BME vs. VRIG

Last updated Jul 17, 2026

BME (BlackRock Health Sciences Trust) is a stock, while VRIG (Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF) is Ultrashort Bond fund actively managed by Invesco. Over the past 5 years, BME returned 3.96%/yr vs 4.51%/yr for VRIG. At a 0.12 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

BME vs. VRIG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock Health Sciences Trust (BME) and Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF (VRIG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BME achieves a 8.38% return, which is significantly higher than VRIG's 2.33% return.

BME

• 1D: 0.83%
• 1M: 6.62%
• 6M: 6.41%
• YTD: 8.38%
• 1Y: 27.97%
• 3Y*: 9.89%
• 5Y*: 3.96%
• 10Y*: 8.86%

VRIG

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.39%
• 6M: 2.12%
• YTD: 2.33%
• 1Y: 4.75%
• 3Y*: 5.84%
• 5Y*: 4.51%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

BME vs. VRIG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BME BlackRock Health Sciences Trust	8.38%	17.87%	-0.08%	-1.08%	-4.62%	7.25%	18.64%	24.04%	6.38%	23.10%
VRIG Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF	2.33%	5.05%	6.81%	7.37%	0.99%	1.06%	1.76%	4.57%	0.51%	3.20%

Correlation

The correlation between BME and VRIG is 0.17, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.17
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.13
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.12
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 22, 2016	0.12

Return for Risk

BME vs. VRIG — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

BME

BME Risk / Return Rank: 89
BME Sharpe Ratio Rank: 92
BME Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
BME Omega Ratio Rank: 91
BME Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
BME Martin Ratio Rank: 86

VRIG

VRIG Risk / Return Rank: 99
VRIG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 99
VRIG Sortino Ratio Rank: 99
VRIG Omega Ratio Rank: 99
VRIG Calmar Ratio Rank: 100
VRIG Martin Ratio Rank: 99

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

BME vs. VRIG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock Health Sciences Trust (BME) and Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF (VRIG). 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.

	BME	VRIG	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.15	9.86	-7.72
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.05	23.33	-20.28
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.39	5.10	-3.72
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.55	59.76	-57.21
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.74	300.53	-292.79

BME vs. VRIG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BME Sharpe Ratio is 2.15, which is lower than the VRIG Sharpe Ratio of 9.86. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BME and VRIG, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

BME vs. VRIG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BME drawdown since its inception was -42.03%, which is greater than VRIG's maximum drawdown of -13.04%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BME and VRIG.

Drawdown Indicators

	BME	VRIG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.03%	-13.04%	-28.99%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.03%	-0.08%	-10.95%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.38%	-0.78%	-13.60%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.26%	-2.28%	-15.98%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.65%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.45%	0.00%	-2.45%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.26%	-0.26%	-6.00%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.63%	0.02%	+3.61%

Volatility

BME vs. VRIG - Volatility Comparison

BlackRock Health Sciences Trust (BME) has a higher volatility of 4.35% compared to Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF (VRIG) at 0.14%. This indicates that BME's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VRIG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BME	VRIG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.35%	0.14%	+4.21%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.48%	0.36%	+10.12%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.11%	0.48%	+12.63%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.23%	1.29%	+13.94%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.81%	3.78%	+16.03%

Dividends

BME vs. VRIG - Dividend Comparison

BME's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.38%, more than VRIG's 4.70% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BME BlackRock Health Sciences Trust	7.38%	7.65%	6.87%	6.32%	5.87%	5.03%	5.04%	5.65%	6.58%	6.58%	9.45%	17.04%
VRIG Invesco Variable Rate Investment Grade ETF	4.70%	4.99%	6.09%	5.97%	2.39%	0.78%	1.57%	3.12%	2.89%	2.31%	0.60%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BME and VRIG in my portfolio?

BME and VRIG have a correlation of 0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BME or VRIG?

BME has higher volatility (4.35%) compared to VRIG (0.14%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BME dropped -42.03% vs VRIG's -13.04%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VRIG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (9.86 vs 2.15), 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.