VYM vs DGRO ETF Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
VYM and DGRO represent the two basic dividend approaches, both diversified and cheap. VYM simply selects above-average yielders, giving more income now from a broad roster. DGRO requires five years of dividend growth and caps payout ratios, giving less income now with a portfolio oriented toward income that rises over time.
Use this VYM vs DGRO comparison to match the fund to your horizon. If you need income today, a higher starting yield matters most. If you are years from drawing on the portfolio, a strategy selecting for rising payouts can produce a larger income stream later even though it starts lower.
VYM holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. DGRO has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+16.15% vs +15.53% for VYM).
- Want the higher current yield of the two
- Value very broad diversification and a simple transparent rule
- Prefer minimal cost and low turnover
- Accept the absence of quality and growth screens
- Prioritise rising future income over current yield
- Value the payout ratio cap and exclusion of extreme yielders
- Want broad diversification at very low cost
- Accept a lower starting yield and a relatively modest growth requirement
| Metric | VYM | DGRO |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 78.0 | 80.0 |
| Latest closei | $157.68 | $76.57 |
| 1M returni | -3.90% | -3.52% |
| 6M returni | +9.50% | +12.17% |
| 1Y returni | +15.53% | +16.15% |
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 | VYM | DGRO |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $11.84K (+18.4%) started 2025-09-25 | $11.86K (+18.6%) started 2025-09-25 |
| 5Y ago | $20.13K (+101.3%) started 2021-09-27 | $18.8K (+88.0%) started 2021-09-27 |
| 10Y ago | $42.48K (+324.8%) started 2016-09-26 | $46.15K (+361.5%) started 2016-09-26 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | VYM | DGRO |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.04% | 0.08% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $100.84B | $43.46B |
| Dividend yieldi | 2.22% | 1.87% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 19.81 | 21.90 |
| Betai | 0.75 | 0.78 |
| 52-week change | 15.53% | 16.15% |
| Metric | VYM | DGRO |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +15.53% | +16.15% |
| 6M returni | +9.50% | +12.17% |
| 1M returni | -3.90% | -3.52% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 1.03 | 1.15 |
| Betai | 0.75 | 0.78 |
| Dividend yieldi | 2.22% | 1.87% |
| 5Y CAGR | +11.55% | +10.77% |
Over the past year, VYM and DGRO 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 | VYM | DGRO |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +15.53% | +16.15% |
| CAGRi | +15.54% | +16.16% | |
| Volatilityi | 10.23% | 9.57% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 1.03 | 1.15 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 1.53 | 1.70 | |
| Max drawdowni | 6.69% | 6.47% | |
| Current drawdowni | 5.07% | 3.86% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 1.34% | 1.13% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 2.03% | 1.82% | |
| Max daily dropi | 2.03% | 1.78% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 2.88% | 3.02% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +72.58% | +66.63% |
| CAGRi | +11.55% | +10.77% | |
| Volatilityi | 13.81% | 13.77% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.54 | 0.49 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.77 | 0.70 | |
| Max drawdowni | 15.85% | 19.31% | |
| Current drawdowni | 5.07% | 3.86% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 2.95% | 4.00% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 4.25% | 5.80% | |
| Max daily dropi | 5.70% | 5.48% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 10.80% | 10.37% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +198.67% | +253.16% |
| CAGRi | +11.57% | +13.45% | |
| Volatilityi | 16.27% | 16.56% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.48 | 0.58 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.67 | 0.81 | |
| Max drawdowni | 35.21% | 35.10% | |
| Current drawdowni | 5.07% | 3.86% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 3.52% | 3.63% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 5.67% | 5.83% | |
| Max daily dropi | 10.06% | 11.30% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 19.13% | 18.26% |
| Category | VYM | DGRO |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares | iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.04% | 0.08% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $100.84B | $43.46B |
| Dividend yieldi | 2.22% | 1.87% |
- Broad diversification across hundreds of dividend payers reduces single-company risk
- Above-average current yield from a simple, transparent rule
- Very low cost with minimal turnover
- Dividend growth requirement targets rising income rather than the highest current payout
- Payout ratio cap and top-yield exclusion filter out likely dividend cutters
- Broad holdings roster with very low cost
- Selects on yield alone without quality or growth screens
- Excludes many large growing companies whose yields are below average
- Higher-yield selection tends to favour slower-growing businesses
- Current yield is lower than high-yield-focused alternatives
- A five-year growth requirement is a modest bar compared with multi-decade screens
- Weighting by dividend value tilts toward the largest total dividend payers
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Volatility, Sharpe and Sortino ratios, maximum, current, and average drawdown, Ulcer Index, and worst single-day and single-week drops across every timeframe.
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