UTES vs. VOX
UTES (Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF) and VOX (Vanguard Communication Services ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - UTES is a Utilities Equities fund actively managed by Virtus Investment Partners, while VOX is a Communications Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Communication Services 25/50 Index. UTES is actively managed, while VOX is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, UTES returned 12.27%/yr vs 8.94%/yr for VOX. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. UTES charges 0.49%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for VOX.
Performance
UTES vs. VOX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UTES achieves a 0.26% return, which is significantly higher than VOX's -3.01% return. Over the past 10 years, UTES has outperformed VOX with an annualized return of 12.27%, while VOX has yielded a comparatively lower 8.94% annualized return.
UTES
- 1D
- 1.56%
- 1M
- -0.82%
- YTD
- 0.26%
- 6M
- 0.49%
- 1Y
- 8.95%
- 3Y*
- 22.00%
- 5Y*
- 15.32%
- 10Y*
- 12.27%
VOX
- 1D
- 0.03%
- 1M
- -5.20%
- YTD
- -3.01%
- 6M
- -1.76%
- 1Y
- 16.53%
- 3Y*
- 22.49%
- 5Y*
- 6.96%
- 10Y*
- 8.94%
UTES vs. VOX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UTES Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF | 0.26% | 25.71% | 45.35% | -2.46% | 0.80% | 20.74% | -0.30% | 25.48% | 5.14% | 14.21% |
VOX Vanguard Communication Services ETF | -3.01% | 26.27% | 33.12% | 44.81% | -38.85% | 13.83% | 29.12% | 28.03% | -16.75% | -5.50% |
Correlation
The correlation between UTES and VOX is 0.25, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.25 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.30 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.31 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 24, 2015 | 0.30 |
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Return for Risk
UTES vs. VOX — Risk / Return Rank
UTES
VOX
UTES vs. VOX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES) and Vanguard Communication Services ETF (VOX). 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.
| UTES | VOX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.61 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.86 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.08 | 1.18 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.60 | 1.14 | -0.54 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.32 | 4.20 | -2.88 |
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Drawdowns
UTES vs. VOX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UTES drawdown since its inception was -35.39%, smaller than the maximum VOX drawdown of -57.18%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UTES and VOX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UTES | VOX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.39% | -57.18% | +21.79% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.88% | -13.56% | -0.32% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.62% | -21.15% | +3.53% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.40% | -46.76% | +26.36% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.39% | -46.76% | +11.37% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.10% | -6.27% | -2.83% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.53% | -11.90% | +6.37% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.29% | 3.67% | +2.62% |
Volatility
UTES vs. VOX - Volatility Comparison
Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF (UTES) has a higher volatility of 7.23% compared to Vanguard Communication Services ETF (VOX) at 4.01%. This indicates that UTES's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VOX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| UTES | VOX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.23% | 4.01% | +3.22% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.05% | 11.29% | +5.76% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.32% | 15.48% | +5.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.62% | 21.17% | -0.55% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.17% | 20.90% | -0.73% |
UTES vs. VOX - Expense Ratio Comparison
UTES has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is higher than VOX's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
UTES vs. VOX - Dividend Comparison
UTES's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.49%, more than VOX's 1.01% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UTES Virtus Reaves Utilities ETF | 1.49% | 1.42% | 1.51% | 2.44% | 2.13% | 1.94% | 2.09% | 1.84% | 2.09% | 3.44% | 3.53% | 0.61% |
VOX Vanguard Communication Services ETF | 1.01% | 0.95% | 1.05% | 1.03% | 0.88% | 0.93% | 0.73% | 0.90% | 2.77% | 3.83% | 2.67% | 3.55% |
Frequently Asked Questions
UTES and VOX have a correlation of 0.25, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UTES has higher volatility (7.23%) compared to VOX (4.01%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UTES dropped -35.39% vs VOX's -57.18%.
On 10-year performance, UTES leads with 12.27% vs 8.94% for VOX. On fees, VOX is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, VOX has been the lower-risk option at 4.01%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, UTES has performed better with a 12.27% return vs 8.94%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VOX is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for UTES.
UTES has the higher dividend yield at 1.49%, compared with 1.01% for VOX.
UTES is categorized as Utilities Equities, while VOX is Communications Equities. They also come from different issuers: Virtus Investment Partners and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.49% for UTES and 0.09% for VOX.
VOX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.00 vs 0.39), 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.
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