VOT vs. ^SP600

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF (VOT) and S&P 600 (^SP600).

VOT is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the CRSP US Mid Cap Growth Index. It was launched on Aug 17, 2006.

Performance

VOT vs. ^SP600 - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF (VOT) and S&P 600 (^SP600). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VOT vs. ^SP600 - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VOT Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF	-6.47%	10.72%	16.38%	23.10%	-28.87%	20.50%	34.50%	33.76%	-5.56%	21.80%
^SP600 S&P 600	3.65%	4.23%	6.82%	13.89%	-17.42%	25.27%	9.57%	20.86%	-9.75%	11.73%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VOT achieves a -6.47% return, which is significantly lower than ^SP600's 3.65% return. Over the past 10 years, VOT has outperformed ^SP600 with an annualized return of 10.76%, while ^SP600 has yielded a comparatively lower 8.26% annualized return.

VOT

• 1D: 1.24%
• 1M: -6.14%
• YTD: -6.47%
• 6M: -11.02%
• 1Y: 6.52%
• 3Y*: 10.95%
• 5Y*: 4.30%
• 10Y*: 10.76%

^SP600

• 1D: 0.53%
• 1M: -4.39%
• YTD: 3.65%
• 6M: 4.71%
• 1Y: 18.85%
• 3Y*: 8.77%
• 5Y*: 2.57%
• 10Y*: 8.26%

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

Return for Risk

VOT vs. ^SP600 — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

VOT

VOT Risk / Return Rank: 21
VOT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
VOT Sortino Ratio Rank: 21
VOT Omega Ratio Rank: 20
VOT Calmar Ratio Rank: 22
VOT Martin Ratio Rank: 22

^SP600

^SP600 Risk / Return Rank: 54
^SP600 Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
^SP600 Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
^SP600 Omega Ratio Rank: 51
^SP600 Calmar Ratio Rank: 51
^SP600 Martin Ratio Rank: 59

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

VOT vs. ^SP600 - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF (VOT) and S&P 600 (^SP600). 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.

	VOT	^SP600	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.31	0.83	-0.52
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.59	1.31	-0.72
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	1.17	-0.09
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.45	1.28	-0.83
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	1.40	5.11	-3.71
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VOT vs. ^SP600 - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VOT Sharpe Ratio is 0.31, which is lower than the ^SP600 Sharpe Ratio of 0.83. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VOT and ^SP600, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VOT	^SP600	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.31	0.83	-0.52
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.20	0.12	+0.08
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.52	0.36	+0.16
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	0.44	-0.02

Correlation

The correlation between VOT and ^SP600 is 0.84, 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.

Drawdowns

VOT vs. ^SP600 - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VOT drawdown since its inception was -60.16%, roughly equal to the maximum ^SP600 drawdown of -59.17%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VOT and ^SP600.

Drawdown Indicators

	VOT	^SP600	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.16%	-59.17%	-0.99%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.96%	-14.89%	-1.07%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-37.19%	-28.39%	-8.80%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-37.19%	-45.77%	+8.58%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-12.28%	-5.55%	-6.73%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.01%	-9.31%	-0.70%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.16%	3.74%	+1.42%

Volatility

VOT vs. ^SP600 - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth ETF (VOT) has a higher volatility of 6.63% compared to S&P 600 (^SP600) at 6.26%. This indicates that VOT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ^SP600 based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VOT	^SP600	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.63%	6.26%	+0.37%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.39%	13.06%	-0.67%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.04%	22.74%	-1.70%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.33%	21.56%	-0.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.92%	23.19%	-2.27%