VCR vs. BLV
VCR (Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF) and BLV (Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VCR is a Consumer Discretionary Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Consumer Discretionary 25/50 Index, while BLV is a Long-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VCR returned 13.79%/yr vs 0.91%/yr for BLV. At a correlation of -0.12, they often move in opposite directions. VCR charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for BLV.
Performance
VCR vs. BLV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VCR achieves a -1.51% return, which is significantly lower than BLV's 0.81% return. Over the past 10 years, VCR has outperformed BLV with an annualized return of 13.79%, while BLV has yielded a comparatively lower 0.91% annualized return.
VCR
- 1D
- -1.81%
- 1M
- -1.91%
- YTD
- -1.51%
- 6M
- -3.86%
- 1Y
- 10.99%
- 3Y*
- 12.87%
- 5Y*
- 5.42%
- 10Y*
- 13.79%
BLV
- 1D
- -0.55%
- 1M
- 1.61%
- YTD
- 0.81%
- 6M
- 0.84%
- 1Y
- 5.47%
- 3Y*
- 1.85%
- 5Y*
- -3.65%
- 10Y*
- 0.91%
VCR vs. BLV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCR Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF | -1.51% | 5.77% | 24.27% | 40.38% | -35.15% | 24.86% | 48.36% | 27.45% | -2.31% | 22.82% |
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | 0.81% | 6.44% | -3.65% | 7.35% | -26.95% | -2.89% | 16.13% | 18.99% | -4.17% | 10.74% |
Correlation
The correlation between VCR and BLV is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.09 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 10, 2007 | -0.12 |
The correlation between VCR and BLV shifts across timeframes, from -0.12 (all time) to 0.34 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VCR vs. BLV — Risk / Return Rank
VCR
BLV
VCR vs. BLV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF (VCR) and Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV). 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.
| VCR | BLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.10 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.10 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.12 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.71 | 0.96 | -0.25 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.16 | 2.34 | -0.18 |
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Drawdowns
VCR vs. BLV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VCR drawdown since its inception was -61.54%, which is greater than BLV's maximum drawdown of -38.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCR and BLV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VCR | BLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.54% | -38.29% | -23.25% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.59% | -5.73% | -9.86% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.36% | -15.16% | -12.20% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.20% | -36.27% | -2.93% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.20% | -38.29% | -0.91% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.99% | -23.74% | +17.75% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.39% | -9.55% | +0.16% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.10% | 2.34% | +2.76% |
Volatility
VCR vs. BLV - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF (VCR) has a higher volatility of 6.35% compared to Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF (BLV) at 1.97%. This indicates that VCR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BLV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VCR | BLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.35% | 1.97% | +4.38% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.92% | 5.76% | +8.16% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.87% | 7.98% | +10.89% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.10% | 12.93% | +11.17% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.47% | 11.99% | +10.48% |
VCR vs. BLV - Expense Ratio Comparison
VCR has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than BLV'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
VCR vs. BLV - Dividend Comparison
VCR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.74%, less than BLV's 4.78% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BLV Vanguard Long-Term Bond ETF | 4.78% | 4.67% | 5.09% | 4.06% | 4.17% | 3.37% | 6.12% | 3.57% | 4.07% | 3.63% | 4.16% | 4.37% |
VCR Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF | 0.74% | 0.74% | 0.74% | 0.84% | 0.98% | 0.79% | 1.71% | 1.17% | 1.37% | 1.21% | 1.60% | 1.32% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VCR and BLV have a correlation of 0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VCR has higher volatility (6.35%) compared to BLV (1.97%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCR dropped -61.54% vs BLV's -38.29%.
On 10-year performance, VCR leads with 13.79% vs 0.91% for BLV. On fees, BLV is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, BLV has been the lower-risk option at 1.97%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VCR has performed better with a 13.79% return vs 0.91%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BLV is cheaper with a 0.03% expense ratio, compared with 0.10% for VCR.
BLV has the higher dividend yield at 4.78%, compared with 0.74% for VCR.
VCR is categorized as Consumer Discretionary Equities, while BLV is Long-Term Bond. VCR tracks MSCI US Investable Market Consumer Discretionary 25/50 Index, while BLV tracks Bloomberg U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for VCR and 0.03% for BLV.
BLV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.69 vs 0.59), 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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