ETF Versus

IEMG vs VYM

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-10

IEMG iShares

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to stocks in emerging market economies with higher growth potential. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.09%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.49%. Launched in 2012, the fund has a 14-year track record.

AUM: $144.0B ER: 0.09% Yield: 2.49% Since: Oct 18, 2012
VYM Vanguard

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares (VYM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.31%. Launched in 2006, the fund has a 20-year track record.

AUM: $74.7B ER: 0.04% Yield: 2.31% Since: Nov 10, 2006

Quick Verdict

VYM has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.04% vs 0.09%), saving about $99 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, IEMG has significantly outperformed with a 48.0% return vs 27.9%.

Key Metrics

Metric IEMG VYM
Expense Ratio 0.09% 0.04%
Dividend Yield 2.5% 2.3%
Fund Family iShares Vanguard
Category Emerging Markets US Dividend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

65 83 101 119 137 155 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
IEMG +15.3%
VYM +48.6%

Performance Comparison

Period IEMG VYM Difference
1 Month +2.68% +1.40% +1.28%
3 Months +4.57% +3.22% +1.35%
6 Months +12.30% +9.20% +3.10%
YTD +7.54% +5.27% +2.27%
1 Year +47.97% +27.88% +20.09%
3 Years +50.82% +42.71% +8.11%
5 Years +15.31% +48.59% -33.28%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period IEMG Fees VYM Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $179 $80 $99
$10,000 20 years $771 $344 $427
$10,000 30 years $2,486 $1,112 $1,373
$50,000 10 years $896 $399 $497
$50,000 30 years $12,428 $5,560 $6,867
$100,000 30 years $24,855 $11,121 $13,734

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric IEMG VYM
Annualized Volatility 18.3% 14.0%
Max Drawdown -38.5% -17.5%
Sharpe Ratio 0.00 0.32

Dividend Comparison

Metric IEMG VYM
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.85 $3.51
Dividend Yield 2.49% 2.31%
Distribution Frequency Semi-Annual or Annual Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

IEMG Top Holdings

NameWeight
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited!tpe/233011.69%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!krx/0059305.24%
Tencent Holdings Limited!hkg/07003.20%
SK hynix Inc.!krx/0006602.96%
Alibaba Group Holding Limited!hkg/99882.14%
China Construction Bank Corporation!hkg/09390.81%
Delta Electronics, Inc.!tpe/23080.79%
HDFC Bank Limited!nse/HDFCBANK0.77%
Reliance Industries Limited!nse/RELIANCE0.68%
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.!tpe/23170.61%

VYM Top Holdings

NameWeight
Broadcom Inc.AVGO6.48%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM3.36%
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM2.83%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ2.63%
Walmart Inc.WMT2.44%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV1.81%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG1.72%
The Home Depot, Inc.HD1.66%
Chevron CorporationCVX1.54%
Caterpillar Inc.CAT1.51%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VYM if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose IEMG if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

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