ARGFX vs. VOO
Compare and contrast key facts about Ariel Fund (ARGFX) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO).
ARGFX is managed by Ariel Investments. It was launched on Nov 6, 1986. VOO is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Sep 7, 2010.
Performance
ARGFX vs. VOO - Performance Comparison
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ARGFX vs. VOO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARGFX Ariel Fund | -1.48% | 14.08% | 11.56% | 15.78% | -18.68% | 30.29% | 10.05% | 24.64% | -13.59% | 15.99% |
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | -3.66% | 17.82% | 24.98% | 26.32% | -18.17% | 28.79% | 18.32% | 31.37% | -4.50% | 21.77% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ARGFX achieves a -1.48% return, which is significantly higher than VOO's -3.66% return. Over the past 10 years, ARGFX has underperformed VOO with an annualized return of 9.35%, while VOO has yielded a comparatively higher 14.14% annualized return.
ARGFX
- 1D
- 3.37%
- 1M
- -7.96%
- YTD
- -1.48%
- 6M
- 1.18%
- 1Y
- 22.08%
- 3Y*
- 10.82%
- 5Y*
- 4.86%
- 10Y*
- 9.35%
VOO
- 1D
- 0.79%
- 1M
- -4.29%
- YTD
- -3.66%
- 6M
- -1.41%
- 1Y
- 18.17%
- 3Y*
- 18.58%
- 5Y*
- 11.93%
- 10Y*
- 14.14%
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ARGFX vs. VOO - Expense Ratio Comparison
ARGFX has a 1.00% expense ratio, which is higher than VOO's 0.03% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ARGFX vs. VOO — Risk / Return Rank
ARGFX
VOO
ARGFX vs. VOO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ariel Fund (ARGFX) and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO). 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.
| ARGFX | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.90 | 1.01 | -0.11 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.41 | 1.53 | -0.12 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.23 | -0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.43 | 1.55 | -0.12 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.66 | 7.31 | -2.65 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ARGFX | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.90 | 1.01 | -0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.22 | 0.71 | -0.49 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.41 | 0.79 | -0.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.54 | 0.83 | -0.30 |
Correlation
The correlation between ARGFX and VOO is 0.82, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
ARGFX vs. VOO - Dividend Comparison
ARGFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.98%, more than VOO's 1.18% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARGFX Ariel Fund | 11.98% | 11.80% | 5.49% | 5.09% | 9.01% | 5.56% | 5.33% | 5.81% | 10.35% | 6.30% | 6.56% | 16.28% |
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 1.18% | 1.13% | 1.24% | 1.46% | 1.69% | 1.25% | 1.54% | 1.88% | 2.06% | 1.78% | 2.02% | 2.10% |
Drawdowns
ARGFX vs. VOO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ARGFX drawdown since its inception was -71.02%, which is greater than VOO's maximum drawdown of -33.99%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ARGFX and VOO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ARGFX | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -71.02% | -33.99% | -37.03% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.50% | -11.98% | -3.52% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.00% | -24.52% | -8.48% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -45.29% | -33.99% | -11.30% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.41% | -5.55% | -3.86% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.47% | -3.72% | -4.75% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.76% | 2.55% | +2.21% |
Volatility
ARGFX vs. VOO - Volatility Comparison
Ariel Fund (ARGFX) has a higher volatility of 7.12% compared to Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) at 5.34%. This indicates that ARGFX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VOO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ARGFX | VOO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.12% | 5.34% | +1.78% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.19% | 9.47% | +4.72% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 24.69% | 18.11% | +6.58% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 22.34% | 16.82% | +5.52% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.77% | 17.99% | +4.78% |