VTC vs. IGSB
VTC (Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF) and IGSB (iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF) are both Corporate Bonds funds - VTC tracks the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index while IGSB tracks the ICE BofAML 1-5 Year US Corporate Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VTC returned 0.51%/yr vs 2.43%/yr for IGSB. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VTC charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for IGSB.
Performance
VTC vs. IGSB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VTC achieves a 0.60% return, which is significantly lower than IGSB's 0.72% return.
VTC
- 1D
- -0.22%
- 1M
- 0.63%
- YTD
- 0.60%
- 6M
- 0.33%
- 1Y
- 5.99%
- 3Y*
- 5.22%
- 5Y*
- 0.51%
- 10Y*
- —
IGSB
- 1D
- -0.06%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 0.72%
- 6M
- 1.01%
- 1Y
- 4.72%
- 3Y*
- 5.66%
- 5Y*
- 2.43%
- 10Y*
- 2.74%
VTC vs. IGSB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTC Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF | 0.60% | 7.58% | 2.15% | 8.58% | -15.68% | -1.41% | 9.30% | 14.60% | -2.55% | 0.84% |
IGSB iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 0.72% | 6.96% | 4.97% | 6.40% | -5.63% | -0.56% | 5.37% | 7.11% | 1.25% | -0.12% |
Correlation
The correlation between VTC and IGSB is 0.88, 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 | 0.88 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.89 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.86 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 10, 2017 | 0.81 |
The correlation between VTC and IGSB has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VTC vs. IGSB — Risk / Return Rank
VTC
IGSB
VTC vs. IGSB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF (VTC) and iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (IGSB). 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.
| VTC | IGSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.82 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.49 | -0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.09 | 3.25 | -1.16 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.63 | 13.22 | -6.58 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VTC | IGSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.38 | 2.46 | -1.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.07 | 0.83 | -0.76 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.79 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.32 | 0.70 | -0.38 |
Drawdowns
VTC vs. IGSB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTC drawdown since its inception was -22.05%, which is greater than IGSB's maximum drawdown of -13.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTC and IGSB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTC | IGSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -22.05% | -13.38% | -8.67% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.88% | -1.46% | -1.42% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -6.46% | -1.46% | -5.00% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.05% | -9.46% | -12.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -13.38% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.99% | -0.32% | -0.67% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.84% | -0.85% | -4.99% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.90% | 0.36% | +0.54% |
Volatility
VTC vs. IGSB - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF (VTC) has a higher volatility of 1.43% compared to iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (IGSB) at 0.57%. This indicates that VTC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IGSB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VTC | IGSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.43% | 0.57% | +0.86% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 3.22% | 1.41% | +1.81% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.37% | 1.92% | +2.45% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 7.08% | 2.93% | +4.15% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 7.68% | 3.46% | +4.22% |
VTC vs. IGSB - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTC has a 0.04% expense ratio, which is lower than IGSB'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
VTC vs. IGSB - Dividend Comparison
VTC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.93%, more than IGSB's 4.58% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IGSB iShares Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF | 4.58% | 4.44% | 4.02% | 3.26% | 2.07% | 1.82% | 2.36% | 3.06% | 2.46% | 1.65% | 1.45% | 1.18% |
VTC Vanguard Total Corporate Bond ETF | 4.93% | 4.76% | 4.50% | 3.80% | 3.13% | 2.36% | 2.69% | 3.34% | 3.53% | 0.55% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VTC and IGSB have a correlation of 0.88, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VTC has higher volatility (1.43%) compared to IGSB (0.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTC dropped -22.05% vs IGSB's -13.38%.
On 5-year performance, IGSB leads with 2.43% vs 0.51% for VTC. On fees, VTC is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, IGSB has been the lower-risk option at 0.57%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, IGSB has performed better with a 2.43% return vs 0.51%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VTC is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.06% for IGSB.
VTC has the higher dividend yield at 4.93%, compared with 4.58% for IGSB.
VTC tracks Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Corporate Bond Index, while IGSB tracks ICE BofAML 1-5 Year US Corporate Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.04% for VTC and 0.06% for IGSB.
IGSB currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.46 vs 1.38), 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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