VGWLX vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Global Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VGWLX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
VGWLX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 2, 2017. SPY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Jan 22, 1993.
Performance
VGWLX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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VGWLX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGWLX Vanguard Global Wellington Fund Investor Shares | 2.64% | 17.34% | 6.13% | 12.40% | -7.22% | 13.36% | 7.40% | 22.05% | -5.13% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -3.65% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -7.49% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VGWLX achieves a 2.64% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's -3.65% return.
VGWLX
- 1D
- 1.62%
- 1M
- -4.29%
- YTD
- 2.64%
- 6M
- 6.98%
- 1Y
- 15.77%
- 3Y*
- 11.75%
- 5Y*
- 7.54%
- 10Y*
- —
SPY
- 1D
- 0.75%
- 1M
- -4.28%
- YTD
- -3.65%
- 6M
- -1.42%
- 1Y
- 18.14%
- 3Y*
- 18.48%
- 5Y*
- 11.86%
- 10Y*
- 14.06%
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VGWLX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
VGWLX has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
VGWLX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
VGWLX
SPY
VGWLX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Global Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VGWLX) 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.
| VGWLX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.62 | 0.96 | +0.67 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.23 | 1.49 | +0.74 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.23 | +0.10 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.27 | 1.53 | +0.74 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.91 | 7.27 | +1.64 |
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
| VGWLX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.62 | 0.96 | +0.67 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.83 | 0.70 | +0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.79 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.74 | 0.56 | +0.18 |
Correlation
The correlation between VGWLX and SPY is 0.85, 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
VGWLX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
VGWLX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.46%, more than SPY's 1.13% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VGWLX Vanguard Global Wellington Fund Investor Shares | 6.46% | 6.66% | 7.34% | 2.54% | 4.36% | 3.23% | 1.54% | 1.99% | 2.51% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.13% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Drawdowns
VGWLX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VGWLX drawdown since its inception was -25.28%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VGWLX and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VGWLX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -25.28% | -55.19% | +29.91% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.03% | -12.05% | +5.02% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.52% | -24.50% | +6.98% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -33.72% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.96% | -5.53% | +0.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.98% | -9.09% | +6.11% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.79% | 2.54% | -0.75% |
Volatility
VGWLX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Global Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VGWLX) is 3.87%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 5.35%. This indicates that VGWLX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VGWLX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.87% | 5.35% | -1.48% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.01% | 9.50% | -3.49% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 9.69% | 19.06% | -9.37% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 9.13% | 17.06% | -7.93% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.00% | 17.92% | -6.92% |