VCR vs. COWZ
VCR (Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF) and COWZ (Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VCR is a Consumer Discretionary Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Consumer Discretionary 25/50 Index, while COWZ is a Mid Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VCR returned 6.00%/yr vs 10.13%/yr for COWZ. A 0.70 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VCR charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.49%/yr for COWZ.
Performance
VCR vs. COWZ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VCR achieves a -0.09% return, which is significantly lower than COWZ's 6.93% return.
VCR
- 1D
- 0.20%
- 1M
- 0.16%
- YTD
- -0.09%
- 6M
- -1.17%
- 1Y
- 12.37%
- 3Y*
- 13.30%
- 5Y*
- 6.00%
- 10Y*
- 13.76%
COWZ
- 1D
- 0.82%
- 1M
- 1.75%
- YTD
- 6.93%
- 6M
- 6.01%
- 1Y
- 19.20%
- 3Y*
- 13.01%
- 5Y*
- 10.13%
- 10Y*
- —
VCR vs. COWZ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VCR Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF | -0.09% | 5.77% | 24.27% | 40.38% | -35.15% | 24.86% | 48.36% | 27.45% | -2.31% | 22.82% |
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF | 6.93% | 8.98% | 10.64% | 14.73% | 0.19% | 42.57% | 11.65% | 23.41% | -10.05% | 20.22% |
Correlation
The correlation between VCR and COWZ is 0.57, 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 | 0.57 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.61 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.67 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 19, 2016 | 0.70 |
The correlation between VCR and COWZ shifts across timeframes, from 0.57 (1 year) to 0.70 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
VCR vs. COWZ — Risk / Return Rank
VCR
COWZ
VCR vs. COWZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF (VCR) and Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ). 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.
| VCR | COWZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.03 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.46 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.29 | -0.17 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.72 | 3.65 | -2.93 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 2.21 | 9.73 | -7.52 |
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Drawdowns
VCR vs. COWZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VCR drawdown since its inception was -61.54%, which is greater than COWZ's maximum drawdown of -38.63%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCR and COWZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VCR | COWZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.54% | -38.63% | -22.91% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.59% | -5.00% | -10.59% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.36% | -22.00% | -5.36% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -39.20% | -22.00% | -17.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.20% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.64% | -2.05% | -2.59% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.39% | -4.80% | -4.59% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.05% | 1.88% | +3.17% |
Volatility
VCR vs. COWZ - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF (VCR) has a higher volatility of 6.17% compared to Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) at 3.27%. This indicates that VCR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than COWZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VCR | COWZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.17% | 3.27% | +2.90% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.48% | 7.20% | +6.28% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.62% | 11.19% | +7.43% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.03% | 17.64% | +6.39% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.43% | 19.91% | +2.52% |
VCR vs. COWZ - Expense Ratio Comparison
VCR has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than COWZ's 0.49% expense ratio.
Dividends
VCR vs. COWZ - Dividend Comparison
VCR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.73%, less than COWZ's 1.93% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
COWZ Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF | 1.93% | 2.19% | 1.82% | 1.92% | 1.96% | 1.48% | 2.54% | 1.96% | 1.67% | 1.95% | 0.13% | 0.00% |
VCR Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF | 0.73% | 0.74% | 0.74% | 0.84% | 0.98% | 0.79% | 1.71% | 1.17% | 1.37% | 1.21% | 1.60% | 1.32% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VCR and COWZ have a correlation of 0.57, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VCR has higher volatility (6.17%) compared to COWZ (3.27%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCR dropped -61.54% vs COWZ's -38.63%.
On 5-year performance, COWZ leads with 10.13% vs 6.00% for VCR. On fees, VCR is cheaper at 0.10% per year. On volatility, COWZ has been the lower-risk option at 3.27%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, COWZ has performed better with a 10.13% return vs 6.00%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VCR is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.49% for COWZ.
COWZ has the higher dividend yield at 1.93%, compared with 0.73% for VCR.
VCR is categorized as Consumer Discretionary Equities, while COWZ is Mid Cap Value Equities. VCR tracks MSCI US Investable Market Consumer Discretionary 25/50 Index, while COWZ tracks Pacer US Cash Cows 100 Index. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and Pacer. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for VCR and 0.49% for COWZ.
COWZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.63 vs 0.60), 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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