VSCA.L vs. SHYU.L

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VSCA.L (Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating) and SHYU.L (iShares $ High Yield Corp Bond UCITS ETF) are both Corporate Bonds funds - VSCA.L tracks the Bloomberg US Corp 1-3 Yr TR USD while SHYU.L tracks the Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Capped Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VSCA.L returned 3.53%/yr vs 3.14%/yr for SHYU.L. A 0.70 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VSCA.L charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for SHYU.L.

Performance

VSCA.L vs. SHYU.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VSCA.L) and iShares $ High Yield Corp Bond UCITS ETF (SHYU.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VSCA.L achieves a 0.73% return, which is significantly higher than SHYU.L's -1.86% return.

VSCA.L

• 1D: -0.14%
• 1M: 1.34%
• YTD: 0.73%
• 6M: 0.30%
• 1Y: 4.77%
• 3Y*: 2.64%
• 5Y*: 3.53%
• 10Y*: —

SHYU.L

• 1D: 0.21%
• 1M: -0.14%
• YTD: -1.86%
• 6M: -2.16%
• 1Y: 1.31%
• 3Y*: 2.34%
• 5Y*: 3.14%
• 10Y*: 4.93%

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

VSCA.L vs. SHYU.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VSCA.L Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating	0.73%	-1.28%	7.12%	-0.30%	7.72%	0.72%	0.35%	3.18%
SHYU.L iShares $ High Yield Corp Bond UCITS ETF	-1.86%	-4.17%	8.56%	4.72%	2.04%	4.96%	1.60%	5.77%

Correlation

The correlation between VSCA.L and SHYU.L is 0.86, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.81
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.72
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 22, 2019	0.70

The correlation between VSCA.L and SHYU.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.70 (all time) to 0.86 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VSCA.L vs. SHYU.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

VSCA.L

VSCA.L Risk / Return Rank: 24
VSCA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
VSCA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 23
VSCA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 22
VSCA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
VSCA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 24

SHYU.L

SHYU.L Risk / Return Rank: 11
SHYU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
SHYU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
SHYU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 10
SHYU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 11
SHYU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 10

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.

VSCA.L vs. SHYU.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VSCA.L) and iShares $ High Yield Corp Bond UCITS ETF (SHYU.L). 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.

	VSCA.L	SHYU.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.83	0.19	+0.64
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.25	0.28	+0.97
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.04	+0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.19	0.20	+0.99
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.11	0.34	+2.77
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VSCA.L vs. SHYU.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VSCA.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.83, which is higher than the SHYU.L Sharpe Ratio of 0.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VSCA.L and SHYU.L, 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

	VSCA.L	SHYU.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.83	0.19	+0.64
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.45	0.39	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.51	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.27	0.59	-0.32

Drawdowns

VSCA.L vs. SHYU.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VSCA.L drawdown since its inception was -15.11%, roughly equal to the maximum SHYU.L drawdown of -15.01%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSCA.L and SHYU.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	VSCA.L	SHYU.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-15.11%	-15.01%	-0.10%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.25%	-6.61%	+2.36%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-8.78%	-11.08%	+2.30%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.11%	-11.08%	-4.03%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-15.01%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.82%	-9.29%	+5.47%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.76%	-4.14%	-2.62%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.62%	3.81%	-2.19%

Volatility

VSCA.L vs. SHYU.L - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating (VSCA.L) and iShares $ High Yield Corp Bond UCITS ETF (SHYU.L) have volatilities of 1.79% and 1.73%, 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

	VSCA.L	SHYU.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.79%	1.73%	+0.06%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.39%	4.34%	+0.05%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.08%	6.90%	-0.82%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.88%	8.13%	-0.25%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	8.99%	9.74%	-0.75%

VSCA.L vs. SHYU.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

VSCA.L has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than SHYU.L's 0.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

VSCA.L vs. SHYU.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither VSCA.L nor SHYU.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SHYU.L iShares $ High Yield Corp Bond UCITS ETF	0.00%	0.00%	6.32%	5.76%	4.82%	4.27%	5.16%	5.58%	5.52%	5.74%	5.16%	5.87%
VSCA.L Vanguard USD Corporate 1-3 Year Bond UCITS ETF Accumulating	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VSCA.L and SHYU.L in my portfolio?

VSCA.L and SHYU.L have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, VSCA.L or SHYU.L?

On fees, VSCA.L is cheaper at 0.09% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, VSCA.L or SHYU.L?

VSCA.L is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for SHYU.L.

What is the main difference between VSCA.L and SHYU.L?

VSCA.L tracks Bloomberg US Corp 1-3 Yr TR USD, while SHYU.L tracks Markit iBoxx USD Liquid High Yield Capped Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.09% for VSCA.L and 0.50% for SHYU.L.