The Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (VOOG 1.66%) and the Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG 1.57%) exist within a realm where the pursuit of growth is both a promise and a curse, their paths diverging like corridors in a labyrinth of indices, fees, and the faint, persistent hum of market anxiety.
Both entities, in their labyrinthine pursuit of large-cap growth, are ensnared within the confines of their respective indices, each a separate yet parallel path through the same desolate landscape. VOOG, bound to the S&P 500 Growth Index, and VUG, tethered to the broader CRSP U.S. Large Cap Growth Index, embody the paradox of choice-a choice that feels less like empowerment and more like an inevitable march toward abstraction.
Snapshot (cost & size)
| Metric | VOOG | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| Expense ratio | 0.07% | 0.04% |
| 1-yr return (as of Dec. 13, 2025) | 15.7% | 14.4% |
| Dividend yield | 0.48% | 0.42% |
| Beta (5Y monthly) | 1.10 | 1.23 |
| AUM | $21.7 billion | $357.4 billion |
Their differences are minute, yet they echo the bureaucratic precision of a system that demands distinction where none is meaningful. VOOG’s marginally higher yield and VUG’s lower fees-both are relics of a logic that thrives on minutiae, offering solace to those who believe that a fraction of a percent can alter the course of fate.
Performance & risk comparison
| Metric | VOOG | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| Max drawdown (5 y) | -32.74% | -35.61% |
| Growth of $1,000 over 5 years | $1,978 | $1,984 |
Their trajectories, though seemingly aligned, reveal the cruel arithmetic of time-a $6 difference over five years, a chasm that feels both trivial and insurmountable. The max drawdowns, measured in percentages, are but numbers etched into the walls of a prison where the inmates are the investors, and the guards are the market’s whims.
What’s inside
VUG, with its 160 stocks and 22 years of existence, is a relic of endurance, its portfolio a mosaic of technology, communication services, and consumer cyclical sectors. Its top holdings-Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft-are not mere entities but titans of a system that worships their names. The index-driven approach, a doctrine of replication, ensures that liquidity and flexibility are not virtues but obligations.
VOOG, in contrast, is a more expansive entity, its 217 stocks a testament to the belief that more is always better, even as its technology tilt wanes. Its top three holdings mirror VUG’s, yet their weightings are a silent rebellion against concentration, a subtle attempt to dilute the chaos of the market.
For those who dare to seek guidance, the path is clear yet obscured-a guidebook written in the language of jargon, its pages filled with the echoes of past decisions and the shadows of future regrets.
What this means for investors
The investor, a figure of quiet despair, is caught in the crossfire of two funds that are, in essence, identical. VUG’s lower fees and VUG’s slightly higher volatility-both are symptoms of a system that demands distinction where there is none. The diversification, a fragile hope, is a mirage in a desert of indices.
The AUM, a measure of scale, becomes a paradox. VUG’s $357 billion is a fortress of liquidity, yet it is also a monument to the absurdity of size. VOOG’s $22 billion, though smaller, is a whisper in the same vast chamber, its voice drowned by the cacophony of the market.
The investor’s dilemma is not one of choice but of acceptance-a recognition that no matter the selection, the outcome will be shaped by forces beyond comprehension, by the cold, unyielding machinery of the market.
Glossary
ETF: Exchange-traded fund; a pooled investment fund traded on stock exchanges like a stock.
Expense ratio: The annual fee, as a percentage of assets, that a fund charges to cover operating costs.
Dividend yield: Annual dividends paid by a fund or stock, expressed as a percentage of its price.
Beta: A measure of an investment’s volatility compared to the overall market, typically the S&P 500.
AUM: Assets under management; the total market value of assets a fund manages for investors.
Max drawdown: The largest percentage drop from a fund’s peak value to its lowest point over a specific period.
Growth of $1,000 over 5 years: The ending value of a $1,000 investment after five years, including price changes and dividends.
Liquidity: How easily an asset or fund can be bought or sold without affecting its price.
Sector tilt: When a fund has a higher allocation to certain industries or sectors than the broader market.
Large-cap: Companies with a large total market value, typically over $10 billion.
Index-driven approach: A strategy where a fund aims to replicate the performance of a specific market index.
Portfolio weighting: The percentage of a fund’s total assets allocated to a particular stock or sector.
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2025-12-14 16:32