UCAGX vs. VUG

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

UCAGX (USAA Cornerstone Aggressive Fund) and VUG (Vanguard Growth ETF) are both funds - UCAGX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by Victory, while VUG is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index. Over the past 10 years, UCAGX returned 9.11%/yr vs 17.79%/yr for VUG. Their correlation of 0.84 means they have usually moved in the same direction. UCAGX charges 1.24%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for VUG.

Performance

UCAGX vs. VUG - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in USAA Cornerstone Aggressive Fund (UCAGX) and Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UCAGX achieves a 11.76% return, which is significantly higher than VUG's 9.81% return. Over the past 10 years, UCAGX has underperformed VUG with an annualized return of 9.11%, while VUG has yielded a comparatively higher 17.79% annualized return.

UCAGX

• 1D: 0.83%
• 1M: 1.38%
• 6M: 8.47%
• YTD: 11.76%
• 1Y: 21.59%
• 3Y*: 15.65%
• 5Y*: 8.56%
• 10Y*: 9.11%
• ALL TIME*: 8.34%

VUG

• 1D: 2.31%
• 1M: 4.20%
• 6M: 13.15%
• YTD: 9.81%
• 1Y: 18.35%
• 3Y*: 24.22%
• 5Y*: 12.88%
• 10Y*: 17.79%
• ALL TIME*: 12.30%

*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)
UCAGX USAA Cornerstone Aggressive Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VUG Vanguard Growth ETF	$557.36M	$649.80M	$660.09M

UCAGX vs. VUG - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
UCAGX USAA Cornerstone Aggressive Fund	11.76%	19.22%	10.43%	14.37%	-13.55%	16.23%	9.48%	19.96%	-9.34%	17.91%
VUG Vanguard Growth ETF	9.81%	19.40%	32.69%	46.83%	-33.16%	27.35%	40.25%	37.03%	-3.32%	27.72%

Correlation

The correlation between UCAGX and VUG is 0.83, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.83
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.78
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.81
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.83
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 13, 2012	0.84

The correlation between UCAGX and VUG has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.78 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

UCAGX vs. VUG — Risk / Return Rank

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

UCAGX

UCAGX Risk / Return Rank: 81
UCAGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 81
UCAGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
UCAGX Omega Ratio Rank: 76
UCAGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
UCAGX Martin Ratio Rank: 88

VUG

VUG Risk / Return Rank: 35
VUG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 37
VUG Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
VUG Omega Ratio Rank: 35
VUG Calmar Ratio Rank: 31
VUG Martin Ratio Rank: 34

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.

UCAGX vs. VUG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for USAA Cornerstone Aggressive Fund (UCAGX) and Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG). 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.

	UCAGX	VUG	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.99	1.04	+0.95
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.80	1.51	+1.28
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.19	+0.17
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.91	1.12	+1.79
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.42	3.54	+8.88

UCAGX vs. VUG - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UCAGX Sharpe Ratio is 1.99, which is higher than the VUG Sharpe Ratio of 1.04. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UCAGX and VUG, 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

UCAGX vs. VUG - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UCAGX drawdown since its inception was -29.07%, smaller than the maximum VUG drawdown of -50.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UCAGX and VUG.

Drawdown Indicators

	UCAGX	VUG	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-29.07%	-50.68%	+21.61%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.02%	-16.53%	+8.51%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.61%	-22.85%	+6.24%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.37%	-35.61%	+10.24%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-29.07%	-35.61%	+6.54%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.22%	+1.22%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.85%	-7.08%	+2.23%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.87%	5.20%	-3.33%

Volatility

UCAGX vs. VUG - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for USAA Cornerstone Aggressive Fund (UCAGX) is 3.21%, while Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) has a volatility of 6.22%. This indicates that UCAGX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VUG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UCAGX	VUG	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.21%	6.22%	-3.01%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.76%	14.55%	-4.79%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.72%	17.86%	-6.14%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.27%	22.55%	-8.28%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.16%	21.58%	-7.42%

UCAGX vs. VUG - Expense Ratio Comparison

UCAGX has a 1.24% expense ratio, which is higher than VUG's 0.03% expense ratio.

Dividends

UCAGX vs. VUG - Dividend Comparison

UCAGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.88%, more than VUG's 0.38% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
UCAGX USAA Cornerstone Aggressive Fund	9.88%	11.04%	8.14%	1.96%	4.79%	8.52%	1.89%	2.03%	5.99%	6.74%	1.48%	2.20%
VUG Vanguard Growth ETF	0.38%	0.41%	0.47%	0.58%	0.70%	0.48%	0.66%	0.95%	1.32%	1.14%	1.39%	1.30%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UCAGX and VUG in my portfolio?

UCAGX and VUG have a correlation of 0.83, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, UCAGX or VUG?

VUG has higher volatility (6.22%) compared to UCAGX (3.21%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UCAGX dropped -29.07% vs VUG's -50.68%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

UCAGX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.99 vs 1.04), 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.