BND vs. EZA
BND (Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF) and EZA (iShares MSCI South Africa ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - BND is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index, while EZA is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the MSCI South Africa Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, BND returned 1.60%/yr vs 7.44%/yr for EZA. At a correlation of -0.03, they often move in opposite directions. BND charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.59%/yr for EZA.
Performance
BND vs. EZA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BND achieves a 0.94% return, which is significantly higher than EZA's -7.64% return. Over the past 10 years, BND has underperformed EZA with an annualized return of 1.60%, while EZA has yielded a comparatively higher 7.44% annualized return.
BND
- 1D
- 0.45%
- 1M
- 1.09%
- YTD
- 0.94%
- 6M
- 0.78%
- 1Y
- 4.38%
- 3Y*
- 4.11%
- 5Y*
- 0.18%
- 10Y*
- 1.60%
EZA
- 1D
- -2.74%
- 1M
- -5.60%
- YTD
- -7.64%
- 6M
- -9.12%
- 1Y
- 25.36%
- 3Y*
- 23.33%
- 5Y*
- 9.54%
- 10Y*
- 7.44%
BND vs. EZA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 0.94% | 7.08% | 1.38% | 5.65% | -13.11% | -1.86% | 7.71% | 8.84% | -0.12% | 3.57% |
EZA iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | -7.64% | 75.20% | 7.16% | 1.51% | -5.18% | 7.91% | -5.19% | 9.83% | -25.24% | 36.03% |
Correlation
The correlation between BND and EZA is 0.39, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.39 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 10, 2007 | -0.03 |
The correlation between BND and EZA shifts across timeframes, from -0.03 (all time) to 0.39 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
BND vs. EZA — Risk / Return Rank
BND
EZA
BND vs. EZA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) and iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA). 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.
| BND | EZA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.38 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.53 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.16 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.64 | 1.09 | +0.55 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.68 | 2.71 | +1.97 |
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Drawdowns
BND vs. EZA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BND drawdown since its inception was -18.58%, smaller than the maximum EZA drawdown of -64.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BND and EZA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BND | EZA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.58% | -64.64% | +46.06% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.68% | -23.31% | +20.63% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.92% | -23.31% | +17.39% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.91% | -34.94% | +17.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.58% | -62.25% | +43.67% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.71% | -22.13% | +20.42% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.06% | -16.92% | +13.86% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.94% | 9.39% | -8.45% |
Volatility
BND vs. EZA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) is 1.15%, while iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA) has a volatility of 11.36%. This indicates that BND experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than EZA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| BND | EZA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.15% | 11.36% | -10.21% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.80% | 27.46% | -24.66% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.75% | 32.18% | -28.43% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.03% | 28.92% | -22.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.53% | 31.28% | -25.75% |
BND vs. EZA - Expense Ratio Comparison
BND has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than EZA's 0.59% expense ratio.
Dividends
BND vs. EZA - Dividend Comparison
BND's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.94%, less than EZA's 8.11% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BND Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF | 3.94% | 3.86% | 3.67% | 3.09% | 2.60% | 2.12% | 2.38% | 2.72% | 2.81% | 2.54% | 2.51% | 2.57% |
EZA iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 8.11% | 6.16% | 7.26% | 2.84% | 3.90% | 2.05% | 5.51% | 12.27% | 3.81% | 1.55% | 4.10% | 3.03% |
Frequently Asked Questions
BND and EZA have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
EZA has higher volatility (11.36%) compared to BND (1.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BND dropped -18.58% vs EZA's -64.64%.
On 10-year performance, EZA leads with 7.44% vs 1.60% for BND. On fees, BND is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BND has been the lower-risk option at 1.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, EZA has performed better with a 7.44% return vs 1.60%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BND is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.59% for EZA.
EZA has the higher dividend yield at 8.11%, compared with 3.94% for BND.
BND is categorized as Total Bond Market, while EZA is Emerging Markets Equities. BND tracks Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index, while EZA tracks MSCI South Africa Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for BND and 0.59% for EZA.
BND currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.18 vs 0.79), 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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