DGRO vs. VDIGX

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

DGRO (iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF) and VDIGX (Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund) are both funds - DGRO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index, while VDIGX is a Dividend fund actively managed by Vanguard. DGRO is passively managed, while VDIGX is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, DGRO returned 13.50%/yr vs 12.20%/yr for VDIGX. Their correlation of 0.93 means they have usually moved in the same direction. DGRO charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for VDIGX.

Performance

DGRO vs. VDIGX - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, DGRO achieves a 15.02% return, which is significantly higher than VDIGX's 5.63% return. Over the past 10 years, DGRO has outperformed VDIGX with an annualized return of 13.50%, while VDIGX has yielded a comparatively lower 12.20% annualized return.

DGRO

• 1D: 1.09%
• 1M: 2.42%
• 6M: 10.12%
• YTD: 15.02%
• 1Y: 24.63%
• 3Y*: 17.52%
• 5Y*: 11.29%
• 10Y*: 13.50%
• ALL TIME*: 12.59%

VDIGX

• 1D: 0.53%
• 1M: 0.16%
• 6M: 4.68%
• YTD: 5.63%
• 1Y: 11.26%
• 3Y*: 14.29%
• 5Y*: 9.72%
• 10Y*: 12.20%
• ALL TIME*: 9.36%

*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)
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	$108.47M	$103.38M	$110.52M
VDIGX Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

DGRO vs. VDIGX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	15.02%	15.69%	16.62%	10.47%	-7.91%	26.64%	9.50%	29.87%	-2.38%	23.00%
VDIGX Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	5.63%	11.11%	20.84%	8.11%	-4.89%	24.86%	12.04%	30.94%	0.08%	19.32%

Correlation

The correlation between DGRO and VDIGX is 0.86, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.87
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.91
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.92
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 12, 2014	0.93

The correlation between DGRO and VDIGX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.86 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.

DGRO vs. VDIGX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	DGRO	VDIGX
Financial Services	20.4%	20.1%
Healthcare	17.9%	16.1%
Technology	17.3%	25.6%
Consumer Defensive	11.9%	7.9%
Industrials	11.3%	12.9%
Utilities	7.3%	0.5%
Consumer Cyclical	6.5%	10.7%
Energy	4.8%	1.1%
Basic Materials	2.5%	2.6%
Communication Services	0.1%	2.3%
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

DGRO vs. VDIGX — Risk / Return Rank

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

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: 88
DGRO Martin Ratio Rank: 89

VDIGX

VDIGX Risk / Return Rank: 34
VDIGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
VDIGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
VDIGX Omega Ratio Rank: 33
VDIGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 29
VDIGX Martin Ratio Rank: 35

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.

DGRO vs. VDIGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) and Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund (VDIGX). 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.

	DGRO	VDIGX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.60	1.24	+1.36
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.77	1.86	+1.91
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.48	1.22	+0.26
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.83	1.39	+2.43
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	14.91	5.50	+9.40

DGRO vs. VDIGX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DGRO Sharpe Ratio is 2.60, which is higher than the VDIGX Sharpe Ratio of 1.24. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DGRO and VDIGX, 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

DGRO vs. VDIGX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DGRO drawdown since its inception was -35.10%, smaller than the maximum VDIGX drawdown of -45.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DGRO and VDIGX.

Drawdown Indicators

	DGRO	VDIGX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.10%	-45.23%	+10.13%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.47%	-9.09%	+2.62%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.03%	-10.23%	-3.80%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.31%	-16.18%	-3.13%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.10%	-32.98%	-2.12%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.19%	+0.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.40%	-6.62%	+3.22%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.66%	2.29%	-0.63%

Volatility

DGRO vs. VDIGX - Volatility Comparison

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) has a higher volatility of 3.05% compared to Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund (VDIGX) at 2.64%. This indicates that DGRO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VDIGX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	DGRO	VDIGX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.05%	2.64%	+0.41%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.16%	7.91%	-0.75%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.58%	10.21%	-0.63%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.80%	13.86%	-0.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.59%	15.68%	+0.91%

DGRO vs. VDIGX - Expense Ratio Comparison

DGRO has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than VDIGX's 0.20% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

DGRO vs. VDIGX - Dividend Comparison

DGRO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.87%, less than VDIGX's 23.24% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	1.87%	2.09%	2.26%	2.45%	2.34%	1.93%	2.30%	2.21%	2.44%	2.03%	2.27%	2.52%
VDIGX Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	23.24%	21.90%	21.94%	2.29%	6.06%	5.45%	2.83%	4.70%	8.72%	5.16%	2.86%	5.70%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both DGRO and VDIGX in my portfolio?

DGRO and VDIGX have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, DGRO or VDIGX?

DGRO has higher volatility (3.05%) compared to VDIGX (2.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DGRO dropped -35.10% vs VDIGX's -45.23%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DGRO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.60 vs 1.24), 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.