IEF vs. VGCAX
IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) and VGCAX (Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Admiral Shares) are both funds - IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index, while VGCAX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 5 years, IEF returned -1.24%/yr vs 1.34%/yr for VGCAX. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IEF charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for VGCAX.
Performance
IEF vs. VGCAX - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IEF achieves a -0.47% return, which is significantly lower than VGCAX's 1.10% 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%
VGCAX
- 1D
- 0.52%
- 1M
- 0.68%
- YTD
- 1.10%
- 6M
- 1.56%
- 1Y
- 5.50%
- 3Y*
- 6.27%
- 5Y*
- 1.34%
- 10Y*
- —
IEF vs. VGCAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -0.47% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 3.84% |
VGCAX Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 1.10% | 7.30% | 3.99% | 9.22% | -13.43% | -0.64% | 10.81% | 13.05% | 0.96% |
Correlation
The correlation between IEF and VGCAX is 0.89, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 15, 2018 | 0.88 |
The correlation between IEF and VGCAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.88 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
IEF vs. VGCAX — Risk / Return Rank
IEF
VGCAX
IEF vs. VGCAX - 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 Global Credit Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VGCAX). 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 | VGCAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.93 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.33 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.12 | 1.30 | -0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.84 | 1.89 | -1.05 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.35 | 6.28 | -3.93 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
IEF vs. VGCAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IEF drawdown since its inception was -23.93%, which is greater than VGCAX's maximum drawdown of -18.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEF and VGCAX.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| IEF | VGCAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -23.93% | -18.63% | -5.30% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.07% | -2.90% | -1.17% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -7.74% | -4.00% | -3.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.40% | -18.63% | -2.77% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -23.93% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.18% | -0.64% | -10.54% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.35% | -4.33% | -1.02% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.45% | 0.87% | +0.58% |
Volatility
IEF vs. VGCAX - Volatility Comparison
iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) has a higher volatility of 1.62% compared to Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Admiral Shares (VGCAX) at 1.23%. This indicates that IEF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGCAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| IEF | VGCAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.62% | 1.23% | +0.39% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.42% | 2.64% | +0.78% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.72% | 3.32% | +1.40% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.71% | 5.07% | +2.64% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.63% | 4.84% | +1.79% |
IEF vs. VGCAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
IEF has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than VGCAX's 0.25% 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%.
Dividends
IEF vs. VGCAX - Dividend Comparison
IEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.89%, less than VGCAX's 4.95% 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% |
VGCAX Vanguard Global Credit Bond Fund Admiral Shares | 4.95% | 4.91% | 4.65% | 4.48% | 2.72% | 3.16% | 4.65% | 6.88% | 0.36% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IEF and VGCAX have a correlation of 0.89, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IEF has higher volatility (1.62%) compared to VGCAX (1.23%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEF dropped -23.93% vs VGCAX's -18.63%.
VGCAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.65 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.
Find the right allocation for IEF and VGCAX
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer