VIG vs VYM: Performance, Holdings, Fees & Risk
VIG and VYM are ETFs, but they can differ materially in exposure, yield, fees and risk. VIG is Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF, while VYM is Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF. VYM is broader by holdings count, with 613 positions versus 336 for VIG. VIG is more concentrated at the top, based on top-10 holdings weight.
| Metric | VIG | VYM |
|---|---|---|
| Fund | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| Holdings | 336 | 613 |
| Top-10 concentration | 33.5% | 26.2% |
| Distribution yieldTrailing 12 months | 1.5% | 2.28% |
| Average volume | 1,070,068 | 1,227,061 |
| Performance | ||
| 1Y return | +13% | +15.5% |
| YTD return | +10.6% | +12.3% |
| 5Y annualized returnTotal return, distributions reinvested | +10.2% | +11.4% |
| Risk | ||
| Annualized volatility | 10% | 10.1% |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -8.3% | -7.2% |
| Max drawdown (5Y)Total return, distributions reinvested | -20.4% | -15.9% |
| Beta | 0.64 | 0.56 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.85 | 1.05 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.39 | 1.71 |
| AlgovestIQ | ||
| AIQ Score | 64/100 | 64/100 |
| AIQ Edge Score | 9/10 | 9/10 |
| Momentum | 81/100 | 67/100 |
| Risk Resilience | 83/100 | 80/100 |
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF
VIG and VYM are effectively level
VIG and VYM are effectively level on the AIQ Score; the factor table below shows where each one holds its advantage.
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF
Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score does not currently separate VIG and VYM as of Oct 21, 2026. Both names are scored on the same 0–100 scale across Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience, and the factor table below shows where each one holds its advantage.
Compare Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF and Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF across performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, drawdown, volatility and the Algovestiq AIQ Score.
VIG vs VYM: 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 | VYM | Fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower costExpense ratio | 0.04% | 0.04% | Similar |
| Broader diversificationNumber of holdings | 336 | 613 | VYM |
| Lower concentrationWeight of the 10 largest holdings | 33.5% | 26.2% | VYM |
| Higher incomeTrailing 12-month distribution yield | 1.5% | 2.28% | VYM |
| Smaller drawdownsMax drawdown, 5 years | -20.4% | -15.9% | VYM |
| Lower volatilityAnnualized volatility, 1 year | 10% | 10.1% | Similar |
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 VYM 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.
- Momentum81 vs 67VIG +14
- Value41 vs 52VYM +11
- Risk Resilience83 vs 80Even
- Quality65 vs 65Even
Neither name separates cleanly on the covered dimensions.
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 +4
New signals
- Keltner Channel Breakout — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- RSI Overbought — bearish, momentum, short horizon
VIG's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — VIG and VYM both carry a full feed there.
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 | VYM | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.04% | 0.04% | Lower is better — it compounds against you every year you hold. |
| Holdings | 336 | 613 | More holdings means broader diversification, not better returns. |
| Average volume | 1,070,068 | 1,227,061 | Liquidity — matters most if you trade size. |
| Annualized volatility | 10% | 10.1% | Lower is a steadier ride for the same exposure. |
| Max drawdown (1Y) | -8.3% | -7.2% | The worst peak-to-trough loss over the past year. |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.85 | 1.05 | Return per unit of risk. Higher is better. |
| Beta | 0.64 | 0.56 | 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 VYM share 60.75% of their weighted exposure across 209 common holdings.
124 holdings are unique to VIG, and 395 holdings are unique to VYM. Owning both is a partial overlap: a majority of the capital is distinct, but the largest positions are shared.
