SLQD vs. VFMV
SLQD (iShares 0-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) and VFMV (Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SLQD is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid Investment Grade 0-5 Index, while VFMV is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund actively managed by Vanguard. SLQD is passively managed, while VFMV is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, SLQD returned 2.53%/yr vs 9.55%/yr for VFMV. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SLQD charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.13%/yr for VFMV.
Performance
SLQD vs. VFMV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLQD achieves a 1.01% return, which is significantly lower than VFMV's 8.57% return.
SLQD
- 1D
- -0.02%
- 1M
- 0.26%
- YTD
- 1.01%
- 6M
- 1.39%
- 1Y
- 4.39%
- 3Y*
- 5.51%
- 5Y*
- 2.53%
- 10Y*
- 2.71%
VFMV
- 1D
- 0.40%
- 1M
- 1.39%
- YTD
- 8.57%
- 6M
- 7.81%
- 1Y
- 12.36%
- 3Y*
- 14.22%
- 5Y*
- 9.55%
- 10Y*
- —
SLQD vs. VFMV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLQD iShares 0-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | 1.01% | 6.27% | 4.94% | 5.98% | -4.38% | -0.61% | 4.76% | 6.09% | 1.90% |
VFMV Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF | 8.57% | 10.52% | 16.91% | 8.86% | -5.73% | 20.75% | -0.19% | 27.26% | -0.34% |
Correlation
The correlation between SLQD and VFMV is 0.38, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 15, 2018 | 0.21 |
The correlation between SLQD and VFMV shifts across timeframes, from 0.21 (all time) to 0.38 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SLQD vs. VFMV — Risk / Return Rank
SLQD
VFMV
SLQD vs. VFMV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares 0-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (SLQD) and Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF (VFMV). 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.
| SLQD | VFMV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.55 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.70 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.61 | 1.25 | +0.36 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.15 | 2.07 | +2.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 18.78 | 8.03 | +10.74 |
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Drawdowns
SLQD vs. VFMV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLQD drawdown since its inception was -12.69%, smaller than the maximum VFMV drawdown of -33.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLQD and VFMV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLQD | VFMV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -12.69% | -33.64% | +20.95% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.06% | -6.00% | +4.94% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.06% | -10.35% | +9.29% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -7.63% | -15.41% | +7.78% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -12.69% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.02% | -0.98% | +0.96% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.87% | -3.63% | +2.76% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.23% | 1.55% | -1.32% |
Volatility
SLQD vs. VFMV - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares 0-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (SLQD) is 0.53%, while Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF (VFMV) has a volatility of 2.30%. This indicates that SLQD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VFMV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLQD | VFMV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.53% | 2.30% | -1.77% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.13% | 6.32% | -5.19% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.49% | 8.83% | -7.34% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.44% | 11.75% | -9.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.14% | 14.23% | -11.09% |
SLQD vs. VFMV - Expense Ratio Comparison
SLQD has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than VFMV's 0.13% 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
SLQD vs. VFMV - Dividend Comparison
SLQD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.31%, more than VFMV's 1.93% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLQD iShares 0-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | 4.31% | 4.15% | 3.71% | 2.99% | 2.00% | 1.67% | 2.34% | 2.89% | 2.55% | 1.98% | 1.81% | 1.43% |
VFMV Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF | 1.93% | 2.12% | 1.46% | 2.20% | 2.08% | 1.31% | 2.14% | 2.43% | 2.29% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SLQD and VFMV have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VFMV has higher volatility (2.30%) compared to SLQD (0.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SLQD dropped -12.69% vs VFMV's -33.64%.
On 5-year performance, VFMV leads with 9.55% vs 2.53% for SLQD. On fees, SLQD is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, SLQD has been the lower-risk option at 0.53%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, VFMV has performed better with a 9.55% return vs 2.53%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SLQD is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 0.13% for VFMV.
SLQD has the higher dividend yield at 4.31%, compared with 1.93% for VFMV.
SLQD is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while VFMV is Mid Cap Blend Equities. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for SLQD and 0.13% for VFMV.
SLQD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.96 vs 1.41), 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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