Which returned more over the last year, EMB or VCSH?

In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EMB returned −0.4% and VCSH +1.3%.

Which is cheaper, EMB or VCSH?

VCSH is cheaper, by 0.36 percentage points a year. That is about $36 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

Across categories

EMB vs VCSH: Differences, Returns & Fees

Share on X Download as PDF

EMB's duration was 6.5 years on Jul 31, 2026 and VCSH's 2.7 on May 31, 2026; VCSH charges 0.03% to EMB's 0.39%.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about EMB and VCSH

Net assets: $13.2bn on Oct 28, 2026 for iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF, and $43.9bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF.

EMB on its own →VCSH on its own →

At a glance

−0.4%

EMB total return, 1 year

+1.3%

VCSH total return, 1 year

0.39%

EMB expense ratio

0.03%

VCSH expense ratio

Pair scorecard

VCSH costs 0.36 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 1.7 points; VCSH is 3.4 times larger.

EMB vs VCSH: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	EMB	VCSH
Return
Measure	EMB	VCSH
Total return, 1 year	−0.4%	+1.3%
Drawdown
Measure	EMB	VCSH
Below its high	3.5%, high on Jun 29, 2026
Benchmark
Measure	EMB	VCSH
What it tracks	J.P. Morgan EMBI Global Core Index	Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index
Cost and size
Measure	EMB	VCSH
Expense ratio	0.39%	0.03%
Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026	$12.9bn	$43.9bn
Holdings
Measure	EMB	VCSH
Holdings in common	0%

Holdings in common uses holdings dated May 31, 2026 and Jul 31, 2026. Method

What they share

By the books each fund has filed, EMB and VCSH hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated May 31, 2026 and Jul 31, 2026.

50%

0 half 100%

half

0% in common

Positions both hold · largest shared weight first EMB VCSH

Only in one fund ↓

Only in EMB

Argentina Republic Government International Bonds, due Jul 9, 2035 1.21%

Ecuador Government International Bonds, due Jul 31, 2035 0.78%

Argentina Republic Government International Bonds, due Jan 9, 2038 0.70%

Argentina Republic Government International Bonds, due Jul 9, 2030 0.65%

Argentina Republic Government International Bonds, due Jul 9, 2041 0.57%

Ghana Government International Bonds, due Jul 3, 2035 0.55%

Uruguay Government International Bonds, due Jun 18, 2050 0.51%

Eagle Funding Luxco Sarl, due Aug 17, 2030 0.50%

Only in VCSH

US TREASURY N/B, due May 31, 2028 0.83%

BANK OF AMER CRP, due Dec 20, 2028 0.23%

ABBVIE INC, due Nov 21, 2029 0.21%

CVS HEALTH CORP, due Mar 25, 2028 0.20%

T-MOBILE USA INC, due Apr 15, 2030 0.19%

BOEING CO, due May 1, 2030 0.19%

WELLS FARGO CO, due Jul 25, 2029 0.18%

JPMORGAN CHASE, due Apr 23, 2032 0.18%

Check overlap with more funds →

Side by side

EMB iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond ETF VCSH Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF

Where it sits Bond ETF Bond ETF

Issuer iShares Vanguard

What it is Tracks the J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond Tracks an index of Short-Term Corporate Bond

Total return, 1 year −0.4% +1.3%

Its benchmark over the same days not measured +1.3% (SCHJ)

Gap to its benchmark not measured 0.0 pts vs SCHJ

Expense ratio 0.39% 0.03%

Holdings 622 3064

Net assets, EMB as of Oct 28, 2026 and VCSH as of Sep 30, 2026 $13.2bn $43.9bn

EMB and VCSH on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Alert

About each fund

EMB

EMB tracks the J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −0.4% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.39% a year. It sat 3.5% below its high of Jun 29, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

VCSH

VCSH tracks an index of Short-Term Corporate Bond. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +1.3% with distributions reinvested, against +1.3% for its benchmark, the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, EMB or VCSH?: In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EMB returned −0.4% and VCSH +1.3%.
Which is cheaper, EMB or VCSH?: VCSH is cheaper, by 0.36 percentage points a year. That is about $36 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

EMB vs IGSB EMB vs SPSB BSV vs EMB EMB vs VGIT TIP vs VCSH PFF vs VCSH SCHP vs VCSH IEI vs VCSH

Where to next

EMB on its own →VCSH on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →EMB dividend history →EMB holdings →VCSH dividend history →VCSH holdings →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

EMB filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

EMB prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

iShares page for EMB ↗

VCSH filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

VCSH prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

Vanguard page for VCSH ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

How this is computed

Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, EMB against VCSH, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/emb-vs-vcsh

Open data →

Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.