VIG is the more concentrated of the two: its ten largest positions are 33.45% of the fund, against 26.16% for VYM (336 holdings vs 613). 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 | VYM | Shared |
|---|---|---|---|
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 4.63% | 7.36% | 4.63% |
| JPMJPMorgan Chase & Co | 4.08% | 3.82% | 3.82% |
| XOMExxonMobil Holdings Corp | 2.79% | 2.63% | 2.63% |
| JNJJohnson & Johnson | 2.67% | 2.51% | 2.51% |
| CSCOCisco Systems Inc | 1.98% | 1.86% | 1.86% |
| ABBVAbbVie Inc | 1.92% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| BACBank of America Corp | 1.75% | 1.67% | 1.67% |
| UNHUnitedHealth Group Inc | 1.63% | 1.52% | 1.52% |
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 VYM doesn’t
| Holding | VIG | VYM |
|---|---|---|
| AAPLApple Inc | 4.46% | Not held |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 4.34% | Not held |
| LLYEli Lilly & Co | 3.93% | Not held |
| VVisa Inc | 2.45% | Not held |
| WMTWalmart Inc | 2.11% | Not held |
| MAMastercard Inc | 2% | Not held |
What VYM adds that VIG doesn’t
| Holding | VYM | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| CVXChevron Corp | 1.48% | Not held |
| PMPhilip Morris International Inc | 1.21% | Not held |
| RTXRTX Corp | 1.18% | Not held |
| WFCWells Fargo & Co | 1.08% | Not held |
| CCitigroup Inc | 0.89% | Not held |
| VZVerizon Communications Inc | 0.8% | 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 VYM: five-year payout growth
VIG grew its split-adjusted payout faster over 2020-2025 — 9.15% a year against VYM's 3.79%. Neither fund reduced its annual distribution in any year of the window.
| Dividend metric | VIG | VYM |
|---|---|---|
| 5Y payout CAGR | 9.15% | 3.79% |
| 2020 annual payout | $2.297 | $2.906 |
| 2025 annual payout | $3.558 | $3.501 |
| Calendar-year declines | 0 | 0 |
| Peer rank | #7 of 33 | #21 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
How each independent group of evidence reads the pair.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 64 vs 64 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | VYM | Value 41 vs 52 |
| Technicals | VIG | Price vs 50-day 1.4% vs 0%; vs 200-day 4.9% vs 2.9% |
| Risk Resilience | Even | Risk Resilience 83 vs 80 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
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 0 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 0 of 4 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20- Today
- Level
- 64 vs 64
- 7 sessions ago
- VIG +3
- 64 vs 61
- 30 sessions ago
- Level
- 54 vs 54
- 90 sessions ago
- VYM +2
- 61 vs 63
The lead changed hands 3 times in this window, most recently on Oct 15 when VIG moved ahead of VYM.
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 / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
Only VYM
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, 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.
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 and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +0.19%, AIQ +1 points).
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 4 of 6 windows| Metric | VIG | VYM |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 1.4% | 1.3% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 2.1% | 1.5% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 2.4% | -0.3% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 7.5% | 4.4% |
| Year to date | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 13% | 15.5% |
Technicals
VIG has the stronger structure| Metric | VIG | VYM |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 84.8 | 80.5 |
| ADX (14) | 23.8 | 24.1 |
| Price vs 50-day | 1.4% | 0% |
| Price vs 200-day | 4.9% | 2.9% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 8.5% | 8.7% |
Risk
Split| Metric | VIG | VYM |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.64 | 0.56 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.85 | 1.05 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.39 | 1.71 |
| Max drawdown | -8.3% | -7.2% |
| Current drawdown | -1.4% | -3.5% |
| Annualized volatility | 10% | 10.1% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -0.9% | -1% |
Straight answers
Short answers to the questions fund investors ask about this pair, from the figures above.
How much do VIG and VYM overlap?
VIG and VYM share 60.75% of their weighted exposure across 209 common holdings. 124 holdings are unique to VIG, and 395 holdings are unique to VYM. Owning both is a partial overlap: a majority of the capital is distinct, but the largest positions are shared.
Which ETF is more diversified, VIG or VYM?
VYM holds more positions: 613 versus 336 for VIG.
Which has the lower expense ratio?
Neither: both charge 0.04% a year.
Which ETF has the higher distribution yield?
VYM, with a trailing 12-month distribution yield of 2.28% against 1.5% for VIG.
Which ETF has been more volatile?
Their volatility over the past year is similar: 10% annualized for VIG and 10.1% for VYM.
Which ETF has had the smaller drawdown?
VYM fell less from peak to trough over the past five years: -15.9% against -20.4% for VIG.
Compare VIG and VYM 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.