VTTHX’s worst drop since 2003 was 52%
Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 (VTTHX) fell 52% from Oct 2007 to Mar 2009. It took 4.4 years from that peak to close at a new high, in Mar 2012. Over the same years the S&P 500 fell as much as 55%.
That drop ranks 43rd deepest among the 109 mutual funds PortfolioAutopsy tracks.
Drawdown from the last high, 2003 to now
How VTTHX held up in each crash
| Crash | Years | VTTHX | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dot-com bust | 2000–02 | not trading yet | −47.5% |
| Financial crisis | 2007–09 | −51.8% | −55.2% |
| COVID crash | 2020 | −27.1% | −33.7% |
| 2022 rate shock | 2022 | −23.0% | −24.5% |
Each number is the deepest fall from a high inside that window, using daily prices with dividends reinvested.
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What was VTTHX’s maximum drawdown?
VTTHX’s deepest fall since 2003 was 51.8%, from its high on October 9, 2007 to its low on March 9, 2009. The figure uses daily prices with dividends reinvested.
How long did VTTHX take to recover?
4.4 years. VTTHX first closed above its Oct 2007 high again on March 16, 2012.
Was VTTHX riskier than the S&P 500?
Over the same years, VTTHX’s worst drop was 51.8% against 55.2% for the S&P 500 (SPY), and its worst 12 months were −44.6% against −47.4%.
Compare with
Daily adjusted closes from Yahoo Finance, October 28, 2003 through October 13, 2026, dividends reinvested. Historical facts, not a forecast and not investment advice.