VSCPX vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VSCPX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
VSCPX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Dec 17, 2010. SPY is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Jan 22, 1993.
Performance
VSCPX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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VSCPX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSCPX Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares | 1.90% | 8.86% | 12.98% | 19.52% | -17.59% | 17.75% | 19.09% | 27.40% | -9.31% | 16.27% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -3.65% | 17.72% | 24.89% | 26.18% | -18.18% | 28.73% | 18.33% | 31.22% | -4.57% | 21.71% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VSCPX achieves a 1.90% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's -3.65% return. Over the past 10 years, VSCPX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 10.51%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 14.06% annualized return.
VSCPX
- 1D
- 3.14%
- 1M
- -5.70%
- YTD
- 1.90%
- 6M
- 3.42%
- 1Y
- 19.31%
- 3Y*
- 13.03%
- 5Y*
- 5.36%
- 10Y*
- 10.51%
SPY
- 1D
- 0.75%
- 1M
- -4.28%
- YTD
- -3.65%
- 6M
- -1.42%
- 1Y
- 18.14%
- 3Y*
- 18.48%
- 5Y*
- 11.86%
- 10Y*
- 14.06%
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VSCPX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
VSCPX has a 0.03% expense ratio, which is lower than SPY's 0.09% 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
VSCPX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
VSCPX
SPY
VSCPX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VSCPX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). 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.
| VSCPX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.91 | 0.96 | -0.05 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.41 | 1.49 | -0.08 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.23 | -0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.38 | 1.53 | -0.15 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.96 | 7.27 | -1.31 |
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
| VSCPX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.91 | 0.96 | -0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.26 | 0.70 | -0.44 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.49 | 0.79 | -0.30 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 0.56 | -0.06 |
Correlation
The correlation between VSCPX and SPY is 0.87, 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
VSCPX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
VSCPX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.35%, more than SPY's 1.13% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSCPX Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares | 1.35% | 1.35% | 1.32% | 1.56% | 1.56% | 1.26% | 1.16% | 1.41% | 1.69% | 1.37% | 1.52% | 1.51% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.13% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Drawdowns
VSCPX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VSCPX drawdown since its inception was -41.81%, smaller than the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSCPX and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VSCPX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -41.81% | -55.19% | +13.38% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.29% | -12.05% | -2.24% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.13% | -24.50% | -3.63% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.81% | -33.72% | -8.09% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.11% | -5.53% | -0.58% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.55% | -9.09% | +2.54% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.32% | 2.54% | +0.78% |
Volatility
VSCPX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VSCPX) has a higher volatility of 6.81% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 5.35%. This indicates that VSCPX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VSCPX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.81% | 5.35% | +1.46% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.60% | 9.50% | +3.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.79% | 19.06% | +2.73% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.74% | 17.06% | +3.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.55% | 17.92% | +3.63% |