VTSIX vs. SPY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VTSIX (Vanguard Tax-Managed Small-Cap Fund Institutional Shares) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - VTSIX is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund managed by BlackRock, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, VTSIX returned 10.82%/yr vs 15.49%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.83 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VTSIX charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

VTSIX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Tax-Managed Small-Cap Fund Institutional Shares (VTSIX) and State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VTSIX achieves a 16.66% return, which is significantly higher than SPY's 10.91% return. Over the past 10 years, VTSIX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 10.82%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.49% annualized return.

VTSIX

• 1D: 0.92%
• 1M: 2.71%
• YTD: 16.66%
• 6M: 15.44%
• 1Y: 32.97%
• 3Y*: 14.85%
• 5Y*: 6.01%
• 10Y*: 10.82%

SPY

• 1D: -0.70%
• 1M: 5.05%
• YTD: 10.91%
• 6M: 10.91%
• 1Y: 27.98%
• 3Y*: 22.35%
• 5Y*: 13.83%
• 10Y*: 15.49%

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

VTSIX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VTSIX Vanguard Tax-Managed Small-Cap Fund Institutional Shares	16.66%	5.96%	8.64%	15.99%	-16.14%	27.12%	11.09%	23.30%	-8.59%	13.08%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	10.91%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between VTSIX and SPY is 0.73, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.73
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.73
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.79
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.78
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 22, 1999	0.83

The correlation between VTSIX and SPY has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.73 to 0.83 - a consistent structural relationship.

VTSIX vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VTSIX	SPY
Financial Services	16.7%	11.8%
Industrials	15.6%	7.8%
Technology	15.4%	35.9%
Consumer Cyclical	13.4%	10.3%
Healthcare	10.9%	8.4%
Real Estate	7.8%	1.9%
Energy	6.0%	3.6%
Basic Materials	5.3%	1.8%
Communication Services	3.5%	11.3%
Consumer Defensive	3.5%	4.8%
Utilities	1.9%	2.4%

Return for Risk

VTSIX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

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

VTSIX

VTSIX Risk / Return Rank: 59
VTSIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 47
VTSIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 47
VTSIX Omega Ratio Rank: 42
VTSIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
VTSIX Martin Ratio Rank: 71

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 70
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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.

VTSIX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Tax-Managed Small-Cap Fund Institutional Shares (VTSIX) 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.

	VTSIX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.01	2.38	-0.37
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.90	3.24	-0.34
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.35	1.43	-0.09
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.11	3.16	+0.94
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	13.63	14.72	-1.08
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VTSIX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VTSIX Sharpe Ratio is 2.01, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 2.38. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VTSIX and SPY, 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

	VTSIX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.01	2.38	-0.37
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.28	0.82	-0.53
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.47	0.87	-0.40
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.45	0.59	-0.14

Drawdowns

VTSIX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VTSIX drawdown since its inception was -57.81%, roughly equal to the maximum SPY drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VTSIX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	VTSIX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-57.81%	-55.19%	-2.62%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.59%	-8.88%	+0.29%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-27.92%	-18.76%	-9.16%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.92%	-24.50%	-3.42%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-43.86%	-33.72%	-10.14%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.00%	-0.70%	+0.70%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.93%	-9.05%	+0.12%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.58%	1.91%	+0.67%

Volatility

VTSIX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Tax-Managed Small-Cap Fund Institutional Shares (VTSIX) has a higher volatility of 4.51% compared to State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at 2.84%. This indicates that VTSIX'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.

Volatility by Period

	VTSIX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.51%	2.84%	+1.67%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.69%	8.90%	+2.79%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.54%	11.83%	+5.71%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.46%	17.05%	+4.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.11%	17.94%	+5.17%

VTSIX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

VTSIX has a 0.06% 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%.

Dividends

VTSIX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

VTSIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.17%, more than SPY's 0.98% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	0.98%	1.07%	1.21%	1.40%	1.65%	1.20%	1.52%	1.75%	2.04%	1.80%	2.03%	2.06%
VTSIX Vanguard Tax-Managed Small-Cap Fund Institutional Shares	1.17%	1.31%	1.47%	1.52%	1.54%	1.19%	1.11%	1.17%	1.29%	1.13%	1.03%	1.30%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VTSIX and SPY in my portfolio?

VTSIX and SPY have a correlation of 0.73, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VTSIX or SPY?

VTSIX has higher volatility (4.51%) compared to SPY (2.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VTSIX dropped -57.81% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 2.01), 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.