AVEM vs. VGSH
AVEM (Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF) and VGSH (Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AVEM is a Emerging Markets Equities fund actively managed by Avantis, while VGSH is a Government Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Treasury 1-3 Year Index. AVEM is actively managed, while VGSH is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, AVEM returned 10.32%/yr vs 1.83%/yr for VGSH. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. AVEM charges 0.33%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VGSH.
Performance
AVEM vs. VGSH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AVEM achieves a 26.29% return, which is significantly higher than VGSH's 0.38% return.
AVEM
- 1D
- -0.27%
- 1M
- 6.27%
- YTD
- 26.29%
- 6M
- 31.17%
- 1Y
- 48.95%
- 3Y*
- 23.94%
- 5Y*
- 10.32%
- 10Y*
- —
VGSH
- 1D
- -0.29%
- 1M
- 0.06%
- YTD
- 0.38%
- 6M
- 0.52%
- 1Y
- 3.13%
- 3Y*
- 4.18%
- 5Y*
- 1.83%
- 10Y*
- 1.71%
AVEM vs. VGSH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AVEM Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 26.29% | 34.48% | 7.49% | 15.30% | -18.15% | 5.16% | 14.39% | 10.40% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 0.38% | 5.07% | 4.00% | 4.31% | -3.86% | -0.60% | 3.04% | 0.81% |
Correlation
The correlation between AVEM and VGSH 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 | 0.12 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 19, 2019 | 0.02 |
The correlation between AVEM and VGSH shifts across timeframes, from 0.02 (all time) to 0.19 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
AVEM vs. VGSH — Risk / Return Rank
AVEM
VGSH
AVEM vs. VGSH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF (AVEM) and Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AVEM | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.85 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.43 | 1.51 | -0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.75 | 3.55 | +0.19 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.25 | 13.78 | +0.46 |
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Drawdowns
AVEM vs. VGSH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AVEM drawdown since its inception was -36.05%, which is greater than VGSH's maximum drawdown of -5.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVEM and VGSH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AVEM | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -36.05% | -5.70% | -30.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.13% | -0.88% | -12.25% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.02% | -0.97% | -17.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.88% | -5.66% | -28.22% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -5.70% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.39% | -0.39% | -2.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.06% | -0.60% | -9.46% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.44% | 0.23% | +3.21% |
Volatility
AVEM vs. VGSH - Volatility Comparison
Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF (AVEM) has a higher volatility of 10.87% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) at 0.46%. This indicates that AVEM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGSH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AVEM | VGSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.87% | 0.46% | +10.41% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.05% | 0.95% | +18.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.38% | 1.31% | +20.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.77% | 1.97% | +16.80% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.79% | 1.58% | +19.21% |
AVEM vs. VGSH - Expense Ratio Comparison
AVEM has a 0.33% expense ratio, which is higher than VGSH's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
AVEM vs. VGSH - Dividend Comparison
AVEM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.56%, less than VGSH's 3.88% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AVEM Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 2.56% | 2.45% | 3.17% | 3.06% | 2.77% | 2.61% | 1.60% | 0.35% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 3.88% | 4.00% | 4.18% | 3.31% | 1.15% | 0.66% | 1.74% | 2.28% | 1.79% | 1.10% | 0.84% | 0.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
AVEM and VGSH 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.
AVEM has higher volatility (10.87%) compared to VGSH (0.46%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AVEM dropped -36.05% vs VGSH's -5.70%.
On 5-year performance, AVEM leads with 10.32% vs 1.83% for VGSH. On fees, VGSH is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VGSH has been the lower-risk option at 0.46%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, AVEM has performed better with a 10.32% return vs 1.83%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VGSH is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.33% for AVEM.
VGSH has the higher dividend yield at 3.88%, compared with 2.56% for AVEM.
AVEM is categorized as Emerging Markets Equities, while VGSH is Government Bonds. They also come from different issuers: Avantis and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.33% for AVEM and 0.03% for VGSH.
VGSH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.41 vs 2.31), 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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