VDC vs. VCLT
VDC (Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF) and VCLT (Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VDC is a Consumer Staples Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Consumer Staples 25/50 Index, while VCLT is a Corporate Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 10+ Year Corporate Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VDC returned 8.03%/yr vs 2.27%/yr for VCLT. At a 0.06 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VDC charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VCLT.
Performance
VDC vs. VCLT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VDC achieves a 10.55% return, which is significantly higher than VCLT's 1.41% return. Over the past 10 years, VDC has outperformed VCLT with an annualized return of 8.03%, while VCLT has yielded a comparatively lower 2.27% annualized return.
VDC
- 1D
- 0.65%
- 1M
- 0.44%
- YTD
- 10.55%
- 6M
- 8.59%
- 1Y
- 7.31%
- 3Y*
- 9.05%
- 5Y*
- 7.16%
- 10Y*
- 8.03%
VCLT
- 1D
- -0.09%
- 1M
- 1.43%
- YTD
- 1.41%
- 6M
- 1.82%
- 1Y
- 5.92%
- 3Y*
- 4.64%
- 5Y*
- -2.06%
- 10Y*
- 2.27%
VDC vs. VCLT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VDC Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF | 10.55% | 2.17% | 13.30% | 2.38% | -1.79% | 17.64% | 10.86% | 26.11% | -7.79% | 11.85% |
VCLT Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 1.41% | 7.18% | -1.90% | 11.17% | -25.50% | -1.73% | 13.27% | 23.89% | -7.04% | 11.70% |
Correlation
The correlation between VDC and VCLT is 0.14, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.14 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 23, 2009 | 0.06 |
The correlation between VDC and VCLT shifts across timeframes, from 0.06 (all time) to 0.26 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VDC vs. VCLT — Risk / Return Rank
VDC
VCLT
VDC vs. VCLT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) and Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT). 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.
| VDC | VCLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.17 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.19 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.13 | -0.03 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.79 | 1.13 | -0.34 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.60 | 2.75 | -1.15 |
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Drawdowns
VDC vs. VCLT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VDC drawdown since its inception was -34.24%, roughly equal to the maximum VCLT drawdown of -34.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VDC and VCLT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VDC | VCLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -34.24% | -34.31% | +0.07% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.28% | -5.25% | -4.03% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.78% | -13.03% | +1.25% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.55% | -34.31% | +17.76% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -25.31% | -34.31% | +9.00% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.37% | -14.00% | +9.63% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.73% | -8.17% | +4.44% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.57% | 2.16% | +2.41% |
Volatility
VDC vs. VCLT - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) has a higher volatility of 4.62% compared to Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCLT) at 2.48%. This indicates that VDC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VCLT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VDC | VCLT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.62% | 2.48% | +2.14% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.02% | 5.91% | +4.11% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.57% | 7.95% | +4.62% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.17% | 12.77% | +0.40% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.66% | 12.85% | +1.81% |
VDC vs. VCLT - Expense Ratio Comparison
VDC has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than VCLT'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
VDC vs. VCLT - Dividend Comparison
VDC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.08%, less than VCLT's 5.52% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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% |
VDC Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF | 2.08% | 2.26% | 2.33% | 2.65% | 2.37% | 2.14% | 2.50% | 2.44% | 2.78% | 2.52% | 2.39% | 2.55% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VDC and VCLT have a correlation of 0.14, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VDC has higher volatility (4.62%) compared to VCLT (2.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VDC dropped -34.24% vs VCLT's -34.31%.
On 10-year performance, VDC leads with 8.03% vs 2.27% for VCLT. On fees, VCLT is cheaper at 0.03% per year. On volatility, VCLT has been the lower-risk option at 2.48%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VDC has performed better with a 8.03% return vs 2.27%. 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 0.09% for VDC.
VCLT has the higher dividend yield at 5.52%, compared with 2.08% for VDC.
VDC is categorized as Consumer Staples Equities, while VCLT is Corporate Bonds. VDC tracks MSCI US Investable Market Consumer Staples 25/50 Index, while VCLT tracks Bloomberg U.S. 10+ Year Corporate Bond Index. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VDC and 0.03% for VCLT.
VCLT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.75 vs 0.58), 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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