IJR vs. VBIL
IJR (iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF) and VBIL (Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - IJR is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, while VBIL is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg US Treasury Bills 0-3 Months Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, IJR returned 37.16% vs 3.93% for VBIL. At a correlation of -0.02, they often move in opposite directions. IJR charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for VBIL.
Performance
IJR vs. VBIL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IJR achieves a 19.86% return, which is significantly higher than VBIL's 1.62% return.
IJR
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- 7.39%
- YTD
- 19.86%
- 6M
- 16.97%
- 1Y
- 37.16%
- 3Y*
- 15.09%
- 5Y*
- 6.35%
- 10Y*
- 11.21%
VBIL
- 1D
- 0.03%
- 1M
- 0.28%
- YTD
- 1.62%
- 6M
- 1.80%
- 1Y
- 3.93%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
IJR vs. VBIL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
IJR iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | 19.86% | 4.03% |
VBIL Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF | 1.62% | 3.73% |
Correlation
The correlation between IJR and VBIL is -0.03, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 11, 2025 | -0.02 |
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Return for Risk
IJR vs. VBIL — Risk / Return Rank
IJR
VBIL
IJR vs. VBIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) and Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL). 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.
| IJR | VBIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -12.95 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -36.01 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 21.06 | -19.70 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.30 | 42.54 | -38.24 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.44 | 531.57 | -517.13 |
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Drawdowns
IJR vs. VBIL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IJR drawdown since its inception was -58.15%, which is greater than VBIL's maximum drawdown of -0.09%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IJR and VBIL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IJR | VBIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -58.15% | -0.09% | -58.06% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.68% | -0.09% | -8.59% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -28.02% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.02% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.36% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.27% | -0.00% | -9.27% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.58% | 0.01% | +2.57% |
Volatility
IJR vs. VBIL - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) has a higher volatility of 5.17% compared to Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF (VBIL) at 0.05%. This indicates that IJR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VBIL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IJR | VBIL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.17% | 0.05% | +5.12% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.93% | 0.16% | +11.77% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.67% | 0.26% | +17.41% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.44% | 0.30% | +21.14% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.93% | 0.30% | +22.63% |
IJR vs. VBIL - Expense Ratio Comparison
IJR has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than VBIL's 0.07% 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
IJR vs. VBIL - Dividend Comparison
IJR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.42%, less than VBIL's 3.65% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IJR iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF | 1.42% | 1.44% | 2.05% | 1.31% | 1.41% | 1.53% | 1.11% | 1.44% | 1.58% | 1.20% | 1.22% | 1.48% |
VBIL Vanguard 0-3 Month Treasury Bill ETF | 3.65% | 3.12% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IJR and VBIL have a correlation of -0.03, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IJR has higher volatility (5.17%) compared to VBIL (0.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IJR dropped -58.15% vs VBIL's -0.09%.
On 1-year performance, IJR leads with 37.16% vs 3.93% for VBIL. On fees, IJR is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, VBIL has been the lower-risk option at 0.05%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, IJR has performed better with a 37.16% return vs 3.93%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IJR is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.07% for VBIL.
VBIL has the higher dividend yield at 3.65%, compared with 1.42% for IJR.
IJR is categorized as Small Cap Blend Equities, while VBIL is Ultrashort Bond. IJR tracks S&P SmallCap 600 Index, while VBIL tracks Bloomberg US Treasury Bills 0-3 Months Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for IJR and 0.07% for VBIL.
VBIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (15.06 vs 2.12), 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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