AOA vs. VLU
AOA (iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF) and VLU (SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AOA is a Diversified Portfolio fund tracking the S&P Target Risk Aggressive Index, while VLU is a Large Cap Value Equities fund tracking the S&P 1500 Low Valuation Tilt Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, AOA returned 10.92%/yr vs 14.64%/yr for VLU. A 0.67 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. AOA charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.12%/yr for VLU.
Performance
AOA vs. VLU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AOA achieves a 8.51% return, which is significantly lower than VLU's 13.33% return. Over the past 10 years, AOA has underperformed VLU with an annualized return of 10.92%, while VLU has yielded a comparatively higher 14.64% annualized return.
AOA
- 1D
- 0.33%
- 1M
- -0.91%
- YTD
- 8.51%
- 6M
- 7.69%
- 1Y
- 20.66%
- 3Y*
- 16.81%
- 5Y*
- 8.77%
- 10Y*
- 10.92%
VLU
- 1D
- 0.24%
- 1M
- 0.54%
- YTD
- 13.33%
- 6M
- 12.19%
- 1Y
- 27.67%
- 3Y*
- 20.19%
- 5Y*
- 12.26%
- 10Y*
- 14.64%
AOA vs. VLU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AOA iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF | 8.51% | 19.59% | 13.55% | 18.27% | -16.23% | 15.42% | 12.82% | 22.60% | -7.86% | 20.05% |
VLU SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF | 13.33% | 16.70% | 17.24% | 17.18% | -8.24% | 30.95% | 9.91% | 26.20% | -7.89% | 18.16% |
Correlation
The correlation between AOA and VLU is 0.80, 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 | 0.80 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.85 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.79 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 25, 2012 | 0.67 |
The correlation between AOA and VLU shifts across timeframes, from 0.67 (all time) to 0.88 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
AOA vs. VLU — Risk / Return Rank
AOA
VLU
AOA vs. VLU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF (AOA) and SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF (VLU). 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.
| AOA | VLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.69 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.96 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.47 | -0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.53 | 4.38 | -1.85 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.94 | 17.40 | -6.47 |
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Drawdowns
AOA vs. VLU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AOA drawdown since its inception was -28.38%, smaller than the maximum VLU drawdown of -37.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AOA and VLU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AOA | VLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -28.38% | -37.39% | +9.01% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.20% | -6.34% | -1.86% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -12.94% | -16.22% | +3.28% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -23.62% | -19.55% | -4.07% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.38% | -37.39% | +9.01% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.78% | -1.14% | -0.64% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.04% | -3.73% | -0.31% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.89% | 1.59% | +0.30% |
Volatility
AOA vs. VLU - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF (AOA) has a higher volatility of 4.31% compared to SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF (VLU) at 2.84%. This indicates that AOA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VLU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AOA | VLU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.31% | 2.84% | +1.47% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.32% | 7.88% | +1.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.18% | 10.94% | +0.24% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.08% | 15.39% | -2.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.51% | 18.05% | -4.54% |
AOA vs. VLU - Expense Ratio Comparison
AOA has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than VLU's 0.12% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
AOA vs. VLU - Dividend Comparison
AOA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.07%, more than VLU's 1.64% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AOA iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF | 2.07% | 2.18% | 2.30% | 2.22% | 2.10% | 1.67% | 1.71% | 2.50% | 2.37% | 5.09% | 2.26% | 2.15% |
VLU SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF | 1.64% | 1.82% | 2.00% | 2.02% | 2.16% | 1.86% | 1.98% | 2.19% | 2.57% | 1.96% | 2.14% | 6.37% |
Frequently Asked Questions
AOA and VLU have a correlation of 0.80, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
AOA has higher volatility (4.31%) compared to VLU (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AOA dropped -28.38% vs VLU's -37.39%.
On 10-year performance, VLU leads with 14.64% vs 10.92% for AOA. On fees, VLU is cheaper at 0.12% per year. On volatility, VLU has been the lower-risk option at 2.84%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VLU has performed better with a 14.64% return vs 10.92%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VLU is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for AOA.
AOA has the higher dividend yield at 2.07%, compared with 1.64% for VLU.
AOA is categorized as Diversified Portfolio, while VLU is Large Cap Value Equities. AOA tracks S&P Target Risk Aggressive Index, while VLU tracks S&P 1500 Low Valuation Tilt Index. They also come from different issuers: iShares and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for AOA and 0.12% for VLU.
VLU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.55 vs 1.86), 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.
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