VGLT — Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Index Fund ETF Shares

VGLT Price Performance — Growth of $10,000

Value of a $10,000 investment in VGLT over time, compared with SPY. Both lines are rebased to $10,000 on the first shared date. Based on total returns — prices are adjusted for dividends and splits, so this assumes distributions were reinvested. Hover or tap the chart for exact values.

VGLT Drawdown

The "underwater" chart: VGLT's decline from its highest prior value at each point in time. It shows how deep past losses ran and how long the fund took to recover to break-even.

Overview

The Vanguard Long-Term Treasury Index Fund ETF Shares (VGLT) operates within the US Bonds - Government category, which ETFValuer currently tracks 22 distinct funds. Issued by Vanguard, this fund manages $15.2 billion in assets while trading at a price of $53.34 per share. It holds an overall rank of #371 out of 458 tracked ETFs across all categories and has received an ETFValuer grade of C with a score of 51.2 out of 100. The fund offers a low expense ratio of 0.03% and provides a dividend yield of 4.56%. The substantial asset base of $15.2 billion suggests significant investor adoption despite the fund's mid-tier ranking among its peers. This combination of low cost and high yield contrasts with its moderate overall performance rating.

Recent performance data shows a mixed trajectory across various time horizons, starting with a 1-day return of +0.17% followed by a 1-week decline of -1.40%. The fund experienced further losses over the last month with a -3.89% return, which contributed to a 3-month return of -2.46% and a 6-month return of -2.56%. Year-to-date performance stands at -2.02%, indicating that recent declines have not yet been fully recovered. However, the 1-year return shows a positive shift to +1.71%, contrasting with the negative 3-year return of -2.31%. This pattern suggests a divergence where short-term volatility has been significant, yet the fund managed a modest gain over the last year before slipping over the longer three-year period.

VGLT carries a volatility label of Low, yet it exhibits a high Beta of 2.25, indicating its price moves significantly more than the broader market. This high sensitivity is reflected in a Sharpe ratio of -0.39, which suggests the fund has generated negative risk-adjusted returns relative to the risk taken. The maximum drawdown of -16.20% highlights the potential for substantial capital loss during market downturns. The combination of a low volatility label with a high beta implies that while the fund may not experience erratic daily swings, it is highly correlated to large market movements. Consequently, the negative Sharpe ratio and deep drawdown point to periods where the fund has failed to compensate investors adequately for the magnitude of its price fluctuations.

AI-generated summary based on the data on this page.

VGLT Top Holdings

Holdings as of 2026-02-28 per the fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing. Top 10 holdings make up 21.8% of net assets — a rough gauge of concentration risk (the higher this figure, the more the fund's return depends on a handful of names). To see how VGLT's holdings overlap with other ETFs you own or are considering, check the Stock Overlap tool.

Which Funds Overlap With VGLT

Holding two funds that own the same companies adds cost and complexity without adding much diversification. These tracked ETFs share the most names with VGLT's top 10 — VCSH overlaps most, holding 1 of the same companies as VGLT's top 10 (21.8% of VGLT's assets).

Compares the top 10 reported holdings of each fund, so it's a floor on true overlap — two S&P 500 trackers overlap ~100% even when only 10 names are listed. Use the Stock Overlap tool to search by individual company.

Market Backdrop

10-Year Treasury Yield: 4.71% (as of 2026-07-23) — The yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds — the standard "risk-free rate" benchmark used to contextualize this fund’s Sharpe ratio and returns.

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX): 18.70 (as of 2026-07-23) — A real-time gauge of expected S&P 500 volatility over the next 30 days — useful context for this fund’s own volatility label.

Federal Funds Rate: 3.63% (as of 2026-06-01) — The Federal Reserve’s target policy rate, which anchors short-term borrowing costs across the economy.

VGLT Liquidity, Domicile & Tax Treatment

Liquidity: Quoted bid/ask spread is 6.06% and average daily volume is 2.0M/day. Tighter spreads and higher volume mean lower round-trip trading costs; this is a live-market snapshot and can widen during volatile sessions. AUM of $15.2B provides ample scale, supporting tight spreads and issuer commitment to keep the fund open.

Domicile & tax treatment: VGLT is a US-domiciled, SEC-registered ('40 Act) exchange-traded fund. Dividends and capital gains distributions are reported to US investors on Form 1099-DIV, and the fund is not subject to the PFIC reporting or UCITS-specific rules that apply to Irish- or Luxembourg-domiciled funds. Non-US investors should note that US-domiciled ETFs are generally subject to 30% US withholding tax on dividends (unless reduced by treaty) and to US estate tax exposure on the position — Irish-domiciled UCITS ETFs tracking the same index often avoid both, which is why non-US residents frequently prefer the UCITS equivalent where one exists. This is general information, not tax advice — consult a tax professional for your situation.

VGLT Performance History

How VGLT Compares to Other US Bonds - Government ETFs