VUG vs IVW Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
VUG and IVW both target large-cap growth exposure but take different paths to get there — VUG via the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, and IVW via the S&P 500 Growth Index. The practical differences come down to issuer, cost structure, and the specific index rules each fund follows, since both are pursuing a similar investment outcome.
VUG vs IVW is largely a question of which issuer and index methodology you trust more for large-cap growth exposure — the underlying investment case is similar, so cost, liquidity, and tracking precision tend to be the deciding factors.
VUG holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. IVW has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+17.27% vs +12.34% for VUG).
- want diversified large-cap growth beyond just S&P 500 constituents
- prefer Vanguard's approach and fund lineup
- value rock-bottom expense ratio
- are comfortable with still top-heavy in mega-cap tech
- want S&P 500 growth exposure for investors already using iShares core funds
- prefer iShares (BlackRock)'s approach and fund lineup
- value backed by BlackRock's scale and index-tracking infrastructure
- are comfortable with slightly higher expense ratio than Vanguard's or SPDR's growth funds
| Metric | VUG | IVW |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 67.0 | 73.0 |
| Latest closei | $88.75 | $140.13 |
| 1M returni | +0.93% | +0.67% |
| 6M returni | +21.21% | +23.01% |
| 1Y returni | +12.34% | +17.27% |
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 | VUG | IVW |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $11.28K (+12.8%) started 2025-09-18 | $11.77K (+17.7%) started 2025-09-18 |
| 5Y ago | $18.92K (+89.2%) started 2021-09-20 | $19.8K (+98.0%) started 2021-09-20 |
| 10Y ago | $56.4K (+464.0%) started 2016-09-19 | $56.79K (+467.9%) started 2016-09-19 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | VUG | IVW |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.03% | 0.18% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $384.53B | $76.57B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.38% | 0.36% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 30.24 | 26.98 |
| Betai | 1.24 | 1.17 |
| 52-week change | 12.34% | 17.27% |
| Metric | VUG | IVW |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +12.34% | +17.27% |
| 6M returni | +21.21% | +23.01% |
| 1M returni | +0.93% | +0.67% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 0.49 | 0.73 |
| Betai | 1.24 | 1.17 |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.38% | 0.36% |
| 5Y CAGR | +13.00% | +13.88% |
Over the past year, VUG and IVW have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.98), 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 | VUG | IVW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +12.34% | +17.27% |
| CAGRi | +12.34% | +17.28% | |
| Volatilityi | 17.80% | 18.06% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.49 | 0.73 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.71 | 1.06 | |
| Max drawdowni | 16.53% | 13.75% | |
| Current drawdowni | 1.60% | 1.60% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 4.04% | 2.90% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 5.26% | 3.85% | |
| Max daily dropi | 3.62% | 3.81% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 5.95% | 6.04% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +84.07% | +91.34% |
| CAGRi | +13.00% | +13.88% | |
| Volatilityi | 22.55% | 21.54% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.46 | 0.50 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.65 | 0.72 | |
| Max drawdowni | 35.61% | 32.72% | |
| Current drawdowni | 1.60% | 1.60% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 10.16% | 10.01% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 14.56% | 14.10% | |
| Max daily dropi | 6.06% | 6.15% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 12.34% | 11.27% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +420.03% | +412.58% |
| CAGRi | +17.93% | +17.76% | |
| Volatilityi | 21.57% | 20.78% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.67 | 0.68 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.94 | 0.95 | |
| Max drawdowni | 35.61% | 32.72% | |
| Current drawdowni | 1.60% | 1.60% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 6.62% | 6.46% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 11.01% | 10.64% | |
| Max daily dropi | 12.62% | 11.88% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 16.93% | 17.04% |
| Category | VUG | IVW |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF | iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.03% | 0.18% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $384.53B | $76.57B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.38% | 0.36% |
- Rock-bottom expense ratio
- Broader growth universe than S&P-500-only growth funds
- Deep liquidity and tight bid-ask spreads
- Backed by BlackRock's scale and index-tracking infrastructure
- Tracks the same established S&P 500 Growth benchmark
- Solid liquidity within the iShares fund family
- Still top-heavy in mega-cap tech
- No value or dividend ballast during growth drawdowns
- Sector concentration risk in technology
- Slightly higher expense ratio than Vanguard's or SPDR's growth funds
- Same mega-cap tech concentration as any S&P 500 growth product
- Semi-annual index rebalancing can lag fast style rotations
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