VDE vs. NEAR
VDE (Vanguard Energy ETF) and NEAR (iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VDE is a Energy Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index, while NEAR is a Short-Term Bond fund actively managed by iShares. VDE is passively managed, while NEAR is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, VDE returned 8.84%/yr vs 2.84%/yr for NEAR. At a correlation of -0.03, they often move in opposite directions. VDE charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for NEAR.
Performance
VDE vs. NEAR - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VDE achieves a 22.80% return, which is significantly higher than NEAR's 0.63% return. Over the past 10 years, VDE has outperformed NEAR with an annualized return of 8.84%, while NEAR has yielded a comparatively lower 2.84% annualized return.
VDE
- 1D
- 1.27%
- 1M
- -8.49%
- YTD
- 22.80%
- 6M
- 24.09%
- 1Y
- 26.80%
- 3Y*
- 15.90%
- 5Y*
- 18.82%
- 10Y*
- 8.84%
NEAR
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- 0.11%
- YTD
- 0.63%
- 6M
- 0.83%
- 1Y
- 3.79%
- 3Y*
- 5.48%
- 5Y*
- 3.84%
- 10Y*
- 2.84%
VDE vs. NEAR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VDE Vanguard Energy ETF | 22.80% | 7.11% | 6.75% | 0.03% | 62.89% | 56.31% | -33.02% | 9.28% | -19.95% | -2.50% |
NEAR iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 0.63% | 5.90% | 5.09% | 7.42% | 0.41% | 0.32% | 1.39% | 3.55% | 1.71% | 1.41% |
Correlation
The correlation between VDE and NEAR is -0.27, 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 | -0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.11 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.08 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 26, 2013 | -0.03 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between VDE and NEAR has strengthened: their correlation has moved from -0.03 to -0.27, meaning they now move in opposite directions more often than their long-term average.
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Return for Risk
VDE vs. NEAR — Risk / Return Rank
VDE
NEAR
VDE vs. NEAR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) and iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF (NEAR). 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.
| VDE | NEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.46 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.44 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.56 | -0.34 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.90 | 3.36 | -1.47 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.92 | 15.26 | -9.34 |
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Drawdowns
VDE vs. NEAR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VDE drawdown since its inception was -74.20%, which is greater than NEAR's maximum drawdown of -9.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VDE and NEAR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VDE | NEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -74.20% | -9.61% | -64.59% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.20% | -1.13% | -13.07% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.41% | -1.16% | -20.25% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.58% | -1.32% | -25.26% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -69.29% | -9.61% | -59.68% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.11% | -0.24% | -12.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.94% | -0.16% | -19.78% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.57% | 0.25% | +4.32% |
Volatility
VDE vs. NEAR - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) has a higher volatility of 7.02% compared to iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF (NEAR) at 0.48%. This indicates that VDE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NEAR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VDE | NEAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.02% | 0.48% | +6.54% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.69% | 1.06% | +15.63% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.84% | 1.39% | +19.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 26.37% | 1.35% | +25.02% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 29.96% | 2.50% | +27.46% |
VDE vs. NEAR - Expense Ratio Comparison
VDE has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than NEAR's 0.25% 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. NEAR - Dividend Comparison
VDE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.56%, less than NEAR's 4.44% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEAR iShares Short Duration Bond Active ETF | 4.44% | 4.54% | 5.00% | 4.59% | 1.78% | 0.76% | 1.53% | 2.69% | 2.25% | 1.52% | 1.07% | 0.85% |
VDE Vanguard Energy ETF | 2.56% | 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 NEAR have a correlation of -0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VDE has higher volatility (7.02%) compared to NEAR (0.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VDE dropped -74.20% vs NEAR's -9.61%.
On 10-year performance, VDE leads with 8.84% vs 2.84% for NEAR. On fees, VDE is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, NEAR has been the lower-risk option at 0.48%. 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 8.84% return vs 2.84%. 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 0.25% for NEAR.
NEAR has the higher dividend yield at 4.44%, compared with 2.56% for VDE.
VDE is categorized as Energy Equities, while NEAR is Short-Term Bond. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VDE and 0.25% for NEAR.
NEAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.75 vs 1.29), 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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