VEIRX vs. VDIGX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

VEIRX (Vanguard Equity Income Fund Admiral Shares) and VDIGX (Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund) are both mutual funds - VEIRX is a Large Cap Value Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while VDIGX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VEIRX returned 11.87%/yr vs 12.27%/yr for VDIGX. Their correlation of 0.92 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VEIRX charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.27%/yr for VDIGX.

Performance

VEIRX vs. VDIGX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Equity Income Fund Admiral Shares (VEIRX) and Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund (VDIGX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VEIRX achieves a 8.88% return, which is significantly higher than VDIGX's 2.30% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VEIRX having a 11.87% annualized return and VDIGX not far ahead at 12.27%.

VEIRX

• 1D: -0.10%
• 1M: 1.19%
• YTD: 8.88%
• 6M: 10.21%
• 1Y: 23.45%
• 3Y*: 17.31%
• 5Y*: 11.01%
• 10Y*: 11.87%

VDIGX

• 1D: -0.41%
• 1M: 2.26%
• YTD: 2.30%
• 6M: 2.90%
• 1Y: 8.29%
• 3Y*: 13.95%
• 5Y*: 9.77%
• 10Y*: 12.27%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

VEIRX vs. VDIGX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VEIRX Vanguard Equity Income Fund Admiral Shares	8.88%	17.25%	14.91%	7.76%	-0.08%	25.49%	3.08%	25.34%	-5.68%	17.68%
VDIGX Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	2.30%	11.11%	20.84%	8.11%	-4.89%	24.86%	12.04%	30.94%	0.08%	19.32%

Correlation

The correlation between VEIRX and VDIGX is 0.86, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.81
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.86
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.88
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 14, 2001	0.92

The correlation between VEIRX and VDIGX shifts across timeframes, from 0.81 (3 years) to 0.92 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

VEIRX vs. VDIGX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VEIRX	VDIGX
Financial Services	20.5%	20.1%
Healthcare	14.8%	16.1%
Technology	13.0%	23.6%
Industrials	10.6%	14.9%
Consumer Defensive	9.4%	7.9%
Energy	8.3%	1.1%
Utilities	7.0%	0.5%
Consumer Cyclical	6.0%	10.7%
Basic Materials	3.4%	2.6%
Communication Services	2.9%	2.3%
Real Estate	1.9%	-

Return for Risk

VEIRX vs. VDIGX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

VEIRX

VEIRX Risk / Return Rank: 64
VEIRX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
VEIRX Sortino Ratio Rank: 62
VEIRX Omega Ratio Rank: 58
VEIRX Calmar Ratio Rank: 73
VEIRX Martin Ratio Rank: 63

VDIGX

VDIGX Risk / Return Rank: 10
VDIGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 10
VDIGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
VDIGX Omega Ratio Rank: 9
VDIGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
VDIGX Martin Ratio Rank: 12

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

VEIRX vs. VDIGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Equity Income Fund Admiral Shares (VEIRX) and Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund (VDIGX). 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.

	VEIRX	VDIGX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.33	0.85	+1.49
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.31	1.30	+2.01
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	1.15	+0.27
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.35	0.97	+2.38
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.55	3.73	+8.82
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VEIRX vs. VDIGX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VEIRX Sharpe Ratio is 2.33, which is higher than the VDIGX Sharpe Ratio of 0.85. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VEIRX and VDIGX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VEIRX	VDIGX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.33	0.85	+1.49
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.80	0.71	+0.09
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.73	0.78	-0.05
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.51	0.62	-0.10

Drawdowns

VEIRX vs. VDIGX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VEIRX drawdown since its inception was -54.02%, which is greater than VDIGX's maximum drawdown of -45.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VEIRX and VDIGX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VEIRX	VDIGX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-54.02%	-45.23%	-8.79%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.13%	-9.09%	+1.96%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.36%	-10.23%	-3.13%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.12%	-16.18%	+1.06%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.26%	-32.98%	-2.28%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.10%	-0.41%	+0.31%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.50%	-6.65%	+0.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.91%	2.36%	-0.45%

Volatility

VEIRX vs. VDIGX - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Equity Income Fund Admiral Shares (VEIRX) has a higher volatility of 2.77% compared to Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund (VDIGX) at 2.35%. This indicates that VEIRX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VDIGX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VEIRX	VDIGX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.77%	2.35%	+0.42%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.64%	7.61%	+0.03%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.25%	10.08%	+0.17%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.91%	13.86%	+0.05%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.31%	15.70%	+0.61%

VEIRX vs. VDIGX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VEIRX has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is lower than VDIGX's 0.27% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VEIRX vs. VDIGX - Dividend Comparison

VEIRX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.20%, less than VDIGX's 24.00% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VDIGX Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund	24.00%	21.90%	21.94%	2.29%	6.06%	5.45%	2.83%	4.70%	8.72%	5.16%	2.86%	5.70%
VEIRX Vanguard Equity Income Fund Admiral Shares	10.20%	11.03%	9.83%	7.96%	8.79%	7.71%	2.86%	4.45%	10.98%	3.04%	3.87%	6.48%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VEIRX and VDIGX in my portfolio?

VEIRX and VDIGX have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VEIRX or VDIGX?

VEIRX has higher volatility (2.77%) compared to VDIGX (2.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VEIRX dropped -54.02% vs VDIGX's -45.23%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VEIRX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.33 vs 0.85), 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.