GSLC vs VXUS

GSLC vs VXUS

Which is better, GSLC or VXUS?

Each has led over a different period.

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

Lower Fees: VXUSHigher Returns: split

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

MetricGSLCVXUS
Expense Ratio0.09%0.05%Best
AUM$15.2B$158.1B
Dividend Yield0.92%2.51%
Holdings4388,747
YTD Return+9.18%+12.21%Best
1Y Return+12.36%+19.22%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+19.55%Best+19.10%
5Y Return (annualized)+11.27%Best+8.63%
Volatility (annualized)14.9%14.8%Best
Max Drawdown-33.7%Best-39.9%
$10,000 over 5 years$17,057Best$15,127
Fund FamilyGoldman Sachs Asset ManagementVanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionSep 17, 2015Jan 26, 2011

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 21, 2015 to Sep 16, 2026 (11 years).

GSLC 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 11 years both funds cover.

GSLC vs VXUS Performance

Goldman Sachs ActiveBeta US Large Cap Equity ETF (GSLC) is an ETF from Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year GSLC returned +12.36% while VXUS returned +19.22%. Year to date, GSLC is up 9.18% versus a gain of 12.21% for VXUS.

Over three years, GSLC compounded at +19.55% per year against +19.10% for VXUS; over five years the annualized figures are +11.27% and +8.63% respectively. Across the full 11-year window we track, GSLC has the edge at +13.02% annualized vs +7.50%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

GSLC has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.9% 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 -33.7% for GSLC and -39.9% 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 0.83. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.

Fees and Cost Over Time

GSLC charges 0.09% per year while VXUS charges 0.05%. On a $10,000 position that is $9 vs $5 annually, a gap of $4 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GSLC currently yields 0.92% against 2.51% for VXUS.

Holdings Overlap

GSLC already in VXUS0.8%

At least 0.8% of GSLC'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.

4 positions in common, counted across the 347 positions we hold weights for in GSLC and 8,082 in VXUS, against full books of 438 and 8,747.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in GSLCWeight in VXUSDifference
MKLMarkel Group Inc0.16%0.76%0.60%
STX:IESeagate Technolo0.52%0.00%0.52%
HBANHuntington Bancshares Inc./Oh0.10%0.05%0.05%
SUNBSunbelt Rentals0.07%0.07%0.00%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

GSLCVXUS

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, GSLC or VXUS?

GSLC has an expense ratio of 0.09% while VXUS charges 0.05%. VXUS is the cheaper option, by $4 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, GSLC or VXUS?

Over the past year GSLC returned +12.36% vs +19.22% for VXUS, so VXUS leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (11 years), GSLC annualized +13.02% vs +7.50% for VXUS. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, GSLC or VXUS?

GSLC has been the more volatile fund at 14.9% annualized versus 14.8% for VXUS. Worst drawdown: GSLC -33.7% vs VXUS -39.9%.

Should I hold both GSLC and VXUS?

GSLC and VXUS have a monthly-return correlation of 0.83, 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, GSLC or VXUS?

GSLC yields 0.92% while VXUS yields 2.51%, so VXUS currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VXUS better than GSLC?

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