AVSC vs. AVUS

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

AVSC (Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF) and AVUS (Avantis U.S. Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AVSC is a Small Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Russell 2000 Index, while AVUS is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by American Century. AVSC is passively managed, while AVUS is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, AVSC returned 17.09%/yr vs 22.35%/yr for AVUS. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. AVSC charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for AVUS.

Performance

AVSC vs. AVUS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF (AVSC) and Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AVSC achieves a 16.85% return, which is significantly higher than AVUS's 14.42% return.

AVSC

• 1D: -1.32%
• 1M: 1.45%
• YTD: 16.85%
• 6M: 16.56%
• 1Y: 38.76%
• 3Y*: 17.09%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

AVUS

• 1D: -0.46%
• 1M: 4.77%
• YTD: 14.42%
• 6M: 14.71%
• 1Y: 32.34%
• 3Y*: 22.35%
• 5Y*: 13.04%
• 10Y*: —

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

AVSC vs. AVUS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
AVSC Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF	16.85%	9.42%	7.75%	19.68%	-11.72%
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	14.42%	16.68%	20.43%	21.77%	-12.88%

Correlation

The correlation between AVSC and AVUS is 0.84, 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	0.84
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.85
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 14, 2022	0.88

The correlation between AVSC and AVUS has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.84 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.

AVSC vs. AVUS - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	AVSC	AVUS
Financial Services	22.4%	15.2%
Consumer Cyclical	14.9%	11.8%
Industrials	13.0%	11.5%
Technology	12.6%	27.5%
Healthcare	11.5%	7.1%
Energy	9.5%	7.4%
Basic Materials	5.5%	2.7%
Consumer Defensive	4.8%	4.4%
Communication Services	3.0%	9.8%
Utilities	2.0%	2.5%
Real Estate	0.9%	0.2%

Return for Risk

AVSC vs. AVUS — Risk / Return Rank

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

AVSC

AVSC Risk / Return Rank: 70
AVSC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
AVSC Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
AVSC Omega Ratio Rank: 59
AVSC Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
AVSC Martin Ratio Rank: 78

AVUS

AVUS Risk / Return Rank: 81
AVUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 81
AVUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
AVUS Omega Ratio Rank: 79
AVUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
AVUS Martin Ratio Rank: 86

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.

AVSC vs. AVUS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF (AVSC) and Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS). 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.

	AVSC	AVUS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.16	2.68	-0.52
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.09	3.66	-0.57
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.48	-0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.93	4.14	+0.79
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	15.33	18.85	-3.52
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AVSC vs. AVUS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AVSC Sharpe Ratio is 2.16, which is comparable to the AVUS Sharpe Ratio of 2.68. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AVSC and AVUS, 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

	AVSC	AVUS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.16	2.68	-0.52
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.76	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.40	0.80	-0.39

Drawdowns

AVSC vs. AVUS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AVSC drawdown since its inception was -28.40%, smaller than the maximum AVUS drawdown of -37.04%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVSC and AVUS.

Drawdown Indicators

	AVSC	AVUS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.40%	-37.04%	+8.64%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.89%	-7.85%	-0.04%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-28.40%	-19.74%	-8.66%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-22.19%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.32%	-0.46%	-0.86%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.37%	-5.09%	-2.28%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.54%	1.72%	+0.82%

Volatility

AVSC vs. AVUS - Volatility Comparison

Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF (AVSC) has a higher volatility of 4.49% compared to Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS) at 2.98%. This indicates that AVSC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AVUS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AVSC	AVUS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.49%	2.98%	+1.51%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.71%	9.00%	+2.71%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.10%	12.15%	+5.95%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.34%	17.29%	+5.05%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.34%	20.85%	+1.49%

AVSC vs. AVUS - Expense Ratio Comparison

AVSC has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than AVUS's 0.15% 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

AVSC vs. AVUS - Dividend Comparison

AVSC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.92%, more than AVUS's 0.91% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
AVSC Avantis US Small Cap Equity ETF	0.92%	1.16%	1.17%	1.42%	1.10%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	0.91%	1.08%	1.27%	1.41%	1.59%	1.08%	1.19%	0.35%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AVSC and AVUS in my portfolio?

AVSC and AVUS have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AVSC or AVUS?

AVSC has higher volatility (4.49%) compared to AVUS (2.98%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AVSC dropped -28.40% vs AVUS's -37.04%.

Which ETF is better, AVSC or AVUS?

On 3-year performance, AVUS leads with 22.35% vs 17.09% for AVSC. On fees, AVUS is cheaper at 0.15% per year. On volatility, AVUS has been the lower-risk option at 2.98%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, AVSC or AVUS?

Over the 3-year period, AVUS has performed better with a 22.35% return vs 17.09%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, AVSC or AVUS?

AVUS is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.25% for AVSC.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, AVSC or AVUS?

AVSC and AVUS have nearly identical dividend yields, around 0.92%.

What is the main difference between AVSC and AVUS?

AVSC is categorized as Small Cap Value Equities, while AVUS is Large Cap Growth Equities. They also come from different issuers: Avantis and American Century. Their fees differ too: 0.25% for AVSC and 0.15% for AVUS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AVUS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.68 vs 2.16), 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.