VNJUX vs. USHY

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

VNJUX (Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares) and USHY (iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF) are both funds - VNJUX is a Municipal Bonds fund managed by Vanguard, while USHY is a High Yield Bonds fund tracking the ICE BofA US High Yield Constrained. Over the past 5 years, VNJUX returned 1.42%/yr vs 4.34%/yr for USHY. At a 0.20 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VNJUX charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for USHY.

Performance

VNJUX vs. USHY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VNJUX) and iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VNJUX achieves a 1.79% return, which is significantly higher than USHY's 1.70% return.

VNJUX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.48%
• YTD: 1.79%
• 6M: 2.28%
• 1Y: 8.41%
• 3Y*: 4.65%
• 5Y*: 1.42%
• 10Y*: 3.10%

USHY

• 1D: 0.05%
• 1M: 0.35%
• YTD: 1.70%
• 6M: 2.22%
• 1Y: 7.48%
• 3Y*: 9.01%
• 5Y*: 4.34%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

VNJUX vs. USHY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VNJUX Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares	1.79%	4.96%	2.79%	7.76%	-10.24%	2.69%	6.11%	9.37%	1.61%	1.71%
USHY iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	1.70%	8.81%	8.45%	12.73%	-11.18%	5.02%	6.17%	14.24%	-2.41%	0.16%

Correlation

The correlation between VNJUX and USHY is 0.31, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.31
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.34
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.30
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 27, 2017	0.20

The correlation between VNJUX and USHY shifts across timeframes, from 0.20 (all time) to 0.34 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VNJUX vs. USHY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

VNJUX

VNJUX Risk / Return Rank: 73
VNJUX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
VNJUX Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
VNJUX Omega Ratio Rank: 90
VNJUX Calmar Ratio Rank: 54
VNJUX Martin Ratio Rank: 49

USHY

USHY Risk / Return Rank: 66
USHY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
USHY Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
USHY Omega Ratio Rank: 66
USHY Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
USHY Martin Ratio Rank: 72

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

VNJUX vs. USHY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VNJUX) and iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY). 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.

	VNJUX	USHY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.70	2.07	+0.64
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.29	3.12	+1.17
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.65	1.40	+0.25
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.84	3.08	-0.24
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.24	13.87	-3.63
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VNJUX vs. USHY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VNJUX Sharpe Ratio is 2.70, which is higher than the USHY Sharpe Ratio of 2.07. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VNJUX and USHY, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VNJUX	USHY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.70	2.07	+0.64
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.31	0.59	-0.28
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.68	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.04	0.58	+0.45

Drawdowns

VNJUX vs. USHY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VNJUX drawdown since its inception was -15.62%, smaller than the maximum USHY drawdown of -22.44%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VNJUX and USHY.

Drawdown Indicators

	VNJUX	USHY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-15.62%	-22.44%	+6.82%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.94%	-2.43%	-0.51%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-6.87%	-4.66%	-2.21%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.62%	-15.56%	-0.06%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-15.62%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.39%	-0.00%	-0.39%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.05%	-2.67%	+0.62%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.81%	0.54%	+0.27%

Volatility

VNJUX vs. USHY - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VNJUX) and iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (USHY) have volatilities of 1.14% and 1.14%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VNJUX	USHY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.14%	1.14%	0.00%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.27%	2.90%	-0.63%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.06%	3.63%	-0.57%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	4.55%	7.34%	-2.79%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	4.57%	8.25%	-3.68%

VNJUX vs. USHY - Expense Ratio Comparison

VNJUX has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than USHY'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

VNJUX vs. USHY - Dividend Comparison

VNJUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.64%, less than USHY's 6.90% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
USHY iShares Broad USD High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	6.90%	6.79%	6.89%	6.63%	6.08%	5.07%	5.30%	5.92%	6.30%	0.73%	0.00%	0.00%
VNJUX Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares	3.64%	4.49%	4.07%	3.03%	3.22%	2.91%	3.79%	4.15%	4.01%	4.13%	4.62%	3.78%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VNJUX and USHY in my portfolio?

VNJUX and USHY have a correlation of 0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VNJUX or USHY?

USHY has higher volatility (1.14%) compared to VNJUX (1.14%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VNJUX dropped -15.62% vs USHY's -22.44%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VNJUX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.70 vs 2.07), 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.