SCHJ vs VYM

SCHJ vs VYM

Which is better, SCHJ or VYM?

Short Term Bond against Large Cap Value.

SCHJ has a lower expense ratio. VYM led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: SCHJHigher Returns: VYM

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricSCHJVYM
Expense Ratio0.03%Best0.04%
AUM$853M$81.6B
Dividend Yield4.53%2.22%
Holdings3,273613
YTD Return+0.30%+11.71%Best
1Y Return+1.40%+16.24%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+5.15%+17.24%Best
5Y Return (annualized)+2.13%+11.86%Best
Volatility (annualized)3.4%Best15.5%
Max Drawdown-13.6%Best-35.7%
$10,000 over 5 years$11,111$17,514Best
Fund FamilyCharles Schwab Asset ManagementVanguard (US)
CategoryFixed IncomeEquity
StyleShort Term BondLarge Cap Value
InceptionOct 10, 2019Nov 10, 2006

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 10, 2019 to Sep 16, 2026 (6.9 years).

SCHJ vs VYM growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 6.9 years both funds cover.

SCHJ vs VYM Performance

Schwab 1-5 Year Corporate Bond ETF (SCHJ) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management and Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SCHJ returned +1.40% while VYM returned +16.24%. Year to date, SCHJ is up 0.30% versus a gain of 11.71% for VYM.

Over three years, SCHJ compounded at +5.15% per year against +17.24% for VYM; over five years the annualized figures are +2.13% and +11.86% respectively. Across the full 7-year window we track, VYM has the edge at +11.71% annualized vs +1.97%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

VYM has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.5% compared with 3.4% for SCHJ. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -13.6% for SCHJ and -35.7% for VYM. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.58. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

SCHJ charges 0.03% per year while VYM charges 0.04%. On a $10,000 position that is $3 vs $4 annually, a gap of $1 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SCHJ currently yields 4.53% against 2.22% for VYM.

Holdings Overlap

VYM already in SCHJ0.8%

At least 0.8% of VYM's money is in holdings SCHJ also owns.

Stated as a floor: for SCHJ, our book for it covers 79.7% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.

We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.

6 positions in common, counted across the 2,695 positions we hold weights for in SCHJ and 557 in VYM, against full books of 3,273 and 613.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in SCHJWeight in VYMDifference
TMUST-Mobile Usa Inc Esrw Usd Npv Ref Sm#5855580.23%0.34%0.11%
KDPKeurig Dr Pepper Inc (kdp Us)0.03%0.16%0.13%
CNPCenterpoint Energy Inc.0.02%0.11%0.09%
HUBBHubbell Inc0.01%0.10%0.09%
SFStifel Finl Corp0.01%0.05%0.04%
NOVNov Inc Common Stock0.02%0.03%0.01%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of SCHJ and VYM you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

SCHJVYM

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, SCHJ or VYM?

SCHJ has an expense ratio of 0.03% while VYM charges 0.04%. SCHJ is the cheaper option, by $1 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, SCHJ or VYM?

Over the past year SCHJ returned +1.40% vs +16.24% for VYM, so VYM leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (7 years), SCHJ annualized +1.97% vs +11.71% for VYM. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, SCHJ or VYM?

VYM has been the more volatile fund at 15.5% annualized versus 3.4% for SCHJ. Worst drawdown: SCHJ -13.6% vs VYM -35.7%.

Should I hold both SCHJ and VYM?

SCHJ and VYM have a monthly-return correlation of 0.58, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, SCHJ or VYM?

SCHJ yields 4.53% while VYM yields 2.22%, so SCHJ currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VYM better than SCHJ?

SCHJ has a lower expense ratio. VYM led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.