Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF vs Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF — how do they compare? Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF trades at $78.48 (market cap $72.20B), while Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF trades at $77.34 (market cap $51.90B). The key difference: Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF is the larger of the two by market cap, and Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF is more actively traded (7,532,796 versus 2,892,221). Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Vanguard Intermediate Term Corporate Bond ETF for 61 Days and Vanguard Short Term Corporate Bond ETF for 52 Days on average.
| VCIT | VCSH | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $72.20B | $51.90B |
Volume | 7,532,796 | 2,892,221 |
Sector | Fixed Income | Fixed Income |
52-Week High | $84.82 | $80.20 |
52-Week Low | $77.98 | $77.03 |
Typical Hold Time | 61 Days | 52 Days |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
VCIT trades at $78.27 with minimal daily movement (+0.04%). Technical indicators show a bearish trend with strong sell signals from moving averages, though oscillators are neutral. The ETF maintains consistent dividend distributions of $0.34 per share. Recent institutional interest includes Engineers Gate Manager LP's $1.27 million investment and HB Wealth Management's 242.9% position increase in Q3 2026.
VCIT offers a compelling 4.8% yield with low 0.03% expense ratio, positioning it favorably against competitors. However, the bearish technical outlook and interest rate sensitivity present near-term risks. The fund's intermediate-term corporate bond focus provides balanced risk-return profile for income-seeking investors amid economic uncertainty.
VCSH, the Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF, trades at $77.27 with a slight 0.08% daily gain. Technical indicators show a bearish trend from moving averages, though oscillators are neutral. The ETF offers a competitive yield and low expense ratio, but faces headwinds from tight credit spreads and a cautious market outlook. Recent news highlights its role as a stable income alternative to CDs or stable value funds, with institutional activity showing mixed positioning.
The outlook for VCSH is neutral with limited upside due to unattractive entry points and constrained credit spreads. Its short duration minimizes interest rate risk, but yield advantages over peers may narrow. Key risks include corporate credit deterioration and Fed policy shifts. Investors seeking short-term, high-quality bond exposure may find value, but current levels offer modest total return potential.
Trailing returns across standard periods
VCIT tracks the Bloomberg U.S. 5-10 Year Corporate Bond Index, providing exposure to investment-grade debt from industrial, utility, and financial companies. It acts as a middle-ground bond fund, offering higher yields than short-term bonds with less price volatility than long-term corporate debt.
Read more on VCIT →VCSH tracks the Bloomberg U.S. 1-5 Year Corporate Bond Index, focusing on high-quality, investment-grade debt with short maturities. It is designed to offer higher income than Treasury bills with significantly lower interest rate sensitivity than intermediate or long-term bond funds.
Read more on VCSH →