The Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares (VB) and the iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY) are both among the Top 100 ETFs. VB is a Vanguard Small Blend fund and SHY is a iShares Short Government fund. So, what’s the difference between VB and SHY? And which fund is better?
The expense ratio of VB is 0.10 percentage points lower than SHY’s (0.05% vs. 0.15%). VB also has a high exposure to the technology sector while SHY is mostly comprised of AAA bonds. Overall, VB has provided higher returns than SHY over the past ten years.
In this article, we’ll compare VB vs. SHY. We’ll look at portfolio growth and industry exposure, as well as at their fund composition and risk metrics. Moreover, I’ll also discuss VB’s and SHY’s performance, annual returns, and holdings and examine how these affect their overall returns.
FYI: Another great way to get exposure to the real estate sector is by investing in real estate debt. Groundfloor offers fantastic short-term, high-yield bonds that can add diversification to your portfolio!
Summary
| VB | SHY | |
| NameVanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF SharesiShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF | ||
| Category | Small Blend | Short Government |
| Issuer | Vanguard | iShares |
| AUM | 137.72B | 19.51B |
| Avg. Return | 14.25% | 1.27% |
| Div. Yield | 1.14% | 0.46% |
| Expense Ratio | 0.05% | 0.15% |
The Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares (VB) is a Small Blend fund that is issued by Vanguard. It currently has 137.72B total assets under management and has yielded an average annual return of 14.25% over the past 10 years. The fund has a dividend yield of 1.14% with an expense ratio of 0.05%.
The iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY) is a Short Government fund that is issued by iShares. It currently has 19.51B total assets under management and has yielded an average annual return of 1.27% over the past 10 years. The fund has a dividend yield of 0.46% with an expense ratio of 0.15%.
VB’s dividend yield is 0.68% higher than that of SHY (1.14% vs. 0.46%). Also, VB yielded on average 12.98% more per year over the past decade (14.25% vs. 1.27%). The expense ratio of VB is 0.10 percentage points lower than SHY’s (0.05% vs. 0.15%).
FYI: The best way I've found to invest is through M1 Finance. It's free and you even get an instant line of credit and 100$! Have a look here (link to M1 Finance).
Fund Composition
Holdings
| VB Holdings | Weight |
| Charles River Laboratories International Inc | 0.34% |
| Pool Corp | 0.32% |
| Bio-Techne Corp | 0.32% |
| Avantor Inc | 0.32% |
| PerkinElmer Inc | 0.31% |
| Diamondback Energy Inc | 0.31% |
| VICI Properties Inc Ordinary Shares | 0.3% |
| IDEX Corp | 0.3% |
| Entegris Inc | 0.3% |
| Novavax Inc | 0.29% |
VB’s Top Holdings are Charles River Laboratories International Inc, Pool Corp, Bio-Techne Corp, Avantor Inc, and PerkinElmer Inc at 0.34%, 0.32%, 0.32%, 0.32%, and 0.31%.
Diamondback Energy Inc (0.31%), VICI Properties Inc Ordinary Shares (0.3%), and IDEX Corp (0.3%) have a slightly smaller but still significant weight. Entegris Inc and Novavax Inc are also represented in the VB’s holdings at 0.3% and 0.29%.
| SHY Bond Sectors | Weight |
| AAA | 99.67% |
| Others | 0.33% |
| Below B | 0.0% |
| B | 0.0% |
| BB | 0.0% |
| BBB | 0.0% |
| A | 0.0% |
| AA | 0.0% |
| US Government | 0.0% |
SHY’s Top Bond Sectors are ratings of AAA, Others, Below B, B, and BB at 99.67%, 0.33%, 0.0%, 0.0%, and 0.0%. The fund is less weighted towards BBB (0.0%), A (0.0%), and AA (0.0%) rated bonds.
Risk Analysis
| VB | SHY | |
| Mean Return | 1.15 | 0.09 |
| R-squared | 85.03 | 39.11 |
| Std. Deviation | 17.82 | 0.89 |
| Alpha | -4.02 | -0.03 |
| Beta | 1.21 | 0.18 |
| Sharpe Ratio | 0.74 | 0.54 |
| Treynor Ratio | 10.15 | 2.6 |
The Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares (VB) has a Treynor Ratio of 10.15 with a Beta of 1.21 and a Alpha of -4.02. Its R-squared is 85.03 while VB’s Standard Deviation is 17.82. Furthermore, the fund has a Sharpe Ratio of 0.74 and a Mean Return of 1.15.
The iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF (SHY) has a Treynor Ratio of 2.6 with a Beta of 0.18 and a Standard Deviation of 0.89. Its Sharpe Ratio is 0.54 while SHY’s Alpha is -0.03. Furthermore, the fund has a R-squared of 39.11 and a Mean Return of 0.09.
VB’s Mean Return is 1.06 points higher than that of SHY and its R-squared is 45.92 points higher. With a Standard Deviation of 17.82, VB is slightly more volatile than SHY. The Alpha and Beta of VB are 3.99 points lower and 1.03 points higher than SHY’s Alpha and Beta.
NOTE: The easiest way to add diversification to your portfolio is to invest in real estate through Fundrise. You can become private real estate investor without the burden of property management! Check it out here (link to Fundrise).
Performance
Annual Returns
| Year | VB | SHY |
| 2020 | 19.08% | 3.01% |
| 2019 | 27.37% | 3.42% |
| 2018 | -9.3% | 1.45% |
| 2017 | 16.24% | 0.27% |
| 2016 | 18.31% | 0.75% |
| 2015 | -3.65% | 0.43% |
| 2014 | 7.51% | 0.48% |
| 2013 | 37.8% | 0.23% |
| 2012 | 18.22% | 0.31% |
| 2011 | -2.68% | 1.43% |
| 2010 | 27.89% | 2.23% |
VB had its best year in 2013 with an annual return of 37.8%. VB’s worst year over the past decade yielded -9.3% and occurred in 2018. In most years the Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares provided moderate returns such as in 2017, 2012, and 2016 where annual returns amounted to 16.24%, 18.22%, and 18.31% respectively.
The year 2019 was the strongest year for SHY, returning 3.42% on an annual basis. The poorest year for SHY in the last ten years was 2013, with a yield of 0.23%. Most years the iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bond ETF has given investors modest returns, such as in 2014, 2016, and 2011, when gains were 0.48%, 0.75%, and 1.43% respectively.
Portfolio Growth
| Fund | Initial Balance | Final Balance | CAGR |
| VB | $10,000 | $39,734 | 14.25% |
| SHY | $10,000 | $11,486 | 1.27% |
A $10,000 investment in VB would have resulted in a final balance of $39,734. This is a profit of $29,734 over 11 years and amounts to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.25%.
With a $10,000 investment in SHY, the end total would have been $11,486. This equates to a $1,486 profit over 11 years and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.27%.
VB’s CAGR is 12.98 percentage points higher than that of SHY and as a result, would have yielded $28,248 more on a $10,000 investment. Thus, VB outperformed SHY by 12.98% annually.
Current recommendations:
Over the past years, I have discovered several tools and products that have helped me tremendously on my path to financial freedom:
P.S.: The links below are affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you when you sign up for one of the services. Thank you for your support!
1)Personal Capital is simply the best tool out there to track your net worth and plan for financial freedom. Just their retirement planner alone has become an invaluable tool to keep myself on track financially. Try it out, it's free!
2) Take a look at M1 Finance, my favorite broker. I love how easy it is to invest and maintain my portfolio with them. I can set up automatic transfers, rebalance my portfolio with one click and even borrow up to 35% of my assets at super low interest rates!
3) Fundrise is by far the best way I've found to invest in Real Estate. You can diversify your portfolio by investing in their eREITs or even allocate capital to individual properties (without the hassle of managing tenants!).
4) Groundfloor is another great way to get exposure to the real estate sector by investing in short-term, high-yield real estate debt. Current returns are >10% and you can get started with just $10.
5) If you are interested in startup investing, check out Mainvest. I've started allocating a small amount of assets to invest in and support small businesses. Return targets are between 10-25% and you can start with just $100!
To see all of my most up-to-date recommendations, check out the Recommended Tools section.
I believe that money is just a means to an end: to be free to spend your time as you wish, to maximize your positive impact on the world.
