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VDC vs. RSPS: Broad Diversification or Balanced Bets for Consumer Staples Investors?
The Motley Fool· 2026-01-04 21:00
Core Insights - The Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC) has outperformed the Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Consumer Staples ETF (RSPS) by over 2% in the last year due to lower fees and broader diversification [1][14] - VDC offers lower costs and slightly stronger recent performance, while RSPS provides a concentrated, equal-weighted approach within the consumer staples sector [1][2] Cost Comparison - VDC has an expense ratio of 0.09%, significantly lower than RSPS's 0.40% [3][4] - VDC's assets under management (AUM) stand at $8.6 billion, compared to RSPS's $236.2 million [3] Performance Metrics - The one-year return for VDC is 0.05%, while RSPS has a return of (3.2%) as of December 17, 2025 [3] - Over five years, VDC has grown $1,000 to $1,244, while RSPS has decreased it to $988 [5] Portfolio Composition - VDC holds 105 stocks, with a portfolio that is 98% consumer defensive, featuring major positions in Walmart (14.53%), Costco (12.00%), and Procter & Gamble (10.09%) [6][12] - RSPS consists of 38 equally weighted stocks, with top holdings including Dollar General (3.52%) and Monster Beverage (3.34%) [8][12] Risk Assessment - The maximum drawdown over five years for VDC is (16.55%), while RSPS has a higher drawdown of (18.64%) [5] - VDC has a beta of 0.56, indicating slightly higher volatility compared to RSPS's beta of 0.52 [3] Investment Implications - Both ETFs focus on the defensive consumer staples sector, appealing to investors seeking stability and reliable dividends during economic uncertainty [13][14] - Investors must consider the trade-offs between VDC's lower costs and concentration in large-cap stocks versus RSPS's equal weighting that may reduce single-stock risk [11][14]