BULIX vs. VPU
Compare and contrast key facts about American Century Utilities Fund (BULIX) and Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU).
BULIX is managed by American Century. It was launched on Feb 28, 1993. VPU is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Utilities 25/50 Index. It was launched on Jan 26, 2004.
Performance
BULIX vs. VPU - Performance Comparison
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BULIX vs. VPU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BULIX American Century Utilities Fund | 9.37% | 16.76% | 24.32% | -7.51% | -4.37% | 13.77% | -2.38% | 19.94% | 1.82% | 0.59% |
VPU Vanguard Utilities ETF | 7.79% | 16.46% | 23.04% | -7.45% | 1.06% | 17.40% | -0.74% | 24.89% | 4.38% | 12.44% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, BULIX achieves a 9.37% return, which is significantly higher than VPU's 7.79% return. Over the past 10 years, BULIX has underperformed VPU with an annualized return of 7.31%, while VPU has yielded a comparatively higher 9.62% annualized return.
BULIX
- 1D
- 0.75%
- 1M
- -2.97%
- YTD
- 9.37%
- 6M
- 8.12%
- 1Y
- 21.96%
- 3Y*
- 14.97%
- 5Y*
- 9.57%
- 10Y*
- 7.31%
VPU
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- -3.12%
- YTD
- 7.79%
- 6M
- 6.07%
- 1Y
- 19.23%
- 3Y*
- 13.81%
- 5Y*
- 10.49%
- 10Y*
- 9.62%
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BULIX vs. VPU - Expense Ratio Comparison
BULIX has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than VPU's 0.10% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
BULIX vs. VPU — Risk / Return Rank
BULIX
VPU
BULIX vs. VPU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Century Utilities Fund (BULIX) and Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU). 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.
| BULIX | VPU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.50 | 1.25 | +0.26 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.00 | 1.70 | +0.31 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.23 | +0.05 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.89 | 2.30 | +0.58 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.19 | 5.48 | +1.71 |
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
| BULIX | VPU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.50 | 1.25 | +0.26 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.58 | 0.62 | -0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.41 | 0.51 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.47 | 0.55 | -0.08 |
Correlation
The correlation between BULIX and VPU is 0.94, 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
BULIX vs. VPU - Dividend Comparison
BULIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.43%, more than VPU's 2.57% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BULIX American Century Utilities Fund | 10.43% | 11.60% | 2.36% | 2.65% | 7.78% | 7.50% | 7.55% | 2.97% | 6.91% | 7.70% | 6.99% | 5.87% |
VPU Vanguard Utilities ETF | 2.57% | 2.73% | 3.02% | 3.49% | 2.98% | 2.70% | 3.17% | 2.83% | 3.23% | 3.18% | 3.19% | 3.63% |
Drawdowns
BULIX vs. VPU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum BULIX drawdown since its inception was -55.21%, which is greater than VPU's maximum drawdown of -46.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BULIX and VPU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| BULIX | VPU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -55.21% | -46.31% | -8.90% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.34% | -8.90% | +0.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.56% | -25.15% | +0.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.86% | -36.42% | +2.56% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.97% | -3.12% | +0.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.06% | -7.82% | -2.24% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.35% | 3.74% | -0.39% |
Volatility
BULIX vs. VPU - Volatility Comparison
American Century Utilities Fund (BULIX) and Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) have volatilities of 4.86% and 4.99%, 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.
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Volatility by Period
| BULIX | VPU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.86% | 4.99% | -0.13% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.76% | 10.18% | -0.42% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.50% | 15.54% | -0.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.57% | 16.91% | -0.34% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.99% | 19.07% | -1.08% |