MGC vs. VONG

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Mega Cap ETF (MGC) and Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG).

MGC and VONG are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. MGC is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the CRSP US Mega Cap Index. It was launched on Dec 17, 2007. VONG is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Russell 1000 Growth Index. It was launched on Sep 20, 2010. Both MGC and VONG are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

MGC vs. VONG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Mega Cap ETF (MGC) and Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

MGC vs. VONG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
MGC Vanguard Mega Cap ETF	-5.62%	19.31%	27.16%	29.77%	-19.95%	27.58%	21.57%	31.14%	-3.45%	22.61%
VONG Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF	-9.79%	18.45%	33.20%	42.67%	-29.18%	27.60%	38.30%	36.06%	-1.53%	30.05%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MGC achieves a -5.62% return, which is significantly higher than VONG's -9.79% return. Over the past 10 years, MGC has underperformed VONG with an annualized return of 14.69%, while VONG has yielded a comparatively higher 16.65% annualized return.

MGC

• 1D: 3.07%
• 1M: -4.82%
• YTD: -5.62%
• 6M: -2.65%
• 1Y: 18.56%
• 3Y*: 19.64%
• 5Y*: 12.23%
• 10Y*: 14.69%

VONG

• 1D: 3.76%
• 1M: -5.21%
• YTD: -9.79%
• 6M: -8.75%
• 1Y: 18.79%
• 3Y*: 21.10%
• 5Y*: 12.35%
• 10Y*: 16.65%

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

MGC vs. VONG - Expense Ratio Comparison

MGC has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than VONG's 0.06% 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%.

VONG

Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF

MGC

Vanguard Mega Cap ETF

Return for Risk

MGC vs. VONG — Risk / Return Rank

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

MGC

MGC Risk / Return Rank: 66
MGC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
MGC Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
MGC Omega Ratio Rank: 66
MGC Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
MGC Martin Ratio Rank: 74

VONG

VONG Risk / Return Rank: 51
VONG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 51
VONG Sortino Ratio Rank: 56
VONG Omega Ratio Rank: 54
VONG Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
VONG Martin Ratio Rank: 45

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.

MGC vs. VONG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Mega Cap ETF (MGC) and Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG). 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.

	MGC	VONG	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.99	0.84	+0.15
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.53	1.36	+0.17
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.23	1.19	+0.04
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.61	1.16	+0.45
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.15	4.00	+3.14
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

MGC vs. VONG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MGC Sharpe Ratio is 0.99, which is comparable to the VONG Sharpe Ratio of 0.84. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MGC and VONG, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	MGC	VONG	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.99	0.84	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.71	0.58	+0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.81	0.80	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.55	0.84	-0.29

Correlation

The correlation between MGC and VONG is 0.95, 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

MGC vs. VONG - Dividend Comparison

MGC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.02%, more than VONG's 0.51% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MGC Vanguard Mega Cap ETF	1.02%	0.93%	1.15%	1.35%	1.65%	1.17%	1.45%	1.81%	2.10%	1.83%	2.14%	2.11%
VONG Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF	0.51%	0.45%	0.55%	0.71%	0.98%	0.58%	0.77%	1.03%	1.18%	1.19%	1.48%	1.47%

Drawdowns

MGC vs. VONG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MGC drawdown since its inception was -51.93%, which is greater than VONG's maximum drawdown of -32.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MGC and VONG.

Drawdown Indicators

	MGC	VONG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.93%	-32.72%	-19.21%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.93%	-16.23%	+4.30%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.74%	-32.72%	+6.98%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.07%	-32.72%	-0.35%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.08%	-13.09%	+6.01%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.12%	-4.90%	-2.22%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.69%	4.72%	-2.03%

Volatility

MGC vs. VONG - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Mega Cap ETF (MGC) is 5.48%, while Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG) has a volatility of 6.72%. This indicates that MGC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VONG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MGC	VONG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.48%	6.72%	-1.24%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.84%	12.34%	-2.50%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.79%	22.40%	-3.61%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.26%	21.35%	-4.09%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.19%	20.82%	-2.63%