EVT vs. VDIGX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

EVT (Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund) and VDIGX (Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund) are both mutual funds - EVT is a Dividend fund managed by Eaton Vance, while VDIGX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, EVT returned 11.18%/yr vs 12.30%/yr for VDIGX. A 0.68 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. EVT charges 0.01%/yr vs 0.27%/yr for VDIGX.

Performance

EVT vs. VDIGX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (EVT) 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, EVT achieves a 10.58% return, which is significantly higher than VDIGX's 2.63% return. Over the past 10 years, EVT has underperformed VDIGX with an annualized return of 11.18%, while VDIGX has yielded a comparatively higher 12.30% annualized return.

EVT

• 1D: 0.15%
• 1M: 3.03%
• YTD: 10.58%
• 6M: 14.55%
• 1Y: 25.02%
• 3Y*: 16.16%
• 5Y*: 7.34%
• 10Y*: 11.18%

VDIGX

• 1D: 0.32%
• 1M: 3.43%
• YTD: 2.63%
• 6M: 2.55%
• 1Y: 8.31%
• 3Y*: 14.07%
• 5Y*: 9.83%
• 10Y*: 12.30%

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

EVT vs. VDIGX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
EVT Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund	10.58%	13.79%	17.34%	5.78%	-17.33%	33.94%	1.72%	44.71%	-11.92%	21.80%
VDIGX Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	2.63%	11.11%	20.84%	8.11%	-4.89%	24.86%	12.04%	30.94%	0.08%	19.32%

Correlation

The correlation between EVT and VDIGX is 0.71, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.71
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.70
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.74
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.69
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 29, 2003	0.68

The correlation between EVT and VDIGX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.68 to 0.74 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

EVT vs. VDIGX — Risk / Return Rank

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

EVT

EVT Risk / Return Rank: 52
EVT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
EVT Sortino Ratio Rank: 49
EVT Omega Ratio Rank: 49
EVT Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
EVT Martin Ratio Rank: 58

VDIGX

VDIGX Risk / Return Rank: 11
VDIGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
VDIGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 11
VDIGX Omega Ratio Rank: 10
VDIGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
VDIGX Martin Ratio Rank: 12

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.

EVT vs. VDIGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (EVT) 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.

	EVT	VDIGX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.12	0.86	+1.26
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.95	1.32	+1.63
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.15	+0.23
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.72	0.95	+1.77
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.60	3.67	+7.93
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

EVT vs. VDIGX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current EVT Sharpe Ratio is 2.12, which is higher than the VDIGX Sharpe Ratio of 0.86. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of EVT 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.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	EVT	VDIGX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.12	0.86	+1.26
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.43	0.71	-0.28
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.54	0.79	-0.24
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	0.62	-0.20

Drawdowns

EVT vs. VDIGX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum EVT drawdown since its inception was -74.01%, which is greater than VDIGX's maximum drawdown of -45.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EVT and VDIGX.

Drawdown Indicators

	EVT	VDIGX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-74.01%	-45.23%	-28.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.22%	-9.09%	-0.13%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.09%	-10.23%	-8.86%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.23%	-16.18%	-12.05%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-52.03%	-32.98%	-19.05%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.55%	-0.10%	-0.45%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.13%	-6.65%	-4.48%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.16%	2.36%	-0.20%

Volatility

EVT vs. VDIGX - Volatility Comparison

Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (EVT) has a higher volatility of 3.64% compared to Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund (VDIGX) at 2.33%. This indicates that EVT'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

	EVT	VDIGX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.64%	2.33%	+1.31%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.19%	7.61%	+1.58%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.83%	10.06%	+1.77%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.09%	13.86%	+3.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.59%	15.70%	+4.89%

EVT vs. VDIGX - Expense Ratio Comparison

EVT has a 0.01% expense ratio, which is lower than VDIGX's 0.27% 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

EVT vs. VDIGX - Dividend Comparison

EVT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.32%, less than VDIGX's 23.93% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
EVT Eaton Vance Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund	7.32%	7.84%	8.02%	8.03%	8.44%	5.65%	7.97%	6.82%	9.16%	6.85%	8.47%	7.49%
VDIGX Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	23.93%	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 EVT and VDIGX in my portfolio?

EVT and VDIGX have a correlation of 0.71, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, EVT or VDIGX?

EVT has higher volatility (3.64%) compared to VDIGX (2.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EVT dropped -74.01% vs VDIGX's -45.23%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

EVT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.12 vs 0.86), 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.