HTD vs. VDIGX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

HTD (John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund) and VDIGX (Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund) are both Dividend funds. Over the past 10 years, HTD returned 8.67%/yr vs 12.30%/yr for VDIGX. Their 0.55 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. HTD charges 0.01%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for VDIGX.

Performance

HTD vs. VDIGX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (HTD) 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, HTD achieves a 13.77% return, which is significantly higher than VDIGX's 5.43% return. Over the past 10 years, HTD has underperformed VDIGX with an annualized return of 8.67%, while VDIGX has yielded a comparatively higher 12.30% annualized return.

HTD

• 1D: -0.27%
• 1M: 1.32%
• 6M: 8.30%
• YTD: 13.77%
• 1Y: 14.58%
• 3Y*: 16.15%
• 5Y*: 8.36%
• 10Y*: 8.67%
• ALL TIME*: 9.63%

VDIGX

• 1D: 0.63%
• 1M: -0.03%
• 6M: 4.45%
• YTD: 5.43%
• 1Y: 12.39%
• 3Y*: 13.59%
• 5Y*: 9.57%
• 10Y*: 12.30%
• 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)
HTD John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund	$1.47M	$1.67M	$1.66M
VDIGX Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

HTD vs. VDIGX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
HTD John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund	13.77%	15.87%	25.68%	-9.92%	-6.24%	32.36%	-16.54%	42.77%	-9.13%	16.47%
VDIGX Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	5.43%	11.11%	20.84%	8.11%	-4.89%	24.86%	12.04%	30.94%	0.08%	19.32%

Correlation

The correlation between HTD and VDIGX is 0.31, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.31
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.47
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.57
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.50
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 25, 2004	0.55

Over the past year, the correlation between HTD and VDIGX has dropped to 0.31 - well below their long-term average of 0.55, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

HTD vs. VDIGX — Risk / Return Rank

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

HTD

HTD Risk / Return Rank: 48
HTD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 43
HTD Sortino Ratio Rank: 39
HTD Omega Ratio Rank: 40
HTD Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
HTD Martin Ratio Rank: 47

VDIGX

VDIGX Risk / Return Rank: 32
VDIGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 33
VDIGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 35
VDIGX Omega Ratio Rank: 31
VDIGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 26
VDIGX Martin Ratio Rank: 32

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.

HTD vs. VDIGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (HTD) 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.

	HTD	VDIGX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.22	1.02	+0.20
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.69	1.54	+0.14
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.22	1.18	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.36	1.15	+1.21
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.53	4.56	+1.97

HTD vs. VDIGX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HTD Sharpe Ratio is 1.22, which is comparable to the VDIGX Sharpe Ratio of 1.02. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HTD 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

HTD vs. VDIGX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HTD drawdown since its inception was -69.79%, which is greater than VDIGX's maximum drawdown of -45.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HTD and VDIGX.

Drawdown Indicators

	HTD	VDIGX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-69.79%	-45.23%	-24.56%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.18%	-9.09%	+2.91%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.48%	-10.23%	-8.25%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.58%	-16.18%	-15.40%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-56.57%	-32.98%	-23.59%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.23%	-0.37%	-0.86%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.74%	-6.62%	-2.12%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.23%	2.30%	-0.07%

Volatility

HTD vs. VDIGX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund (HTD) is 2.43%, while Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund (VDIGX) has a volatility of 2.87%. This indicates that HTD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VDIGX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	HTD	VDIGX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.43%	2.87%	-0.44%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.87%	7.89%	+0.98%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.97%	10.28%	+1.69%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.74%	13.86%	+3.88%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.61%	15.67%	+6.94%

HTD vs. VDIGX - Expense Ratio Comparison

HTD has a 0.01% 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

HTD vs. VDIGX - Dividend Comparison

HTD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.36%, less than VDIGX's 23.28% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HTD John Hancock Tax-Advantaged Dividend Income Fund	7.36%	7.51%	7.52%	8.73%	7.36%	5.80%	7.97%	6.06%	10.09%	8.85%	7.30%	7.06%
VDIGX Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	23.28%	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 HTD and VDIGX in my portfolio?

HTD and VDIGX have a correlation of 0.31, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, HTD or VDIGX?

VDIGX has higher volatility (2.87%) compared to HTD (2.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HTD dropped -69.79% vs VDIGX's -45.23%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

HTD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.22 vs 1.02), 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.