VHCIX vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
VHCIX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 5, 2004. 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
VHCIX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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VHCIX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VHCIX Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares | -7.10% | 15.43% | 2.64% | 2.48% | -5.50% | 20.56% | 18.22% | 21.97% | 5.55% | 23.35% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -4.37% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VHCIX achieves a -7.10% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's -4.37% return. Over the past 10 years, VHCIX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 9.47%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 13.98% annualized return.
VHCIX
- 1D
- 0.36%
- 1M
- -9.57%
- YTD
- -7.10%
- 6M
- 3.53%
- 1Y
- 2.34%
- 3Y*
- 5.37%
- 5Y*
- 4.64%
- 10Y*
- 9.47%
SPY
- 1D
- 2.91%
- 1M
- -4.94%
- YTD
- -4.37%
- 6M
- -1.82%
- 1Y
- 17.59%
- 3Y*
- 18.19%
- 5Y*
- 11.69%
- 10Y*
- 13.98%
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VHCIX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
VHCIX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% 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
VHCIX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
VHCIX
SPY
VHCIX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX) 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.
| VHCIX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.17 | 0.93 | -0.75 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.36 | 1.45 | -1.09 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.05 | 1.22 | -0.18 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.25 | 1.53 | -1.28 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.53 | 7.30 | -6.77 |
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
| VHCIX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.17 | 0.93 | -0.75 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 | 0.69 | -0.38 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.56 | 0.78 | -0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.55 | 0.56 | -0.01 |
Correlation
The correlation between VHCIX and SPY is 0.77, 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
VHCIX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
VHCIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.76%, more than SPY's 1.14% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VHCIX Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.76% | 1.61% | 1.53% | 1.36% | 1.33% | 1.19% | 1.21% | 1.89% | 1.38% | 1.31% | 1.45% | 1.22% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.14% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Drawdowns
VHCIX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VHCIX drawdown since its inception was -39.12%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VHCIX and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VHCIX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.12% | -55.19% | +16.07% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.39% | -12.05% | +1.66% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.77% | -24.50% | +6.73% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.58% | -33.72% | +5.14% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.07% | -6.24% | -3.83% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.96% | -9.09% | +3.13% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.94% | 2.52% | +2.42% |
Volatility
VHCIX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX) is 4.33%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 5.31%. This indicates that VHCIX 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
| VHCIX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.33% | 5.31% | -0.98% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.04% | 9.47% | +0.57% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.53% | 19.05% | -1.52% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.84% | 17.06% | -2.22% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.92% | 17.92% | -1.00% |