VRTGX vs. VONG
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VRTGX) and Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG).
VRTGX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on May 25, 2011. VONG is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the Russell 1000 Growth Index. It was launched on Sep 20, 2010.
Performance
VRTGX vs. VONG - Performance Comparison
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VRTGX vs. VONG - 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% |
VONG Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF | -8.97% | 18.45% | 33.20% | 42.67% | -29.18% | 27.60% | 38.30% | 36.06% | -1.53% | 30.05% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VRTGX achieves a -2.79% return, which is significantly higher than VONG's -8.97% return. Over the past 10 years, VRTGX has underperformed VONG with an annualized return of 9.83%, while VONG has yielded a comparatively higher 16.75% annualized return.
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%
VONG
- 1D
- 0.91%
- 1M
- -4.62%
- YTD
- -8.97%
- 6M
- -8.47%
- 1Y
- 18.72%
- 3Y*
- 21.47%
- 5Y*
- 12.55%
- 10Y*
- 16.75%
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VRTGX vs. VONG - Expense Ratio Comparison
VRTGX has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is higher than VONG's 0.06% expense ratio. However, 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. VONG — Risk / Return Rank
VRTGX
VONG
VRTGX vs. VONG - 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 Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG). 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 | VONG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.94 | 0.84 | +0.10 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.46 | 1.36 | +0.10 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.18 | 1.19 | -0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.54 | 1.22 | +0.31 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.21 | 4.16 | +1.06 |
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 | VONG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.94 | 0.84 | +0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.05 | 0.59 | -0.54 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.40 | 0.81 | -0.40 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.46 | 0.84 | -0.38 |
Correlation
The correlation between VRTGX and VONG is 0.80, 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. VONG - Dividend Comparison
VRTGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.73%, more than VONG's 0.50% 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% |
VONG Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF | 0.50% | 0.45% | 0.55% | 0.71% | 0.98% | 0.58% | 0.77% | 1.03% | 1.18% | 1.19% | 1.48% | 1.47% |
Drawdowns
VRTGX vs. VONG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VRTGX drawdown since its inception was -41.97%, which is greater than VONG's maximum drawdown of -32.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VRTGX and VONG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VRTGX | VONG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -41.97% | -32.72% | -9.25% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.80% | -16.23% | +1.43% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -40.48% | -32.72% | -7.76% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.97% | -32.72% | -9.25% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.16% | -12.29% | +1.13% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.53% | -4.90% | -5.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.36% | 4.78% | -0.42% |
Volatility
VRTGX vs. VONG - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VRTGX) has a higher volatility of 8.82% compared to Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG) at 6.81%. This indicates that VRTGX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VONG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VRTGX | VONG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.82% | 6.81% | +2.01% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.59% | 12.37% | +4.22% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 25.39% | 22.42% | +2.97% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.53% | 21.35% | +3.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.45% | 20.82% | +3.63% |