BSV vs. IEI
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF (BSV) and iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI).
BSV and IEI are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. BSV is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Barclays U.S. 1-5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Apr 3, 2007. IEI is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. 3-7 Year Treasury Bond Index. It was launched on Jan 11, 2007. Both BSV and IEI are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Scroll down to visually compare performance, riskiness, drawdowns, and other indicators and decide which better suits your portfolio: BSV or IEI.
Key characteristics
| BSV | IEI | |
|---|---|---|
| YTD Return | -0.56% | -2.18% |
| 1Y Return | 1.70% | -1.52% |
| 3Y Return (Ann) | -0.71% | -2.89% |
| 5Y Return (Ann) | 1.04% | 0.01% |
| 10Y Return (Ann) | 1.27% | 0.94% |
| Sharpe Ratio | 0.73 | -0.14 |
| Daily Std Dev | 3.00% | 5.23% |
| Max Drawdown | -8.54% | -14.60% |
| Current Drawdown | -2.59% | -10.36% |
Correlation
The correlation between BSV and IEI is 0.82, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Performance
BSV vs. IEI - Performance Comparison
In the year-to-date period, BSV achieves a -0.56% return, which is significantly higher than IEI's -2.18% return. Over the past 10 years, BSV has outperformed IEI with an annualized return of 1.27%, while IEI has yielded a comparatively lower 0.94% annualized return. The chart below displays the growth of a $10,000 investment in both assets, with all prices adjusted for splits and dividends.
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BSV vs. IEI - Expense Ratio Comparison
BSV has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than IEI's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Risk-Adjusted Performance
BSV vs. IEI - Risk-Adjusted Performance Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF (BSV) and iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI). 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.
Dividends
BSV vs. IEI - Dividend Comparison
BSV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.76%, more than IEI's 2.69% yield.
| TTM | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BSV Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF | 2.76% | 2.46% | 1.50% | 1.45% | 1.79% | 2.29% | 1.99% | 1.65% | 1.48% | 1.40% | 1.45% | 1.48% |
IEI iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 2.69% | 2.36% | 1.37% | 0.73% | 1.12% | 2.01% | 1.95% | 1.51% | 1.33% | 1.39% | 1.23% | 0.77% |
Drawdowns
BSV vs. IEI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BSV drawdown since its inception was -8.54%, smaller than the maximum IEI drawdown of -14.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BSV and IEI. For additional features, visit the drawdowns tool.
Volatility
BSV vs. IEI - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF (BSV) is 0.81%, while iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEI) has a volatility of 1.40%. This indicates that BSV experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.