AVUS vs. DGRO

Last updated Jul 31, 2026

AVUS (Avantis U.S. Equity ETF) and DGRO (iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AVUS is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund actively managed by Avantis, while DGRO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. AVUS is actively managed, while DGRO is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, AVUS returned 12.64%/yr vs 11.14%/yr for DGRO. Their correlation of 0.89 means they have usually moved in the same direction. AVUS charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for DGRO.

Performance

AVUS vs. DGRO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS) and iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with AVUS having a 14.06% return and DGRO slightly lower at 13.71%.

AVUS

• 1D: 1.68%
• 1M: -0.94%
• 6M: 9.63%
• YTD: 14.06%
• 1Y: 23.90%
• 3Y*: 18.84%
• 5Y*: 12.64%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 16.02%

DGRO

• 1D: -0.05%
• 1M: 3.22%
• 6M: 10.16%
• YTD: 13.71%
• 1Y: 22.44%
• 3Y*: 16.30%
• 5Y*: 11.14%
• 10Y*: 13.41%
• ALL TIME*: 12.49%

*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)
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	$38.04M	$39.21M	$43.08M
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	$102.68M	$104.57M	$110.25M

AVUS vs. DGRO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	14.06%	16.68%	20.43%	21.77%	-13.82%	28.73%	17.58%	8.55%
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	13.71%	15.69%	16.62%	10.47%	-7.91%	26.64%	9.50%	8.23%

Correlation

The correlation between AVUS and DGRO is 0.66, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.66
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.81
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 26, 2019	0.89

Over the past year, the correlation between AVUS and DGRO has dropped to 0.66 - well below their long-term average of 0.89, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

AVUS vs. DGRO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	AVUS	DGRO
Technology	29.3%	17.3%
Financial Services	16.2%	20.4%
Industrials	11.1%	11.3%
Consumer Cyclical	11.0%	6.5%
Communication Services	8.5%	0.1%
Healthcare	7.3%	17.9%
Energy	7.1%	4.8%
Consumer Defensive	4.4%	11.9%
Basic Materials	2.7%	2.5%
Utilities	2.4%	7.3%
Real Estate	0.1%	-

Return for Risk

AVUS vs. DGRO — Risk / Return Rank

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

AVUS

AVUS Risk / Return Rank: 84
AVUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
AVUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
AVUS Omega Ratio Rank: 81
AVUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 84
AVUS Martin Ratio Rank: 90

DGRO

DGRO Risk / Return Rank: 91
DGRO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
DGRO Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
DGRO Omega Ratio Rank: 92
DGRO Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
DGRO Martin Ratio Rank: 90

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.

AVUS vs. DGRO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS) and iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO). 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.

	AVUS	DGRO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.86	2.35	-0.49
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.57	3.41	-0.84
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.43	-0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.06	3.48	-0.43
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.47	13.60	-0.13

AVUS vs. DGRO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AVUS Sharpe Ratio is 1.86, which is comparable to the DGRO Sharpe Ratio of 2.35. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AVUS and DGRO, 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

AVUS vs. DGRO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AVUS drawdown since its inception was -37.04%, which is greater than DGRO's maximum drawdown of -35.10%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVUS and DGRO.

Drawdown Indicators

	AVUS	DGRO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-37.04%	-35.10%	-1.94%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.85%	-6.47%	-1.38%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.74%	-14.03%	-5.71%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.19%	-19.31%	-2.88%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-35.10%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.27%	-1.07%	-0.20%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.00%	-3.41%	-1.59%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.78%	1.66%	+0.12%

Volatility

AVUS vs. DGRO - Volatility Comparison

Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS) and iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) have volatilities of 3.36% and 3.20%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AVUS	DGRO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.36%	3.20%	+0.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.92%	7.11%	+2.81%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.94%	9.62%	+3.32%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.33%	13.80%	+3.53%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.72%	16.58%	+4.14%

AVUS vs. DGRO - Expense Ratio Comparison

AVUS has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than DGRO's 0.08% 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

AVUS vs. DGRO - Dividend Comparison

AVUS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.93%, less than DGRO's 1.89% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	0.93%	1.08%	1.27%	1.41%	1.59%	1.08%	1.19%	0.35%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	1.89%	2.09%	2.26%	2.45%	2.34%	1.93%	2.30%	2.21%	2.44%	2.03%	2.27%	2.52%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AVUS and DGRO in my portfolio?

AVUS and DGRO have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AVUS or DGRO?

AVUS has higher volatility (3.36%) compared to DGRO (3.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AVUS dropped -37.04% vs DGRO's -35.10%.

Which ETF is better, AVUS or DGRO?

On 5-year performance, AVUS leads with 12.64% vs 11.14% for DGRO. On fees, DGRO is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, DGRO has been the lower-risk option at 3.20%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, AVUS or DGRO?

Over the 5-year period, AVUS has performed better with a 12.64% return vs 11.14%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, AVUS or DGRO?

DGRO is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for AVUS.

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

DGRO has the higher dividend yield at 1.89%, compared with 0.93% for AVUS.

What is the main difference between AVUS and DGRO?

AVUS is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while DGRO is Large Cap Growth Equities. They also come from different issuers: Avantis and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for AVUS and 0.08% for DGRO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DGRO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.35 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.