SOXL vs. VCSH
SOXL (Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF) and VCSH (Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SOXL is a Leveraged Equities fund tracking the ICE Semiconductor 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, SOXL returned 63.20%/yr vs 2.70%/yr for VCSH. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. SOXL charges 0.75%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VCSH.
Performance
SOXL vs. VCSH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SOXL achieves a 458.36% return, which is significantly higher than VCSH's 0.80% return. Over the past 10 years, SOXL has outperformed VCSH with an annualized return of 63.20%, while VCSH has yielded a comparatively lower 2.70% annualized return.
SOXL
- 1D
- 4.77%
- 1M
- 42.94%
- YTD
- 458.36%
- 6M
- 462.65%
- 1Y
- 1,075.10%
- 3Y*
- 110.81%
- 5Y*
- 43.69%
- 10Y*
- 63.20%
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%
SOXL vs. VCSH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SOXL Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF | 458.36% | 54.91% | -12.31% | 226.98% | -85.66% | 118.84% | 70.04% | 231.83% | -39.07% | 141.71% |
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 SOXL and VCSH is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.10 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 11, 2010 | 0.05 |
The correlation between SOXL and VCSH shifts across timeframes, from 0.05 (all time) to 0.19 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SOXL vs. VCSH — Risk / Return Rank
SOXL
VCSH
SOXL vs. VCSH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF (SOXL) 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.
| SOXL | VCSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +6.62 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.52 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.60 | 1.47 | +0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 22.91 | 3.18 | +19.74 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 74.51 | 12.95 | +61.56 |
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Drawdowns
SOXL vs. VCSH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SOXL drawdown since its inception was -90.46%, which is greater than VCSH's maximum drawdown of -12.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SOXL and VCSH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SOXL | VCSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -90.46% | -12.86% | -77.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -43.47% | -1.40% | -42.07% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -87.88% | -1.40% | -86.48% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -90.46% | -9.48% | -80.98% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -90.46% | -12.86% | -77.60% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -16.35% | -0.17% | -16.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -34.99% | -0.97% | -34.02% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.35% | 0.34% | +13.01% |
Volatility
SOXL vs. VCSH - Volatility Comparison
Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF (SOXL) has a higher volatility of 58.17% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) at 0.66%. This indicates that SOXL'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
| SOXL | VCSH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 58.17% | 0.66% | +57.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 93.93% | 1.42% | +92.51% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 110.81% | 1.88% | +108.93% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 108.96% | 2.88% | +106.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 99.99% | 3.35% | +96.64% |
SOXL vs. VCSH - Expense Ratio Comparison
SOXL has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is higher than VCSH's 0.04% expense ratio.
Dividends
SOXL vs. VCSH - Dividend Comparison
SOXL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.03%, less than VCSH's 4.45% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SOXL Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X ETF | 0.03% | 0.34% | 1.18% | 0.51% | 1.07% | 0.04% | 0.05% | 0.38% | 1.30% | 0.09% | 4.84% | 0.00% |
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
SOXL and VCSH have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SOXL has higher volatility (58.17%) compared to VCSH (0.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SOXL dropped -90.46% vs VCSH's -12.86%.
On 10-year performance, SOXL leads with 63.20% vs 2.70% for VCSH. 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, SOXL has performed better with a 63.20% return vs 2.70%. 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 0.75% for SOXL.
VCSH has the higher dividend yield at 4.45%, compared with 0.03% for SOXL.
SOXL is categorized as Leveraged Equities, while VCSH is Corporate Bonds. SOXL tracks ICE Semiconductor Index, while VCSH tracks Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: Direxion and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.75% for SOXL and 0.04% for VCSH.
SOXL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (8.99 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.
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