VCSH vs. HYGH
VCSH (Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF) and HYGH (iShares Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VCSH is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index, while HYGH is a High Yield Bonds fund tracking the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Interest Hedged Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VCSH returned 2.65%/yr vs 6.18%/yr for HYGH. Their 0.04 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. VCSH charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.52%/yr for HYGH.
Performance
VCSH vs. HYGH - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VCSH achieves a 0.92% return, which is significantly lower than HYGH's 3.81% return. Over the past 10 years, VCSH has underperformed HYGH with an annualized return of 2.65%, while HYGH has yielded a comparatively higher 6.18% annualized return.
VCSH
- 1D
- 0.13%
- 1M
- -0.09%
- 6M
- 0.60%
- YTD
- 0.92%
- 1Y
- 3.20%
- 3Y*
- 5.42%
- 5Y*
- 2.32%
- 10Y*
- 2.65%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.90%
HYGH
- 1D
- 0.12%
- 1M
- 0.29%
- 6M
- 2.79%
- YTD
- 3.81%
- 1Y
- 7.43%
- 3Y*
- 9.16%
- 5Y*
- 7.14%
- 10Y*
- 6.18%
- ALL TIME*
- 4.72%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5.17M | $5.29M | $4.70M | |
| $313.19M | $294.57M | $337.26M |
VCSH vs. HYGH - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCSH Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.92% | 6.77% | 4.91% | 6.20% | -5.62% | -0.63% | 5.13% | 7.02% | 0.92% | 2.17% |
HYGH iShares Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond ETF | 3.81% | 6.94% | 11.22% | 12.17% | -0.92% | 5.82% | 0.54% | 11.09% | -0.85% | 6.38% |
Correlation
The correlation between VCSH and HYGH is 0.20, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.20 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.15 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.20 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.08 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 29, 2014 | 0.04 |
The correlation between VCSH and HYGH shifts across timeframes, from 0.04 (all time) to 0.20 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VCSH vs. HYGH — Risk / Return Rank
VCSH
HYGH
VCSH vs. HYGH - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) and iShares Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond ETF (HYGH). 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.
| VCSH | HYGH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.34 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.67 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.39 | -0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.29 | 4.60 | -2.31 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.01 | 18.10 | -9.09 |
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Drawdowns
VCSH vs. HYGH - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VCSH drawdown since its inception was -12.86%, smaller than the maximum HYGH drawdown of -23.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCSH and HYGH.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VCSH | HYGH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -12.86% | -23.88% | +11.02% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.40% | -1.62% | +0.22% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.40% | -8.06% | +6.66% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.41% | -8.24% | -1.17% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -12.86% | -23.88% | +11.02% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.17% | 0.00% | -0.17% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.96% | -2.20% | +1.24% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.36% | 0.41% | -0.05% |
Volatility
VCSH vs. HYGH - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) is 0.55%, while iShares Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond ETF (HYGH) has a volatility of 0.63%. This indicates that VCSH experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than HYGH based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VCSH | HYGH | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.55% | 0.63% | -0.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.57% | 2.77% | -1.20% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.87% | 3.62% | -1.75% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.90% | 7.06% | -4.16% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.35% | 8.21% | -4.86% |
VCSH vs. HYGH - Expense Ratio Comparison
VCSH has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than HYGH's 0.52% expense ratio.
Dividends
VCSH vs. HYGH - Dividend Comparison
VCSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.47%, less than HYGH's 6.56% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HYGH iShares Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond ETF | 6.56% | 6.86% | 7.85% | 8.95% | 6.21% | 3.74% | 4.06% | 4.89% | 6.45% | 4.79% | 4.60% | 5.75% |
VCSH Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 4.47% | 4.35% | 3.96% | 3.09% | 2.01% | 1.81% | 2.27% | 2.87% | 2.65% | 2.26% | 2.10% | 2.08% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VCSH and HYGH have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
HYGH has higher volatility (0.63%) compared to VCSH (0.55%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCSH dropped -12.86% vs HYGH's -23.88%.
On 10-year performance, HYGH leads with 6.18% vs 2.65% for VCSH. On fees, VCSH is cheaper at 0.04% per year. Their volatility is very similar. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, HYGH has performed better with a 6.18% return vs 2.65%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VCSH is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.52% for HYGH.
HYGH has the higher dividend yield at 6.56%, compared with 4.47% for VCSH.
VCSH is categorized as Corporate Bonds, while HYGH is High Yield Bonds. VCSH tracks Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index, while HYGH tracks Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Interest Hedged Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.04% for VCSH and 0.52% for HYGH.
HYGH currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.07 vs 1.72), 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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