ZROZ vs. VTI
ZROZ (PIMCO 25+ Year Zero Coupon US Treasury Index Fund) and VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ZROZ is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE BofA Long U.S. Treasury Principal STRIPS Index, while VTI is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Total Market Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, ZROZ returned -4.15%/yr vs 15.05%/yr for VTI. At a correlation of -0.24, they often move in opposite directions. ZROZ charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VTI.
Performance
ZROZ vs. VTI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ZROZ achieves a -1.07% return, which is significantly lower than VTI's 11.20% return. Over the past 10 years, ZROZ has underperformed VTI with an annualized return of -4.15%, while VTI has yielded a comparatively higher 15.05% annualized return.
ZROZ
- 1D
- -0.48%
- 1M
- 1.55%
- YTD
- -1.07%
- 6M
- -4.36%
- 1Y
- 3.89%
- 3Y*
- -7.39%
- 5Y*
- -11.62%
- 10Y*
- -4.15%
VTI
- 1D
- -0.72%
- 1M
- 4.99%
- YTD
- 11.20%
- 6M
- 11.09%
- 1Y
- 28.18%
- 3Y*
- 22.07%
- 5Y*
- 12.69%
- 10Y*
- 15.05%
ZROZ vs. VTI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ZROZ PIMCO 25+ Year Zero Coupon US Treasury Index Fund | -1.07% | -1.84% | -16.18% | 1.19% | -41.28% | -5.22% | 24.57% | 21.22% | -5.43% | 14.77% |
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 11.20% | 17.10% | 23.81% | 26.05% | -19.52% | 25.68% | 21.08% | 30.67% | -5.23% | 21.21% |
Correlation
The correlation between ZROZ and VTI is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 5, 2009 | -0.24 |
The correlation between ZROZ and VTI shifts across timeframes, from -0.24 (all time) to 0.19 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
ZROZ vs. VTI — Risk / Return Rank
ZROZ
VTI
ZROZ vs. VTI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PIMCO 25+ Year Zero Coupon US Treasury Index Fund (ZROZ) and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI). 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.
| ZROZ | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.72 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.05 | 1.42 | -0.37 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.28 | 3.17 | -2.90 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.64 | 14.62 | -13.99 |
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
| ZROZ | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.24 | 2.33 | -2.09 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.49 | 0.73 | -1.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.19 | 0.82 | -1.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.09 | 0.51 | -0.42 |
Drawdowns
ZROZ vs. VTI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ZROZ drawdown since its inception was -62.93%, which is greater than VTI's maximum drawdown of -55.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ZROZ and VTI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ZROZ | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -62.93% | -55.45% | -7.48% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.02% | -8.92% | -5.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -28.62% | -19.30% | -9.32% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -57.98% | -25.36% | -32.62% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -62.93% | -35.00% | -27.93% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -59.93% | -0.72% | -59.21% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -24.04% | -8.03% | -16.01% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.12% | 1.93% | +4.19% |
Volatility
ZROZ vs. VTI - Volatility Comparison
PIMCO 25+ Year Zero Coupon US Treasury Index Fund (ZROZ) has a higher volatility of 4.46% compared to Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) at 2.96%. This indicates that ZROZ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VTI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ZROZ | VTI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.46% | 2.96% | +1.50% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.54% | 9.13% | +1.41% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.25% | 12.17% | +4.08% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.90% | 17.40% | +6.50% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.06% | 18.30% | +3.76% |
ZROZ vs. VTI - Expense Ratio Comparison
ZROZ has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than VTI's 0.03% 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
ZROZ vs. VTI - Dividend Comparison
ZROZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.15%, more than VTI's 1.01% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTI Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF | 1.01% | 1.12% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.66% | 1.21% | 1.42% | 1.78% | 2.04% | 1.71% | 1.92% | 1.98% |
ZROZ PIMCO 25+ Year Zero Coupon US Treasury Index Fund | 5.15% | 4.96% | 4.58% | 3.52% | 2.76% | 1.60% | 1.68% | 2.22% | 2.06% | 2.53% | 3.00% | 2.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ZROZ and VTI have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ZROZ has higher volatility (4.46%) compared to VTI (2.96%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ZROZ dropped -62.93% vs VTI's -55.45%.
On 10-year performance, VTI leads with 15.05% vs -4.15% for ZROZ. On fees, VTI is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VTI has been the lower-risk option at 2.96%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VTI has performed better with a 15.05% return vs -4.15%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTI is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for ZROZ.
ZROZ has the higher dividend yield at 5.15%, compared with 1.01% for VTI.
ZROZ is categorized as Government Bonds, while VTI is Large Cap Blend Equities. ZROZ tracks ICE BofA Long U.S. Treasury Principal STRIPS Index, while VTI tracks CRSP US Total Market Index. They also come from different issuers: PIMCO and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for ZROZ and 0.03% for VTI.
VTI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.33 vs 0.24), 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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