VTCAX vs. SPY
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTCAX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY).
VTCAX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Mar 11, 2005. 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
VTCAX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison
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VTCAX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTCAX Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares | -10.02% | 26.27% | 33.10% | 44.73% | -38.78% | 14.09% | 28.95% | 28.03% | -16.51% | -5.57% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | -4.37% | 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, VTCAX achieves a -10.02% return, which is significantly lower than SPY's -4.37% return. Over the past 10 years, VTCAX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 8.09%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 13.98% annualized return.
VTCAX
- 1D
- 0.56%
- 1M
- -9.34%
- YTD
- -10.02%
- 6M
- -6.89%
- 1Y
- 18.31%
- 3Y*
- 22.92%
- 5Y*
- 7.15%
- 10Y*
- 8.09%
SPY
- 1D
- 2.91%
- 1M
- -4.94%
- YTD
- -4.37%
- 6M
- -1.82%
- 1Y
- 17.59%
- 3Y*
- 18.19%
- 5Y*
- 11.69%
- 10Y*
- 13.98%
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VTCAX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison
VTCAX has a 0.10% 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
VTCAX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank
VTCAX
SPY
VTCAX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTCAX) 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.
| VTCAX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.94 | 0.93 | +0.01 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.48 | 1.45 | +0.03 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.22 | -0.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.11 | 1.53 | -0.42 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.16 | 7.30 | -3.14 |
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
| VTCAX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.94 | 0.93 | +0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.34 | 0.69 | -0.35 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.39 | 0.78 | -0.40 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.41 | 0.56 | -0.16 |
Correlation
The correlation between VTCAX and SPY is 0.79, 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
VTCAX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison
VTCAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.09%, less than SPY's 1.14% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VTCAX Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.09% | 0.95% | 1.06% | 1.04% | 0.88% | 1.20% | 0.73% | 0.89% | 2.77% | 3.84% | 2.68% | 3.55% |
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF | 1.14% | 1.07% | 1.21% | 1.40% | 1.65% | 1.20% | 1.52% | 1.75% | 2.04% | 1.80% | 2.03% | 2.06% |
Drawdowns
VTCAX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VTCAX drawdown since its inception was -57.11%, roughly equal to the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTCAX and SPY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VTCAX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -57.11% | -55.19% | -1.92% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.56% | -12.05% | -1.51% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -46.58% | -24.50% | -22.08% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.58% | -33.72% | -12.86% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.08% | -6.24% | -6.84% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.96% | -9.09% | -2.87% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.61% | 2.52% | +1.09% |
Volatility
VTCAX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTCAX) is 5.02%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 5.31%. This indicates that VTCAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky 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
| VTCAX | SPY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.02% | 5.31% | -0.29% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.16% | 9.47% | +1.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.09% | 19.05% | +1.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.23% | 17.06% | +4.17% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.95% | 17.92% | +3.03% |