VLU vs. AVUS

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

VLU (SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF) and AVUS (Avantis U.S. Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - VLU is a Large Cap Value Equities fund tracking the S&P 1500 Low Valuation Tilt Index, while AVUS is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund actively managed by Avantis. VLU is passively managed, while AVUS is actively managed. Over the past 5 years, VLU returned 13.37%/yr vs 13.24%/yr for AVUS. Their correlation of 0.94 means they have usually moved in the same direction. VLU charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for AVUS.

Performance

VLU vs. AVUS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF (VLU) and Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with VLU having a 19.00% return and AVUS slightly lower at 18.06%.

VLU

• 1D: 1.12%
• 1M: 3.66%
• 6M: 12.67%
• YTD: 19.00%
• 1Y: 31.34%
• 3Y*: 20.17%
• 5Y*: 13.37%
• 10Y*: 14.17%
• ALL TIME*: 13.95%

AVUS

• 1D: 1.56%
• 1M: 3.34%
• 6M: 13.45%
• YTD: 18.06%
• 1Y: 28.92%
• 3Y*: 21.07%
• 5Y*: 13.24%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 16.57%

*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)
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	$33.31M	$38.45M	$43.30M
VLU SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF	$1.43M	$1.32M	$1.58M

VLU vs. AVUS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
VLU SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF	19.00%	16.70%	17.24%	17.18%	-8.24%	30.95%	9.91%	8.06%
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	18.06%	16.68%	20.43%	21.77%	-13.82%	28.73%	17.58%	8.55%

Correlation

The correlation between VLU and AVUS is 0.86, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.86
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.91
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 26, 2019	0.94

The correlation between VLU and AVUS has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.86 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.

VLU vs. AVUS - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VLU	AVUS
Financial Services	19.3%	16.2%
Technology	18.4%	29.7%
Healthcare	12.3%	7.3%
Consumer Cyclical	10.4%	10.5%
Industrials	8.8%	10.8%
Communication Services	8.0%	7.9%
Consumer Defensive	7.1%	4.3%
Energy	6.3%	7.3%
Utilities	3.6%	2.8%
Real Estate	3.5%	0.1%
Basic Materials	2.4%	2.8%

Return for Risk

VLU vs. AVUS — Risk / Return Rank

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

VLU

VLU Risk / Return Rank: 94
VLU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
VLU Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
VLU Omega Ratio Rank: 94
VLU Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
VLU Martin Ratio Rank: 95

AVUS

AVUS Risk / Return Rank: 87
AVUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 87
AVUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
AVUS Omega Ratio Rank: 85
AVUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
AVUS Martin Ratio Rank: 91

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.

VLU vs. AVUS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF (VLU) and Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS). 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.

	VLU	AVUS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.92	2.25	+0.67
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	4.03	3.09	+0.94
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.55	1.40	+0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.97	3.70	+1.26
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	20.62	16.33	+4.29

VLU vs. AVUS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VLU Sharpe Ratio is 2.92, which is comparable to the AVUS Sharpe Ratio of 2.25. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VLU and AVUS, 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

VLU vs. AVUS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VLU drawdown since its inception was -37.39%, roughly equal to the maximum AVUS drawdown of -37.04%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VLU and AVUS.

Drawdown Indicators

	VLU	AVUS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-37.39%	-37.04%	-0.35%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.34%	-7.85%	+1.51%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.22%	-19.74%	+3.52%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-19.55%	-22.19%	+2.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-37.39%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.70%	-4.99%	+1.29%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.52%	1.78%	-0.26%

Volatility

VLU vs. AVUS - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF (VLU) is 2.92%, while Avantis U.S. Equity ETF (AVUS) has a volatility of 3.86%. This indicates that VLU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AVUS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VLU	AVUS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.92%	3.86%	-0.94%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.71%	10.07%	-2.36%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.80%	12.96%	-2.16%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.30%	17.34%	-2.04%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.98%	20.71%	-2.73%

VLU vs. AVUS - Expense Ratio Comparison

VLU has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is lower than AVUS's 0.15% 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

VLU vs. AVUS - Dividend Comparison

VLU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.56%, more than AVUS's 0.90% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AVUS Avantis U.S. Equity ETF	0.90%	1.08%	1.27%	1.41%	1.59%	1.08%	1.19%	0.35%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VLU SPDR S&P 1500 Value Tilt ETF	1.56%	1.82%	2.00%	2.02%	2.16%	1.86%	1.98%	2.19%	2.57%	1.96%	2.14%	6.37%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VLU and AVUS in my portfolio?

VLU and AVUS have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VLU or AVUS?

AVUS has higher volatility (3.86%) compared to VLU (2.92%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VLU dropped -37.39% vs AVUS's -37.04%.

Which ETF is better, VLU or AVUS?

On 5-year performance, VLU leads with 13.37% vs 13.24% for AVUS. On fees, VLU is cheaper at 0.12% per year. On volatility, VLU has been the lower-risk option at 2.92%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, VLU or AVUS?

Over the 5-year period, VLU has performed better with a 13.37% return vs 13.24%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, VLU or AVUS?

VLU is cheaper with a 0.12% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for AVUS.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, VLU or AVUS?

VLU has the higher dividend yield at 1.56%, compared with 0.90% for AVUS.

What is the main difference between VLU and AVUS?

VLU is categorized as Large Cap Value Equities, while AVUS is Large Cap Blend Equities. They also come from different issuers: State Street and Avantis. Their fees differ too: 0.12% for VLU and 0.15% for AVUS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VLU currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.92 vs 2.25), 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.