VDE vs. IEF
VDE (Vanguard Energy ETF) and IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VDE is a Energy Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index, while IEF is a Government Bonds fund tracking the ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VDE returned 9.47%/yr vs 0.53%/yr for IEF. At a correlation of -0.27, they often move in opposite directions. VDE charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEF.
Performance
VDE vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VDE achieves a 31.33% return, which is significantly higher than IEF's -1.16% return. Over the past 10 years, VDE has outperformed IEF with an annualized return of 9.47%, while IEF has yielded a comparatively lower 0.53% annualized return.
VDE
- 1D
- 1.27%
- 1M
- 3.82%
- YTD
- 31.33%
- 6M
- 29.93%
- 1Y
- 44.64%
- 3Y*
- 16.98%
- 5Y*
- 20.26%
- 10Y*
- 9.47%
IEF
- 1D
- -0.11%
- 1M
- -1.19%
- YTD
- -1.16%
- 6M
- -0.96%
- 1Y
- 3.91%
- 3Y*
- 2.43%
- 5Y*
- -1.34%
- 10Y*
- 0.53%
VDE vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VDE Vanguard Energy ETF | 31.33% | 7.11% | 6.75% | 0.03% | 62.89% | 56.31% | -33.02% | 9.28% | -19.95% | -2.50% |
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | -1.16% | 8.03% | -0.63% | 3.64% | -15.15% | -3.33% | 10.01% | 8.03% | 0.99% | 2.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between VDE and IEF is -0.21, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.21 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.09 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.14 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.23 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 30, 2004 | -0.27 |
The correlation between VDE and IEF shifts across timeframes, from -0.27 (all time) to -0.09 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VDE vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
VDE
IEF
VDE vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) and iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF). 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.
| VDE | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.37 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.56 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.14 | +0.21 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.80 | 0.96 | +2.84 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.98 | 2.79 | +8.19 |
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
| VDE | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.21 | 0.84 | +1.37 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.77 | -0.17 | +0.95 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.32 | 0.08 | +0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.28 | 0.50 | -0.22 |
Drawdowns
VDE vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VDE drawdown since its inception was -74.20%, which is greater than IEF's maximum drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VDE and IEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VDE | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -74.20% | -23.93% | -50.27% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.80% | -4.07% | -7.73% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.41% | -7.74% | -13.67% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.58% | -21.40% | -5.18% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -69.29% | -23.93% | -45.36% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.08% | -11.80% | +4.72% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.96% | -5.35% | -14.61% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.08% | 1.40% | +2.68% |
Volatility
VDE vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) has a higher volatility of 6.96% compared to iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) at 1.51%. This indicates that VDE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VDE | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.96% | 1.51% | +5.45% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.37% | 3.36% | +13.01% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.36% | 4.69% | +15.67% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.42% | 7.71% | +18.71% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.93% | 6.63% | +23.30% |
VDE vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
VDE has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than IEF's 0.15% 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
VDE vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
VDE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.39%, less than IEF's 3.92% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEF iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF | 3.92% | 3.77% | 3.62% | 2.91% | 1.96% | 0.83% | 1.08% | 2.08% | 2.24% | 1.82% | 1.81% | 1.90% |
VDE Vanguard Energy ETF | 2.39% | 3.11% | 3.23% | 3.34% | 3.65% | 4.13% | 4.76% | 3.42% | 3.35% | 2.90% | 2.31% | 3.17% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VDE and IEF have a correlation of -0.21, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VDE has higher volatility (6.96%) compared to IEF (1.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VDE dropped -74.20% vs IEF's -23.93%.
On 10-year performance, VDE leads with 9.47% vs 0.53% for IEF. On fees, VDE is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, IEF has been the lower-risk option at 1.51%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VDE has performed better with a 9.47% return vs 0.53%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VDE is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for IEF.
IEF has the higher dividend yield at 3.92%, compared with 2.39% for VDE.
VDE is categorized as Energy Equities, while IEF is Government Bonds. VDE tracks MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index, while IEF tracks ICE U.S. Treasury 7-10 Year Bond Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VDE and 0.15% for IEF.
VDE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.21 vs 0.84), 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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