VYM vs. IUSB
VYM (Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF) and IUSB (iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VYM is a Dividend fund tracking the FTSE High Dividend Yield 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, VYM returned 12.00%/yr vs 1.89%/yr for IUSB. At a 0.03 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. VYM charges 0.04%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for IUSB.
Performance
VYM vs. IUSB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VYM achieves a 11.70% return, which is significantly higher than IUSB's 0.54% return. Over the past 10 years, VYM has outperformed IUSB with an annualized return of 12.00%, while IUSB has yielded a comparatively lower 1.89% annualized return.
VYM
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- 0.42%
- YTD
- 11.70%
- 6M
- 11.13%
- 1Y
- 25.24%
- 3Y*
- 18.48%
- 5Y*
- 12.10%
- 10Y*
- 12.00%
IUSB
- 1D
- -0.28%
- 1M
- 0.57%
- YTD
- 0.54%
- 6M
- 0.62%
- 1Y
- 4.82%
- 3Y*
- 4.47%
- 5Y*
- 0.40%
- 10Y*
- 1.89%
VYM vs. IUSB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VYM Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | 11.70% | 15.42% | 17.60% | 6.57% | -0.43% | 26.20% | 1.15% | 24.06% | -5.92% | 16.42% |
IUSB iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF | 0.54% | 7.38% | 2.11% | 6.23% | -13.04% | -1.33% | 7.62% | 9.13% | -0.27% | 3.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between VYM and IUSB is 0.36, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.36 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.27 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.06 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 12, 2014 | 0.03 |
Over the past year, VYM and IUSB have become more correlated (0.36) than their long-term average of 0.03, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
VYM vs. IUSB — Risk / Return Rank
VYM
IUSB
VYM vs. IUSB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) 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.
| VYM | IUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.45 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.44 | 1.24 | +0.20 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.79 | 1.92 | +1.87 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.09 | 5.54 | +8.56 |
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Drawdowns
VYM vs. IUSB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VYM drawdown since its inception was -56.98%, which is greater than IUSB's maximum drawdown of -17.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VYM and IUSB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VYM | IUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -56.98% | -17.90% | -39.08% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -6.69% | -2.53% | -4.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.46% | -5.82% | -8.64% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.84% | -17.87% | +2.03% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.21% | -17.90% | -17.31% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.12% | -1.22% | +0.10% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.18% | -3.58% | -3.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.80% | 0.87% | +0.93% |
Volatility
VYM vs. IUSB - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) has a higher volatility of 3.02% compared to iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF (IUSB) at 1.08%. This indicates that VYM'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
| VYM | IUSB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.02% | 1.08% | +1.94% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.64% | 2.73% | +4.91% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.41% | 3.59% | +6.82% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.93% | 5.80% | +8.13% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.35% | 5.05% | +11.30% |
VYM vs. IUSB - Expense Ratio Comparison
VYM has a 0.04% 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
VYM vs. IUSB - Dividend Comparison
VYM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.29%, less than IUSB's 4.23% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IUSB iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF | 4.23% | 4.17% | 4.04% | 3.46% | 2.53% | 1.74% | 2.68% | 3.04% | 2.98% | 2.56% | 2.60% | 1.95% |
VYM Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF | 2.29% | 2.44% | 2.74% | 3.12% | 3.01% | 2.76% | 3.18% | 3.03% | 3.40% | 2.80% | 2.91% | 3.22% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VYM and IUSB have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VYM has higher volatility (3.02%) compared to IUSB (1.08%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VYM dropped -56.98% vs IUSB's -17.90%.
On 10-year performance, VYM leads with 12.00% vs 1.89% for IUSB. On fees, VYM is cheaper at 0.04% per year. On volatility, IUSB has been the lower-risk option at 1.08%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VYM has performed better with a 12.00% return vs 1.89%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VYM is cheaper with a 0.04% expense ratio, compared with 0.06% for IUSB.
IUSB has the higher dividend yield at 4.23%, compared with 2.29% for VYM.
VYM is categorized as Dividend, while IUSB is Intermediate Core-Plus Bond. VYM tracks FTSE High Dividend Yield Index, while IUSB tracks Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.04% for VYM and 0.06% for IUSB.
VYM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.44 vs 1.35), 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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