VUG Has Delivered Larger Gains, VOO Sports a Higher Dividend Yield and Lower Fees

Core Insights - The Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) focuses on large-cap growth stocks, particularly in technology, while the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) offers broader U.S. equity exposure with a higher yield and lower expense ratio [1][2] Cost & Size Comparison - VUG has an expense ratio of 0.04% and AUM of $207.2 billion, while VOO has a lower expense ratio of 0.03% and AUM of $861.9 billion [3][4] - The 1-year return for VUG is 13.1% compared to 11.9% for VOO, and the dividend yield is 0.4% for VUG versus 1.1% for VOO [3][4] Performance & Risk Metrics - Over the last five years, VUG has a max drawdown of 35.62% compared to 24.52% for VOO, and $1,000 invested in VUG would grow to $1,923, while the same amount in VOO would grow to $1,825 [5] - Over the last ten years, VUG has generated a total return of 389% (CAGR of 17.2%), outperforming VOO, which has generated a total return of 289% (CAGR of 14.5%) [9] Portfolio Composition - VOO holds 505 companies with a sector distribution of 37% technology, 12% financial services, and 11% consumer cyclicals, with top holdings including NVIDIA (7.38%), Apple (7.08%), and Microsoft (6.25%) [6] - VUG is more concentrated with 52% in technology, 14% in communication services, and 14% in consumer cyclicals, featuring top positions in Apple (11.22%), NVIDIA (11.15%), and Microsoft (9.94%) [7] Investor Considerations - VUG offers higher potential returns but comes with increased volatility, while VOO provides lower volatility and a higher dividend yield, making it appealing for income-focused investors [11]