VIXY vs. VHT
VIXY (ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF) and VHT (Vanguard Health Care ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VIXY is a Volatility fund tracking the S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index, while VHT is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Health Care 25/50 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VIXY returned -48.59%/yr vs 10.14%/yr for VHT. At a correlation of -0.62, they often move in opposite directions. VIXY charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for VHT.
Performance
VIXY vs. VHT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VIXY achieves a -10.37% return, which is significantly lower than VHT's -0.03% return. Over the past 10 years, VIXY has underperformed VHT with an annualized return of -48.59%, while VHT has yielded a comparatively higher 10.14% annualized return.
VIXY
- 1D
- 5.17%
- 1M
- -9.63%
- YTD
- -10.37%
- 6M
- -12.36%
- 1Y
- -55.30%
- 3Y*
- -39.97%
- 5Y*
- -45.65%
- 10Y*
- -48.59%
VHT
- 1D
- 1.30%
- 1M
- 2.66%
- YTD
- -0.03%
- 6M
- -0.44%
- 1Y
- 19.32%
- 3Y*
- 7.09%
- 5Y*
- 4.60%
- 10Y*
- 10.14%
VIXY vs. VHT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VIXY ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | -10.37% | -43.05% | -27.43% | -72.74% | -24.98% | -72.40% | 10.54% | -67.81% | 66.78% | -72.78% |
VHT Vanguard Health Care ETF | -0.03% | 15.46% | 2.66% | 2.52% | -5.60% | 20.57% | 18.29% | 21.87% | 5.58% | 23.26% |
Correlation
The correlation between VIXY and VHT is -0.36, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.36 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.45 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.52 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | -0.56 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 4, 2011 | -0.62 |
Over the past year, the inverse relationship between VIXY and VHT has weakened: their correlation has moved from -0.62 to -0.36, meaning they move in opposite directions less often than they have historically.
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Return for Risk
VIXY vs. VHT — Risk / Return Rank
VIXY
VHT
VIXY vs. VHT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (VIXY) and Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT). 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.
| VIXY | VHT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.30 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -3.66 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.82 | 1.23 | -0.41 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -1.02 | 1.87 | -2.88 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -1.56 | 4.59 | -6.14 |
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Drawdowns
VIXY vs. VHT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VIXY drawdown since its inception was -100.00%, which is greater than VHT's maximum drawdown of -39.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VIXY and VHT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VIXY | VHT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -100.00% | -39.12% | -60.88% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -54.55% | -10.40% | -44.15% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -79.94% | -16.91% | -63.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -96.20% | -17.71% | -78.49% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -99.88% | -28.85% | -71.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -100.00% | -3.20% | -96.80% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -92.19% | -5.98% | -86.21% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 39.74% | 4.22% | +35.52% |
Volatility
VIXY vs. VHT - Volatility Comparison
ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF (VIXY) has a higher volatility of 17.03% compared to Vanguard Health Care ETF (VHT) at 5.02%. This indicates that VIXY's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VHT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VIXY | VHT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 17.03% | 5.02% | +12.01% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 43.99% | 10.49% | +33.50% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 56.44% | 14.72% | +41.72% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 70.37% | 15.03% | +55.34% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 71.94% | 16.95% | +54.99% |
VIXY vs. VHT - Expense Ratio Comparison
VIXY has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than VHT's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
VIXY vs. VHT - Dividend Comparison
VIXY has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VHT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.64%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VHT Vanguard Health Care ETF | 1.64% | 1.61% | 1.53% | 1.36% | 1.33% | 1.14% | 1.21% | 1.89% | 1.38% | 1.31% | 1.45% | 1.22% |
VIXY ProShares VIX Short-Term Futures ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VIXY and VHT have a correlation of -0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VIXY has higher volatility (17.03%) compared to VHT (5.02%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VIXY dropped -100.00% vs VHT's -39.12%.
On 10-year performance, VHT leads with 10.14% vs -48.59% for VIXY. On fees, VHT is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, VHT has been the lower-risk option at 5.02%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, VHT has performed better with a 10.14% return vs -48.59%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
VHT is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for VIXY.
VHT has the higher dividend yield at 1.64%, compared with 0.00% for VIXY.
VIXY is categorized as Volatility, while VHT is Health & Biotech Equities. VIXY tracks S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures Index, while VHT tracks MSCI US Investable Market Health Care 25/50 Index. They also come from different issuers: ProShares and Vanguard. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for VIXY and 0.09% for VHT.
VHT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.32 vs -0.98), 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.
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