Which returned more over the last year, HYG or VBR?

In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, HYG returned +2.9% and VBR returned +16.3%, so VBR returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.

Which is cheaper, HYG or VBR?

HYG charges 0.49% a year and VBR charges 0.05%, so VBR is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.

ETFIQetfiq.com · independent ETF data

HYG vs VBR: how they differ

HYG is a bond index fund and VBR an equity index fund, and over the year VBR returned more, +16.3% against +2.9%.

iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF and Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund.

HYG and VBR on the fields both publish, as of Sep 12, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
	HYG iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF	VBR Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund
Where it sits	Core index fund	Core index fund
Issuer	iShares	Vanguard
What it is	US high yield bonds	Small-Cap Value
Total return, 1 year	+2.9%	+16.3%
S&P 500 over the same days	+17.5%	+17.5%
Gap to the S&P 500	−14.6 pts	−1.2 pts
Expense ratio	0.49%	0.05%
Holdings	not filed	840

HYG in plain words

HYG is a bond fund tracking the US high yield bonds. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +2.9% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.49% a year.

VBR in plain words

VBR is an index equity fund tracking the Small-Cap Value. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +16.3% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.05% a year. By its holdings filed for Jun 30, 2026, 30% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 840 positions, with the top ten at 5.9%. It sat 3.8% below its high of Aug 14, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, HYG or VBR?: In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, HYG returned +2.9% and VBR returned +16.3%, so VBR returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
Which is cheaper, HYG or VBR?: HYG charges 0.49% a year and VBR charges 0.05%, so VBR is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

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Where these figures came from

ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.

HYG against VBR, ETFIQ, data as of Sep 12, 2026. Every figure is arithmetic on a named public source; the method is at etfiq.com/methodology. A comparison is not a recommendation.

Cite this page. ETFIQ, HYG against VBR, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/HYG-VBR Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.

A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources