VITAX vs. VHCIX

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

VITAX (Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund Admiral Shares) and VHCIX (Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VITAX is a Technology Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Information Technology 25/50 Index, while VHCIX is a Health & Biotech Equities fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VITAX returned 24.06%/yr vs 9.89%/yr for VHCIX. Their 0.63 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. VITAX charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for VHCIX.

Performance

VITAX vs. VHCIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund Admiral Shares (VITAX) and Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VITAX achieves a 20.41% return, which is significantly higher than VHCIX's 6.65% return. Over the past 10 years, VITAX has outperformed VHCIX with an annualized return of 24.06%, while VHCIX has yielded a comparatively lower 9.89% annualized return.

VITAX

• 1D: -0.37%
• 1M: -1.37%
• 6M: 20.46%
• YTD: 20.41%
• 1Y: 34.82%
• 3Y*: 26.49%
• 5Y*: 17.82%
• 10Y*: 24.06%
• ALL TIME*: 14.78%

VHCIX

• 1D: -0.76%
• 1M: -1.27%
• 6M: 6.15%
• YTD: 6.65%
• 1Y: 27.81%
• 3Y*: 9.07%
• 5Y*: 5.07%
• 10Y*: 9.89%
• ALL TIME*: 9.83%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
VHCIX Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VITAX Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

VITAX vs. VHCIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VITAX Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund Admiral Shares	20.41%	21.78%	29.26%	52.69%	-29.67%	30.36%	45.93%	48.72%	2.51%	37.07%
VHCIX Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares	6.65%	15.43%	2.64%	2.48%	-5.50%	20.56%	18.22%	21.97%	5.55%	23.35%

Correlation

The correlation between VITAX and VHCIX is 0.02, meaning there was essentially no consistent relationship between their historical price movements. Each responded to its own set of market drivers.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.02
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.25
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.43
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.54
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2004	0.63

Over the past year, the correlation between VITAX and VHCIX has dropped to 0.02 - well below their long-term average of 0.63, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

VITAX vs. VHCIX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VITAX	VHCIX
Technology	98.6%	0.4%
Communication Services	0.5%	-
Financial Services	0.5%	0.0%
Industrials	0.4%	0.0%
Energy	0.3%	-
Consumer Cyclical	0.1%	-
Basic Materials	0.0%	-
Healthcare	0.0%	99.2%
Consumer Defensive	-	-
Real Estate	-	-
Utilities	-	-

Return for Risk

VITAX vs. VHCIX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

VITAX

VITAX Risk / Return Rank: 40
VITAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 41
VITAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
VITAX Omega Ratio Rank: 37
VITAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 47
VITAX Martin Ratio Rank: 34

VHCIX

VHCIX Risk / Return Rank: 71
VHCIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
VHCIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
VHCIX Omega Ratio Rank: 71
VHCIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
VHCIX Martin Ratio Rank: 44

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

VITAX vs. VHCIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund Admiral Shares (VITAX) and Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	VITAX	VHCIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.31	1.87	-0.56
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.82	2.89	-1.07
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.23	1.32	-0.10
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.95	2.75	-0.80
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.24	6.80	-1.56

VITAX vs. VHCIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VITAX Sharpe Ratio is 1.31, which is lower than the VHCIX Sharpe Ratio of 1.87. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VITAX and VHCIX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

VITAX vs. VHCIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VITAX drawdown since its inception was -54.81%, which is greater than VHCIX's maximum drawdown of -39.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VITAX and VHCIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VITAX	VHCIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-54.81%	-39.12%	-15.69%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.38%	-10.39%	-5.99%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-27.38%	-16.89%	-10.49%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.10%	-17.77%	-17.33%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.10%	-28.58%	-6.52%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-9.91%	-2.66%	-7.25%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.01%	-5.94%	-2.07%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.08%	4.19%	+1.89%

Volatility

VITAX vs. VHCIX - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund Admiral Shares (VITAX) has a higher volatility of 8.42% compared to Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX) at 5.61%. This indicates that VITAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VHCIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VITAX	VHCIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.42%	5.61%	+2.81%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.17%	11.74%	+8.43%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	24.34%	15.44%	+8.90%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	26.03%	15.30%	+10.73%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	25.12%	17.01%	+8.11%

VITAX vs. VHCIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VITAX has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is lower than VHCIX's 0.10% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

VITAX vs. VHCIX - Dividend Comparison

VITAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.38%, less than VHCIX's 1.55% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VHCIX Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares	1.55%	1.61%	1.53%	1.36%	1.33%	1.19%	1.21%	1.89%	1.38%	1.31%	1.45%	1.22%
VITAX Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund Admiral Shares	0.38%	0.40%	0.60%	0.65%	0.91%	0.63%	0.82%	1.11%	1.29%	0.99%	1.31%	1.28%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VITAX and VHCIX in my portfolio?

VITAX and VHCIX have a correlation of 0.02, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VITAX or VHCIX?

VITAX has higher volatility (8.42%) compared to VHCIX (5.61%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VITAX dropped -54.81% vs VHCIX's -39.12%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VHCIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.87 vs 1.31), 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.