VCSAX vs. SPY

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

VCSAX (Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund Admiral Shares) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - VCSAX is a Consumer Staples Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, VCSAX returned 7.82%/yr vs 15.07%/yr for SPY. Their 0.69 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. VCSAX charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

VCSAX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund Admiral Shares (VCSAX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VCSAX achieves a 10.73% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 10.13% return. Over the past 10 years, VCSAX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 7.82%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.07% annualized return.

VCSAX

• 1D: -1.99%
• 1M: 0.29%
• 6M: 3.09%
• YTD: 10.73%
• 1Y: 8.94%
• 3Y*: 7.70%
• 5Y*: 7.24%
• 10Y*: 7.82%
• ALL TIME*: 9.40%

SPY

• 1D: 0.72%
• 1M: 0.30%
• 6M: 8.53%
• YTD: 10.13%
• 1Y: 21.49%
• 3Y*: 19.32%
• 5Y*: 12.76%
• 10Y*: 15.07%
• ALL TIME*: 10.79%

*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)
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	$37.27B	$35.99B	$39.23B
VCSAX Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

VCSAX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VCSAX Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund Admiral Shares	10.73%	2.11%	13.29%	2.38%	-1.75%	18.56%	10.90%	26.08%	-7.72%	11.79%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.13%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between VCSAX and SPY is -0.09, meaning there was essentially no consistent relationship between their historical price movements. Each responded to its own set of market drivers.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	-0.09
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.25
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.43
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.53
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 30, 2004	0.69

The correlation between VCSAX and SPY shifts across timeframes, from -0.09 (1 year) to 0.69 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

VCSAX vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VCSAX	SPY
Consumer Defensive	97.1%	4.8%
Consumer Cyclical	1.1%	8.9%
Technology	0.5%	36.9%
Basic Materials	0.4%	1.9%
Industrials	0.3%	7.6%
Healthcare	0.0%	9.4%
Communication Services	-	9.7%
Energy	-	3.4%
Financial Services	-	12.5%
Real Estate	-	2.0%
Utilities	-	2.6%

Return for Risk

VCSAX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

VCSAX

VCSAX Risk / Return Rank: 17
VCSAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 17
VCSAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 18
VCSAX Omega Ratio Rank: 16
VCSAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 20
VCSAX Martin Ratio Rank: 13

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 67
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 65
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 76

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.

VCSAX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund Admiral Shares (VCSAX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.

	VCSAX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.62	1.52	-0.89
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.00	2.11	-1.11
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.11	1.27	-0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.93	2.20	-1.28
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.73	9.40	-7.67

VCSAX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VCSAX Sharpe Ratio is 0.62, which is lower than the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 1.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VCSAX and SPY, 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

VCSAX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VCSAX drawdown since its inception was -34.34%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VCSAX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	VCSAX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.34%	-55.19%	+20.85%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.28%	-8.88%	-0.40%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-11.03%	-18.76%	+7.73%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.56%	-24.50%	+7.94%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-25.08%	-33.72%	+8.64%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.27%	-1.40%	-2.87%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.75%	-9.01%	+5.26%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.96%	2.08%	+2.88%

Volatility

VCSAX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund Admiral Shares (VCSAX) has a higher volatility of 5.88% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 3.58%. This indicates that VCSAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VCSAX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.88%	3.58%	+2.30%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.44%	10.14%	+1.30%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.83%	12.89%	+0.94%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.47%	17.18%	-3.71%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.76%	17.95%	-3.19%

VCSAX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

VCSAX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VCSAX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

VCSAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.08%, more than SPY's 1.01% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	1.01%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%
VCSAX Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund Admiral Shares	2.08%	2.26%	2.33%	2.65%	2.37%	2.99%	2.50%	2.44%	2.78%	2.52%	2.40%	2.56%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VCSAX and SPY in my portfolio?

VCSAX and SPY have a correlation of -0.09, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VCSAX or SPY?

VCSAX has higher volatility (5.88%) compared to SPY (3.58%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VCSAX dropped -34.34% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.52 vs 0.62), 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.