DGRO vs VIG ETF Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
DGRO (iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF) and VIG (Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF) are both U.S. dividend growth ETFs focused on companies with consistent dividend growth track records — DGRO requires 5-year dividend growth streaks plus a payout ratio screen at 0.08% expense ratio, while VIG requires a stricter 10-year consecutive growth streak at Vanguard's 0.06% expense ratio, both providing quality-screened dividend income with growth characteristics.
DGRO vs VIG is 5-year dividend growth ETF with payout ratio sustainability screen (iShares Core's 0.08% expense ratio, dividend dollar weighting for modestly higher yield, and inclusion of newer dividend growers — slightly higher current income vs. VIG with less proven track record requirement) versus 10-year consecutive dividend growth streak ETF emphasizing maximum dividend quality (Vanguard's 0.06% expense ratio, S&P Dividend Growers Index, and exclusion of REITs for purity — higher quality filter but excluding newer dividend payers and providing lower current yield).
DGRO holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. DGRO has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+24.72% vs +19.23% for VIG).
- Want dividend growth investing with a sustainable dividend quality screen (payout ratio below 75%) that admits companies growing dividends for 5+ years including newer dividend growers not yet meeting VIG's 10-year standard
- Prefer slightly higher current income from dividend-dollar weighted index vs. VIG's price-cap weighting, within a similar quality-focused dividend growth framework
- Value competitive pricing at 0.08% and iShares' index methodology from Morningstar for a broadly diversified U.S. dividend growth portfolio
- Want the most rigorous dividend quality filter through the 10-year consecutive growth streak requirement, investing only in companies that have demonstrated the financial resilience to grow dividends through at least one full economic cycle
- Value Vanguard's structural cost advantage and investor-owned cooperative model delivering 0.06% expense ratio on one of the largest and most established dividend ETFs with $70B+ AUM
- Prefer dividend growth investing that excludes REITs (which are legally required to distribute income) for a purer signal of management's voluntary commitment to growing dividends from operating cash flows
| Metric | DGRO | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 27.4 | 27.4 |
| Latest closei | $82.54 | $252.70 |
| 1M returni | +8.52% | +7.01% |
| 3M returni | +4.68% | +3.81% |
| 6M returni | +13.23% | +10.86% |
| 1Y returni | +24.72% | +19.23% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | DGRO | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $12.73K (+27.3%) started 2025-11-04 | $12.12K (+21.2%) started 2025-11-04 |
| 5Y ago | $19.35K (+93.5%) started 2021-11-05 | $18.24K (+82.4%) started 2021-11-05 |
| 10Y ago | $49.3K (+393.0%) started 2016-11-07 | $45.3K (+353.0%) started 2016-11-07 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | DGRO | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.08% | 0.04% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $45.26B | $134.38B |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.84% | 1.47% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 21.78 | 26.42 |
| Betai | 0.76 | 0.80 |
| 52-week change | 24.72% | 19.23% |
| Metric | DGRO | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +24.72% | +19.23% |
| 6M returni | +13.23% | +10.86% |
| 3M returni | +4.68% | +3.81% |
| 1M returni | +8.52% | +7.01% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.86 | 1.34 |
| Betai | 0.76 | 0.80 |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.84% | 1.47% |
| 5Y CAGR | +11.40% | +10.63% |
Over the past year, DGRO and VIG have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.93), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | DGRO | VIG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +24.72% | +19.23% |
| CAGRi | +24.74% | +19.24% | |
| Volatilityi | 9.75% | 10.19% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 1.86 | 1.34 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 2.95 | 2.06 | |
| Max drawdowni | 6.47% | 7.91% | |
| Current drawdowni | 0.00% | 0.00% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 1.25% | 1.50% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 2.00% | 2.28% | |
| Max daily dropi | 1.50% | 1.69% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 3.02% | 2.71% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +71.50% | +65.70% |
| CAGRi | +11.40% | +10.63% | |
| Volatilityi | 13.77% | 14.16% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.53 | 0.47 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.76 | 0.68 | |
| Max drawdowni | 19.31% | 20.39% | |
| Current drawdowni | 0.00% | 0.00% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 4.04% | 4.23% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 5.82% | 6.24% | |
| Max daily dropi | 5.48% | 5.69% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 10.37% | 10.30% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +280.28% | +268.57% |
| CAGRi | +14.31% | +13.95% | |
| Volatilityi | 16.57% | 16.01% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.62 | 0.62 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.87 | 0.87 | |
| Max drawdowni | 35.10% | 31.72% | |
| Current drawdowni | 0.00% | 0.00% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 3.65% | 3.55% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 5.84% | 5.71% | |
| Max daily dropi | 11.30% | 10.66% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 18.26% | 16.11% |
| Category | DGRO | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.08% | 0.04% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $45.26B | $134.38B |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.84% | 1.47% |
- 5-year dividend growth streak + payout ratio screen provides meaningful dividend quality filter without excluding growing dividend payers — the 5-year requirement identifies companies with demonstrated commitment to dividend growth; the 75% payout ratio cap eliminates overextended dividends that may be at risk of cuts
- Slightly higher current yield than VIG — DGRO's dividend-dollar weighting gives modestly higher weight to higher-yielding dividend growers vs. VIG's pure price-cap weighting; DGRO typically provides higher current income than VIG
- Very low expense ratio (0.08%) makes DGRO cost-competitive with Vanguard offerings — iShares Core ETFs are priced to compete directly with Vanguard; 0.08% for a quality-screened dividend growth index is excellent value
- 10-year consecutive dividend growth streak is a rigorous quality filter — maintaining dividend growth for 10+ consecutive years requires surviving at least one recession; companies with 10-year streaks have demonstrated extraordinary financial resilience and commitment to shareholder returns
- Vanguard's ownership structure provides structural cost advantage — at 0.06%, VIG is among the lowest-cost dividend growth ETFs; Vanguard's investor-owned cooperative model (no outside shareholders to pay profits to) continuously passes cost savings to fund investors
- Excludes REITs for purity of dividend growth signal — VIG's index excludes REITs (which are legally required to distribute income); this ensures VIG's holdings have truly chosen to grow their dividends from operating cash flows rather than mandated distributions
- 5-year requirement is shorter than VIG's 10-year streak — DGRO includes companies that have grown dividends for 5+ years but not yet 10 years; these companies have less proven commitment to sustained dividend growth vs. VIG's Dividend Aristocrat-adjacent 10-year standard
- Dividend dollar weighting methodology may tilt toward specific sectors — weighting by dividend dollars paid may overweight dividend-heavy sectors (financials, utilities, consumer staples) vs. a market-cap approach; sector tilts affect diversification
- Quarterly distributions — DGRO distributes quarterly (not monthly); income-focused investors who prefer more frequent distributions may prefer monthly-distributing alternatives
- 10-year requirement creates a survivorship bias and excludes newer dividend growers — companies that started paying dividends in 2016 don't yet qualify for VIG regardless of how committed they are; rapidly growing tech companies that initiated dividends recently are excluded
- Lower current yield than DGRO — VIG's holdings skew toward companies that prioritize dividend growth over current yield; VIG's yield is typically below DGRO's; income-focused investors may prefer DGRO's slightly higher current income
- The 10-year streak creates concentration in older, established companies — VIG is heavily weighted toward financials (banks, insurance), consumer staples (food/beverage), healthcare, and industrials that have maintained streaks; newer technology and growth sectors are underrepresented
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