VFMF vs. VFMV

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard U.S. Multifactor ETF (VFMF) and Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF (VFMV).

VFMF and VFMV are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VFMF is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 13, 2018. VFMV is an actively managed fund by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 13, 2018.

Performance

VFMF vs. VFMV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard U.S. Multifactor ETF (VFMF) and Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF (VFMV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VFMF vs. VFMV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
VFMF Vanguard U.S. Multifactor ETF	4.17%	17.38%	15.60%	18.52%	-5.70%	30.05%	4.99%	22.34%	-11.29%
VFMV Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF	2.90%	10.52%	16.91%	8.86%	-5.73%	20.75%	-0.19%	27.26%	-1.10%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VFMF achieves a 4.17% return, which is significantly higher than VFMV's 2.90% return.

VFMF

• 1D: 0.82%
• 1M: -3.38%
• YTD: 4.17%
• 6M: 9.32%
• 1Y: 25.37%
• 3Y*: 18.45%
• 5Y*: 11.84%
• 10Y*: —

VFMV

• 1D: 0.35%
• 1M: -4.26%
• YTD: 2.90%
• 6M: 3.50%
• 1Y: 7.75%
• 3Y*: 12.83%
• 5Y*: 9.31%
• 10Y*: —

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

VFMF vs. VFMV - Expense Ratio Comparison

VFMF has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is higher than VFMV's 0.13% 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%.

VFMF

Vanguard U.S. Multifactor ETF

VFMV

Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF

Return for Risk

VFMF vs. VFMV — Risk / Return Rank

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

VFMF

VFMF Risk / Return Rank: 75
VFMF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
VFMF Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
VFMF Omega Ratio Rank: 74
VFMF Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
VFMF Martin Ratio Rank: 79

VFMV

VFMV Risk / Return Rank: 33
VFMV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
VFMV Sortino Ratio Rank: 30
VFMV Omega Ratio Rank: 31
VFMV Calmar Ratio Rank: 31
VFMV Martin Ratio Rank: 39

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.

VFMF vs. VFMV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard U.S. Multifactor ETF (VFMF) and Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF (VFMV). 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.

	VFMF	VFMV	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.36	0.63	+0.72
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.94	0.94	+1.00
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	1.13	+0.15
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.94	0.80	+1.14
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.92	3.69	+5.23
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VFMF vs. VFMV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VFMF Sharpe Ratio is 1.36, which is higher than the VFMV Sharpe Ratio of 0.63. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VFMF and VFMV, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VFMF	VFMV	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.36	0.63	+0.72
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.65	0.80	-0.14
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.52	0.66	-0.14

Correlation

The correlation between VFMF and VFMV is 0.80, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

VFMF vs. VFMV - Dividend Comparison

VFMF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.52%, less than VFMV's 2.04% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
VFMF Vanguard U.S. Multifactor ETF	1.52%	1.54%	1.60%	1.78%	2.21%	1.39%	1.56%	1.61%	1.22%
VFMV Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF	2.04%	2.12%	1.46%	2.20%	2.08%	1.31%	2.14%	2.43%	2.29%

Drawdowns

VFMF vs. VFMV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VFMF drawdown since its inception was -41.34%, which is greater than VFMV's maximum drawdown of -33.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFMF and VFMV.

Drawdown Indicators

	VFMF	VFMV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-41.34%	-33.64%	-7.70%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.32%	-9.63%	-3.69%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.57%	-15.41%	-5.16%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.21%	-4.26%	+0.05%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.85%	-3.69%	-2.16%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.90%	2.09%	+0.81%

Volatility

VFMF vs. VFMV - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard U.S. Multifactor ETF (VFMF) has a higher volatility of 4.65% compared to Vanguard U.S. Minimum Volatility ETF (VFMV) at 3.43%. This indicates that VFMF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFMV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VFMF	VFMV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.65%	3.43%	+1.22%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.08%	6.62%	+3.46%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.80%	12.28%	+6.52%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.25%	11.77%	+6.48%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.31%	14.34%	+6.97%