VSEQX vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Strategic Equity Fund (VSEQX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
VSEQX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Aug 14, 1995. 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
VSEQX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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VSEQX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSEQX Vanguard Strategic Equity Fund | 1.73% | 15.32% | 16.67% | 19.31% | -11.90% | 30.83% | 10.26% | 26.76% | -11.86% | 12.36% |
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, VSEQX achieves a 1.73% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's -3.65% return. Over the past 10 years, VSEQX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 11.81%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 14.06% annualized return.
VSEQX
- 1D
- 2.86%
- 1M
- -4.48%
- YTD
- 1.73%
- 6M
- 4.20%
- 1Y
- 24.89%
- 3Y*
- 16.51%
- 5Y*
- 10.14%
- 10Y*
- 11.81%
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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VSEQX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
VSEQX has a 0.17% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% 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
VSEQX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
VSEQX
SPY
VSEQX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Strategic Equity Fund (VSEQX) 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.
| VSEQX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.22 | 0.96 | +0.27 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.79 | 1.49 | +0.29 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.26 | 1.23 | +0.03 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.79 | 1.53 | +0.26 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.54 | 7.27 | +1.27 |
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
| VSEQX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.22 | 0.96 | +0.27 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.51 | 0.70 | -0.19 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.55 | 0.79 | -0.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.48 | 0.56 | -0.08 |
Correlation
The correlation between VSEQX 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
VSEQX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
VSEQX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.97%, more than SPY's 1.13% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VSEQX Vanguard Strategic Equity Fund | 10.97% | 11.16% | 11.36% | 6.11% | 11.77% | 21.36% | 1.77% | 2.92% | 10.34% | 7.05% | 3.13% | 12.28% |
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
VSEQX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VSEQX drawdown since its inception was -63.55%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSEQX and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VSEQX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.55% | -55.19% | -8.36% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.30% | -12.05% | -2.25% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.73% | -24.50% | -0.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.08% | -33.72% | -10.36% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.96% | -5.53% | +0.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.11% | -9.09% | -0.02% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.00% | 2.54% | +0.46% |
Volatility
VSEQX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Strategic Equity Fund (VSEQX) has a higher volatility of 6.00% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 5.35%. This indicates that VSEQX'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
| VSEQX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.00% | 5.35% | +0.65% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.71% | 9.50% | +2.21% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.91% | 19.06% | +1.85% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.00% | 17.06% | +2.94% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.42% | 17.92% | +3.50% |