Vanguard Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTES) Performance
VTES total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +0.6% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +1.3% total return
- 3 years
- +3.5% a year
- Since first price
- +2.8% a year since 2023
VTES trailing returns vs AGG, TLT, SPY
| Period | VTES total return | Price only | U.S. bonds (AGG) | 20+ yr Treasuries (TLT) | S&P 500 (SPY) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +1.4% | +1.2% | +0.9% | +1.5% | −1.0% |
| 3 months | +0.5% | −0.1% | −0.4% | −1.0% | +3.2% |
| 6 months | +0.2% | −1.1% | −1.5% | −3.8% | +7.8% |
| YTD | +0.6% | −1.3% | −1.0% | −3.4% | +12.3% |
| 1 year | +1.3% | −1.4% | −1.1% | −6.9% | +14.4% |
| 3 years | +10.7%+3.5%/yr | +1.8% | +16.6%+5.2%/yr | +9.7%+3.1%/yr | +87.4%+23.3%/yr |
| Since inceptionMar 9, 2023 | +10.3%+2.8%/yr | +0.0% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: VTES vs AGG
From Mar 9, 2023: VTES grew to $11,034, AGG to $11,311.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
VTES returns by calendar year
2 of 2 full years positive. Best 2025 (+4.2%), worst 2024 (+1.9%). 2026 is year to date.
VTES annual returns table
| Year | VTES | Largest drop | AGG | TLT | SPY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +0.6% | −3.0% | −1.0% | −3.4% | +12.3% |
| 2025 | +4.2% | −1.6% | +7.2% | +4.3% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | +1.9% | −1.0% | +1.3% | −8.1% | +24.9% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
VTES risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | Since 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +2.8% | +1.9% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 2.5% | 2.5% |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.63 | -1.02 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.76 | -1.15 |
| Best month | +2.4% | +2.4% |
| Worst month | −1.9% | −1.9% |
| Best 12 months | +5.8% | +5.8% |
| Worst 12 months | −0.6% | −0.6% |
| Positive months | 67% | 62% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.12 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.58 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
VTES rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 32 | −0.6% | +3.4% | +5.8% | 97% |
| 3-year (a year) | 8 | +2.7% | +3.0% | +3.4% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2023. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
VTES performance overview
Vanguard Short-Term Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (VTES) returned +1.3% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2023 it has returned +2.8% a year, turning $10,000 into about $11,034. Over the same year U.S. bonds (AGG) returned −1.1%.
Related: VTES chart, VTES dividends, VTES bond profile. See the VTES overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
VTES performance FAQ
What is the VTES return over the past year?
VTES returned +1.3% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it fell 1.4%.
How much would $10,000 invested in VTES be worth?
$10,000 invested in VTES at its first recorded close on March 9, 2023 would be worth about $11,034 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for VTES?
The worst calendar year was 2024, with a total return of +1.9%. The best was 2025 at +4.2%.
How volatile is VTES?
Over the past 3 years VTES had an annualized volatility of 2.5% and a Sharpe ratio of -0.63 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).