VRTGX vs. SLYG
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VRTGX) and SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF (SLYG).
VRTGX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on May 25, 2011. SLYG is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index. It was launched on Sep 25, 2000.
Performance
VRTGX vs. SLYG - Performance Comparison
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VRTGX vs. SLYG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VRTGX Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares | -2.79% | 12.97% | 15.26% | 18.80% | -26.30% | 2.82% | 34.81% | 28.84% | -9.21% | 22.27% |
SLYG SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF | 3.73% | 5.20% | 9.38% | 17.27% | -21.26% | 22.42% | 19.48% | 20.97% | -4.20% | 14.62% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VRTGX achieves a -2.79% return, which is significantly lower than SLYG's 3.73% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VRTGX having a 9.83% annualized return and SLYG not far ahead at 10.00%.
VRTGX
- 1D
- 4.27%
- 1M
- -7.24%
- YTD
- -2.79%
- 6M
- -1.59%
- 1Y
- 23.68%
- 3Y*
- 12.32%
- 5Y*
- 1.34%
- 10Y*
- 9.83%
SLYG
- 1D
- 0.93%
- 1M
- -4.59%
- YTD
- 3.73%
- 6M
- 3.71%
- 1Y
- 18.20%
- 3Y*
- 10.99%
- 5Y*
- 3.36%
- 10Y*
- 10.00%
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VRTGX vs. SLYG - Expense Ratio Comparison
VRTGX has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than SLYG'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%.
Return for Risk
VRTGX vs. SLYG — Risk / Return Rank
VRTGX
SLYG
VRTGX vs. SLYG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VRTGX) and SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF (SLYG). 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.
| VRTGX | SLYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.94 | 0.82 | +0.11 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.46 | 1.31 | +0.15 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.17 | +0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.54 | 1.31 | +0.22 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.21 | 5.43 | -0.22 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VRTGX | SLYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.94 | 0.82 | +0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 | 0.16 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.40 | 0.44 | -0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.46 | 0.29 | +0.17 |
Correlation
The correlation between VRTGX and SLYG is 0.94, 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.
Dividends
VRTGX vs. SLYG - Dividend Comparison
VRTGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.73%, less than SLYG's 0.79% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VRTGX Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares | 0.73% | 0.57% | 0.62% | 0.85% | 0.78% | 0.54% | 0.53% | 0.90% | 0.85% | 0.75% | 1.07% | 0.84% |
SLYG SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF | 0.79% | 0.86% | 1.22% | 1.18% | 1.18% | 0.68% | 0.71% | 1.08% | 1.06% | 4.74% | 1.13% | 5.75% |
Drawdowns
VRTGX vs. SLYG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VRTGX drawdown since its inception was -41.97%, smaller than the maximum SLYG drawdown of -62.15%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VRTGX and SLYG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VRTGX | SLYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -41.97% | -62.15% | +20.18% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.80% | -14.06% | -0.74% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -40.48% | -29.18% | -11.30% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.97% | -41.86% | -0.11% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.16% | -5.04% | -6.12% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.53% | -14.64% | +4.11% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.36% | 3.40% | +0.96% |
Volatility
VRTGX vs. SLYG - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VRTGX) has a higher volatility of 8.82% compared to SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF (SLYG) at 7.20%. This indicates that VRTGX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SLYG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VRTGX | SLYG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.82% | 7.20% | +1.62% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.59% | 13.08% | +3.51% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 25.39% | 22.19% | +3.20% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.53% | 21.57% | +2.96% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.45% | 22.71% | +1.74% |