VCIT vs. VCSH

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT) and Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH).

VCIT and VCSH are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VCIT is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Barclays U.S. 5-10 Year Corp Index. It was launched on Nov 19, 2009. VCSH is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Index. It was launched on Nov 19, 2009. Both VCIT and VCSH are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

VCIT vs. VCSH - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT) and Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VCIT vs. VCSH - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VCIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF	-0.45%	9.34%	3.20%	8.98%	-13.98%	-1.77%	9.46%	14.10%	-1.74%	5.31%
VCSH Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF	0.13%	6.77%	4.91%	6.20%	-5.62%	-0.63%	5.13%	7.02%	0.92%	2.17%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VCIT achieves a -0.45% return, which is significantly lower than VCSH's 0.13% return. Over the past 10 years, VCIT has outperformed VCSH with an annualized return of 3.06%, while VCSH has yielded a comparatively lower 2.72% annualized return.

VCIT

• 1D: 0.55%
• 1M: -1.98%
• YTD: -0.45%
• 6M: 0.69%
• 1Y: 6.08%
• 3Y*: 5.56%
• 5Y*: 1.42%
• 10Y*: 3.06%

VCSH

• 1D: 0.29%
• 1M: -0.83%
• YTD: 0.13%
• 6M: 1.37%
• 1Y: 4.93%
• 3Y*: 5.36%
• 5Y*: 2.37%
• 10Y*: 2.72%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

VCIT vs. VCSH - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both VCIT and VCSH have an expense ratio of 0.04%, making them cost-effective options compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios typically range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

VCIT

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF

VCSH

Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF

Return for Risk

VCIT vs. VCSH — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

VCIT

VCIT Risk / Return Rank: 74
VCIT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 74
VCIT Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
VCIT Omega Ratio Rank: 67
VCIT Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
VCIT Martin Ratio Rank: 75

VCSH

VCSH Risk / Return Rank: 95
VCSH Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
VCSH Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
VCSH Omega Ratio Rank: 95
VCSH Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
VCSH Martin Ratio Rank: 95

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

VCIT vs. VCSH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT) 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.

	VCIT	VCSH	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.26	2.17	-0.92
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.76	3.19	-1.44
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.45	-0.21
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.07	3.52	-1.45
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.31	14.44	-7.13
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VCIT vs. VCSH - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VCIT Sharpe Ratio is 1.26, which is lower than the VCSH Sharpe Ratio of 2.17. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VCIT and VCSH, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VCIT	VCSH	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.26	2.17	-0.92
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.22	0.83	-0.61
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.49	0.81	-0.32
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.75	1.01	-0.26

Correlation

The correlation between VCIT and VCSH is 0.78, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

VCIT vs. VCSH - Dividend Comparison

VCIT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.72%, more than VCSH's 4.41% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VCIT Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF	4.72%	4.62%	4.43%	3.72%	3.03%	2.87%	2.78%	3.37%	3.61%	3.21%	3.29%	3.34%
VCSH Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF	4.41%	4.35%	3.96%	3.09%	2.01%	1.81%	2.27%	2.87%	2.65%	2.26%	2.10%	2.08%

Drawdowns

VCIT vs. VCSH - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VCIT drawdown since its inception was -20.56%, which is greater than VCSH's maximum drawdown of -12.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCIT and VCSH.

Drawdown Indicators

	VCIT	VCSH	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-20.56%	-12.86%	-7.70%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.99%	-1.40%	-1.59%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.56%	-9.48%	-11.08%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-20.56%	-12.86%	-7.70%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.98%	-0.83%	-1.15%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.18%	-0.97%	-2.21%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.85%	0.34%	+0.51%

Volatility

VCIT vs. VCSH - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT) has a higher volatility of 2.07% compared to Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) at 0.94%. This indicates that VCIT'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.

Volatility by Period

	VCIT	VCSH	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.07%	0.94%	+1.13%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.84%	1.29%	+1.55%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.85%	2.28%	+2.57%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.60%	2.86%	+3.74%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.27%	3.35%	+2.92%