BSV vs VDIGX
Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF vs Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Class
Which is better, BSV or VDIGX?
Short Term Bond against Large Cap Blend.
BSV has a lower expense ratio.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | BSV | VDIGX |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03%Best | 0.20% |
| AUM | $45.6B | $35.5B |
| Dividend Yield | 4.01% | 23.10% |
| Holdings | 3,205 | 62 |
| YTD Price Return | -2.73% | -3.99% |
| 1Y Price Return | -2.91% | -14.10% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | +0.66% | -3.79% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -1.37% | -3.26% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 2.9%Best | 16.0% |
| Max Drawdown | -9.8%Best | -32.6% |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Short Term Bond | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Apr 3, 2007 | May 15, 1992 |
Not shown on this pair: $10,000 over 5 years, Top 10 Weight.
A price return is not the return of a fund that pays its income out. The coupon or distribution never appears in the price, so the return rows carry no winner here. BSV currently yields 4.01% and VDIGX 23.10%.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 20, 2021 to Sep 18, 2026 (5 years).
BSV vs VDIGX Performance
Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF (BSV) is an ETF from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Class (VDIGX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US). Over the past year BSV's price moved -2.91% and VDIGX's -14.10%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, BSV compounded at +0.66% per year against -3.79% for VDIGX; over five years the annualized figures are -1.37% and -3.26% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VDIGX has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 16.0% compared with 2.9% for BSV. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -9.8% for BSV and -32.6% for VDIGX. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.48. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BSV charges 0.03% per year while VDIGX charges 0.20%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $20 annually, a gap of $17 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BSV currently yields 4.01% against 23.10% for VDIGX.
Structure and taxes
VDIGX is a mutual fund and BSV is an ETF. A mutual fund prices once a day at net asset value and may carry a purchase minimum. An ETF trades through the day at whatever the market pays for it.
In a taxable account the difference that usually matters is distributions. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely has to sell holdings and rarely passes a capital gain to the people who held it; a mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can distribute a realised gain at year end to everyone still in the fund, whether or not they sold anything themselves. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. Both are descriptions of how the two wrappers work, not a recommendation.
Tax-loss harvesting works on either wrapper.
Holdings Overlap
At least 5.1% of VDIGX's money is in holdings BSV also owns.
Stated as a floor: for BSV, our book for it covers 63.3% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
VDIGX and BSV share little of their money.
3 positions in common, counted across the 1,013 positions we hold weights for in BSV and 51 in VDIGX, against full books of 3,205 and 62.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of BSV and VDIGX you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, BSV or VDIGX?
BSV has an expense ratio of 0.03% while VDIGX charges 0.20%. BSV is the cheaper option, by $17 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, BSV or VDIGX?
VDIGX has been the more volatile fund at 16.0% annualized versus 2.9% for BSV. Worst drawdown: BSV -9.8% vs VDIGX -32.6%.
Should I hold both BSV and VDIGX?
BSV and VDIGX have a monthly-return correlation of 0.48, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between BSV and VDIGX?
At least 5.1% of VDIGX's money is in holdings BSV also owns. Our book for BSV is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 3 positions in common, counted across the 1,013 positions we hold weights for in BSV and 51 in VDIGX.
Which pays a higher dividend, BSV or VDIGX?
BSV yields 4.01% while VDIGX yields 23.10%, so VDIGX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VDIGX or BSV in a taxable account?
BSV is an ETF and VDIGX is a mutual fund. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely distributes a capital gain to the people holding it. A mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can pass a realised gain to every holder at year end. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. This is information, not a recommendation.
Is VDIGX better than BSV?
BSV has a lower expense ratio. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.