VWNDX vs. SPY

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

VWNDX (Vanguard Windsor Fund Investor Shares) and SPY (State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF) are both funds - VWNDX is a Large Cap Value Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while SPY is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, VWNDX returned 12.14%/yr vs 15.29%/yr for SPY. Their correlation of 0.87 means they have usually moved in the same direction. VWNDX charges 0.30%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SPY.

Performance

VWNDX vs. SPY - Performance Comparison

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

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with VWNDX having a 14.03% return and SPY slightly lower at 13.71%. Over the past 10 years, VWNDX has underperformed SPY with an annualized return of 12.14%, while SPY has yielded a comparatively higher 15.29% annualized return.

VWNDX

• 1D: 1.30%
• 1M: 3.93%
• 6M: 11.35%
• YTD: 14.03%
• 1Y: 26.14%
• 3Y*: 14.08%
• 5Y*: 11.13%
• 10Y*: 12.14%
• ALL TIME*: 9.04%

SPY

• 1D: 1.80%
• 1M: 3.56%
• 6M: 12.46%
• YTD: 13.71%
• 1Y: 23.56%
• 3Y*: 21.46%
• 5Y*: 13.31%
• 10Y*: 15.29%
• ALL TIME*: 10.89%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	$40.91B	$36.93B	$39.82B
VWNDX Vanguard Windsor Fund Investor Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

VWNDX vs. SPY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VWNDX Vanguard Windsor Fund Investor Shares	14.03%	13.30%	9.53%	15.00%	-3.15%	27.77%	7.38%	30.39%	-12.48%	18.15%
SPY State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF	13.71%	17.72%	24.89%	26.18%	-18.18%	28.73%	18.33%	31.22%	-4.57%	21.71%

Correlation

The correlation between VWNDX and SPY is 0.68, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.68
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.72
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.81
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.83
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 29, 1993	0.87

The correlation between VWNDX and SPY shifts across timeframes, from 0.68 (1 year) to 0.87 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

VWNDX vs. SPY - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VWNDX	SPY
Financial Services	19.5%	12.5%
Healthcare	16.5%	9.4%
Technology	13.4%	36.9%
Industrials	10.6%	7.6%
Consumer Cyclical	8.4%	8.9%
Energy	8.0%	3.4%
Consumer Defensive	7.1%	4.8%
Basic Materials	5.3%	1.9%
Communication Services	5.2%	9.7%
Real Estate	3.5%	2.0%
Utilities	2.6%	2.6%

Return for Risk

VWNDX vs. SPY — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

VWNDX

VWNDX Risk / Return Rank: 88
VWNDX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
VWNDX Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
VWNDX Omega Ratio Rank: 83
VWNDX Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
VWNDX Martin Ratio Rank: 90

SPY

SPY Risk / Return Rank: 72
SPY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
SPY Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Omega Ratio Rank: 70
SPY Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
SPY Martin Ratio Rank: 79

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

VWNDX vs. SPY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Windsor Fund Investor Shares (VWNDX) 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	VWNDX	SPY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.24	1.84	+0.41
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.23	2.54	+0.69
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.40	1.33	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.49	2.66	+0.82
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.85	11.36	+1.49

VWNDX vs. SPY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VWNDX Sharpe Ratio is 2.24, which is comparable to the SPY Sharpe Ratio of 1.84. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VWNDX 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.

Drawdowns

VWNDX vs. SPY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VWNDX drawdown since its inception was -61.48%, which is greater than SPY's maximum drawdown of -55.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VWNDX and SPY.

Drawdown Indicators

	VWNDX	SPY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-61.48%	-55.19%	-6.29%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.88%	-8.88%	+1.00%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.69%	-18.76%	-2.93%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.69%	-24.50%	+2.81%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-40.12%	-33.72%	-6.40%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.89%	-9.01%	+0.12%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.13%	2.08%	+0.05%

Volatility

VWNDX vs. SPY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard Windsor Fund Investor Shares (VWNDX) is 3.33%, while State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has a volatility of 4.13%. This indicates that VWNDX 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.

Volatility by Period

	VWNDX	SPY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.33%	4.13%	-0.80%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.86%	10.36%	-1.50%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.26%	12.96%	-0.70%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.26%	17.21%	+0.05%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.51%	17.97%	+1.54%

VWNDX vs. SPY - Expense Ratio Comparison

VWNDX has a 0.30% expense ratio, which is higher than SPY's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

VWNDX vs. SPY - Dividend Comparison

VWNDX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.72%, 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%
VWNDX Vanguard Windsor Fund Investor Shares	6.72%	7.78%	12.48%	8.24%	15.38%	11.46%	8.37%	10.26%	13.15%	3.51%	4.89%	8.51%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VWNDX and SPY in my portfolio?

VWNDX and SPY have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VWNDX or SPY?

SPY has higher volatility (4.13%) compared to VWNDX (3.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VWNDX dropped -61.48% vs SPY's -55.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VWNDX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.24 vs 1.84), 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.