VFVA vs. FVD

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF (VFVA) and First Trust Value Line Dividend Index Fund (FVD).

VFVA and FVD are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VFVA is an actively managed fund by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 13, 2018. FVD is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the Value Line Dividend Index. It was launched on Aug 26, 2003.

Performance

VFVA vs. FVD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF (VFVA) and First Trust Value Line Dividend Index Fund (FVD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VFVA vs. FVD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
VFVA Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF	1.90%	14.77%	7.67%	17.37%	-3.96%	36.94%	2.28%	25.42%	-15.61%
FVD First Trust Value Line Dividend Index Fund	2.62%	8.16%	10.04%	4.11%	-5.18%	25.08%	-0.02%	26.58%	-2.03%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VFVA achieves a 1.90% return, which is significantly lower than FVD's 2.62% return.

VFVA

• 1D: 1.68%
• 1M: -4.22%
• YTD: 1.90%
• 6M: 6.70%
• 1Y: 20.72%
• 3Y*: 14.30%
• 5Y*: 9.65%
• 10Y*: —

FVD

• 1D: 0.90%
• 1M: -5.57%
• YTD: 2.62%
• 6M: 2.97%
• 1Y: 8.00%
• 3Y*: 7.92%
• 5Y*: 6.65%
• 10Y*: 8.61%

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

VFVA vs. FVD - Expense Ratio Comparison

VFVA has a 0.13% expense ratio, which is lower than FVD's 0.61% expense ratio.

FVD

First Trust Value Line Dividend Index Fund

VFVA

Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF

Return for Risk

VFVA vs. FVD — Risk / Return Rank

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

VFVA

VFVA Risk / Return Rank: 57
VFVA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
VFVA Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
VFVA Omega Ratio Rank: 58
VFVA Calmar Ratio Rank: 57
VFVA Martin Ratio Rank: 58

FVD

FVD Risk / Return Rank: 38
FVD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
FVD Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
FVD Omega Ratio Rank: 33
FVD Calmar Ratio Rank: 40
FVD Martin Ratio Rank: 43

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.

VFVA vs. FVD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF (VFVA) and First Trust Value Line Dividend Index Fund (FVD). 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.

	VFVA	FVD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.94	0.64	+0.29
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.44	1.00	+0.45
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.20	1.13	+0.07
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.35	0.96	+0.39
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	5.41	3.89	+1.52
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VFVA vs. FVD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VFVA Sharpe Ratio is 0.94, which is higher than the FVD Sharpe Ratio of 0.64. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VFVA and FVD, 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

	VFVA	FVD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.94	0.64	+0.29
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.48	0.52	-0.04
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.56	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.39	0.58	-0.19

Correlation

The correlation between VFVA and FVD 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

VFVA vs. FVD - Dividend Comparison

VFVA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.10%, less than FVD's 2.30% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VFVA Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF	2.10%	2.13%	2.40%	2.45%	2.21%	1.68%	2.04%	2.08%	1.65%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
FVD First Trust Value Line Dividend Index Fund	2.30%	2.36%	2.23%	2.34%	2.20%	1.75%	2.31%	2.03%	2.50%	2.10%	2.04%	2.34%

Drawdowns

VFVA vs. FVD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VFVA drawdown since its inception was -48.58%, roughly equal to the maximum FVD drawdown of -51.00%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFVA and FVD.

Drawdown Indicators

	VFVA	FVD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-48.58%	-51.00%	+2.42%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.54%	-9.29%	-6.25%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.07%	-16.41%	-7.66%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-35.25%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.43%	-5.57%	-0.86%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.43%	-5.45%	-1.98%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.89%	2.30%	+1.59%

Volatility

VFVA vs. FVD - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF (VFVA) has a higher volatility of 4.34% compared to First Trust Value Line Dividend Index Fund (FVD) at 3.16%. This indicates that VFVA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FVD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VFVA	FVD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.34%	3.16%	+1.18%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.07%	6.49%	+4.58%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.24%	12.56%	+9.68%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.26%	12.76%	+7.50%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.51%	15.43%	+9.08%