NOVT vs. VGT

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

NOVT (Novanta Inc.) is a stock, while VGT (Vanguard Information Technology ETF) is Technology Equities fund tracking the MSCI USA IMI Information Technology 25/50 Index. Over the past 10 years, NOVT returned 24.80%/yr vs 24.06%/yr for VGT. Their 0.59 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently.

Performance

NOVT vs. VGT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Novanta Inc. (NOVT) and Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with NOVT having a 19.80% return and VGT slightly higher at 20.36%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with NOVT having a 24.80% annualized return and VGT not far behind at 24.06%.

NOVT

• 1D: 2.62%
• 1M: -11.85%
• 6M: 5.95%
• YTD: 19.80%
• 1Y: 18.69%
• 3Y*: -6.85%
• 5Y*: 0.30%
• 10Y*: 24.80%
• ALL TIME*: 25.08%

VGT

• 1D: -0.38%
• 1M: -1.30%
• 6M: 21.30%
• YTD: 20.36%
• 1Y: 34.81%
• 3Y*: 26.48%
• 5Y*: 17.81%
• 10Y*: 24.06%
• ALL TIME*: 14.84%

*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)
NOVT Novanta Inc.	$55.79M	$69.32M	$81.33M
VGT Vanguard Information Technology ETF	$440.89M	$515.41M	$573.34M

NOVT vs. VGT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NOVT Novanta Inc.	19.80%	-22.11%	-9.29%	23.95%	-22.95%	49.15%	33.67%	40.38%	26.00%	138.10%
VGT Vanguard Information Technology ETF	20.36%	21.77%	29.30%	52.66%	-29.70%	30.45%	46.04%	48.62%	2.46%	37.08%

Correlation

The correlation between NOVT and VGT is 0.47, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.47
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.54
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.61
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.59
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 4, 2016	0.59

The correlation between NOVT and VGT shifts across timeframes, from 0.47 (1 year) to 0.61 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

NOVT vs. VGT — Risk / Return Rank

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

NOVT

NOVT Risk / Return Rank: 57
NOVT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
NOVT Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
NOVT Omega Ratio Rank: 54
NOVT Calmar Ratio Rank: 59
NOVT Martin Ratio Rank: 60

VGT

VGT Risk / Return Rank: 52
VGT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
VGT Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
VGT Omega Ratio Rank: 50
VGT Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
VGT Martin Ratio Rank: 46

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.

NOVT vs. VGT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Novanta Inc. (NOVT) and Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT). 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.

	NOVT	VGT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.31	1.31	-1.00
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.80	1.82	-1.03
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.10	1.23	-0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.59	1.94	-1.35
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.33	5.23	-3.90

NOVT vs. VGT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NOVT Sharpe Ratio is 0.31, which is lower than the VGT Sharpe Ratio of 1.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NOVT and VGT, 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

NOVT vs. VGT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NOVT drawdown since its inception was -46.71%, smaller than the maximum VGT drawdown of -54.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NOVT and VGT.

Drawdown Indicators

	NOVT	VGT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.71%	-54.63%	+7.92%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-26.97%	-16.40%	-10.57%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-46.71%	-27.23%	-19.48%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-46.71%	-35.07%	-11.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-46.71%	-35.07%	-11.64%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-23.44%	-9.93%	-13.51%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.38%	-7.95%	-4.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	11.97%	6.07%	+5.90%

Volatility

NOVT vs. VGT - Volatility Comparison

Novanta Inc. (NOVT) has a higher volatility of 14.23% compared to Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) at 8.42%. This indicates that NOVT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NOVT	VGT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	14.23%	8.42%	+5.81%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	34.25%	20.14%	+14.11%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	51.29%	24.28%	+27.01%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	40.60%	25.83%	+14.77%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	39.23%	24.89%	+14.34%

Dividends

NOVT vs. VGT - Dividend Comparison

NOVT has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VGT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.38%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NOVT Novanta Inc.	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VGT Vanguard Information Technology ETF	0.38%	0.40%	0.60%	0.65%	0.91%	0.64%	0.82%	1.11%	1.29%	0.99%	1.31%	1.28%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NOVT and VGT in my portfolio?

NOVT and VGT have a correlation of 0.47, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NOVT or VGT?

NOVT has higher volatility (14.23%) compared to VGT (8.42%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NOVT dropped -46.71% vs VGT's -54.63%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VGT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.31 vs 0.31), 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.