ALTL vs VXUS

ALTL vs VXUS

Which is better, ALTL or VXUS?

Large Cap Value against Large Cap Blend.

VXUS has a lower expense ratio. VXUS led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: VXUSHigher Returns: VXUS

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

MetricALTLVXUS
Expense Ratio0.60%0.05%Best
AUM$88M$158.1B
Dividend Yield0.95%2.51%
Holdings1028,747
YTD Return+5.49%+12.82%Best
1Y Return+6.44%+19.86%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+9.36%+19.33%Best
5Y Return (annualized)+2.51%+9.46%Best
Volatility (annualized)19.9%14.8%Best
Max Drawdown-31.9%-29.4%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$11,320$15,714Best
Fund FamilyPacer ETFsVanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap ValueLarge Cap Blend
InceptionJun 24, 2020Jan 26, 2011

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jun 25, 2020 to Sep 18, 2026 (6.2 years).

ALTL vs VXUS 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 6.2 years both funds cover.

ALTL vs VXUS Performance

Pacer Lunt Large Cap Alternator ETF (ALTL) is an ETF from Pacer ETFs and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year ALTL returned +6.44% while VXUS returned +19.86%. Year to date, ALTL is up 5.49% versus a gain of 12.82% for VXUS.

Over three years, ALTL compounded at +9.36% per year against +19.33% for VXUS; over five years the annualized figures are +2.51% and +9.46% respectively. Across the full 6-year window we track, VXUS has the edge at +12.20% annualized vs +11.72%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

ALTL has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 19.9% compared with 14.8% for VXUS. 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 -31.9% for ALTL and -29.4% for VXUS. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.68. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

ALTL charges 0.60% per year while VXUS charges 0.05%. On a $10,000 position that is $60 vs $5 annually, a gap of $55 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ALTL currently yields 0.95% against 2.51% for VXUS.

Holdings Overlap

ALTL already in VXUS1.0%

At least 1.0% of ALTL's money is in holdings VXUS also owns.

Stated as a floor: for VXUS, our book for it covers 88.8% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.

We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.

1 positions in common, counted across the 101 positions we hold weights for in ALTL and 8,082 in VXUS, against full books of 102 and 8,747.

What only one of them owns

Measured across the 101 and 8,082 positions we hold weights for.

VXUS holds 35 positions ALTL does not, 2.3% of the fund.

Largest: MKL 0.76%, SHEL 0.57%, VWO 0.11%, JD 0.09%, ALC 0.08%

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in ALTLWeight in VXUSDifference
SRESempra Common Stock0.98%0.00%0.98%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

ALTLVXUS

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, ALTL or VXUS?

ALTL has an expense ratio of 0.60% while VXUS charges 0.05%. VXUS is the cheaper option, by $55 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, ALTL or VXUS?

Over the past year ALTL returned +6.44% vs +19.86% for VXUS, so VXUS leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (6 years), ALTL annualized +11.72% vs +12.20% for VXUS. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, ALTL or VXUS?

ALTL has been the more volatile fund at 19.9% annualized versus 14.8% for VXUS. Worst drawdown: ALTL -31.9% vs VXUS -29.4%.

Should I hold both ALTL and VXUS?

ALTL and VXUS have a monthly-return correlation of 0.68, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, ALTL or VXUS?

ALTL yields 0.95% while VXUS yields 2.51%, so VXUS currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VXUS better than ALTL?

VXUS has a lower expense ratio. VXUS led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.