VWUAX vs. VTCAX

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

VWUAX (Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares) and VTCAX (Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VWUAX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Vanguard, while VTCAX is a Technology Equities fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VWUAX returned 14.86%/yr vs 7.65%/yr for VTCAX. Their 0.76 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. VWUAX charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for VTCAX.

Performance

VWUAX vs. VTCAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares (VWUAX) and Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTCAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VWUAX achieves a -2.88% return, which is significantly higher than VTCAX's -6.72% return. Over the past 10 years, VWUAX has outperformed VTCAX with an annualized return of 14.86%, while VTCAX has yielded a comparatively lower 7.65% annualized return.

VWUAX

• 1D: 1.97%
• 1M: -3.71%
• 6M: -0.35%
• YTD: -2.88%
• 1Y: 2.46%
• 3Y*: 16.27%
• 5Y*: 3.29%
• 10Y*: 14.86%
• ALL TIME*: 8.75%

VTCAX

• 1D: -2.70%
• 1M: -4.25%
• 6M: -9.43%
• YTD: -6.72%
• 1Y: 5.85%
• 3Y*: 18.15%
• 5Y*: 5.59%
• 10Y*: 7.65%
• ALL TIME*: 8.53%

*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)
VTCAX Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VWUAX Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

VWUAX vs. VTCAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VWUAX Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares	-2.88%	15.49%	31.79%	45.32%	-39.58%	2.43%	58.80%	48.42%	0.77%	31.26%
VTCAX Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares	-6.72%	26.28%	33.10%	44.73%	-38.78%	14.09%	28.95%	28.03%	-16.51%	-5.57%

Correlation

The correlation between VWUAX and VTCAX 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.	0.78
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.83
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.78
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 29, 2004	0.76

The correlation between VWUAX and VTCAX shifts across timeframes, from 0.68 (1 year) to 0.83 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

VWUAX vs. VTCAX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VWUAX	VTCAX
Technology	44.7%	1.5%
Communication Services	16.2%	95.8%
Consumer Cyclical	12.4%	0.2%
Healthcare	10.3%	0.0%
Financial Services	6.1%	-
Industrials	5.2%	2.4%
Consumer Defensive	1.3%	-
Real Estate	1.3%	0.1%
Utilities	0.5%	-
Basic Materials	0.4%	-
Energy	-	-

Return for Risk

VWUAX vs. VTCAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

VWUAX

VWUAX Risk / Return Rank: 5
VWUAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
VWUAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 6
VWUAX Omega Ratio Rank: 5
VWUAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 5
VWUAX Martin Ratio Rank: 5

VTCAX

VTCAX Risk / Return Rank: 10
VTCAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 10
VTCAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
VTCAX Omega Ratio Rank: 10
VTCAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
VTCAX Martin Ratio Rank: 11

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.

VWUAX vs. VTCAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares (VWUAX) and Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTCAX). 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.

	VWUAX	VTCAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.03	0.35	-0.32
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.17	0.61	-0.44
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.02	1.07	-0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.03	0.44	-0.41
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	0.09	1.33	-1.24

VWUAX vs. VTCAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VWUAX Sharpe Ratio is 0.03, which is lower than the VTCAX Sharpe Ratio of 0.35. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VWUAX and VTCAX, 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

VWUAX vs. VTCAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VWUAX drawdown since its inception was -50.37%, smaller than the maximum VTCAX drawdown of -57.11%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VWUAX and VTCAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VWUAX	VTCAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-50.37%	-57.11%	+6.74%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-19.12%	-13.56%	-5.56%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.01%	-21.19%	-3.82%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-50.17%	-46.58%	-3.59%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-50.17%	-46.58%	-3.59%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.05%	-9.89%	+1.84%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.77%	-11.85%	-0.92%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.78%	4.44%	+2.34%

Volatility

VWUAX vs. VTCAX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares (VWUAX) is 5.29%, while Vanguard Communication Services Index Fund Admiral Shares (VTCAX) has a volatility of 7.04%. This indicates that VWUAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VTCAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VWUAX	VTCAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.29%	7.04%	-1.75%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.35%	13.58%	+0.77%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.17%	17.02%	+1.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.11%	21.48%	+3.63%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.79%	21.11%	+2.68%

VWUAX vs. VTCAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VWUAX has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than VTCAX's 0.10% 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%.

Dividends

VWUAX vs. VTCAX - Dividend Comparison

VWUAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.78%, more than VTCAX's 1.09% yield.

Position	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%
VWUAX Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares	9.78%	9.50%	4.70%	0.37%	0.49%	3.60%	4.00%	13.28%	9.80%	4.63%	1.67%	9.10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VWUAX and VTCAX in my portfolio?

VWUAX and VTCAX 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, VWUAX or VTCAX?

VTCAX has higher volatility (7.04%) compared to VWUAX (5.29%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VWUAX dropped -50.37% vs VTCAX's -57.11%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VTCAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.35 vs 0.03), 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.