VFH vs. IEF
VFH (Vanguard Financials ETF) and IEF (iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VFH is a Financials Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Financials 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, VFH returned 12.59%/yr vs 0.53%/yr for IEF. At a correlation of -0.29, they often move in opposite directions. VFH charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for IEF.
Performance
VFH vs. IEF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFH achieves a -4.26% return, which is significantly lower than IEF's -1.16% return. Over the past 10 years, VFH has outperformed IEF with an annualized return of 12.59%, while IEF has yielded a comparatively lower 0.53% annualized return.
VFH
- 1D
- -0.53%
- 1M
- 1.01%
- YTD
- -4.26%
- 6M
- -1.64%
- 1Y
- 4.15%
- 3Y*
- 18.86%
- 5Y*
- 8.65%
- 10Y*
- 12.59%
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%
VFH vs. IEF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFH Vanguard Financials ETF | -4.26% | 14.91% | 30.44% | 14.17% | -12.31% | 35.22% | -1.96% | 31.57% | -13.52% | 19.99% |
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 VFH and IEF is 0.17, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.17 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.12 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.00 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.22 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2004 | -0.29 |
The correlation between VFH and IEF shifts across timeframes, from -0.29 (all time) to 0.17 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VFH vs. IEF — Risk / Return Rank
VFH
IEF
VFH vs. IEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Financials ETF (VFH) 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.
| VFH | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.56 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.79 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.06 | 1.14 | -0.08 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.28 | 0.96 | -0.68 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.74 | 2.79 | -2.05 |
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
| VFH | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.28 | 0.84 | -0.56 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.45 | -0.17 | +0.62 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.56 | 0.08 | +0.48 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.24 | 0.50 | -0.25 |
Drawdowns
VFH vs. IEF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFH drawdown since its inception was -78.61%, which is greater than IEF's maximum drawdown of -23.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFH and IEF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFH | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -78.61% | -23.93% | -54.68% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.75% | -4.07% | -10.68% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.30% | -7.74% | -9.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.66% | -21.40% | -4.26% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.42% | -23.93% | -20.49% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.17% | -11.80% | +4.63% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.53% | -5.35% | -13.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.60% | 1.40% | +4.20% |
Volatility
VFH vs. IEF - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Financials ETF (VFH) has a higher volatility of 4.28% compared to iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond ETF (IEF) at 1.51%. This indicates that VFH'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
| VFH | IEF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.28% | 1.51% | +2.77% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.34% | 3.36% | +7.98% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.98% | 4.69% | +10.29% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.34% | 7.71% | +11.63% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.56% | 6.63% | +15.93% |
VFH vs. IEF - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFH 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
VFH vs. IEF - Dividend Comparison
VFH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.53%, 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% |
VFH Vanguard Financials ETF | 1.53% | 1.55% | 1.75% | 2.08% | 2.31% | 1.87% | 2.21% | 2.17% | 2.30% | 1.53% | 1.63% | 2.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VFH and IEF have a correlation of 0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VFH has higher volatility (4.28%) compared to IEF (1.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VFH dropped -78.61% vs IEF's -23.93%.
On 10-year performance, VFH leads with 12.59% vs 0.53% for IEF. On fees, VFH 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, VFH has performed better with a 12.59% return vs 0.53%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VFH 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 1.53% for VFH.
VFH is categorized as Financials Equities, while IEF is Government Bonds. VFH tracks MSCI US Investable Market Financials 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 VFH and 0.15% for IEF.
IEF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.84 vs 0.28), 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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