VCIT vs. BRLN
VCIT (Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF) and BRLN (BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VCIT is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 5-10 Year Corporate Bond Index, while BRLN is a Bank Loan fund actively managed by BlackRock. VCIT is passively managed, while BRLN is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, VCIT returned 6.04%/yr vs 7.18%/yr for BRLN. At a 0.14 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VCIT charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.55%/yr for BRLN.
Performance
VCIT vs. BRLN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VCIT achieves a -0.26% return, which is significantly lower than BRLN's 1.14% return.
VCIT
- 1D
- -0.01%
- 1M
- -0.79%
- YTD
- -0.26%
- 6M
- 0.06%
- 1Y
- 5.98%
- 3Y*
- 6.04%
- 5Y*
- 1.04%
- 10Y*
- 2.85%
BRLN
- 1D
- 0.35%
- 1M
- 0.60%
- YTD
- 1.14%
- 6M
- 1.72%
- 1Y
- 4.81%
- 3Y*
- 7.18%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
VCIT vs. BRLN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF | -0.26% | 9.34% | 3.20% | 8.98% | 2.64% |
BRLN BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF | 1.14% | 5.38% | 7.49% | 13.42% | 2.13% |
Correlation
The correlation between VCIT and BRLN is 0.07, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.07 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 7, 2022 | 0.14 |
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Return for Risk
VCIT vs. BRLN — Risk / Return Rank
VCIT
BRLN
VCIT vs. BRLN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT) and BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF (BRLN). 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.
| VCIT | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.29 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.03 | 2.41 | -0.38 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.67 | 9.32 | -2.66 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VCIT | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.48 | 1.54 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.16 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.46 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.75 | 2.16 | -1.41 |
Drawdowns
VCIT vs. BRLN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VCIT drawdown since its inception was -20.56%, which is greater than BRLN's maximum drawdown of -3.85%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCIT and BRLN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VCIT | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -20.56% | -3.85% | -16.71% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.96% | -2.00% | -0.96% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.11% | -3.85% | -2.26% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.56% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -20.56% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.79% | -0.42% | -1.37% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.16% | -0.31% | -2.85% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.90% | 0.52% | +0.38% |
Volatility
VCIT vs. BRLN - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT) has a higher volatility of 1.39% compared to BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF (BRLN) at 1.11%. This indicates that VCIT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BRLN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VCIT | BRLN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.39% | 1.11% | +0.28% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.10% | 2.34% | +0.76% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.07% | 3.14% | +0.93% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.61% | 3.74% | +2.87% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.28% | 3.74% | +2.54% |
VCIT vs. BRLN - Expense Ratio Comparison
VCIT has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than BRLN's 0.55% expense ratio.
Dividends
VCIT vs. BRLN - Dividend Comparison
VCIT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.82%, less than BRLN's 6.37% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BRLN BlackRock Floating Rate Loan ETF | 6.37% | 6.50% | 7.87% | 9.06% | 1.48% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VCIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 4.82% | 4.62% | 4.43% | 3.72% | 3.03% | 2.87% | 2.78% | 3.37% | 3.61% | 3.21% | 3.29% | 3.34% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VCIT and BRLN have a correlation of 0.07, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VCIT has higher volatility (1.39%) compared to BRLN (1.11%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCIT dropped -20.56% vs BRLN's -3.85%.
On 3-year performance, BRLN leads with 7.18% vs 6.04% for VCIT. On fees, VCIT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BRLN has been the lower-risk option at 1.11%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, BRLN has performed better with a 7.18% return vs 6.04%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VCIT is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for BRLN.
BRLN has the higher dividend yield at 6.37%, compared with 4.82% for VCIT.
VCIT is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while BRLN is Bank Loan. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and BlackRock. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VCIT and 0.55% for BRLN.
BRLN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.54 vs 1.48), 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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