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 (+16.32% vs +11.70% 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 | 81.0 | 71.0 |
| Latest closei | $76.89 | $237.00 |
| 1M returni | -3.46% | -3.27% |
| 6M returni | +12.56% | +12.20% |
| 1Y returni | +16.32% | +11.70% |
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 | $11.87K (+18.7%) started 2025-09-18 | $11.35K (+13.5%) started 2025-09-18 |
| 5Y ago | $19.35K (+93.5%) started 2021-09-20 | $18.31K (+83.1%) started 2021-09-20 |
| 10Y ago | $46.35K (+363.5%) started 2016-09-19 | $42.06K (+320.6%) started 2016-09-19 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | DGRO | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.08% | 0.04% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $43.46B | $132.41B |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.87% | 1.48% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 21.99 | 24.84 |
| Betai | 0.78 | 0.82 |
| 52-week change | 16.32% | 11.70% |
| Metric | DGRO | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +16.32% | +11.70% |
| 6M returni | +12.56% | +12.20% |
| 1M returni | -3.46% | -3.27% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.17 | 0.71 |
| Betai | 0.78 | 0.82 |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.87% | 1.48% |
| 5Y CAGR | +11.29% | +10.72% |
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 | +16.32% | +11.70% |
| CAGRi | +16.33% | +11.71% | |
| Volatilityi | 9.54% | 10.10% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 1.17 | 0.71 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 1.74 | 1.03 | |
| Max drawdowni | 6.47% | 7.91% | |
| Current drawdowni | 3.46% | 3.90% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 1.06% | 1.30% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 1.75% | 2.08% | |
| Max daily dropi | 1.78% | 1.96% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 3.02% | 2.71% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +70.60% | +66.31% |
| CAGRi | +11.29% | +10.72% | |
| Volatilityi | 13.77% | 14.19% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.52 | 0.47 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.75 | 0.68 | |
| Max drawdowni | 19.31% | 20.39% | |
| Current drawdowni | 3.46% | 3.90% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 3.99% | 4.19% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 5.80% | 6.23% | |
| Max daily dropi | 5.48% | 5.69% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 10.37% | 10.30% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +254.68% | +243.82% |
| CAGRi | +13.50% | +13.15% | |
| Volatilityi | 16.56% | 16.00% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.58 | 0.57 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.81 | 0.80 | |
| Max drawdowni | 35.10% | 31.72% | |
| Current drawdowni | 3.46% | 3.90% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 3.63% | 3.55% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 5.83% | 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 | $43.46B | $132.41B |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.87% | 1.48% |
- 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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