UTG vs. VPU
UTG (Reaves Utility Income Trust) 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, UTG returned 10.70%/yr vs 9.17%/yr for VPU. A 0.59 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.
Performance
UTG vs. VPU - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, UTG achieves a 19.18% return, which is significantly higher than VPU's 5.98% return. Over the past 10 years, UTG has outperformed VPU with an annualized return of 10.70%, while VPU has yielded a comparatively lower 9.17% annualized return.
UTG
- 1D
- 1.09%
- 1M
- 0.50%
- YTD
- 19.18%
- 6M
- 21.56%
- 1Y
- 30.08%
- 3Y*
- 25.12%
- 5Y*
- 12.27%
- 10Y*
- 10.70%
VPU
- 1D
- 0.45%
- 1M
- -0.84%
- YTD
- 5.98%
- 6M
- 6.31%
- 1Y
- 14.60%
- 3Y*
- 14.56%
- 5Y*
- 10.18%
- 10Y*
- 9.17%
UTG vs. VPU - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UTG Reaves Utility Income Trust | 19.18% | 23.24% | 28.10% | 2.84% | -13.38% | 14.26% | -5.25% | 33.65% | 1.84% | 6.74% |
VPU Vanguard Utilities ETF | 5.98% | 16.46% | 23.04% | -7.45% | 1.06% | 17.40% | -0.74% | 24.89% | 4.38% | 12.44% |
Correlation
The correlation between UTG and VPU is 0.64, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.64 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.69 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.65 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 25, 2004 | 0.59 |
The correlation between UTG and VPU shifts across timeframes, from 0.59 (all time) to 0.72 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
UTG vs. VPU — Risk / Return Rank
UTG
VPU
UTG vs. VPU - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Reaves Utility Income Trust (UTG) 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.
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.
| UTG | VPU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.73 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.83 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.18 | +0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.61 | 1.65 | +0.96 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.66 | 3.51 | +2.14 |
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Drawdowns
UTG vs. VPU - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum UTG drawdown since its inception was -67.77%, which is greater than VPU's maximum drawdown of -46.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UTG and VPU.
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Drawdown Indicators
| UTG | VPU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -67.77% | -46.31% | -21.46% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.59% | -8.90% | -2.69% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.03% | -17.34% | +2.31% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -26.54% | -25.15% | -1.39% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -47.91% | -36.42% | -11.49% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.59% | -4.74% | +3.15% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.73% | -7.78% | -0.95% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.33% | 4.16% | +1.17% |
Volatility
UTG vs. VPU - Volatility Comparison
Reaves Utility Income Trust (UTG) has a higher volatility of 6.10% compared to Vanguard Utilities ETF (VPU) at 5.20%. This indicates that UTG'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.
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Volatility by Period
| UTG | VPU | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.10% | 5.20% | +0.90% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.30% | 11.54% | +1.76% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.32% | 14.45% | +2.87% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.95% | 17.03% | -0.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.64% | 19.15% | +2.49% |
Dividends
UTG vs. VPU - Dividend Comparison
UTG's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.64%, more than VPU's 2.61% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
UTG Reaves Utility Income Trust | 5.64% | 6.42% | 7.19% | 8.53% | 8.07% | 6.35% | 6.59% | 5.69% | 6.86% | 6.21% | 9.02% | 6.86% |
VPU Vanguard Utilities ETF | 2.61% | 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
UTG and VPU have a correlation of 0.64, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
UTG has higher volatility (6.10%) compared to VPU (5.20%). In terms of maximum drawdown, UTG dropped -67.77% vs VPU's -46.31%.
UTG currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.75 vs 1.02), 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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