^SP600 vs. VIS

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

^SP600 (S&P 600) is an index, while VIS (Vanguard Industrials ETF) is Industrials Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Industrials 25/50 Index. Over the past 10 years, ^SP600 returned 9.01%/yr vs 14.06%/yr for VIS. Their correlation of 0.87 suggests significant overlap in exposure.

Performance

^SP600 vs. VIS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in S&P 600 (^SP600) and Vanguard Industrials ETF (VIS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with ^SP600 having a 14.59% return and VIS slightly higher at 14.63%. Over the past 10 years, ^SP600 has underperformed VIS with an annualized return of 9.01%, while VIS has yielded a comparatively higher 14.06% annualized return.

^SP600

• 1D: -0.85%
• 1M: 1.57%
• YTD: 14.59%
• 6M: 13.25%
• 1Y: 29.43%
• 3Y*: 12.49%
• 5Y*: 3.98%
• 10Y*: 9.01%

VIS

• 1D: -0.31%
• 1M: 2.27%
• YTD: 14.63%
• 6M: 15.23%
• 1Y: 26.72%
• 3Y*: 22.52%
• 5Y*: 12.60%
• 10Y*: 14.06%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

^SP600 vs. VIS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
^SP600 S&P 600	14.59%	4.23%	6.82%	13.89%	-17.42%	25.27%	9.57%	20.86%	-9.75%	11.73%
VIS Vanguard Industrials ETF	14.63%	18.57%	16.85%	22.50%	-8.57%	20.80%	12.34%	30.09%	-14.01%	21.47%

Correlation

The correlation between ^SP600 and VIS is 0.82, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.82
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.86
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.88
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.86
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 30, 2004	0.87

The correlation between ^SP600 and VIS has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.82 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

^SP600 vs. VIS — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

^SP600

^SP600 Risk / Return Rank: 66
^SP600 Sharpe Ratio Rank: 57
^SP600 Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
^SP600 Omega Ratio Rank: 57
^SP600 Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
^SP600 Martin Ratio Rank: 71

VIS

VIS Risk / Return Rank: 46
VIS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
VIS Sortino Ratio Rank: 47
VIS Omega Ratio Rank: 43
VIS Calmar Ratio Rank: 43
VIS Martin Ratio Rank: 52

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

^SP600 vs. VIS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for S&P 600 (^SP600) and Vanguard Industrials ETF (VIS). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	^SP600	VIS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.69	1.64	+0.05
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.48	2.37	+0.11
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	1.28	+0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.31	2.18	+1.12
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.03	9.06	+1.97
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

^SP600 vs. VIS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ^SP600 Sharpe Ratio is 1.69, which is comparable to the VIS Sharpe Ratio of 1.64. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ^SP600 and VIS, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	^SP600	VIS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.69	1.64	+0.05
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.19	0.69	-0.50
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.39	0.69	-0.30
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.45	0.52	-0.07

Drawdowns

^SP600 vs. VIS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ^SP600 drawdown since its inception was -59.17%, smaller than the maximum VIS drawdown of -63.51%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ^SP600 and VIS.

Drawdown Indicators

	^SP600	VIS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.17%	-63.51%	+4.34%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.94%	-12.29%	+3.35%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-28.39%	-20.80%	-7.59%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.39%	-22.96%	-5.43%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-45.77%	-42.42%	-3.35%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.92%	-1.22%	+0.30%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.28%	-8.38%	-0.90%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.67%	2.96%	-0.29%

Volatility

^SP600 vs. VIS - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for S&P 600 (^SP600) is 4.45%, while Vanguard Industrials ETF (VIS) has a volatility of 5.15%. This indicates that ^SP600 experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VIS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	^SP600	VIS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.45%	5.15%	-0.70%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.73%	13.47%	-1.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.58%	16.42%	+1.16%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.46%	18.35%	+3.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.19%	20.43%	+2.76%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ^SP600 and VIS in my portfolio?

^SP600 and VIS have a correlation of 0.82, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ^SP600 or VIS?

VIS has higher volatility (5.15%) compared to ^SP600 (4.45%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ^SP600 dropped -59.17% vs VIS's -63.51%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

^SP600 currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.69 vs 1.64), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.