VGSH vs. SHV
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) and iShares Short Treasury Bond ETF (SHV).
VGSH and SHV are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VGSH is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Barclays U.S. 1-3 Year Government Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Nov 19, 2009. SHV is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Barclays Capital U.S. Short Treasury Bond Index. It was launched on Jan 11, 2007. Both VGSH and SHV are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Scroll down to visually compare performance, riskiness, drawdowns, and other indicators and decide which better suits your portfolio: VGSH or SHV.
Key characteristics
| VGSH | SHV | |
|---|---|---|
| YTD Return | -0.08% | 1.58% |
| 1Y Return | 2.39% | 5.19% |
| 3Y Return (Ann) | -0.12% | 2.48% |
| 5Y Return (Ann) | 1.00% | 1.95% |
| 10Y Return (Ann) | 0.96% | 1.33% |
| Sharpe Ratio | 1.07 | 18.38 |
| Daily Std Dev | 2.05% | 0.28% |
| Max Drawdown | -5.70% | -0.46% |
| Current Drawdown | -0.57% | 0.00% |
Correlation
The correlation between VGSH and SHV is 0.19, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Performance
VGSH vs. SHV - Performance Comparison
In the year-to-date period, VGSH achieves a -0.08% return, which is significantly lower than SHV's 1.58% return. Over the past 10 years, VGSH has underperformed SHV with an annualized return of 0.96%, while SHV has yielded a comparatively higher 1.33% annualized return. The chart below displays the growth of a $10,000 investment in both assets, with all prices adjusted for splits and dividends.
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VGSH vs. SHV - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGSH has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than SHV'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%.
Risk-Adjusted Performance
VGSH vs. SHV - Risk-Adjusted Performance Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) and iShares Short Treasury Bond ETF (SHV). 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.
Dividends
VGSH vs. SHV - Dividend Comparison
VGSH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.70%, less than SHV's 5.04% yield.
| TTM | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGSH Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF | 3.70% | 3.31% | 1.15% | 0.66% | 1.74% | 2.28% | 1.79% | 1.10% | 0.82% | 0.71% | 0.46% | 0.34% |
SHV iShares Short Treasury Bond ETF | 5.04% | 4.73% | 1.39% | 0.00% | 0.74% | 2.19% | 1.66% | 0.72% | 0.34% | 0.03% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Drawdowns
VGSH vs. SHV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGSH drawdown since its inception was -5.70%, which is greater than SHV's maximum drawdown of -0.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGSH and SHV. For additional features, visit the drawdowns tool.
Volatility
VGSH vs. SHV - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Short-Term Treasury ETF (VGSH) has a higher volatility of 0.57% compared to iShares Short Treasury Bond ETF (SHV) at 0.07%. This indicates that VGSH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SHV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.