DGRO vs. VMBS
DGRO (iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF) and VMBS (Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - DGRO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index, while VMBS is a Mortgage Backed Securities fund tracking the Barclays Capital U.S. MBS Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, DGRO returned 13.52%/yr vs 1.36%/yr for VMBS. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. DGRO charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VMBS.
Performance
DGRO vs. VMBS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, DGRO achieves a 9.86% return, which is significantly higher than VMBS's 0.87% return. Over the past 10 years, DGRO has outperformed VMBS with an annualized return of 13.52%, while VMBS has yielded a comparatively lower 1.36% annualized return.
DGRO
- 1D
- 0.69%
- 1M
- 3.74%
- YTD
- 9.86%
- 6M
- 9.27%
- 1Y
- 22.26%
- 3Y*
- 16.74%
- 5Y*
- 10.82%
- 10Y*
- 13.52%
VMBS
- 1D
- -0.19%
- 1M
- 0.33%
- YTD
- 0.87%
- 6M
- 1.43%
- 1Y
- 6.09%
- 3Y*
- 4.69%
- 5Y*
- 0.53%
- 10Y*
- 1.36%
DGRO vs. VMBS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 9.86% | 15.69% | 16.62% | 10.47% | -7.91% | 26.64% | 9.50% | 29.87% | -2.38% | 23.00% |
VMBS Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 0.87% | 8.36% | 1.70% | 5.34% | -11.90% | -1.28% | 3.76% | 6.19% | 0.91% | 2.47% |
Correlation
The correlation between DGRO and VMBS is 0.31, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 12, 2014 | 0.02 |
Over the past year, DGRO and VMBS have become more correlated (0.31) than their long-term average of 0.02, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
DGRO vs. VMBS — Risk / Return Rank
DGRO
VMBS
DGRO vs. VMBS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) and Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (VMBS). 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.
| DGRO | VMBS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.91 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.42 | 1.26 | +0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.46 | 2.28 | +1.18 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.36 | 7.36 | +6.00 |
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Drawdowns
DGRO vs. VMBS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum DGRO drawdown since its inception was -35.10%, which is greater than VMBS's maximum drawdown of -17.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DGRO and VMBS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| DGRO | VMBS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.10% | -17.47% | -17.63% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.47% | -2.68% | -3.79% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.03% | -7.65% | -6.38% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.31% | -17.12% | -2.19% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.10% | -17.47% | -17.63% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.12% | +1.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.44% | -2.49% | -0.95% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.68% | 0.83% | +0.85% |
Volatility
DGRO vs. VMBS - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) has a higher volatility of 2.64% compared to Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (VMBS) at 1.57%. This indicates that DGRO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VMBS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| DGRO | VMBS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.64% | 1.57% | +1.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.96% | 3.23% | +3.73% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.59% | 4.29% | +5.30% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.83% | 6.77% | +7.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.62% | 5.40% | +11.22% |
DGRO vs. VMBS - Expense Ratio Comparison
DGRO has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is higher than VMBS's 0.04% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
DGRO vs. VMBS - Dividend Comparison
DGRO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.94%, less than VMBS's 4.18% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | 1.94% | 2.09% | 2.26% | 2.45% | 2.34% | 1.93% | 2.30% | 2.21% | 2.44% | 2.03% | 2.27% | 2.52% |
VMBS Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 4.18% | 4.20% | 3.94% | 3.31% | 2.35% | 1.02% | 2.01% | 2.77% | 2.72% | 2.16% | 2.10% | 2.12% |
Frequently Asked Questions
DGRO and VMBS have a correlation of 0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
DGRO has higher volatility (2.64%) compared to VMBS (1.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DGRO dropped -35.10% vs VMBS's -17.47%.
On 10-year performance, DGRO leads with 13.52% vs 1.36% for VMBS. On fees, VMBS is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, VMBS has been the lower-risk option at 1.57%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, DGRO has performed better with a 13.52% return vs 1.36%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VMBS is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.08% for DGRO.
VMBS has the higher dividend yield at 4.18%, compared with 1.94% for DGRO.
DGRO is categorized as Large Cap Growth Equities, while VMBS is Mortgage Backed Securities. DGRO tracks Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index, while VMBS tracks Barclays Capital U.S. MBS Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.08% for DGRO and 0.04% for VMBS.
DGRO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.34 vs 1.43), 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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