IJR vs. VBK

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) and Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK).

IJR and VBK are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. IJR is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. It was launched on May 22, 2000. VBK is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the CRSP US Small Cap Growth Index. It was launched on Jan 26, 2004. Both IJR and VBK are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

IJR vs. VBK - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) and Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

IJR vs. VBK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IJR iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF	3.60%	5.89%	8.63%	16.06%	-16.20%	26.58%	11.28%	22.82%	-8.51%	13.15%
VBK Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF	0.16%	8.50%	16.50%	21.45%	-28.44%	5.66%	35.44%	32.75%	-5.70%	21.87%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IJR achieves a 3.60% return, which is significantly higher than VBK's 0.16% return. Over the past 10 years, IJR has underperformed VBK with an annualized return of 9.83%, while VBK has yielded a comparatively higher 10.46% annualized return.

IJR

• 1D: 2.85%
• 1M: -4.00%
• YTD: 3.60%
• 6M: 5.26%
• 1Y: 20.51%
• 3Y*: 10.49%
• 5Y*: 4.08%
• 10Y*: 9.83%

VBK

• 1D: 4.37%
• 1M: -5.52%
• YTD: 0.16%
• 6M: 1.80%
• 1Y: 20.70%
• 3Y*: 12.47%
• 5Y*: 2.16%
• 10Y*: 10.46%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

IJR vs. VBK - Expense Ratio Comparison

IJR has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than VBK'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%.

VBK

Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF

IJR

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF

Return for Risk

IJR vs. VBK — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

IJR

IJR Risk / Return Rank: 58
IJR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
IJR Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
IJR Omega Ratio Rank: 53
IJR Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
IJR Martin Ratio Rank: 63

VBK

VBK Risk / Return Rank: 55
VBK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 51
VBK Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
VBK Omega Ratio Rank: 49
VBK Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
VBK Martin Ratio Rank: 61

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

IJR vs. VBK - 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 Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK). 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.

	IJR	VBK	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.91	0.85	+0.06
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.41	1.34	+0.07
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.18	+0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.43	1.38	+0.04
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.77	5.52	+0.25
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IJR vs. VBK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IJR Sharpe Ratio is 0.91, which is comparable to the VBK Sharpe Ratio of 0.85. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IJR and VBK, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IJR	VBK	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.91	0.85	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.19	0.09	+0.10
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.43	0.46	-0.03
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	0.40	+0.02

Correlation

The correlation between IJR and VBK is 0.92, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

IJR vs. VBK - Dividend Comparison

IJR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.29%, more than VBK's 0.52% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IJR iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF	1.29%	1.44%	2.05%	1.31%	1.41%	1.53%	1.11%	1.44%	1.58%	1.20%	1.22%	1.48%
VBK Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF	0.52%	0.54%	0.54%	0.68%	0.55%	0.36%	0.44%	0.57%	0.79%	0.82%	1.08%	0.98%

Drawdowns

IJR vs. VBK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IJR drawdown since its inception was -58.15%, roughly equal to the maximum VBK drawdown of -58.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IJR and VBK.

Drawdown Indicators

	IJR	VBK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-58.15%	-58.68%	+0.53%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.85%	-14.56%	-0.29%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.02%	-38.39%	+10.37%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-44.36%	-38.70%	-5.66%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.73%	-7.57%	+1.84%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.34%	-10.22%	+0.88%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.66%	3.65%	+0.01%

Volatility

IJR vs. VBK - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR) is 6.27%, while Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK) has a volatility of 8.73%. This indicates that IJR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VBK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IJR	VBK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.27%	8.73%	-2.46%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.98%	15.41%	-2.43%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.66%	24.44%	-1.78%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.52%	23.49%	-1.97%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.91%	22.80%	+0.11%