VSEC vs. LDOS

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VSEC (VSE Corporation) and LDOS (Leidos Holdings, Inc.) are both stocks. VSEC operates in Aerospace & Defense (Industrials), while LDOS operates in Information Technology Services (Technology). Over the past 10 years, VSEC returned 19.16%/yr vs 14.93%/yr for LDOS. At a 0.31 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

VSEC vs. LDOS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in VSE Corporation (VSEC) and Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VSEC achieves a 1.98% return, which is significantly higher than LDOS's -30.90% return. Over the past 10 years, VSEC has outperformed LDOS with an annualized return of 19.16%, while LDOS has yielded a comparatively lower 14.93% annualized return.

VSEC

• 1D: -2.31%
• 1M: 4.71%
• YTD: 1.98%
• 6M: 4.52%
• 1Y: 34.31%
• 3Y*: 51.83%
• 5Y*: 29.45%
• 10Y*: 19.16%

LDOS

• 1D: -1.95%
• 1M: -16.44%
• YTD: -30.90%
• 6M: -33.70%
• 1Y: -13.11%
• 3Y*: 16.47%
• 5Y*: 4.92%
• 10Y*: 14.93%

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

VSEC vs. LDOS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VSEC VSE Corporation	1.98%	82.26%	47.93%	39.19%	-22.35%	59.55%	2.54%	28.56%	-37.81%	25.45%
LDOS Leidos Holdings, Inc.	-30.90%	26.50%	34.52%	4.50%	20.04%	-14.20%	8.95%	88.82%	-16.72%	29.14%

Correlation

The correlation between VSEC and LDOS is 0.28, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.28
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.35
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.36
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.33
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 16, 2006	0.31

Fundamentals

Market Cap VSEC : $4.90B LDOS : $15.92B
EPS VSEC : $2.73 LDOS : $10.92
PE Ratio VSEC : 64.50 LDOS : 11.39
PEG Ratio VSEC : 0.91 LDOS : 0.09
PS Ratio VSEC : 3.43 LDOS : 0.93
PB Ratio VSEC : 1.84 LDOS : 3.18
Total Revenue (TTM) VSEC : $1.18B LDOS : $17.33B
Gross Profit (TTM) VSEC : $105.32M LDOS : $3.04B
EBITDA (TTM) VSEC : $128.59M LDOS : $2.34B

Return for Risk

VSEC vs. LDOS — Risk / Return Rank

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

VSEC

VSEC Risk / Return Rank: 62
VSEC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
VSEC Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
VSEC Omega Ratio Rank: 58
VSEC Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
VSEC Martin Ratio Rank: 68

LDOS

LDOS Risk / Return Rank: 22
LDOS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
LDOS Sortino Ratio Rank: 21
LDOS Omega Ratio Rank: 20
LDOS Calmar Ratio Rank: 29
LDOS Martin Ratio Rank: 22

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.

VSEC vs. LDOS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VSE Corporation (VSEC) and Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS). 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.

	VSEC	LDOS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.64	-0.45	+1.09
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.28	-0.44	+1.72
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	0.94	+0.22
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.14	-0.35	+1.48
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.29	-0.94	+4.23
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VSEC vs. LDOS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VSEC Sharpe Ratio is 0.64, which is higher than the LDOS Sharpe Ratio of -0.45. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VSEC and LDOS, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VSEC	LDOS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.64	-0.45	+1.09
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.64	0.19	+0.46
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.41	0.54	-0.14
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.26	0.23	+0.03

Drawdowns

VSEC vs. LDOS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VSEC drawdown since its inception was -76.09%, which is greater than LDOS's maximum drawdown of -54.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSEC and LDOS.

Drawdown Indicators

	VSEC	LDOS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-76.09%	-54.72%	-21.37%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-30.31%	-38.05%	+7.74%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-30.31%	-38.05%	+7.74%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-47.58%	-38.05%	-9.53%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-76.09%	-42.29%	-33.80%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-22.68%	-37.39%	+14.71%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-30.68%	-19.66%	-11.02%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	10.47%	13.96%	-3.49%

Volatility

VSEC vs. LDOS - Volatility Comparison

VSE Corporation (VSEC) has a higher volatility of 22.49% compared to Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS) at 10.77%. This indicates that VSEC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than LDOS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VSEC	LDOS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	22.49%	10.77%	+11.72%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	45.62%	25.30%	+20.32%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	53.79%	29.38%	+24.41%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	46.09%	26.74%	+19.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	46.97%	27.49%	+19.48%

Dividends

VSEC vs. LDOS - Dividend Comparison

VSEC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.23%, less than LDOS's 1.33% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
LDOS Leidos Holdings, Inc.	1.33%	0.90%	1.07%	1.35%	1.37%	1.57%	1.29%	1.35%	2.43%	1.98%	29.17%	3.41%
VSEC VSE Corporation	0.23%	0.23%	0.42%	0.77%	0.85%	0.59%	0.94%	0.89%	1.00%	0.54%	0.51%	0.68%

Financials

VSEC vs. LDOS - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between VSE Corporation and Leidos Holdings, Inc. over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

VSEC - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, VSE Corporation reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 324.58M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.

LDOS - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Leidos Holdings, Inc. reported a gross profit of 761.00M and revenue of 4.40B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 17.3%.

VSEC - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, VSE Corporation reported an operating income of 32.75M and revenue of 324.58M, resulting in an operating margin of 10.1%.

LDOS - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Leidos Holdings, Inc. reported an operating income of 508.00M and revenue of 4.40B, resulting in an operating margin of 11.6%.

VSEC - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, VSE Corporation reported a net income of 29.06M and revenue of 324.58M, resulting in a net margin of 9.0%.

LDOS - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Leidos Holdings, Inc. reported a net income of 328.00M and revenue of 4.40B, resulting in a net margin of 7.5%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VSEC and LDOS in my portfolio?

VSEC and LDOS have a correlation of 0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VSEC or LDOS?

VSEC has higher volatility (22.49%) compared to LDOS (10.77%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VSEC dropped -76.09% vs LDOS's -54.72%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VSEC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.64 vs -0.45), 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.