AAPL vs. VDE

Last updated Aug 6, 2026

AAPL (Apple Inc) is a stock, while VDE (Vanguard Energy ETF) is Energy Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index. Over the past 10 years, AAPL returned 28.88%/yr vs 9.35%/yr for VDE. Their 0.31 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship.

Performance

AAPL vs. VDE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Apple Inc (AAPL) and Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AAPL achieves a 14.61% return, which is significantly lower than VDE's 29.92% return. Over the past 10 years, AAPL has outperformed VDE with an annualized return of 28.88%, while VDE has yielded a comparatively lower 9.35% annualized return.

AAPL

• 1D: 0.52%
• 1M: -0.53%
• 6M: 12.69%
• YTD: 14.61%
• 1Y: 53.87%
• 3Y*: 20.11%
• 5Y*: 16.87%
• 10Y*: 28.88%
• ALL TIME*: 19.31%

VDE

• 1D: -2.23%
• 1M: 7.61%
• 6M: 10.24%
• YTD: 29.92%
• 1Y: 38.29%
• 3Y*: 13.33%
• 5Y*: 22.68%
• 10Y*: 9.35%
• ALL TIME*: 8.13%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
AAPL Apple Inc	$20.71B	$17.73B	$17.51B
VDE Vanguard Energy ETF	$80.86M	$75.68M	$107.12M

AAPL vs. VDE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
AAPL Apple Inc	14.61%	9.05%	30.71%	49.01%	-26.40%	34.65%	82.31%	88.96%	-5.39%	48.46%
VDE Vanguard Energy ETF	29.92%	7.11%	6.75%	0.03%	62.89%	56.31%	-33.02%	9.28%	-19.95%	-2.50%

Correlation

The correlation between AAPL and VDE is -0.15, meaning they have often moved in opposite directions in the past. This relationship can weaken or reverse as market conditions change.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	-0.15
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.02
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.14
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.22
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 29, 2004	0.31

The correlation between AAPL and VDE shifts across timeframes, from -0.15 (1 year) to 0.31 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

AAPL vs. VDE — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

AAPL

AAPL Risk / Return Rank: 90
AAPL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
AAPL Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
AAPL Omega Ratio Rank: 90
AAPL Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
AAPL Martin Ratio Rank: 89

VDE

VDE Risk / Return Rank: 61
VDE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 70
VDE Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
VDE Omega Ratio Rank: 60
VDE Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
VDE Martin Ratio Rank: 52

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

AAPL vs. VDE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Apple Inc (AAPL) and Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	AAPL	VDE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.09	1.83	+0.26
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.76	2.39	+0.37
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.30	+0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.92	2.56	+1.37
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.19	6.84	+2.35

AAPL vs. VDE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AAPL Sharpe Ratio is 2.09, which is comparable to the VDE Sharpe Ratio of 1.83. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AAPL and VDE, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

AAPL vs. VDE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AAPL drawdown since its inception was -81.80%, which is greater than VDE's maximum drawdown of -74.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AAPL and VDE.

Drawdown Indicators

	AAPL	VDE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-81.80%	-74.20%	-7.60%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.80%	-15.04%	+1.24%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-33.36%	-21.41%	-11.95%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.36%	-26.58%	-6.78%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-38.52%	-69.29%	+30.77%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.55%	-8.08%	-0.47%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-29.51%	-19.88%	-9.63%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.88%	5.61%	+0.27%

Volatility

AAPL vs. VDE - Volatility Comparison

Apple Inc (AAPL) has a higher volatility of 10.76% compared to Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) at 6.35%. This indicates that AAPL's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VDE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AAPL	VDE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.76%	6.35%	+4.41%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.52%	16.50%	+4.02%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	25.89%	21.02%	+4.87%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	28.05%	26.13%	+1.92%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	29.13%	29.91%	-0.78%

Dividends

AAPL vs. VDE - Dividend Comparison

AAPL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.34%, less than VDE's 2.49% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AAPL Apple Inc	0.34%	0.38%	0.40%	0.49%	0.70%	0.49%	0.61%	1.04%	1.79%	1.45%	1.93%	1.93%
VDE Vanguard Energy ETF	2.49%	3.11%	3.23%	3.34%	3.65%	4.13%	4.76%	3.42%	3.35%	2.90%	2.31%	3.17%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AAPL and VDE in my portfolio?

AAPL and VDE have a correlation of -0.15, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AAPL or VDE?

AAPL has higher volatility (10.76%) compared to VDE (6.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AAPL dropped -81.80% vs VDE's -74.20%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AAPL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.09 vs 1.83), 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.