VCEB vs. SCHJ
VCEB (Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF) and SCHJ (Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VCEB is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg Barclays MSCI US Corp SRI Select Index, while SCHJ is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg US 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VCEB returned -0.23%/yr vs 2.31%/yr for SCHJ. Their correlation of 0.83 means they have usually moved in the same direction. VCEB charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for SCHJ.
Performance
VCEB vs. SCHJ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VCEB achieves a -0.91% return, which is significantly lower than SCHJ's 0.75% return.
VCEB
- 1D
- -0.03%
- 1M
- -1.57%
- 6M
- -1.15%
- YTD
- -0.91%
- 1Y
- 1.38%
- 3Y*
- 4.64%
- 5Y*
- -0.23%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 0.11%
SCHJ
- 1D
- -0.06%
- 1M
- -0.28%
- 6M
- 0.42%
- YTD
- 0.75%
- 1Y
- 2.99%
- 3Y*
- 5.46%
- 5Y*
- 2.31%
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 2.60%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5.98M | $7.81M | $6.46M | |
| $3.14M | $4.62M | $5.43M |
VCEB vs. SCHJ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCEB Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF | -0.91% | 7.48% | 2.23% | 8.52% | -15.15% | -1.99% | 2.45% |
SCHJ Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF | 0.75% | 6.80% | 4.89% | 6.36% | -5.73% | -0.67% | 1.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between VCEB and SCHJ is 0.84, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.84 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.83 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.84 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 24, 2020 | 0.83 |
The correlation between VCEB and SCHJ has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.83 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VCEB vs. SCHJ — Risk / Return Rank
VCEB
SCHJ
VCEB vs. SCHJ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF (VCEB) and Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF (SCHJ). 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.
| VCEB | SCHJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.34 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.04 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.09 | 1.35 | -0.27 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.77 | 2.44 | -1.67 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.01 | 9.17 | -7.16 |
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Drawdowns
VCEB vs. SCHJ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VCEB drawdown since its inception was -21.60%, which is greater than SCHJ's maximum drawdown of -13.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCEB and SCHJ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VCEB | SCHJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -21.60% | -13.62% | -7.98% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.82% | -1.47% | -1.35% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -5.00% | -1.47% | -3.53% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.39% | -9.38% | -12.01% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.26% | -0.33% | -1.93% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.46% | -1.85% | -5.61% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.07% | 0.39% | +0.68% |
Volatility
VCEB vs. SCHJ - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF (VCEB) has a higher volatility of 1.12% compared to Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF (SCHJ) at 0.53%. This indicates that VCEB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SCHJ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VCEB | SCHJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.12% | 0.53% | +0.59% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.33% | 1.53% | +1.80% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.20% | 1.93% | +2.27% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.84% | 2.95% | +3.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.60% | 4.10% | +2.50% |
VCEB vs. SCHJ - Expense Ratio Comparison
VCEB has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHJ's 0.03% 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
VCEB vs. SCHJ - Dividend Comparison
VCEB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.73%, more than SCHJ's 4.50% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCHJ Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF | 4.09% | 4.42% | 4.00% | 2.98% | 1.64% | 0.94% | 2.54% | 0.42% |
VCEB Vanguard ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETF | 4.33% | 4.57% | 4.47% | 3.70% | 2.84% | 1.69% | 0.43% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VCEB and SCHJ have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VCEB has higher volatility (1.12%) compared to SCHJ (0.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCEB dropped -21.60% vs SCHJ's -13.62%.
On 5-year performance, SCHJ leads with 2.31% vs -0.23% for VCEB. On fees, SCHJ is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, SCHJ 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, SCHJ has performed better with a 2.31% return vs -0.23%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SCHJ is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.12% for VCEB.
VCEB has the higher dividend yield at 4.33%, compared with 4.09% for SCHJ.
VCEB is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while SCHJ is Short-Term Bond. VCEB tracks Bloomberg Barclays MSCI US Corp SRI Select Index, while SCHJ tracks Bloomberg US 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Charles Schwab. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for VCEB and 0.03% for SCHJ.
SCHJ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.86 vs 0.51), 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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