VBR vs. IGSB
VBR (Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF) and IGSB (iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VBR is a Small Cap Value Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Small Cap Value Index, while IGSB is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the ICE BofA 1-5 Year US Corporate Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VBR returned 10.50%/yr vs 2.72%/yr for IGSB. At a 0.04 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VBR charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for IGSB.
Performance
VBR vs. IGSB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VBR achieves a 15.52% return, which is significantly higher than IGSB's 0.93% return. Over the past 10 years, VBR has outperformed IGSB with an annualized return of 10.50%, while IGSB has yielded a comparatively lower 2.72% annualized return.
VBR
- 1D
- -0.80%
- 1M
- 2.04%
- 6M
- 8.72%
- YTD
- 15.52%
- 1Y
- 23.17%
- 3Y*
- 14.54%
- 5Y*
- 9.61%
- 10Y*
- 10.50%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.62%
IGSB
- 1D
- -0.07%
- 1M
- 0.14%
- 6M
- 0.85%
- YTD
- 0.93%
- 1Y
- 3.86%
- 3Y*
- 5.59%
- 5Y*
- 2.44%
- 10Y*
- 2.72%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.82%
VBR vs. IGSB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VBR Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF | 15.52% | 9.09% | 12.40% | 16.00% | -9.38% | 28.08% | 5.90% | 22.78% | -12.28% | 11.81% |
IGSB iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | 0.93% | 6.96% | 4.97% | 6.40% | -5.63% | -0.56% | 5.37% | 7.11% | 1.25% | 1.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between VBR and IGSB is 0.40, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 11, 2007 | 0.04 |
Over the past year, VBR and IGSB have become more correlated (0.40) than their long-term average of 0.04, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VBR vs. IGSB — Risk / Return Rank
VBR
IGSB
VBR vs. IGSB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (VBR) and iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (IGSB). 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.
| VBR | IGSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.42 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.66 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.27 | 1.38 | -0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.63 | 2.66 | -0.03 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.32 | 10.60 | -1.28 |
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Drawdowns
VBR vs. IGSB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VBR drawdown since its inception was -61.98%, which is greater than IGSB's maximum drawdown of -13.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VBR and IGSB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VBR | IGSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.98% | -13.38% | -48.60% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.85% | -1.46% | -7.39% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -24.19% | -1.46% | -22.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.19% | -9.46% | -14.73% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.28% | -13.38% | -31.90% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.45% | -0.21% | -1.24% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.22% | -0.85% | -7.37% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.49% | 0.36% | +2.13% |
Volatility
VBR vs. IGSB - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (VBR) has a higher volatility of 2.90% compared to iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (IGSB) at 0.57%. This indicates that VBR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IGSB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VBR | IGSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.90% | 0.57% | +2.33% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.49% | 1.56% | +8.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.00% | 1.96% | +13.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.58% | 2.95% | +16.63% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.66% | 3.47% | +18.19% |
VBR vs. IGSB - Expense Ratio Comparison
VBR has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is higher than IGSB'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
VBR vs. IGSB - Dividend Comparison
VBR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.78%, less than IGSB's 4.60% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGSB iShares 1-5 Year Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF | 4.60% | 4.44% | 4.02% | 3.26% | 2.07% | 1.82% | 2.36% | 3.06% | 2.46% | 1.65% | 1.45% | 1.18% |
VBR Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF | 1.78% | 1.95% | 1.98% | 2.12% | 2.03% | 1.75% | 1.68% | 2.06% | 2.35% | 1.79% | 1.77% | 1.99% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VBR and IGSB have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VBR has higher volatility (2.90%) compared to IGSB (0.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VBR dropped -61.98% vs IGSB's -13.38%.
On 10-year performance, VBR leads with 10.50% vs 2.72% for IGSB. On fees, IGSB is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, IGSB has been the lower-risk option at 0.57%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VBR has performed better with a 10.50% return vs 2.72%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IGSB is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.05% for VBR.
IGSB has the higher dividend yield at 4.60%, compared with 1.78% for VBR.
VBR is categorized as Small Cap Value Equities, while IGSB is Corporate Bonds. VBR tracks CRSP US Small Cap Value Index, while IGSB tracks ICE BofA 1-5 Year US Corporate Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.05% for VBR and 0.04% for IGSB.
IGSB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.98 vs 1.55), 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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