VHT vs EWJ

Comparison between VANGUARD HEALTH CARE INDEX FUND ETF SHARES (VHT, ETF) and ISHARES MSCI JAPAN ETF (EWJ, ETF).

5-Year PerformanceEWJ has outperformed VHT, delivering a return of +8.6% compared to +3.8%

VHT vs EWJ - Performance Comparison

Log

Key Characteristics

Financial metrics and valuation ratios

Metric	VHT(ETF)	EWJ(ETF)
Net Assets	$19B	$18B
Expense Ratio	0.09%	0.49%
Max Drawdown	40.91%	62.18%
Sharpe Ratio	0.51	1.40
5Y Beta	0.53	0.86
P/E Ratio	35.62	N/A
Forward P/E	17.44	N/A
5Y Dividends CAGR	19.97%	27.21%
5Y EPS CAGR	13.69%	N/A
Debt to Equity	-103.73%	N/A
P/S Ratio	1.55	N/A
P/B Ratio	4.43	N/A

Net Assets

Winner

VHT

$19B

EWJ

$18B

Expense Ratio

Winner

VHT

0.09%

EWJ

0.49%

Max Drawdown

Winner

VHT

40.91%

EWJ

62.18%

Sharpe Ratio

VHT

0.51

Winner

EWJ

1.40

5Y Beta

Winner

VHT

0.53

EWJ

0.86

P/E Ratio

VHT

35.62

EWJ

N/A

Forward P/E

VHT

17.44

EWJ

N/A

5Y Dividends CAGR

VHT

19.97%

Winner

EWJ

27.21%

5Y EPS CAGR

VHT

13.69%

EWJ

N/A

Debt to Equity

VHT

-103.73%

EWJ

N/A

P/S Ratio

VHT

1.55

EWJ

N/A

P/B Ratio

VHT

4.43

EWJ

N/A

VHT vs EWJ - Historical Returns

Returns include dividend reinvestment.

Period	VHT	EWJ
1 month	-3.31%	+3.14%
3 months	-6.57%	+1.02%
6 months	-0.41%	+14.91%
1 year	+11.55%	+34.32%
5 years(CAGR)	+3.80%	+8.56%
10 years(CAGR)	+9.40%	+9.37%
Max(CAGR)	+9.37%	+3.22%

VHT

-3.31%

Winner

EWJ

+3.14%

VHT

-6.57%

Winner

EWJ

+1.02%

VHT

-0.41%

Winner

EWJ

+14.91%

VHT

+11.55%

Winner

EWJ

+34.32%

5Y(CAGR)

VHT

+3.80%

Winner

EWJ

+8.56%

10Y(CAGR)

Winner

VHT

+9.40%

EWJ

+9.37%

Max(CAGR)

Winner

VHT

+9.37%

EWJ

+3.22%

VHT vs EWJ - Annual Returns (1999 - 2026)

Returns include dividend reinvestment.

Year	VHT	EWJ
2026	-6.50%	+13.39%
2025	+15.30%	+26.06%
2024	+1.10%	+8.03%
2023	+2.93%	+19.75%
2022	-5.01%	-17.81%
2021	+21.18%	+2.38%
2020	+18.07%	+14.21%
2019	+23.51%	+18.51%
2018	+4.28%	-14.61%
2017	+21.75%	+23.26%
2016	-1.27%	+4.41%
2015	+6.87%	+8.97%
2014	+26.12%	-4.66%
2013	+39.74%	+22.93%
2012	+17.63%	+7.10%
2011	+9.53%	-15.57%
2010	+4.15%	+10.75%
2009	+19.81%	+2.60%
2008	-22.72%	-26.64%
2007	+7.86%	-5.43%
2006	+5.56%	+2.59%
2005	+9.70%	+25.83%
2004	+0.73%	+13.03%
2003	N/A	+36.18%
2002	N/A	-10.32%
2001	N/A	-29.91%
2000	N/A	-29.46%
1999	N/A	+12.29%

VHT vs EWJ Drawdown Comparison

The maximum drawdown for VHT was -39.10%, occurring on Mar 5, 2009. Recovery took 813 trading sessions.

The maximum drawdown for EWJ was -60.95%, occurring on Apr 25, 2003. Recovery took 4319 trading sessions.

The current VHT drawdown is -9.18%. The current EWJ drawdown is -1.86%.

Rank	VHT	EWJ
#1	-39.10% Dec 10, 2007 - Mar 3, 2011	-60.95% Mar 31, 2000 - Jun 2, 2017
#2	-28.86% Feb 19, 2020 - Jun 8, 2020	-33.13% Sep 15, 2021 - Mar 6, 2024
#3	-20.26% Jul 20, 2015 - Jun 1, 2017	-30.69% Jan 26, 2018 - Nov 9, 2020
#4	-18.31% May 18, 2011 - Feb 1, 2012	-14.67% Sep 26, 2024 - Apr 29, 2025
#5	-17.71% Dec 30, 2021 - Feb 6, 2024	-13.59% Feb 11, 2026 - Mar 20, 2026
#6	-16.97% Oct 1, 2018 - Nov 8, 2019	-13.00% Dec 31, 1999 - Mar 31, 2000
#7	-16.90% Aug 30, 2024 - Nov 12, 2025	-12.21% Jul 16, 2024 - Aug 23, 2024
#8	-13.77% Apr 22, 2004 - Apr 29, 2005	-8.95% Feb 16, 2021 - Sep 3, 2021
#9	-12.07% Jan 26, 2018 - Aug 2, 2018	-7.43% Mar 21, 2024 - Jul 12, 2024
#10	-10.40% Jan 7, 2026 - Mar 27, 2026	-5.90% Oct 6, 2025 - Oct 20, 2025
#11	-9.69% Mar 22, 2006 - Sep 12, 2006	-5.75% Nov 12, 2025 - Dec 15, 2025
#12	-8.44% Mar 4, 2014 - Jun 20, 2014	-5.39% Aug 30, 2024 - Sep 26, 2024
#13	-8.00% Sep 2, 2021 - Dec 23, 2021	-5.14% Nov 26, 1999 - Dec 23, 1999
#14	-7.85% Feb 12, 2021 - Apr 15, 2021	-4.77% Jun 27, 2025 - Jul 23, 2025
#15	-7.70% Feb 11, 2004 - Apr 22, 2004	-4.19% Jan 14, 2021 - Feb 8, 2021

Correlation

Correlation between VHT and EWJ is 0.92 which considered as a very strong positive correlation - the stocks move almost identically together.

0.92

-101

Dividend Comparison (1999 - 2026)

VHT vs EWJ dividend yield comparison.

Year	VHT	EWJ
2026	0.37%	0.00%
2025	1.61%	4.52%
2024	1.53%	2.34%
2023	1.36%	2.03%
2022	1.33%	1.23%
2021	1.14%	2.08%
2020	1.21%	1.04%
2019	1.89%	2.03%
2018	1.38%	1.71%
2017	1.31%	1.25%
2016	1.45%	1.95%
2015	1.22%	1.27%
2014	1.02%	1.32%
2013	1.12%	1.11%
2012	1.67%	1.94%
2011	1.71%	2.13%
2010	1.74%	1.30%
2009	2.74%	1.42%
2008	1.65%	1.40%
2007	1.35%	1.04%
2006	1.08%	0.70%
2005	0.72%	0.43%
2004	0.26%	0.39%
2003	0.00%	0.02%
2000	0.00%	4.08%
1999	0.00%	0.67%