IYE vs. VGENX

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

IYE (iShares U.S. Energy ETF) and VGENX (Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares) are both Energy Equities funds. Over the past 10 years, IYE returned 8.76%/yr vs 9.47%/yr for VGENX. Their correlation of 0.94 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IYE charges 0.42%/yr vs 0.41%/yr for VGENX.

Performance

IYE vs. VGENX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares U.S. Energy ETF (IYE) and Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares (VGENX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IYE achieves a 31.95% return, which is significantly higher than VGENX's 20.38% return. Over the past 10 years, IYE has underperformed VGENX with an annualized return of 8.76%, while VGENX has yielded a comparatively higher 9.47% annualized return.

IYE

• 1D: 0.03%
• 1M: -1.09%
• YTD: 31.95%
• 6M: 28.91%
• 1Y: 46.86%
• 3Y*: 17.38%
• 5Y*: 19.52%
• 10Y*: 8.76%

VGENX

• 1D: 0.29%
• 1M: -3.35%
• YTD: 20.38%
• 6M: 18.61%
• 1Y: 35.05%
• 3Y*: 28.28%
• 5Y*: 22.02%
• 10Y*: 9.47%

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

IYE vs. VGENX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IYE iShares U.S. Energy ETF	31.95%	7.33%	6.06%	-2.21%	60.21%	53.42%	-33.49%	10.03%	-19.37%	-1.80%
VGENX Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares	20.38%	20.67%	30.25%	8.78%	23.59%	27.71%	-30.85%	13.23%	-17.19%	3.22%

Correlation

The correlation between IYE and VGENX is 0.77, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.77
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.82
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.86
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.91
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 19, 2000	0.94

The correlation between IYE and VGENX shifts across timeframes, from 0.77 (1 year) to 0.94 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

IYE vs. VGENX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	IYE	VGENX
Energy	98.9%	56.5%
Technology	1.1%	-
Basic Materials	-	1.1%
Communication Services	-	-
Consumer Cyclical	-	-
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Financial Services	-	0.0%
Healthcare	-	-
Industrials	-	-
Real Estate	-	0.0%
Utilities	-	40.8%

Return for Risk

IYE vs. VGENX — Risk / Return Rank

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

IYE

IYE Risk / Return Rank: 69
IYE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
IYE Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
IYE Omega Ratio Rank: 64
IYE Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
IYE Martin Ratio Rank: 65

VGENX

VGENX Risk / Return Rank: 85
VGENX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
VGENX Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
VGENX Omega Ratio Rank: 73
VGENX Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
VGENX Martin Ratio Rank: 93

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.

IYE vs. VGENX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares U.S. Energy ETF (IYE) and Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares (VGENX). 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.

	IYE	VGENX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.37	2.76	-0.39
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.03	3.76	-0.73
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.49	-0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.95	5.85	-1.90
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.64	20.00	-8.36
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IYE vs. VGENX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IYE Sharpe Ratio is 2.37, which is comparable to the VGENX Sharpe Ratio of 2.76. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IYE and VGENX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IYE	VGENX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.37	2.76	-0.39
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.76	1.18	-0.42
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.30	0.41	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.26	0.44	-0.18

Drawdowns

IYE vs. VGENX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IYE drawdown since its inception was -73.74%, which is greater than VGENX's maximum drawdown of -65.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IYE and VGENX.

Drawdown Indicators

	IYE	VGENX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-73.74%	-65.37%	-8.37%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.92%	-5.71%	-6.21%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.37%	-12.30%	-8.07%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.61%	-19.72%	-5.89%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-68.59%	-61.19%	-7.40%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.74%	-3.97%	-1.77%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-19.36%	-14.93%	-4.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.04%	1.67%	+2.37%

Volatility

IYE vs. VGENX - Volatility Comparison

iShares U.S. Energy ETF (IYE) has a higher volatility of 7.92% compared to Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares (VGENX) at 4.94%. This indicates that IYE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGENX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IYE	VGENX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.92%	4.94%	+2.98%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.06%	10.18%	+5.88%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.96%	12.11%	+7.85%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.71%	18.71%	+7.00%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	29.51%	23.19%	+6.32%

IYE vs. VGENX - Expense Ratio Comparison

IYE has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is higher than VGENX's 0.41% expense ratio.

Dividends

IYE vs. VGENX - Dividend Comparison

IYE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.13%, less than VGENX's 7.12% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
IYE iShares U.S. Energy ETF	2.13%	2.85%	2.75%	2.99%	3.37%	2.98%	4.75%	6.60%	3.16%	2.66%	2.11%	3.39%
VGENX Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares	7.12%	4.71%	33.96%	6.83%	4.63%	3.63%	4.46%	3.30%	2.96%	2.96%	1.84%	2.63%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IYE and VGENX in my portfolio?

IYE and VGENX have a correlation of 0.77, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IYE or VGENX?

IYE has higher volatility (7.92%) compared to VGENX (4.94%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IYE dropped -73.74% vs VGENX's -65.37%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VGENX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.76 vs 2.37), 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.