FLOT vs. VEA
FLOT (iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF) and VEA (Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FLOT is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg US Floating Rate Note < 5 Years Index, while VEA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, FLOT returned 3.04%/yr vs 10.72%/yr for VEA. At a 0.13 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FLOT charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VEA.
Performance
FLOT vs. VEA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FLOT achieves a 1.99% return, which is significantly lower than VEA's 14.73% return. Over the past 10 years, FLOT has underperformed VEA with an annualized return of 3.04%, while VEA has yielded a comparatively higher 10.72% annualized return.
FLOT
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 0.47%
- YTD
- 1.99%
- 6M
- 2.23%
- 1Y
- 4.87%
- 3Y*
- 5.66%
- 5Y*
- 4.22%
- 10Y*
- 3.04%
VEA
- 1D
- 0.34%
- 1M
- 1.30%
- YTD
- 14.73%
- 6M
- 16.65%
- 1Y
- 29.82%
- 3Y*
- 19.03%
- 5Y*
- 9.51%
- 10Y*
- 10.72%
FLOT vs. VEA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLOT iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF | 1.99% | 4.91% | 6.53% | 6.43% | 1.28% | 0.45% | 0.87% | 3.97% | 1.48% | 1.65% |
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | 14.73% | 35.16% | 3.15% | 17.93% | -15.34% | 11.66% | 9.71% | 22.62% | -14.75% | 26.42% |
Correlation
The correlation between FLOT and VEA is 0.30, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 17, 2011 | 0.13 |
The correlation between FLOT and VEA shifts across timeframes, from 0.13 (all time) to 0.30 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
FLOT vs. VEA — Risk / Return Rank
FLOT
VEA
FLOT vs. VEA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF (FLOT) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA). 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.
| FLOT | VEA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +4.75 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +9.33 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 3.23 | 1.33 | +1.90 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 11.32 | 2.58 | +8.74 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 105.27 | 9.92 | +95.35 |
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Drawdowns
FLOT vs. VEA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FLOT drawdown since its inception was -13.54%, smaller than the maximum VEA drawdown of -60.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FLOT and VEA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FLOT | VEA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -13.54% | -60.68% | +47.14% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -0.43% | -11.63% | +11.20% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.57% | -13.45% | +11.88% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -2.36% | -29.71% | +27.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -13.54% | -35.73% | +22.19% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.06% | +1.06% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.21% | -13.28% | +13.07% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.05% | 3.02% | -2.97% |
Volatility
FLOT vs. VEA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF (FLOT) is 0.21%, while Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) has a volatility of 6.84%. This indicates that FLOT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VEA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FLOT | VEA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.21% | 6.84% | -6.63% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 0.63% | 14.38% | -13.75% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.75% | 16.58% | -15.83% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 1.77% | 16.72% | -14.95% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.15% | 17.40% | -13.25% |
FLOT vs. VEA - Expense Ratio Comparison
FLOT has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than VEA's 0.03% 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
FLOT vs. VEA - Dividend Comparison
FLOT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.53%, more than VEA's 2.62% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FLOT iShares Floating Rate Bond ETF | 4.53% | 4.84% | 5.82% | 5.66% | 2.06% | 0.43% | 1.25% | 2.78% | 2.41% | 1.46% | 0.97% | 0.53% |
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF | 2.62% | 3.22% | 3.35% | 3.15% | 2.91% | 3.16% | 2.04% | 3.04% | 3.35% | 2.77% | 3.05% | 2.92% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FLOT and VEA have a correlation of 0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VEA has higher volatility (6.84%) compared to FLOT (0.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FLOT dropped -13.54% vs VEA's -60.68%.
On 10-year performance, VEA leads with 10.72% vs 3.04% for FLOT. On fees, VEA is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, FLOT has been the lower-risk option at 0.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VEA has performed better with a 10.72% return vs 3.04%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VEA is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for FLOT.
FLOT has the higher dividend yield at 4.53%, compared with 2.62% for VEA.
FLOT is categorized as Ultrashort Bond, while VEA is Foreign Large Cap Equities. FLOT tracks Bloomberg US Floating Rate Note < 5 Years Index, while VEA tracks FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for FLOT and 0.03% for VEA.
FLOT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (6.56 vs 1.81), 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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