SMMD vs. VCPIX
SMMD (iShares Russell 2500 ETF) and VCPIX (Vanguard Core-Plus Bond Fund Investor Shares) are both funds - SMMD is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell 2500 Index, while VCPIX is a Total Bond Market fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 3 years, SMMD returned 17.74%/yr vs 5.30%/yr for VCPIX. At a 0.24 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SMMD charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.30%/yr for VCPIX.
Performance
SMMD vs. VCPIX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SMMD achieves a 20.07% return, which is significantly higher than VCPIX's 0.73% return.
SMMD
- 1D
- 0.98%
- 1M
- 3.73%
- YTD
- 20.07%
- 6M
- 17.82%
- 1Y
- 38.70%
- 3Y*
- 17.74%
- 5Y*
- 7.65%
- 10Y*
- —
VCPIX
- 1D
- 0.47%
- 1M
- 0.51%
- YTD
- 0.73%
- 6M
- 1.25%
- 1Y
- 5.54%
- 3Y*
- 5.30%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
SMMD vs. VCPIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF | 20.07% | 11.72% | 11.87% | 17.71% | -18.53% | 1.93% |
VCPIX Vanguard Core-Plus Bond Fund Investor Shares | 0.73% | 8.01% | 2.83% | 6.64% | -12.68% | 0.35% |
Correlation
The correlation between SMMD and VCPIX is 0.37, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 14, 2021 | 0.24 |
The correlation between SMMD and VCPIX shifts across timeframes, from 0.24 (all time) to 0.37 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SMMD vs. VCPIX — Risk / Return Rank
SMMD
VCPIX
SMMD vs. VCPIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) and Vanguard Core-Plus Bond Fund Investor Shares (VCPIX). 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.
| SMMD | VCPIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.47 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.51 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.29 | +0.06 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.78 | 2.05 | +1.73 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.33 | 6.44 | +7.90 |
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Drawdowns
SMMD vs. VCPIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SMMD drawdown since its inception was -41.06%, which is greater than VCPIX's maximum drawdown of -17.33%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMMD and VCPIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SMMD | VCPIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -41.06% | -17.33% | -23.73% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.66% | -2.72% | -6.94% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -25.50% | -5.68% | -19.82% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.26% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -1.01% | +1.01% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.35% | -6.56% | -1.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.55% | 0.86% | +1.69% |
Volatility
SMMD vs. VCPIX - Volatility Comparison
iShares Russell 2500 ETF (SMMD) has a higher volatility of 6.26% compared to Vanguard Core-Plus Bond Fund Investor Shares (VCPIX) at 1.22%. This indicates that SMMD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VCPIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SMMD | VCPIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.26% | 1.22% | +5.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.30% | 2.66% | +10.64% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.74% | 3.52% | +14.22% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.91% | 5.68% | +15.23% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.38% | 5.68% | +16.70% |
SMMD vs. VCPIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
SMMD has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than VCPIX's 0.30% expense ratio.
Dividends
SMMD vs. VCPIX - Dividend Comparison
SMMD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.04%, less than VCPIX's 4.74% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SMMD iShares Russell 2500 ETF | 1.04% | 1.28% | 1.27% | 1.44% | 1.79% | 1.12% | 1.31% | 1.50% | 2.45% | 0.68% |
VCPIX Vanguard Core-Plus Bond Fund Investor Shares | 4.74% | 4.76% | 5.08% | 4.46% | 3.15% | 0.25% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SMMD and VCPIX have a correlation of 0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SMMD has higher volatility (6.26%) compared to VCPIX (1.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMMD dropped -41.06% vs VCPIX's -17.33%.
SMMD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.06 vs 1.58), 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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