BND - Expense Ratio Comparison
WATFX has a 0.46% expense ratio, which is higher than BND's 0.03% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
WATFX vs. BND — Risk / Return Rank
WATFX
BND
WATFX vs. BND - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Western Asset Core Bond Fund (WATFX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND). 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.
| WATFX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.96 | 0.93 | +0.03 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.37 | 1.32 | +0.06 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.16 | 0.00 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.63 | 1.75 | -0.13 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.83 | 4.78 | +0.05 |
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
| WATFX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.96 | 0.93 | +0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.13 | 0.04 | -0.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.29 | 0.30 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.56 | 0.59 | -0.03 |
Correlation
The correlation between WATFX and BND is 0.82, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
WATFX vs. BND - Dividend Comparison
WATFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.85%, less than BND's 3.93% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WATFX Western Asset Core Bond Fund | 3.85% | 4.15% | 4.48% | 3.35% | 2.39% | 2.05% | 3.90% | 3.62% | 2.92% | 2.34% | 2.51% | 2.74% |
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 3.93% | 3.86% | 3.67% | 3.09% | 2.60% | 2.12% | 2.38% | 2.72% | 2.81% | 2.54% | 2.51% | 2.57% |
Drawdowns
WATFX vs. BND - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum WATFX drawdown since its inception was -23.69%, which is greater than BND's maximum drawdown of -18.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WATFX and BND.
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Drawdown Indicators
| WATFX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -23.69% | -18.58% | -5.11% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.04% | -2.44% | -0.60% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -23.26% | -17.91% | -5.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -23.69% | -18.58% | -5.11% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.91% | -2.54% | -5.37% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.96% | -3.07% | +0.11% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.02% | 0.90% | +0.12% |
Volatility
WATFX vs. BND - Volatility Comparison
Western Asset Core Bond Fund (WATFX) and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) have volatilities of 1.59% and 1.63%, 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
| WATFX | BND | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.59% | 1.63% | -0.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.62% | 2.52% | +0.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.64% | 4.30% | +0.34% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.80% | 6.00% | +0.80% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.52% | 5.52% | 0.00% |