CSPF vs VTI

CSPF vs VTI

Which is better, CSPF or VTI?

VTI has been ahead.

VTI has a lower expense ratio. VTI led over 1Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: VTIHigher Returns: VTI

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

MetricCSPFVTI
Expense Ratio0.59%0.03%Best
AUM$314M$666.9B
Dividend Yield5.79%1.03%
Holdings3203,543
YTD Return+2.52%+14.00%Best
1Y Return+3.86%+16.88%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+22.75%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.68%
Volatility (annualized)3.3%Best13.0%
Max Drawdown-3.1%Best-19.3%
$10,000 over 1.6 years$11,095$12,889Best
Fund FamilyCohen & Steers FundsVanguard (US)
CategoryFixed IncomeEquity
Style-Large Cap Blend
InceptionFeb 3, 2025May 24, 2001

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.6 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Feb 5, 2025 to Sep 21, 2026 (1.6 years).

CSPF vs VTI 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 1.6 years both funds cover.

CSPF vs VTI Performance

Cohen & Steers Preferred and Income Opportunities Active ETF (CSPF) is an ETF from Cohen & Steers Funds and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year CSPF returned +3.86% while VTI returned +16.88%. Year to date, CSPF is up 2.52% versus a gain of 14.00% for VTI.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

VTI has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.0% compared with 3.3% for CSPF. 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 -3.1% for CSPF and -19.3% for VTI. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.77. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.

Fees and Cost Over Time

CSPF charges 0.59% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $59 vs $3 annually, a gap of $56 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, CSPF currently yields 5.79% against 1.03% for VTI.

Holdings Overlap

VTI already in CSPF0.8%

At least 0.8% of VTI's money is in holdings CSPF also owns.

Stated as a floor: for CSPF, our book for it covers 37.0% 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.

4 positions in common, counted across the 138 positions we hold weights for in CSPF and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 320 and 3,543.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in CSPFWeight in VTIDifference
GSGoldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The), Series V0.03%0.40%0.37%
MTBM&T Bank Corporation 6.35 12/15/2173 6.35 2173-12-150.34%0.05%0.29%
FITBFifth Third Bancorp 6.875 04/01/2174 6.8750.29%0.07%0.22%
CCitigroup Inc 6.875 11/73 6.88 2173-11-150.05%0.30%0.25%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

CSPFVTI

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, CSPF or VTI?

CSPF has an expense ratio of 0.59% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $56 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, CSPF or VTI?

Over the past year CSPF returned +3.86% vs +16.88% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), CSPF annualized +6.71% vs +17.19% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, CSPF or VTI?

VTI has been the more volatile fund at 13.0% annualized versus 3.3% for CSPF. Worst drawdown: CSPF -3.1% vs VTI -19.3%.

Should I hold both CSPF and VTI?

CSPF and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of 0.77, 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, CSPF or VTI?

CSPF yields 5.79% while VTI yields 1.03%, so CSPF currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VTI better than CSPF?

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