VOO and VOOG Both Offer S&P 500 Exposure, But One Offers Greater Earning Potential for Investors

Core Insights - The Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (VOOG) focuses on S&P 500 growth stocks, while the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) includes all S&P 500 constituents, highlighting differences in cost, returns, risk, and portfolio composition that are significant for investors [2] Cost & Size Comparison - VOOG has an expense ratio of 0.07% and AUM of $21.7 billion, while VOO has a lower expense ratio of 0.03% and AUM of $1.5 trillion [3] - The 1-year return for VOOG is 20.87%, compared to 16.44% for VOO, and VOOG has a dividend yield of 0.48% versus 1.12% for VOO [3][4] Performance & Risk Metrics - VOOG has a maximum drawdown of -32.74% over 5 years, while VOO's is -24.53% [5] - An investment of $1,000 in VOOG would grow to $1,945 over 5 years, compared to $1,842 for VOO [5] Portfolio Composition - VOO holds 505 companies across all sectors, with technology making up 37% of the fund, while VOOG has a heavier technology focus at 45%, followed by communication services at 16% [6][7] - The top holdings for both ETFs include Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, but these stocks constitute a larger portion of VOOG's portfolio [7] Investment Implications - Both VOOG and VOO are strong ETF options, but their differing goals and portfolio compositions present unique strengths and weaknesses [9] - VOO offers broader sector diversification, which may help reduce volatility compared to VOOG's concentrated tech exposure [9]