VOO vs. AGTHX
VOO (Vanguard S&P 500 ETF) and AGTHX (American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A) are both funds - VOO is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while AGTHX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Capital Group. VOO is passively managed, while AGTHX is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, VOO returned 15.72%/yr vs 15.79%/yr for AGTHX. Their correlation of 0.94 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VOO charges 0.03%/yr vs 0.59%/yr for AGTHX.
Performance
VOO vs. AGTHX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VOO achieves a 10.99% return, which is significantly higher than AGTHX's 6.60% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VOO having a 15.72% annualized return and AGTHX not far ahead at 15.79%.
VOO
- 1D
- 1.74%
- 1M
- 2.12%
- YTD
- 10.99%
- 6M
- 11.51%
- 1Y
- 27.95%
- 3Y*
- 21.25%
- 5Y*
- 13.93%
- 10Y*
- 15.72%
AGTHX
- 1D
- 0.27%
- 1M
- 0.45%
- YTD
- 6.60%
- 6M
- 7.72%
- 1Y
- 21.49%
- 3Y*
- 22.87%
- 5Y*
- 11.31%
- 10Y*
- 15.79%
VOO vs. AGTHX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 10.99% | 17.82% | 24.98% | 26.32% | -18.17% | 28.79% | 18.32% | 31.37% | -4.50% | 21.77% |
AGTHX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A | 6.60% | 19.73% | 28.02% | 37.22% | -30.75% | 19.32% | 37.83% | 28.16% | -3.15% | 26.14% |
Correlation
The correlation between VOO and AGTHX is 0.94, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.95 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 9, 2010 | 0.94 |
The correlation between VOO and AGTHX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.94 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VOO vs. AGTHX — Risk / Return Rank
VOO
AGTHX
VOO vs. AGTHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) and American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX). 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.
| VOO | AGTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.31 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.42 | 1.23 | +0.18 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.15 | 1.46 | +1.69 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.25 | 5.60 | +8.65 |
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Drawdowns
VOO vs. AGTHX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VOO drawdown since its inception was -33.99%, smaller than the maximum AGTHX drawdown of -51.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VOO and AGTHX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VOO | AGTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.99% | -51.91% | +17.92% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.90% | -13.76% | +4.86% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.69% | -21.57% | +2.88% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.52% | -36.38% | +11.86% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.99% | -36.38% | +2.39% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.63% | -3.49% | +2.86% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.68% | -9.19% | +5.51% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.97% | 3.59% | -1.62% |
Volatility
VOO vs. AGTHX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is 4.61%, while American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX) has a volatility of 6.25%. This indicates that VOO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AGTHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VOO | AGTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.61% | 6.25% | -1.64% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.72% | 12.77% | -3.05% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.34% | 16.00% | -3.66% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.90% | 20.37% | -3.47% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.05% | 19.75% | -1.70% |
VOO vs. AGTHX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VOO has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than AGTHX's 0.59% expense ratio.
Dividends
VOO vs. AGTHX - Dividend Comparison
VOO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.03%, less than AGTHX's 10.03% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGTHX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A | 10.03% | 10.69% | 8.99% | 7.40% | 4.05% | 8.18% | 4.30% | 7.15% | 11.99% | 7.03% | 6.61% | 8.87% |
VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 1.03% | 1.13% | 1.24% | 1.46% | 1.69% | 1.25% | 1.54% | 1.88% | 2.06% | 1.78% | 2.02% | 2.10% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.94, VOO and AGTHX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
AGTHX has higher volatility (6.25%) compared to VOO (4.61%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VOO dropped -33.99% vs AGTHX's -51.91%.
VOO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.28 vs 1.26), 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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