IJK vs. VCIT
IJK (iShares S&P MidCap 400 Growth ETF) and VCIT (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IJK is a Mid Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index, while VCIT is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 5-10 Year Corporate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, IJK returned 12.03%/yr vs 2.86%/yr for VCIT. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. IJK charges 0.17%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VCIT.
Performance
IJK vs. VCIT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IJK achieves a 20.35% return, which is significantly higher than VCIT's 0.22% return. Over the past 10 years, IJK has outperformed VCIT with an annualized return of 12.03%, while VCIT has yielded a comparatively lower 2.86% annualized return.
IJK
- 1D
- 0.59%
- 1M
- 4.15%
- YTD
- 20.35%
- 6M
- 17.46%
- 1Y
- 32.45%
- 3Y*
- 18.28%
- 5Y*
- 8.76%
- 10Y*
- 12.03%
VCIT
- 1D
- -0.23%
- 1M
- 0.50%
- YTD
- 0.22%
- 6M
- 0.37%
- 1Y
- 5.37%
- 3Y*
- 6.06%
- 5Y*
- 1.14%
- 10Y*
- 2.86%
IJK vs. VCIT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IJK iShares S&P MidCap 400 Growth ETF | 20.35% | 7.28% | 15.68% | 17.41% | -19.03% | 18.68% | 22.45% | 25.96% | -10.53% | 19.64% |
VCIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.22% | 9.34% | 3.20% | 8.98% | -13.98% | -1.77% | 9.46% | 14.10% | -1.74% | 5.31% |
Correlation
The correlation between IJK and VCIT is 0.47, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.47 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.18 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2009 | 0.05 |
Over the past year, IJK and VCIT have become more correlated (0.47) than their long-term average of 0.05, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
IJK vs. VCIT — Risk / Return Rank
IJK
VCIT
IJK vs. VCIT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares S&P MidCap 400 Growth ETF (IJK) and Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT). 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.
| IJK | VCIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.55 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.68 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.23 | +0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.28 | 1.82 | +1.46 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.90 | 5.78 | +7.11 |
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Drawdowns
IJK vs. VCIT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IJK drawdown since its inception was -54.47%, which is greater than VCIT's maximum drawdown of -20.56%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IJK and VCIT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IJK | VCIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -54.47% | -20.56% | -33.91% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.92% | -2.96% | -6.96% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.63% | -6.11% | -19.52% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.24% | -20.56% | -8.68% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.25% | -20.56% | -18.69% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.32% | +1.32% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.78% | -3.15% | -7.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.52% | 0.93% | +1.59% |
Volatility
IJK vs. VCIT - Volatility Comparison
iShares S&P MidCap 400 Growth ETF (IJK) has a higher volatility of 5.57% compared to Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT) at 1.23%. This indicates that IJK's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VCIT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IJK | VCIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.57% | 1.23% | +4.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.76% | 3.18% | +10.58% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.56% | 4.11% | +13.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.77% | 6.62% | +14.15% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.11% | 6.29% | +14.82% |
IJK vs. VCIT - Expense Ratio Comparison
IJK has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is higher than VCIT'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
IJK vs. VCIT - Dividend Comparison
IJK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.52%, less than VCIT's 4.80% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IJK iShares S&P MidCap 400 Growth ETF | 0.52% | 0.66% | 0.79% | 1.13% | 1.08% | 0.50% | 0.70% | 1.09% | 1.13% | 0.93% | 1.15% | 1.12% |
VCIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 4.80% | 4.62% | 4.43% | 3.72% | 3.03% | 2.87% | 2.78% | 3.37% | 3.61% | 3.21% | 3.29% | 3.34% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IJK and VCIT have a correlation of 0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IJK has higher volatility (5.57%) compared to VCIT (1.23%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IJK dropped -54.47% vs VCIT's -20.56%.
On 10-year performance, IJK leads with 12.03% vs 2.86% for VCIT. On fees, VCIT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VCIT has been the lower-risk option at 1.23%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, IJK has performed better with a 12.03% return vs 2.86%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VCIT is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.17% for IJK.
VCIT has the higher dividend yield at 4.80%, compared with 0.52% for IJK.
IJK is categorized as Mid Cap Growth Equities, while VCIT is Corporate Bonds. IJK tracks S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index, while VCIT tracks Bloomberg U.S. 5-10 Year Corporate Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.17% for IJK and 0.03% for VCIT.
IJK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.86 vs 1.31), 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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