ETF Versus

IEMG vs VYM

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

Last updated: 2026-04-02

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 an attractive dividend yield of 2.63%. Launched in 2012, the fund has a 14-year track record.

AUM: $132.2B ER: 0.09% Yield: 2.63% 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 2.37%. Launched in 2006, the fund has a 20-year track record.

AUM: $71.3B ER: 0.04% Yield: 2.37% 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 29.6% return vs 15.0%.

Key Metrics

Metric IEMG VYM
Expense Ratio 0.09% 0.04%
Dividend Yield 2.6% 2.4%
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 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
IEMG +7.7%
VYM +44.6%

Performance Comparison

Period IEMG VYM Difference
1 Month -6.83% -4.59% -2.24%
3 Months +1.86% +2.20% -0.34%
6 Months +5.01% +4.52% +0.49%
YTD +1.86% +2.20% -0.34%
1 Year +29.64% +14.98% +14.66%
3 Years +43.63% +39.18% +4.45%
5 Years +7.71% +44.55% -36.84%

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 18.1% 14.0%
Max Drawdown -38.5% -17.5%
Sharpe Ratio -0.08 0.28

Dividend Comparison

Metric IEMG VYM
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.85 $3.51
Dividend Yield 2.63% 2.37%
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/233011.60%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!krx/0059304.66%
Tencent Holdings Limited!hkg/07003.32%
SK hynix Inc.!krx/0006602.75%
Alibaba Group Holding Limited!hkg/99882.22%
China Construction Bank Corporation!hkg/09390.82%
Delta Electronics, Inc.!tpe/23080.76%
HDFC Bank Limited!nse/HDFCBANK0.75%
Reliance Industries Limited!nse/RELIANCE0.71%
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.!tpe/23170.65%

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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