VCLT vs. MLN

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT) and VanEck Long Muni ETF (MLN).

VCLT and MLN are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VCLT is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Barclays U.S. 10+ Year Corporate Index. It was launched on Nov 19, 2009. MLN is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg AMT-Free Long Continuous. It was launched on Jan 2, 2008. Both VCLT and MLN 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

VCLT vs. MLN - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT) and VanEck Long Muni ETF (MLN). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VCLT vs. MLN - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VCLT Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF	-0.48%	7.18%	-1.90%	11.17%	-25.50%	-1.73%	13.27%	23.89%	-7.04%	11.70%
MLN VanEck Long Muni ETF	0.62%	1.82%	1.54%	8.05%	-17.20%	2.20%	6.22%	10.72%	-0.77%	8.19%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VCLT achieves a -0.48% return, which is significantly lower than MLN's 0.62% return. Over the past 10 years, VCLT has outperformed MLN with an annualized return of 2.47%, while MLN has yielded a comparatively lower 1.60% annualized return.

VCLT

• 1D: 0.16%
• 1M: -2.31%
• YTD: -0.48%
• 6M: -1.46%
• 1Y: 3.64%
• 3Y*: 3.12%
• 5Y*: -1.70%
• 10Y*: 2.47%

MLN

• 1D: 0.52%
• 1M: -1.01%
• YTD: 0.62%
• 6M: 2.05%
• 1Y: 4.26%
• 3Y*: 2.74%
• 5Y*: -0.82%
• 10Y*: 1.60%

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

VCLT vs. MLN - Expense Ratio Comparison

VCLT has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than MLN's 0.24% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

MLN

VanEck Long Muni ETF

VCLT

Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF

Return for Risk

VCLT vs. MLN — Risk / Return Rank

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

VCLT

VCLT Risk / Return Rank: 23
VCLT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
VCLT Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
VCLT Omega Ratio Rank: 19
VCLT Calmar Ratio Rank: 31
VCLT Martin Ratio Rank: 24

MLN

MLN Risk / Return Rank: 30
MLN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 31
MLN Sortino Ratio Rank: 27
MLN Omega Ratio Rank: 34
MLN Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
MLN Martin Ratio Rank: 26

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.

VCLT vs. MLN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT) and VanEck Long Muni ETF (MLN). 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.

	VCLT	MLN	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.36	0.63	-0.27
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.54	0.84	-0.29
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.07	1.15	-0.08
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.78	0.80	-0.03
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	1.80	2.11	-0.31
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VCLT vs. MLN - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VCLT Sharpe Ratio is 0.36, which is lower than the MLN Sharpe Ratio of 0.63. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VCLT and MLN, 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

	VCLT	MLN	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.36	0.63	-0.27
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.13	-0.11	-0.02
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.19	0.18	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.39	0.32	+0.07

Correlation

The correlation between VCLT and MLN is 0.46, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

VCLT vs. MLN - Dividend Comparison

VCLT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.64%, more than MLN's 3.78% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VCLT Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF	5.64%	5.51%	5.19%	4.67%	4.44%	3.07%	3.16%	3.81%	4.55%	4.01%	4.33%	4.68%
MLN VanEck Long Muni ETF	3.78%	3.73%	3.59%	3.19%	2.67%	2.52%	2.69%	2.98%	3.09%	2.91%	3.16%	3.38%

Drawdowns

VCLT vs. MLN - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VCLT drawdown since its inception was -34.31%, which is greater than MLN's maximum drawdown of -28.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCLT and MLN.

Drawdown Indicators

	VCLT	MLN	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.31%	-28.36%	-5.95%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.39%	-5.88%	+0.49%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-34.31%	-24.46%	-9.85%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.31%	-24.46%	-9.85%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-15.60%	-7.78%	-7.82%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.09%	-5.71%	-2.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.33%	2.24%	+0.09%

Volatility

VCLT vs. MLN - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT) has a higher volatility of 3.99% compared to VanEck Long Muni ETF (MLN) at 1.92%. This indicates that VCLT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MLN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VCLT	MLN	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.99%	1.92%	+2.07%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	5.62%	2.86%	+2.76%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.21%	6.84%	+3.37%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.80%	7.28%	+5.52%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	12.84%	8.88%	+3.96%