VGWLX vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

VGWLX (Vanguard Global Wellington Fund Investor Shares) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - VGWLX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by Vanguard, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 5 years, VGWLX returned 8.12%/yr vs 13.91%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.84 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VGWLX charges 0.42%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

VGWLX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Global Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VGWLX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VGWLX achieves a 10.46% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's 11.33% return.

VGWLX

• 1D: -0.46%
• 1M: 2.05%
• YTD: 10.46%
• 6M: 11.55%
• 1Y: 21.74%
• 3Y*: 14.15%
• 5Y*: 8.12%
• 10Y*: —

SPY

• 1D: 0.38%
• 1M: 4.60%
• YTD: 11.33%
• 6M: 11.25%
• 1Y: 28.50%
• 3Y*: 22.58%
• 5Y*: 13.91%
• 10Y*: 15.48%

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

VGWLX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
VGWLX Vanguard Global Wellington Fund Investor Shares	10.46%	17.34%	6.13%	12.40%	-7.22%	13.36%	7.40%	22.05%	-5.13%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	11.33%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-7.49%

Correlation

The correlation between VGWLX and SPY is 0.73, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.73
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.73
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.81
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 15, 2018	0.84

The correlation between VGWLX and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.73 (1 year) to 0.84 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

VGWLX vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VGWLX	SPY
Financial Services	19.3%	11.8%
Technology	18.1%	35.9%
Healthcare	14.0%	8.4%
Industrials	13.6%	7.8%
Energy	6.7%	3.6%
Consumer Cyclical	6.5%	10.3%
Consumer Defensive	6.1%	4.8%
Utilities	6.0%	2.4%
Basic Materials	4.1%	1.8%
Communication Services	4.1%	11.3%
Real Estate	1.5%	1.9%

Return for Risk

VGWLX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

VGWLX

VGWLX Risk / Return Rank: 78
VGWLX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
VGWLX Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
VGWLX Omega Ratio Rank: 79
VGWLX Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
VGWLX Martin Ratio Rank: 70

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 74
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 75
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 78

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.

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 ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.77	2.42	+0.35
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.97	3.29	+0.68
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.53	1.44	+0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.29	3.22	+0.07
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.40	14.99	-1.59
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VGWLX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VGWLX Sharpe Ratio is 2.77, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VGWLX and SPY, 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

	VGWLX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.77	2.42	+0.35
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89	0.82	+0.07
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.87	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.82	0.59	+0.23

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.

Drawdown Indicators

	VGWLX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.28%	-55.19%	+29.91%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.68%	-8.88%	+2.20%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-7.67%	-18.76%	+11.09%
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 Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.46%	-0.33%	-0.13%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.93%	-9.05%	+6.12%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.64%	1.91%	-0.27%

Volatility

VGWLX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Global Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VGWLX) is 2.40%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 2.79%. 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.

Volatility by Period

	VGWLX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.40%	2.79%	-0.39%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.34%	8.91%	-2.57%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.92%	11.82%	-3.90%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	9.18%	17.05%	-7.87%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.96%	17.93%	-6.97%

VGWLX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

VGWLX has a 0.42% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

VGWLX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

VGWLX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.00%, more than SPY's 0.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.98%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%
VGWLX Vanguard Global Wellington Fund Investor Shares	6.00%	6.66%	7.34%	2.54%	4.36%	3.23%	1.54%	1.99%	2.51%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VGWLX and SPY in my portfolio?

VGWLX and SPY have a correlation of 0.73, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VGWLX or SPY?

SPY has higher volatility (2.79%) compared to VGWLX (2.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VGWLX dropped -25.28% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VGWLX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.77 vs 2.42), 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.