IGSB vs. VTC
IGSB (iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF) and VTC (Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF) are both Corporate Bonds funds - IGSB tracks the ICE BofAML 1-5 Year US Corporate Index while VTC tracks the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, IGSB returned 2.43%/yr vs 0.51%/yr for VTC. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IGSB charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VTC.
Performance
IGSB vs. VTC - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IGSB achieves a 0.72% return, which is significantly higher than VTC's 0.60% return.
IGSB
- 1D
- -0.06%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 0.72%
- 6M
- 1.01%
- 1Y
- 4.72%
- 3Y*
- 5.66%
- 5Y*
- 2.43%
- 10Y*
- 2.74%
VTC
- 1D
- -0.22%
- 1M
- 0.63%
- YTD
- 0.60%
- 6M
- 0.33%
- 1Y
- 5.99%
- 3Y*
- 5.22%
- 5Y*
- 0.51%
- 10Y*
- —
IGSB vs. VTC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGSB iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.72% | 6.96% | 4.97% | 6.40% | -5.63% | -0.56% | 5.37% | 7.11% | 1.25% | -0.12% |
VTC Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF | 0.60% | 7.58% | 2.15% | 8.58% | -15.68% | -1.41% | 9.30% | 14.60% | -2.55% | 0.84% |
Correlation
The correlation between IGSB and VTC is 0.88, 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 | 0.88 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 10, 2017 | 0.81 |
The correlation between IGSB and VTC has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
IGSB vs. VTC — Risk / Return Rank
IGSB
VTC
IGSB vs. VTC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (IGSB) and Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF (VTC). 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.
| IGSB | VTC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.49 | 1.24 | +0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.25 | 2.09 | +1.16 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.22 | 6.63 | +6.58 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IGSB | VTC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.46 | 1.38 | +1.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.83 | 0.07 | +0.76 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.70 | 0.32 | +0.38 |
Drawdowns
IGSB vs. VTC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IGSB drawdown since its inception was -13.38%, smaller than the maximum VTC drawdown of -22.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IGSB and VTC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IGSB | VTC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -13.38% | -22.05% | +8.67% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.46% | -2.88% | +1.42% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.46% | -6.46% | +5.00% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.46% | -22.05% | +12.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -13.38% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.32% | -0.99% | +0.67% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.85% | -5.84% | +4.99% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.36% | 0.90% | -0.54% |
Volatility
IGSB vs. VTC - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (IGSB) is 0.57%, while Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF (VTC) has a volatility of 1.43%. This indicates that IGSB experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VTC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IGSB | VTC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.57% | 1.43% | -0.86% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.41% | 3.22% | -1.81% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.92% | 4.37% | -2.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.93% | 7.08% | -4.15% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.46% | 7.68% | -4.22% |
IGSB vs. VTC - Expense Ratio Comparison
IGSB has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is higher than VTC'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
IGSB vs. VTC - Dividend Comparison
IGSB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.58%, less than VTC's 4.93% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGSB iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 4.58% | 4.44% | 4.02% | 3.26% | 2.07% | 1.82% | 2.36% | 3.06% | 2.46% | 1.65% | 1.45% | 1.18% |
VTC Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF | 4.93% | 4.76% | 4.50% | 3.80% | 3.13% | 2.36% | 2.69% | 3.34% | 3.53% | 0.55% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IGSB and VTC have a correlation of 0.88, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VTC has higher volatility (1.43%) compared to IGSB (0.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IGSB dropped -13.38% vs VTC's -22.05%.
On 5-year performance, IGSB leads with 2.43% vs 0.51% for VTC. On fees, VTC is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, IGSB has been the lower-risk option at 0.57%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IGSB has performed better with a 2.43% return vs 0.51%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTC is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.06% for IGSB.
VTC has the higher dividend yield at 4.93%, compared with 4.58% for IGSB.
IGSB tracks ICE BofAML 1-5 Year US Corporate Index, while VTC tracks Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for IGSB and 0.04% for VTC.
IGSB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.46 vs 1.38), 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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