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VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO
Performance
Return for Risk
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF (VSC.TO) and Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL.TO).

VSC.TO and VBAL.TO are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VSC.TO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg Global Aggregate Canadian 1-5 Year Corporate Float Adjusted Index. It was launched on Nov 2, 2012. VBAL.TO is an actively managed fund by Vanguard. It was launched on Jan 25, 2018.

Performance

VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF (VSC.TO) and Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)20252024202320222021202020192018
VSC.TO
Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF		0.10%4.63%6.69%6.75%-4.23%-0.97%6.27%4.72%1.51%
VBAL.TO
Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio		0.43%13.28%14.60%12.46%-11.41%10.19%10.25%14.88%-2.84%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VSC.TO achieves a 0.10% return, which is significantly lower than VBAL.TO's 0.43% return.

VSC.TO

1D
0.00%
1M
-0.91%
YTD
0.10%
6M
0.61%
1Y
3.13%
3Y*
5.38%
5Y*
2.64%
10Y*
2.72%

VBAL.TO

1D
1.84%
1M
-3.47%
YTD
0.43%
6M
2.10%
1Y
13.39%
3Y*
11.80%
5Y*
6.97%
10Y*
—
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

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Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF

Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio

Often compared with VSC.TO:
VSC.TO vs. VSB.TOVSC.TO vs. TPRF.TOVSC.TO vs. ZCS.TOVSC.TO vs. VDY.TOVSC.TO vs. ITAVSC.TO vs. TSTX-U.TOVSC.TO vs. VCN.TO
Often compared with VBAL.TO:
VBAL.TO vs. VGRO.TOVBAL.TO vs. XBAL.TOVBAL.TO vs. VEQT.TOVBAL.TO vs. XEQT.TOVBAL.TO vs. VTVBAL.TO vs. VOOVBAL.TO vs. VCNS.TO

VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

VSC.TO has a 0.11% expense ratio, which is lower than VBAL.TO's 0.24% 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%.

VBAL.TO
Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio
VSC.TO
Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF

Return for Risk

VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
VSC.TO
VSC.TO Risk / Return Rank: 7878
Overall Rank
VSC.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8080
Sharpe Ratio Rank
VSC.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 8080
Sortino Ratio Rank
VSC.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 7878
Omega Ratio Rank
VSC.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 7676
Calmar Ratio Rank
VSC.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 7979
Martin Ratio Rank
VBAL.TO
VBAL.TO Risk / Return Rank: 7777
Overall Rank
VBAL.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 7676
Sharpe Ratio Rank
VBAL.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 7676
Sortino Ratio Rank
VBAL.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 7777
Omega Ratio Rank
VBAL.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 7575
Calmar Ratio Rank
VBAL.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 7878
Martin Ratio Rank
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.

VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF (VSC.TO) and Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL.TO). 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.

VSC.TOVBAL.TODifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

1.53

1.33

+0.20

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

2.09

1.85

+0.24

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.30

1.28

+0.02

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

2.05

1.86

+0.19

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

8.67

7.73

+0.95

Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VSC.TO Sharpe Ratio is 1.53, which is comparable to the VBAL.TO Sharpe Ratio of 1.33. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VSC.TO and VBAL.TO, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

VSC.TOVBAL.TODifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

1.53

1.33

+0.20

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.98

0.82

+0.16

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.53

—

—

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.59

0.71

-0.13

Correlation

The correlation between VSC.TO and VBAL.TO is 0.28, 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.

Dividends

VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Dividend Comparison

VSC.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.97%, more than VBAL.TO's 2.20% yield.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
VSC.TO
Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF		3.97%3.61%3.54%3.14%2.85%2.59%2.64%2.71%2.77%2.75%2.89%3.05%
VBAL.TO
Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio		2.20%2.21%2.29%2.34%2.19%1.93%1.81%2.23%2.01%0.00%0.00%0.00%

Drawdowns

VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VSC.TO drawdown since its inception was -15.87%, smaller than the maximum VBAL.TO drawdown of -21.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSC.TO and VBAL.TO.

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Drawdown Indicators

VSC.TOVBAL.TODifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-15.87%

-21.19%

+5.32%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-1.53%

-7.55%

+6.02%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-7.68%

-16.43%

+8.75%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-15.87%

—

—

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-0.91%

-3.72%

+2.81%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-0.98%

-3.21%

+2.23%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

0.36%

1.81%

-1.45%

Volatility

VSC.TO vs. VBAL.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Canadian Short-Term Corporate Bond Index ETF (VSC.TO) is 1.00%, while Vanguard Balanced ETF Portfolio (VBAL.TO) has a volatility of 4.17%. This indicates that VSC.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VBAL.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

VSC.TOVBAL.TODifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

1.00%

4.17%

-3.17%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

1.43%

6.26%

-4.83%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

1.96%

10.14%

-8.18%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

2.70%

8.54%

-5.84%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

5.15%

10.10%

-4.95%