VSLU vs. USPX

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Applied Finance Valuation Large Cap US ETF (VSLU) and Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF (USPX).

VSLU and USPX are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. VSLU is an actively managed fund by Applied Finance. It was launched on Apr 29, 2021. USPX is a passively managed fund by Franklin Templeton that tracks the performance of the Morningstar US Target Market Exposure Index. It was launched on Jun 1, 2016.

Performance

VSLU vs. USPX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Applied Finance Valuation Large Cap US ETF (VSLU) and Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF (USPX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VSLU vs. USPX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
VSLU Applied Finance Valuation Large Cap US ETF	-5.54%	21.52%	23.80%	26.79%	-16.05%	14.05%
USPX Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF	-4.61%	17.78%	24.97%	27.07%	-18.88%	10.51%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VSLU achieves a -5.54% return, which is significantly lower than USPX's -4.61% return.

VSLU

• 1D: 2.78%
• 1M: -5.26%
• YTD: -5.54%
• 6M: -1.61%
• 1Y: 19.94%
• 3Y*: 18.86%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

USPX

• 1D: 2.97%
• 1M: -4.14%
• YTD: -4.61%
• 6M: -2.31%
• 1Y: 17.50%
• 3Y*: 18.33%
• 5Y*: 10.30%
• 10Y*: —

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

VSLU vs. USPX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VSLU has a 0.49% expense ratio, which is higher than USPX's 0.03% expense ratio.

VSLU

Applied Finance Valuation Large Cap US ETF

USPX

Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF

Return for Risk

VSLU vs. USPX — Risk / Return Rank

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

VSLU

VSLU Risk / Return Rank: 69
VSLU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
VSLU Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
VSLU Omega Ratio Rank: 67
VSLU Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
VSLU Martin Ratio Rank: 77

USPX

USPX Risk / Return Rank: 59
USPX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
USPX Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
USPX Omega Ratio Rank: 60
USPX Calmar Ratio Rank: 58
USPX Martin Ratio Rank: 69

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.

VSLU vs. USPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Applied Finance Valuation Large Cap US ETF (VSLU) and Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF (USPX). 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.

	VSLU	USPX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.12	0.94	+0.18
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.69	1.46	+0.23
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.22	+0.02
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.85	1.46	+0.39
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.15	7.02	+1.13
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VSLU vs. USPX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VSLU Sharpe Ratio is 1.12, which is comparable to the USPX Sharpe Ratio of 0.94. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VSLU and USPX, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VSLU	USPX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.12	0.94	+0.18
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.64	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.72	0.71	+0.02

Correlation

The correlation between VSLU and USPX is 0.93, 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

VSLU vs. USPX - Dividend Comparison

VSLU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.49%, less than USPX's 1.20% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
VSLU Applied Finance Valuation Large Cap US ETF	0.49%	0.46%	0.60%	0.60%	0.99%	0.57%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
USPX Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF	1.20%	1.07%	1.23%	1.35%	2.21%	2.40%	2.51%	3.07%	2.91%	2.60%	4.89%

Drawdowns

VSLU vs. USPX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VSLU drawdown since its inception was -23.86%, smaller than the maximum USPX drawdown of -31.21%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VSLU and USPX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VSLU	USPX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-23.86%	-31.21%	+7.35%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.14%	-12.48%	+1.34%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-24.60%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.63%	-6.45%	-0.18%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.02%	-4.51%	-0.51%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.53%	2.60%	-0.07%

Volatility

VSLU vs. USPX - Volatility Comparison

Applied Finance Valuation Large Cap US ETF (VSLU) and Franklin U.S. Equity Index ETF (USPX) have volatilities of 5.31% and 5.35%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VSLU	USPX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.31%	5.35%	-0.04%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.96%	9.71%	+0.25%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.92%	18.75%	-0.83%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.26%	16.15%	+0.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.26%	15.98%	+0.28%