VCSH vs. IBDR
VCSH (Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF) and IBDR (iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Corporate ETF) are both Corporate Bonds funds - VCSH tracks the Barclays Capital U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Index while IBDR tracks the Barclays December 2026 Maturity Corporate Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VCSH returned 2.32%/yr vs 1.50%/yr for IBDR. A 0.73 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VCSH charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for IBDR.
Performance
VCSH vs. IBDR - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VCSH achieves a 0.64% return, which is significantly lower than IBDR's 1.44% return.
VCSH
- 1D
- -0.08%
- 1M
- 0.20%
- YTD
- 0.64%
- 6M
- 0.95%
- 1Y
- 4.59%
- 3Y*
- 5.52%
- 5Y*
- 2.32%
- 10Y*
- 2.70%
IBDR
- 1D
- -0.04%
- 1M
- 0.25%
- YTD
- 1.44%
- 6M
- 1.80%
- 1Y
- 4.38%
- 3Y*
- 5.07%
- 5Y*
- 1.50%
- 10Y*
- —
VCSH vs. IBDR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCSH Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.64% | 6.77% | 4.91% | 6.20% | -5.62% | -0.63% | 5.13% | 7.02% | 0.92% | 2.17% |
IBDR iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Corporate ETF | 1.44% | 4.99% | 4.98% | 5.96% | -8.28% | -1.79% | 8.88% | 14.81% | -2.80% | 5.96% |
Correlation
The correlation between VCSH and IBDR is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.73 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 20, 2016 | 0.73 |
Over the past year, the correlation between VCSH and IBDR has dropped to 0.22 - well below their long-term average of 0.73, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
VCSH vs. IBDR — Risk / Return Rank
VCSH
IBDR
VCSH vs. IBDR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) and iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Corporate ETF (IBDR). 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.
| VCSH | IBDR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -4.48 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -10.74 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.48 | 3.40 | -1.93 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.29 | 53.28 | -49.99 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 13.55 | 185.24 | -171.68 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VCSH | IBDR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.45 | 6.93 | -4.48 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.81 | 0.44 | +0.37 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.81 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.02 | 0.61 | +0.41 |
Drawdowns
VCSH vs. IBDR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VCSH drawdown since its inception was -12.86%, smaller than the maximum IBDR drawdown of -16.06%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCSH and IBDR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VCSH | IBDR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -12.86% | -16.06% | +3.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.40% | -0.08% | -1.32% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -1.40% | -1.08% | -0.32% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -9.48% | -13.13% | +3.65% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -12.86% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.32% | -0.04% | -0.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.97% | -2.84% | +1.87% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.34% | 0.02% | +0.32% |
Volatility
VCSH vs. IBDR - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) has a higher volatility of 0.57% compared to iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Corporate ETF (IBDR) at 0.15%. This indicates that VCSH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IBDR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VCSH | IBDR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.57% | 0.15% | +0.42% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.38% | 0.34% | +1.04% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.88% | 0.64% | +1.24% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 2.88% | 3.40% | -0.52% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.35% | 4.86% | -1.51% |
VCSH vs. IBDR - Expense Ratio Comparison
VCSH has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than IBDR's 0.10% 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%.
Dividends
VCSH vs. IBDR - Dividend Comparison
VCSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.45%, more than IBDR's 4.13% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IBDR iShares iBonds Dec 2026 Term Corporate ETF | 4.13% | 4.20% | 4.13% | 3.41% | 2.44% | 2.11% | 2.61% | 3.25% | 3.56% | 3.22% | 0.86% | 0.00% |
VCSH Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 4.45% | 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 IBDR have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VCSH has higher volatility (0.57%) compared to IBDR (0.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCSH dropped -12.86% vs IBDR's -16.06%.
On 5-year performance, VCSH leads with 2.32% vs 1.50% for IBDR. On fees, VCSH is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, IBDR has been the lower-risk option at 0.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, VCSH has performed better with a 2.32% return vs 1.50%. 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 0.10% for IBDR.
VCSH has the higher dividend yield at 4.45%, compared with 4.13% for IBDR.
VCSH tracks Barclays Capital U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Index, while IBDR tracks Barclays December 2026 Maturity Corporate Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.04% for VCSH and 0.10% for IBDR.
IBDR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (6.93 vs 2.45), 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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