Which Is the Better Vanguard Large-Cap ETF, VOOG's Focus on the S&P 500 or VONG's Russell 1000?

The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (NASDAQ:VONG) offers a broader exposure to the large-cap growth segment with a slightly lower expense ratio than the more concentrated Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:VOOG).

Both funds target the U.S. large-cap growth sector, providing investors with exposure to fast-growing companies that typically reinvest earnings rather than paying high dividends. While the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF focuses on the growth components of the S&P 500, the Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF tracks a wider index of the top 1,000 U.S. companies, offering a different take on the growth factor.

Snapshot (cost & size)

Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. The 1-yr return represents total return over the trailing 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing-12-month distribution yield.

The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF is slightly more affordable for long-term holders with an expense ratio of 0.06%, compared to 0.07% for the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF. Investors looking for current income may find the Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF more appealing, as it offers a slightly higher trailing-12-month distribution yield of 0.54%, whereas its Russell-indexed counterpart provides a 0.51% yield.

Performance & risk comparison

What's inside

The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF holds 387 stocks, offering broader diversification across the large-cap growth universe. Its sector tilt includes 50% in technology, 13% in consumer cyclical, and 12% in communication services. Top holdings include NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) at 12.90%, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) at 11.61%, and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) at 8.80%. Launched in 2010, the fund has a trailing-12-month dividend of $0.56 per share. This portfolio includes many mid-cap growth names that fall outside the traditional S&P 500 criteria.

The Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF is more concentrated with 144 holdings, focusing strictly on the growth tier of the S&P 500 index. Also launched in 2010, it has paid $1.72 per share over the trailing 12 months. Its sector weights are 48% in technology, 17% in communication services, and 10% in financial services. Its largest positions include NVIDIA at 14.60%, Microsoft at 9.47%, and Apple at 6.42%. Because it draws from a narrower pool of companies, its top positions often command a larger share of the total assets under management (AUM).

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What this means for investors

Investing in large-cap stocks are a key component of many portfolios, and Vanguard offers two distinct ways to gain exposure here. Both ETFs focus strictly on companies exhibiting high growth to deliver strong returns.

The Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF (VOOG) targets only high-growth companies in the S&P 500 universe. This leads to a much smaller set of stocks than VONG, which means the fund’s performance depends on these handful of businesses. However, the approach helped VOOG deliver a far greater one-year return than VONG. This ETF is for investors who want to zero in on growth businesses within the S&P 500.

The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG) offers broad exposure to high-growth businesses, given its much larger 387 holdings. This helps the fund reduce reliance on a few companies to power performance. It also features a higher AUM, providing greater liquidity for active traders. VONG is best for investors who want more diversification in a fund’s stocks to help offset risk.

Robert Izquierdo has positions in Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.