MBB vs. VCSH
MBB (iShares MBS Bond ETF) and VCSH (Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - MBB is a Mortgage Backed Securities fund tracking the Barclays Capital U.S. MBS Index, while VCSH is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, MBB returned 1.31%/yr vs 2.70%/yr for VCSH. A 0.68 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. MBB charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VCSH.
Performance
MBB vs. VCSH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MBB achieves a 0.86% return, which is significantly higher than VCSH's 0.80% return. Over the past 10 years, MBB has underperformed VCSH with an annualized return of 1.31%, while VCSH has yielded a comparatively higher 2.70% annualized return.
MBB
- 1D
- -0.15%
- 1M
- 1.22%
- YTD
- 0.86%
- 6M
- 1.51%
- 1Y
- 6.41%
- 3Y*
- 4.55%
- 5Y*
- 0.38%
- 10Y*
- 1.31%
VCSH
- 1D
- -0.03%
- 1M
- 0.53%
- YTD
- 0.80%
- 6M
- 1.22%
- 1Y
- 4.60%
- 3Y*
- 5.69%
- 5Y*
- 2.33%
- 10Y*
- 2.70%
MBB vs. VCSH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MBB iShares MBS Bond ETF | 0.86% | 8.38% | 1.31% | 5.01% | -11.74% | -1.43% | 4.08% | 6.18% | 0.82% | 2.49% |
VCSH Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.80% | 6.77% | 4.91% | 6.20% | -5.62% | -0.63% | 5.13% | 7.02% | 0.92% | 2.17% |
Correlation
The correlation between MBB and VCSH 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 | 0.88 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2009 | 0.68 |
The correlation between MBB and VCSH shifts across timeframes, from 0.68 (all time) to 0.88 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
MBB vs. VCSH — Risk / Return Rank
MBB
VCSH
MBB vs. VCSH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MBS Bond ETF (MBB) and Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH). 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.
| MBB | VCSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.04 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.76 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.47 | -0.23 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.01 | 3.18 | -1.17 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.39 | 12.95 | -6.55 |
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Drawdowns
MBB vs. VCSH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MBB drawdown since its inception was -17.64%, which is greater than VCSH's maximum drawdown of -12.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MBB and VCSH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MBB | VCSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -17.64% | -12.86% | -4.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.94% | -1.40% | -1.54% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -7.68% | -1.40% | -6.28% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.19% | -9.48% | -7.71% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -17.64% | -12.86% | -4.78% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.24% | -0.17% | -1.07% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.35% | -0.97% | -1.38% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.92% | 0.34% | +0.58% |
Volatility
MBB vs. VCSH - Volatility Comparison
iShares MBS Bond ETF (MBB) has a higher volatility of 1.58% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) at 0.66%. This indicates that MBB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VCSH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MBB | VCSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.58% | 0.66% | +0.92% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.28% | 1.42% | +1.86% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.46% | 1.88% | +2.58% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.82% | 2.88% | +3.94% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 5.31% | 3.35% | +1.96% |
MBB vs. VCSH - Expense Ratio Comparison
MBB has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is higher than VCSH'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
MBB vs. VCSH - Dividend Comparison
MBB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.26%, less than VCSH's 4.45% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MBB iShares MBS Bond ETF | 4.26% | 4.21% | 3.94% | 3.40% | 2.31% | 1.05% | 2.10% | 2.77% | 2.64% | 2.23% | 2.58% | 2.66% |
VCSH Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 4.45% | 4.35% | 3.96% | 3.09% | 2.01% | 1.81% | 2.27% | 2.87% | 2.65% | 2.26% | 2.10% | 2.08% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MBB and VCSH 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.
MBB has higher volatility (1.58%) compared to VCSH (0.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MBB dropped -17.64% vs VCSH's -12.86%.
On 10-year performance, VCSH leads with 2.70% vs 1.31% for MBB. On fees, VCSH is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, VCSH has been the lower-risk option at 0.66%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VCSH has performed better with a 2.70% return vs 1.31%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VCSH is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.06% for MBB.
VCSH has the higher dividend yield at 4.45%, compared with 4.26% for MBB.
MBB is categorized as Mortgage Backed Securities, while VCSH is Corporate Bonds. MBB tracks Barclays Capital U.S. MBS Index, while VCSH tracks Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for MBB and 0.04% for VCSH.
VCSH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs 1.33), 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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