NOVN.SW vs. VPU

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

NOVN.SW (Novartis AG) is a stock, while VPU (Vanguard Utilities ETF) is Utilities Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Utilities 25/50 Index. Over the past 10 years, NOVN.SW returned 9.98%/yr vs 6.81%/yr for VPU. At a 0.24 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

NOVN.SW vs. VPU - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CHF 10,000 investment in Novartis AG (NOVN.SW) and Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

NOVN.SW is traded in CHF, while VPU is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the VPU values have been converted to CHF using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NOVN.SW achieves a 8.91% return, which is significantly higher than VPU's 3.29% return. Over the past 10 years, NOVN.SW has outperformed VPU with an annualized return of 9.98%, while VPU has yielded a comparatively lower 6.81% annualized return.

NOVN.SW

• 1D: 2.04%
• 1M: 2.19%
• YTD: 8.91%
• 6M: 11.93%
• 1Y: 22.96%
• 3Y*: 14.41%
• 5Y*: 12.76%
• 10Y*: 9.98%

VPU

• 1D: -1.58%
• 1M: 0.13%
• YTD: 3.29%
• 6M: 1.97%
• 1Y: 7.47%
• 3Y*: 8.17%
• 5Y*: 6.42%
• 10Y*: 6.81%

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

NOVN.SW vs. VPU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NOVN.SW Novartis AG	8.91%	27.98%	8.44%	11.93%	8.75%	-0.11%	-5.39%	28.50%	6.51%	16.04%
VPU Vanguard Utilities ETF	3.29%	1.76%	32.74%	-15.73%	2.45%	20.86%	-9.11%	22.77%	5.39%	7.67%

Correlation

The correlation between NOVN.SW and VPU is 0.17, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.17
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.18
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.20
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.19
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 3, 2007	0.24

Return for Risk

NOVN.SW vs. VPU — Risk / Return Rank

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

NOVN.SW

NOVN.SW Risk / Return Rank: 75
NOVN.SW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
NOVN.SW Sortino Ratio Rank: 72
NOVN.SW Omega Ratio Rank: 72
NOVN.SW Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
NOVN.SW Martin Ratio Rank: 77

VPU

VPU Risk / Return Rank: 23
VPU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 23
VPU Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
VPU Omega Ratio Rank: 22
VPU Calmar Ratio Rank: 27
VPU Martin Ratio Rank: 22

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.

NOVN.SW vs. VPU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Novartis AG (NOVN.SW) 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.

	NOVN.SW	VPU	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.34	0.49	+0.85
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.80	0.76	+1.05
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.09	+0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.29	0.76	+1.54
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.53	1.71	+3.82
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NOVN.SW vs. VPU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NOVN.SW Sharpe Ratio is 1.34, which is higher than the VPU Sharpe Ratio of 0.49. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NOVN.SW and VPU, 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

	NOVN.SW	VPU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.34	0.49	+0.85
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.72	0.36	+0.36
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.55	0.34	+0.21
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.48	0.27	+0.21

Drawdowns

NOVN.SW vs. VPU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NOVN.SW drawdown since its inception was -42.25%, smaller than the maximum VPU drawdown of -47.22%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NOVN.SW and VPU.

Drawdown Indicators

	NOVN.SW	VPU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.25%	-47.22%	+4.97%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.78%	-9.92%	-0.86%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.86%	-14.67%	-2.19%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.86%	-29.30%	+12.44%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-24.11%	-36.34%	+12.23%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.53%	-6.37%	-2.16%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.40%	-12.93%	+1.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.43%	4.37%	+0.06%

Volatility

NOVN.SW vs. VPU - Volatility Comparison

Novartis AG (NOVN.SW) has a higher volatility of 6.01% compared to Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) at 5.52%. This indicates that NOVN.SW's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VPU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NOVN.SW	VPU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.01%	5.52%	+0.49%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.12%	12.10%	+1.02%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.53%	15.44%	+3.09%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.81%	17.76%	+0.05%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.23%	19.96%	-1.73%

Dividends

NOVN.SW vs. VPU - Dividend Comparison

NOVN.SW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.19%, more than VPU's 2.70% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NOVN.SW Novartis AG	3.19%	3.19%	3.72%	3.77%	3.91%	3.94%	3.72%	3.27%	3.98%	3.98%	4.35%	3.58%
VPU Vanguard Utilities ETF	2.70%	2.73%	3.02%	3.49%	2.98%	2.70%	3.17%	2.83%	3.23%	3.18%	3.19%	3.63%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NOVN.SW and VPU in my portfolio?

NOVN.SW and VPU have a correlation of 0.17, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.