VIGAX vs. IUSB
VIGAX (Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares) and IUSB (iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF) are both funds - VIGAX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, while IUSB is a Intermediate Core-Plus Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VIGAX returned 17.45%/yr vs 1.76%/yr for IUSB. At a 0.09 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VIGAX charges 0.05%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for IUSB.
Performance
VIGAX vs. IUSB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VIGAX achieves a 5.13% return, which is significantly higher than IUSB's 0.22% return. Over the past 10 years, VIGAX has outperformed IUSB with an annualized return of 17.45%, while IUSB has yielded a comparatively lower 1.76% annualized return.
VIGAX
- 1D
- -1.43%
- 1M
- -1.92%
- 6M
- 5.72%
- YTD
- 5.13%
- 1Y
- 14.64%
- 3Y*
- 20.96%
- 5Y*
- 12.63%
- 10Y*
- 17.45%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.62%
IUSB
- 1D
- -0.24%
- 1M
- -0.60%
- 6M
- 0.02%
- YTD
- 0.22%
- 1Y
- 4.08%
- 3Y*
- 4.33%
- 5Y*
- 0.15%
- 10Y*
- 1.76%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.17%
VIGAX vs. IUSB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VIGAX Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.13% | 19.43% | 32.67% | 46.76% | -33.14% | 27.26% | 40.18% | 37.23% | -3.35% | 27.80% |
IUSB iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF | 0.22% | 7.38% | 2.11% | 6.23% | -13.04% | -1.33% | 7.62% | 9.13% | -0.27% | 3.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between VIGAX and IUSB is 0.30, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.20 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.13 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 12, 2014 | 0.09 |
Over the past year, VIGAX and IUSB have become more correlated (0.30) than their long-term average of 0.09, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VIGAX vs. IUSB — Risk / Return Rank
VIGAX
IUSB
VIGAX vs. IUSB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares (VIGAX) and iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF (IUSB). 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.
| VIGAX | IUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.29 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.44 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.16 | 1.20 | -0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.90 | 1.62 | -0.72 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.96 | 4.45 | -1.49 |
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Drawdowns
VIGAX vs. IUSB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VIGAX drawdown since its inception was -50.66%, which is greater than IUSB's maximum drawdown of -17.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VIGAX and IUSB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VIGAX | IUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -50.66% | -17.90% | -32.76% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.51% | -2.53% | -13.98% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -23.04% | -5.47% | -17.57% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.63% | -17.87% | -17.76% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.63% | -17.90% | -17.73% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.41% | -1.53% | -3.88% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.92% | -3.56% | -8.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.00% | 0.92% | +4.08% |
Volatility
VIGAX vs. IUSB - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares (VIGAX) has a higher volatility of 5.78% compared to iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF (IUSB) at 1.02%. This indicates that VIGAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IUSB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VIGAX | IUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.78% | 1.02% | +4.76% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.00% | 2.81% | +11.19% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.35% | 3.57% | +13.78% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.58% | 5.80% | +16.78% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.66% | 5.05% | +16.61% |
VIGAX vs. IUSB - Expense Ratio Comparison
VIGAX has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than IUSB's 0.06% 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
VIGAX vs. IUSB - Dividend Comparison
VIGAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.38%, less than IUSB's 4.26% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IUSB iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF | 4.26% | 4.17% | 4.04% | 3.46% | 2.53% | 1.74% | 2.68% | 3.04% | 2.98% | 2.56% | 2.60% | 1.95% |
VIGAX Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares | 0.38% | 0.40% | 0.46% | 0.57% | 0.69% | 0.47% | 0.66% | 0.94% | 1.31% | 1.14% | 1.39% | 1.31% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VIGAX and IUSB have a correlation of 0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VIGAX has higher volatility (5.78%) compared to IUSB (1.02%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VIGAX dropped -50.66% vs IUSB's -17.90%.
IUSB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.15 vs 0.85), 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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