VIG vs SPYD: Performance, Holdings, Fees & Risk
VIG and SPYD are ETFs, but they can differ materially in exposure, yield, fees and risk. VIG is Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF, while SPYD is State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF. VIG is broader by holdings count, with 336 positions versus 82 for SPYD. VIG is more concentrated at the top, based on top-10 holdings weight. Current AlgovestIQ evidence has VIG ahead on AIQ Score, 64 versus 62.
What is the main difference between VIG and SPYD?
VIG holds 336 positions to SPYD's 82, and 2% of their weight is in the same securities.
| Metric | VIG | SPYD |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.04% | 0.07% |
| Holdings | 336 | 82 |
| Top-10 concentration | 33.5% | 14.8% |
| Distribution yieldTrailing 12 months | 1.5% | 4.33% |
| Average volume | 1,070,068 | 1,002,974 |
| Performance | ||
| 1Y return | +13% | +10.6% |
| YTD return | +10.6% | +10.1% |
| 5Y annualized returnTotal return, distributions reinvested | +10.2% | +7.7% |
| Risk | ||
| Annualized volatility | 10% | 11.9% |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -8.3% | -10.8% |
| Max drawdown (5Y)Total return, distributions reinvested | -20.4% | -22.2% |
| Beta | 0.64 | 0.20 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.85 | 0.52 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.39 | 0.94 |
| AlgovestIQ | ||
| AIQ Score | 64/100 | 62/100 |
| AIQ Edge Score | 9/10 | 8/10 |
| Momentum | 81/100 | 66/100 |
| Risk Resilience | 83/100 | 72/100 |
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF vs State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF
VIG leads
VIG leads by 2 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Risk Resilience.
Fragile: 2 of 4 evidence groups support VIG, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF
State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors VIG over SPYD, 64 versus 62 as of Oct 21, 2026. VIG's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and risk resilience, while SPYD holds the stronger value profile. VIG also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 2 of 4 covered evidence groups favor VIG today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. VIG lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 2 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF and State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF across performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, drawdown, volatility and the Algovestiq AIQ Score.
VIG vs SPYD: which fits what
Each row is settled by a single measure. Where the gap is too small to matter it reads Similar, and no row decides the comparison as a whole.
| If you want | VIG | SPYD | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower costExpense ratio | 0.04% | 0.07% | VIG |
| Broader diversificationNumber of holdings | 336 | 82 | VIG |
| Lower concentrationWeight of the 10 largest holdings | 33.5% | 14.8% | SPYD |
| Higher incomeTrailing 12-month distribution yield | 1.5% | 4.33% | SPYD |
| Smaller drawdownsMax drawdown, 5 years | -20.4% | -22.2% | Similar |
| Lower volatilityAnnualized volatility, 1 year | 10% | 11.9% | VIG |
Similar means the gap is within 0.01 percentage points of expense ratio, 25% more holdings, 3 points of top-10 weight, 0.2 points of yield, 2 points of drawdown or 1 point of volatility. Past drawdowns and volatility describe the funds’ history, not their future.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes for both ETFs.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare VIG and SPYD against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Value41 vs 59SPYD +18
- Momentum81 vs 66VIG +15
- Risk Resilience83 vs 72VIG +11
- Quality65 vs 57VIG +8
2 of 4 evidence groups favor VIG. VIG’s edge is concentrated in momentum and risk resilience; SPYD keeps a meaningful value edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Value +1, not enough on its own to move the overall score.
New signals
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
Largest factor move: Momentum +11
New signals
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
VIG's lead narrowed by 2 AIQ points in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — VIG and SPYD both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
VIG (Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and risk resilience.
SPYD (State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF): the counter-case, on value, valuation.
Fund facts, side by side
Two funds tracking overlapping universes are separated by cost and risk far more than by holdings. Those lead here.
| Measure | VIG | SPYD | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.04% | 0.07% | Lower is better — it compounds against you every year you hold. |
| Holdings | 336 | 82 | More holdings means broader diversification, not better returns. |
| Average volume | 1,070,068 | 1,002,974 | Liquidity — matters most if you trade size. |
| Annualized volatility | 10% | 11.9% | Lower is a steadier ride for the same exposure. |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -8.3% | -10.8% | The worst peak-to-trough loss over the past year. |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.85 | 0.52 | Return per unit of risk. Higher is better. |
| Beta | 0.64 | 0.20 | Sensitivity to the broad market. Neither direction is better — it depends on the role in your portfolio. |
Where the exposure actually sits
Sector exposure for each fund, ordered by the size of the difference.
How much of the same holdings they own
VIG and SPYD share 2.34% of their weighted exposure across 6 common holdings.
327 holdings are unique to VIG, and 74 holdings are unique to SPYD. Owning both is genuinely additive — most of the capital sits in different securities.
VIG is the more concentrated of the two: its ten largest positions are 33.45% of the fund, against 14.82% for SPYD (336 holdings vs 82). Concentration cuts both ways — it is what drives outperformance when the top names work, and what makes the drawdown deeper when they do not.
Largest shared positions
| Holding | VIG | SPYD | Shared |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEPPEPSICO INC | 0.82% | 1.3% | 0.82% |
| MDTMEDTRONIC PLC | 0.47% | 1.44% | 0.47% |
| ACNACCENTURE PLC CL A | 0.44% | 1.64% | 0.44% |
| HONHONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC | 0.33% | 1.12% | 0.33% |
| NKENIKE INC CL B | 0.22% | 1.12% | 0.22% |
| MKCMCCORMICK + CO NON VTG SHRS | 0.06% | 1.27% | 0.06% |
Shared weight is the lower of the two positions — the portion of capital both funds genuinely have in the same security.
