VCLT vs. LVHI
VCLT (Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF) and LVHI (Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VCLT is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 10+ Year Corporate Bond Index, while LVHI is a Volatility Hedged Equity fund tracking the Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Hedged Index-NR. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VCLT returned -2.36%/yr vs 15.93%/yr for LVHI. At a 0.13 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VCLT charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.40%/yr for LVHI.
Performance
VCLT vs. LVHI - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VCLT achieves a 1.37% return, which is significantly lower than LVHI's 12.67% return.
VCLT
- 1D
- -0.16%
- 1M
- 2.66%
- YTD
- 1.37%
- 6M
- 1.50%
- 1Y
- 6.63%
- 3Y*
- 4.12%
- 5Y*
- -2.36%
- 10Y*
- 2.26%
LVHI
- 1D
- -0.39%
- 1M
- -0.02%
- YTD
- 12.67%
- 6M
- 14.30%
- 1Y
- 31.32%
- 3Y*
- 20.93%
- 5Y*
- 15.93%
- 10Y*
- —
VCLT vs. LVHI - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCLT Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 1.37% | 7.18% | -1.90% | 11.17% | -25.50% | -1.73% | 13.27% | 23.89% | -7.04% | 11.70% |
LVHI Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 12.67% | 27.12% | 14.81% | 17.45% | 3.84% | 18.19% | -8.76% | 18.35% | -5.22% | 12.26% |
Correlation
The correlation between VCLT and LVHI is 0.27, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.23 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 28, 2016 | 0.13 |
The correlation between VCLT and LVHI shifts across timeframes, from 0.13 (all time) to 0.28 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VCLT vs. LVHI — Risk / Return Rank
VCLT
LVHI
VCLT vs. LVHI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT) and Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHI). 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.
| VCLT | LVHI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.42 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.23 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.62 | -0.47 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.27 | 5.18 | -3.91 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.07 | 21.45 | -18.37 |
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Drawdowns
VCLT vs. LVHI - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VCLT drawdown since its inception was -34.31%, which is greater than LVHI's maximum drawdown of -32.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCLT and LVHI.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VCLT | LVHI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -34.31% | -32.31% | -2.00% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -5.25% | -6.08% | +0.83% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.03% | -11.99% | -1.04% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.31% | -11.99% | -22.32% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.31% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -14.04% | -0.97% | -13.07% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.17% | -3.51% | -4.66% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.16% | 1.46% | +0.70% |
Volatility
VCLT vs. LVHI - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT) is 2.21%, while Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHI) has a volatility of 2.64%. This indicates that VCLT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than LVHI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VCLT | LVHI | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.21% | 2.64% | -0.43% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.83% | 7.76% | -1.93% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.83% | 9.62% | -1.79% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.77% | 11.09% | +1.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 12.85% | 13.75% | -0.90% |
VCLT vs. LVHI - Expense Ratio Comparison
VCLT has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than LVHI's 0.40% expense ratio.
Dividends
VCLT vs. LVHI - Dividend Comparison
VCLT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.52%, more than LVHI's 4.73% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LVHI Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 4.73% | 4.92% | 3.98% | 8.12% | 7.74% | 4.13% | 3.97% | 6.67% | 10.67% | 3.38% | 2.02% | 0.00% |
VCLT Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 5.52% | 5.51% | 5.19% | 4.67% | 4.44% | 3.07% | 3.16% | 3.81% | 4.55% | 4.01% | 4.33% | 4.68% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VCLT and LVHI have a correlation of 0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
LVHI has higher volatility (2.64%) compared to VCLT (2.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCLT dropped -34.31% vs LVHI's -32.31%.
On 5-year performance, LVHI leads with 15.93% vs -2.36% for VCLT. On fees, VCLT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VCLT has been the lower-risk option at 2.21%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, LVHI has performed better with a 15.93% return vs -2.36%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VCLT is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.40% for LVHI.
VCLT has the higher dividend yield at 5.52%, compared with 4.73% for LVHI.
VCLT is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while LVHI is Volatility Hedged Equity. VCLT tracks Bloomberg U.S. 10+ Year Corporate Bond Index, while LVHI tracks Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Hedged Index-NR. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Franklin Templeton. Their fees differ too: 0.03% for VCLT and 0.40% for LVHI.
LVHI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.27 vs 0.85), 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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