IEF vs. VEMAX
IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) and VEMAX (Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both funds - IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index, while VEMAX is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IEF returned 0.59%/yr vs 8.79%/yr for VEMAX. At a correlation of -0.23, they often move in opposite directions. IEF charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.13%/yr for VEMAX.
Performance
IEF vs. VEMAX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IEF achieves a -0.47% return, which is significantly lower than VEMAX's 9.86% return. Over the past 10 years, IEF has underperformed VEMAX with an annualized return of 0.59%, while VEMAX has yielded a comparatively higher 8.79% annualized return.
IEF
- 1D
- -0.17%
- 1M
- 0.25%
- YTD
- -0.47%
- 6M
- -0.18%
- 1Y
- 3.78%
- 3Y*
- 2.86%
- 5Y*
- -1.24%
- 10Y*
- 0.59%
VEMAX
- 1D
- 2.25%
- 1M
- -1.61%
- YTD
- 9.86%
- 6M
- 11.36%
- 1Y
- 25.51%
- 3Y*
- 16.48%
- 5Y*
- 4.76%
- 10Y*
- 8.79%
IEF vs. VEMAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.47% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 0.99% | 2.55% |
VEMAX Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares | 9.86% | 24.76% | 11.34% | 8.82% | -17.79% | 0.85% | 15.24% | 20.29% | -14.59% | 31.37% |
Correlation
The correlation between IEF and VEMAX is 0.16, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.16 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.11 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.03 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.07 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 23, 2006 | -0.23 |
The correlation between IEF and VEMAX shifts across timeframes, from -0.23 (all time) to 0.16 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IEF vs. VEMAX — Risk / Return Rank
IEF
VEMAX
IEF vs. VEMAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) and Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares (VEMAX). 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.
| IEF | VEMAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.86 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.12 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.12 | 1.29 | -0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.84 | 2.15 | -1.31 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.35 | 7.83 | -5.48 |
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Drawdowns
IEF vs. VEMAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IEF drawdown since its inception was -23.93%, smaller than the maximum VEMAX drawdown of -66.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEF and VEMAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IEF | VEMAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -23.93% | -66.45% | +42.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.07% | -11.05% | +6.98% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -7.74% | -15.78% | +8.04% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.40% | -32.46% | +11.06% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -23.93% | -36.11% | +12.18% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.18% | -3.60% | -7.58% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.35% | -16.10% | +10.75% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.45% | 3.03% | -1.58% |
Volatility
IEF vs. VEMAX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) is 1.62%, while Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares (VEMAX) has a volatility of 6.17%. This indicates that IEF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VEMAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IEF | VEMAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.62% | 6.17% | -4.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.42% | 12.65% | -9.23% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.72% | 14.97% | -10.25% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.71% | 15.50% | -7.79% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.63% | 16.49% | -9.86% |
IEF vs. VEMAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
IEF has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than VEMAX's 0.13% 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
IEF vs. VEMAX - Dividend Comparison
IEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.89%, more than VEMAX's 2.42% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.89% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
VEMAX Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares | 2.42% | 2.74% | 3.13% | 3.47% | 4.05% | 2.57% | 1.87% | 3.20% | 2.85% | 2.31% | 2.51% | 3.25% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IEF and VEMAX have a correlation of 0.16, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VEMAX has higher volatility (6.17%) compared to IEF (1.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEF dropped -23.93% vs VEMAX's -66.45%.
VEMAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.59 vs 0.72), 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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