ACES vs VOO

ACES vs VOO

Which is better, ACES or VOO?

Mid Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.

VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. VOO is less concentrated, with 36.4% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 55.0%.

Lower Fees: VOOHigher Returns: VOOLess Concentrated: VOO

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricACESVOO
Expense Ratio0.55%0.03%Best
AUM$110M$997.4B
Dividend Yield0.73%1.08%
Holdings38509
YTD Return-10.64%+13.37%Best
1Y Return+5.16%+20.08%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-9.27%+21.29%Best
5Y Return (annualized)-14.90%+12.89%Best
Volatility (annualized)35.1%16.6%Best
Max Drawdown-79.0%-34.3%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$4,463$18,335Best
Top 10 Weight55.0%36.4%Best
Fund FamilyALPS AdvisorsVanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleMid Cap GrowthLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJun 27, 2018Sep 7, 2010

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 29, 2018 to Sep 4, 2026 (8.2 years).

ACES vs VOO growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 8.2 years both funds cover.

ACES vs VOO Performance

ALPS Clean Energy ETF (ACES) is an ETF from ALPS Advisors and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year ACES returned +5.16% while VOO returned +20.08%. Year to date, ACES is down 10.64% versus a gain of 13.37% for VOO.

Over three years, ACES compounded at -9.27% per year against +21.29% for VOO; over five years the annualized figures are -14.90% and +12.89% respectively. Across the full 8-year window we track, VOO has the edge at +14.68% annualized vs +2.84%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

ACES has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 35.1% compared with 16.6% for VOO. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -79.0% for ACES and -34.3% for VOO. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.64. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

ACES charges 0.55% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $55 vs $3 annually, a gap of $52 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ACES currently yields 0.73% against 1.08% for VOO.

Holdings Overlap

ACES already in VOO15.5%
VOO already in ACES1.9%

15.5% of ACES's money is in holdings VOO also owns. 1.9% of VOO's money is in holdings ACES also owns.

ACES and VOO share little of their money.

3 positions in common, counted across the 36 positions we hold weights for in ACES and 505 in VOO, against full books of 38 and 509.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 494 positions for VOO that do not appear in our book for ACES (97.6% of the fund), and 30 for ACES that do not appear in VOO (72.9%).

Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in ACESWeight in VOODifference
TSLATesla Motors Inc5.30%1.84%3.46%
ALBAlbemarle Corp.5.30%0.02%5.28%
FSLRFirst Solar, Inc4.89%0.04%4.85%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of ACES and VOO you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

ACESVOO

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, ACES or VOO?

ACES has an expense ratio of 0.55% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $52 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, ACES or VOO?

Over the past year ACES returned +5.16% vs +20.08% for VOO, so VOO leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (8 years), ACES annualized +2.84% vs +14.68% for VOO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, ACES or VOO?

ACES has been the more volatile fund at 35.1% annualized versus 16.6% for VOO. Worst drawdown: ACES -79.0% vs VOO -34.3%.

Should I hold both ACES and VOO?

ACES and VOO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.64, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between ACES and VOO?

15.5% of ACES's money is in holdings VOO also owns. 1.9% of VOO's is in holdings ACES also owns. They hold 3 positions in common, counted across the 36 positions we hold weights for in ACES and 505 in VOO.

Which pays a higher dividend, ACES or VOO?

ACES yields 0.73% while VOO yields 1.08%, so VOO currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VOO better than ACES?

VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. VOO is less concentrated, with 36.4% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 55.0%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.