VTI vs. VTV: How Total Market Exposure Compares to Large-Cap Value Stocks

Core Insights - The Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) represent two distinct investment strategies, with VTV focusing on large-cap value companies and VTI providing comprehensive market exposure across all capitalizations [2] Cost & Size Comparison - VTV has an expense ratio of 0.04% and VTI has a slightly lower expense ratio of 0.03% - As of December 31, 2025, VTV's one-year return was 13.32% while VTI's was 15.53% - VTV offers a dividend yield of 2.05%, nearly double that of VTI at 1.11% - VTV has a beta of 0.76, indicating lower volatility compared to VTI's beta of 1.04 - VTV's assets under management (AUM) stand at $216 billion, while VTI's AUM is significantly larger at $2 trillion [3][4] Performance & Risk Analysis - Over the past five years, VTV experienced a maximum drawdown of -17.03%, compared to VTI's -25.37% - An investment of $1,000 in VTV would have grown to $1,624, while the same investment in VTI would have grown to $1,734 [5] Portfolio Composition - VTI includes over 3,500 stocks, reflecting the entire CRSP US Total Market Index, with technology comprising 35% of its assets, followed by financial services and consumer cyclicals; major holdings include Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft [6] - VTV is concentrated with only 315 holdings, primarily in financials, healthcare, and industrials, featuring top positions in JPMorgan Chase, Berkshire Hathaway, and Johnson & Johnson; it excludes most growth stocks and smaller companies, contributing to its lower beta and higher dividend yield [7] Investment Implications - VTI offers maximum diversification across the entire U.S. stock market, while VTV focuses solely on large-cap value stocks, which are perceived as undervalued [9]