VGHAX vs. XLV
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Health Care Fund Admiral Shares (VGHAX) and State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV).
VGHAX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 12, 2001. XLV is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the Health Care Select Sector Index. It was launched on Dec 16, 1998.
Performance
VGHAX vs. XLV - Performance Comparison
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VGHAX vs. XLV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGHAX Vanguard Health Care Fund Admiral Shares | -3.02% | 19.72% | 9.10% | 5.51% | -1.00% | 12.82% | 12.62% | 22.99% | 1.07% | 19.64% |
XLV State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | -4.18% | 14.50% | 2.47% | 2.07% | -2.08% | 26.04% | 13.30% | 20.45% | 6.28% | 21.77% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGHAX achieves a -3.02% return, which is significantly higher than XLV's -4.18% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VGHAX having a 9.49% annualized return and XLV not far ahead at 9.80%.
VGHAX
- 1D
- 3.05%
- 1M
- -4.71%
- YTD
- -3.02%
- 6M
- 6.85%
- 1Y
- 14.74%
- 3Y*
- 10.37%
- 5Y*
- 8.69%
- 10Y*
- 9.49%
XLV
- 1D
- 0.76%
- 1M
- -6.43%
- YTD
- -4.18%
- 6M
- 3.83%
- 1Y
- 4.90%
- 3Y*
- 6.25%
- 5Y*
- 6.59%
- 10Y*
- 9.80%
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VGHAX vs. XLV - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGHAX has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than XLV's 0.08% 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%.
Return for Risk
VGHAX vs. XLV — Risk / Return Rank
VGHAX
XLV
VGHAX vs. XLV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Health Care Fund Admiral Shares (VGHAX) and State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV). 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.
| VGHAX | XLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.75 | 0.28 | +0.47 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.13 | 0.51 | +0.63 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.06 | +0.08 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.36 | 0.28 | +1.09 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.42 | 0.58 | +2.83 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VGHAX | XLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.75 | 0.28 | +0.47 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.48 | 0.45 | +0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.54 | 0.59 | -0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.60 | 0.46 | +0.14 |
Correlation
The correlation between VGHAX and XLV is 0.90, 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
VGHAX vs. XLV - Dividend Comparison
VGHAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.88%, more than XLV's 1.70% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGHAX Vanguard Health Care Fund Admiral Shares | 6.88% | 6.07% | 22.84% | 7.22% | 5.49% | 7.05% | 8.02% | 11.87% | 9.15% | 7.36% | 8.60% | 8.21% |
XLV State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF | 1.70% | 1.60% | 1.67% | 1.59% | 1.47% | 1.33% | 1.49% | 2.17% | 1.57% | 1.47% | 1.60% | 1.43% |
Drawdowns
VGHAX vs. XLV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGHAX drawdown since its inception was -36.85%, smaller than the maximum XLV drawdown of -39.17%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGHAX and XLV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGHAX | XLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -36.85% | -39.17% | +2.32% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.19% | -10.76% | +1.57% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.92% | -17.11% | +0.19% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -27.17% | -28.40% | +1.23% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.01% | -7.41% | +1.40% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.61% | -7.12% | +1.51% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.67% | 5.11% | -1.44% |
Volatility
VGHAX vs. XLV - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Health Care Fund Admiral Shares (VGHAX) has a higher volatility of 5.81% compared to State Street Health Care Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLV) at 4.79%. This indicates that VGHAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XLV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGHAX | XLV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.81% | 4.79% | +1.02% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.63% | 10.29% | +0.34% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.66% | 17.73% | -0.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.01% | 14.56% | +3.45% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.58% | 16.53% | +1.05% |