What VIG adds that SPYD doesn’t
| Holding | VIG | SPYD |
|---|---|---|
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 4.63% | Not held |
| AAPLApple Inc | 4.46% | Not held |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 4.34% | Not held |
| JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co | 4.08% | Not held |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co | 3.93% | Not held |
| XOMExxonMobil Holdings Corp | 2.79% | Not held |
What SPYD adds that VIG doesn’t
| Holding | SPYD | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| HPQHP INC | 1.68% | Not held |
| ACNACCENTURE PLC CL A | 1.64% | 0.44% |
| TGTTARGET CORP | 1.46% | Not held |
| VZVERIZON COMMUNICATIONS INC | 1.46% | Not held |
| MDTMEDTRONIC PLC | 1.44% | 0.47% |
| MOSMOSAIC CO/THE | 1.44% | Not held |
Each list is a fund’s largest positions by weight that the other fund does not hold, or holds at less than half the weight.
VIG vs SPYD: five-year payout growth
VIG grew its split-adjusted payout faster over 2020-2025 — 9.15% a year against SPYD's 3.69%. VIG never reduced its annual distribution in the window; SPYD did in 2 years.
| Dividend metric | VIG | SPYD |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y payout CAGR | 9.15% | 3.69% |
| 2020 annual payout | $2.297 | $1.633 |
| 2025 annual payout | $3.558 | $1.957 |
| Calendar-year declines | 0 | 2 |
| Peer rank | #7 of 33 | #23 of 33 |
Split-adjusted annual distributions, 2020–2025. Research as of Sep 19, 2026. Yield and expense ratio above are current values, not part of this window.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
2 of 4 covered evidence groups favor VIG. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 64 vs 62 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | SPYD | Value 41 vs 59 |
| Technicals | VIG | Price vs 50-day 1.4% vs -1.3%; vs 200-day 4.9% vs 0.7% |
| Risk Resilience | VIG | Risk Resilience 83 vs 72 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of VIG and SPYD and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 2 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 2 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on VIG.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20VIG lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 2 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- VIG +2
- 64 vs 62
- 7 sessions ago
- VIG +6
- 64 vs 58
- 30 sessions ago
- VIG +2
- 54 vs 52
- 90 sessions ago
- VIG +3
- 61 vs 58
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Sep 21 when VIG moved ahead of SPYD.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
6 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
Only VIG
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
- 52-Week High Proximity — bullish, risk, long horizon (1.5%)
- Uptrend Structure Active — bullish, trend, long horizon
3 bullish / 2 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
Only SPYD
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- BB Upper Band Breach — bearish, volatility, short horizon
Both carry 5 more signals that do not separate them: Golden Cross Active, ATR Contraction - Coiling, Keltner Channel Breakout, RSI Overbought, MACD Bullish Crossover.
VIG leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price +0.24%, AIQ 0 points).
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 2 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -0.4%, AIQ +2 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1SPYD closes the Momentum gap — currently 15 points behind, the largest single contributor to VIG's edge.
- 2SPYD's BB Upper Band Breach resolves — a bearish volatility rule currently active against it.
- 3VIG's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 6 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Performance
VIG leads 5 of 6 windows| Metric | VIG | SPYD |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 1.4% | 3.3% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 2.1% | 1.4% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 2.4% | -3.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 7.5% | 3% |
| Year to date | 10.6% | 10.1% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 13% | 10.6% |
Technicals
VIG has the stronger structure| Metric | VIG | SPYD |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 84.8 | 77.4 |
| ADX (14) | 23.8 | 34.7 |
| Price vs 50-day | 1.4% | -1.3% |
| Price vs 200-day | 4.9% | 0.7% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 8.5% | 13.1% |
Risk
VIG is the more resilient| Metric | VIG | SPYD |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.64 | 0.2 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.85 | 0.52 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.39 | 0.94 |
| Max drawdown | -8.3% | -10.8% |
| Current drawdown | -1.4% | -6.1% |
| Annualized volatility | 10% | 11.9% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -0.9% | -1.2% |
Straight answers
Short answers to the questions fund investors ask about this pair, from the figures above.
What is the difference between VIG and SPYD?
VIG holds 336 positions to SPYD's 82, and 2% of their weight is in the same securities.
How much do VIG and SPYD overlap?
VIG and SPYD share 2.34% of their weighted exposure across 6 common holdings. 327 holdings are unique to VIG, and 74 holdings are unique to SPYD. Owning both is genuinely additive — most of the capital sits in different securities.
Which ETF is more diversified, VIG or SPYD?
VIG holds more positions: 336 versus 82 for SPYD.
Which has the lower expense ratio?
VIG has the lower expense ratio, 0.04% a year against 0.07% for SPYD.
Which ETF has the higher distribution yield?
SPYD, with a trailing 12-month distribution yield of 4.33% against 1.5% for VIG.
Which ETF has been more volatile?
SPYD has been more volatile over the past year, at 11.9% annualized against 10% for VIG.
Which ETF has had the smaller drawdown?
Their worst peak-to-trough falls over the past five years are similar: -20.4% for VIG and -22.2% for SPYD.
Compare VIG and SPYD with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.