IFRA vs. VMBS
IFRA (iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF) and VMBS (Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IFRA is a Industrials Equities fund tracking the NYSE FactSet U.S. Infrastructure Index (TR), while VMBS is a Mortgage Backed Securities fund tracking the Barclays Capital U.S. MBS Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IFRA returned 14.07%/yr vs 0.57%/yr for VMBS. At a 0.13 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IFRA charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VMBS.
Performance
IFRA vs. VMBS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IFRA achieves a 19.25% return, which is significantly higher than VMBS's 0.92% return.
IFRA
- 1D
- -0.86%
- 1M
- 2.48%
- YTD
- 19.25%
- 6M
- 17.89%
- 1Y
- 30.85%
- 3Y*
- 20.61%
- 5Y*
- 14.07%
- 10Y*
- —
VMBS
- 1D
- 0.09%
- 1M
- 0.63%
- YTD
- 0.92%
- 6M
- 1.02%
- 1Y
- 6.00%
- 3Y*
- 4.52%
- 5Y*
- 0.57%
- 10Y*
- 1.35%
IFRA vs. VMBS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IFRA iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF | 19.25% | 15.90% | 17.02% | 13.42% | -3.32% | 29.81% | 7.37% | 27.00% | -7.97% |
VMBS Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 0.92% | 8.36% | 1.70% | 5.34% | -11.90% | -1.28% | 3.76% | 6.19% | 2.18% |
Correlation
The correlation between IFRA 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 | 0.26 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 5, 2018 | 0.13 |
The correlation between IFRA and VMBS shifts across timeframes, from 0.13 (all time) to 0.31 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
IFRA vs. VMBS — Risk / Return Rank
IFRA
VMBS
IFRA vs. VMBS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (IFRA) 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.
| IFRA | VMBS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.65 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.89 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.25 | +0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.69 | 2.24 | +1.45 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.48 | 7.12 | +6.37 |
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Drawdowns
IFRA vs. VMBS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IFRA drawdown since its inception was -41.06%, which is greater than VMBS's maximum drawdown of -17.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IFRA and VMBS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IFRA | VMBS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -41.06% | -17.47% | -23.59% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.40% | -2.68% | -5.72% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.93% | -7.65% | -12.28% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.93% | -17.12% | -2.81% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -17.47% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.86% | -1.07% | +0.21% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.12% | -2.49% | -2.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.29% | 0.84% | +1.45% |
Volatility
IFRA vs. VMBS - Volatility Comparison
iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF (IFRA) has a higher volatility of 5.19% compared to Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (VMBS) at 1.19%. This indicates that IFRA'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
| IFRA | VMBS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.19% | 1.19% | +4.00% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.76% | 3.27% | +8.49% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.21% | 4.30% | +10.91% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.91% | 6.78% | +11.13% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.36% | 5.41% | +15.95% |
IFRA vs. VMBS - Expense Ratio Comparison
IFRA has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is higher than VMBS's 0.04% expense ratio.
Dividends
IFRA vs. VMBS - Dividend Comparison
IFRA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.56%, less than VMBS's 4.17% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IFRA iShares U.S. Infrastructure ETF | 1.56% | 1.84% | 1.75% | 1.98% | 1.98% | 1.63% | 2.08% | 1.68% | 2.50% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VMBS Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF | 4.17% | 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
IFRA 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.
IFRA has higher volatility (5.19%) compared to VMBS (1.19%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IFRA dropped -41.06% vs VMBS's -17.47%.
On 5-year performance, IFRA leads with 14.07% vs 0.57% for VMBS. On fees, VMBS is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, VMBS has been the lower-risk option at 1.19%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IFRA has performed better with a 14.07% return vs 0.57%. 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 0.30% for IFRA.
VMBS has the higher dividend yield at 4.17%, compared with 1.56% for IFRA.
IFRA is categorized as Industrials Equities, while VMBS is Mortgage Backed Securities. IFRA tracks NYSE FactSet U.S. Infrastructure Index (TR), while VMBS tracks Barclays Capital U.S. MBS Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.30% for IFRA and 0.04% for VMBS.
IFRA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.05 vs 1.40), 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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