VUKE.L vs. GSK

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

VUKE.L (Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF Distributing) is Europe Equities fund tracking the FTSE AllSh TR GBP, while GSK (GlaxoSmithKline plc) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, VUKE.L returned 9.33%/yr vs 5.34%/yr for GSK. At a 0.41 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

VUKE.L vs. GSK - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF Distributing (VUKE.L) and GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

VUKE.L is traded in GBP, while GSK is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the GSK values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VUKE.L achieves a 5.54% return, which is significantly lower than GSK's 5.93% return. Over the past 10 years, VUKE.L has outperformed GSK with an annualized return of 9.33%, while GSK has yielded a comparatively lower 5.34% annualized return.

VUKE.L

• 1D: 0.02%
• 1M: 1.68%
• YTD: 5.54%
• 6M: 8.75%
• 1Y: 20.73%
• 3Y*: 14.88%
• 5Y*: 11.76%
• 10Y*: 9.33%

GSK

• 1D: -1.74%
• 1M: 3.44%
• YTD: 5.93%
• 6M: 5.97%
• 1Y: 29.10%
• 3Y*: 15.56%
• 5Y*: 5.86%
• 10Y*: 5.34%

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

VUKE.L vs. GSK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VUKE.L Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF Distributing	5.54%	26.18%	9.55%	7.08%	5.28%	17.69%	-11.62%	17.52%	-8.80%	11.86%
GSK GlaxoSmithKline plc	5.93%	40.46%	-3.48%	4.23%	-25.50%	27.94%	-20.13%	24.32%	20.54%	-11.36%

Correlation

The correlation between VUKE.L and GSK is 0.40, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.40
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.32
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.30
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.38
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 22, 2012	0.41

The correlation between VUKE.L and GSK shifts across timeframes, from 0.30 (5 years) to 0.41 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

VUKE.L vs. GSK — Risk / Return Rank

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

VUKE.L

VUKE.L Risk / Return Rank: 60
VUKE.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
VUKE.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
VUKE.L Omega Ratio Rank: 68
VUKE.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 53
VUKE.L Martin Ratio Rank: 50

GSK

GSK Risk / Return Rank: 69
GSK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
GSK Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
GSK Omega Ratio Rank: 65
GSK Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
GSK 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.

VUKE.L vs. GSK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF Distributing (VUKE.L) and GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK). 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.

	VUKE.L	GSK	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.93	1.10	+0.83
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.72	1.72	+0.99
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.21	+0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.37	1.57	+0.80
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.76	3.78	+3.98
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VUKE.L vs. GSK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VUKE.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.93, which is higher than the GSK Sharpe Ratio of 1.10. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VUKE.L and GSK, 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

	VUKE.L	GSK	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.93	1.10	+0.83
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.93	0.24	+0.69
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.62	0.24	+0.39
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.59	0.27	+0.32

Drawdowns

VUKE.L vs. GSK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VUKE.L drawdown since its inception was -34.27%, smaller than the maximum GSK drawdown of -41.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VUKE.L and GSK.

Drawdown Indicators

	VUKE.L	GSK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.27%	-41.45%	+7.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.72%	-18.61%	+9.89%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.81%	-25.71%	+12.90%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-12.81%	-41.45%	+28.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.27%	-41.45%	+7.18%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.13%	-14.96%	+10.83%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.25%	-12.21%	+7.96%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.66%	7.71%	-5.05%

Volatility

VUKE.L vs. GSK - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF Distributing (VUKE.L) is 2.93%, while GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) has a volatility of 6.74%. This indicates that VUKE.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GSK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VUKE.L	GSK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.93%	6.74%	-3.81%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.30%	18.57%	-9.27%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.73%	26.61%	-15.88%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.64%	24.57%	-11.93%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.01%	22.80%	-7.79%

Dividends

VUKE.L vs. GSK - Dividend Comparison

VUKE.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.00%, less than GSK's 3.41% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GSK GlaxoSmithKline plc	3.41%	3.42%	4.60%	3.75%	5.47%	4.99%	5.59%	4.35%	5.65%	5.83%	6.86%	5.93%
VUKE.L Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF Distributing	3.00%	3.12%	3.74%	3.82%	3.94%	3.90%	3.02%	4.65%	4.64%	3.99%	3.75%	4.25%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VUKE.L and GSK in my portfolio?

VUKE.L and GSK have a correlation of 0.40, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.