MKTN vs VTI

MKTN vs VTI

Which is better, MKTN or VTI?

Market Neutral Strategy against Large Cap Blend.

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

MetricMKTNVTI
Expense Ratio1.94%0.03%Best
AUM$142M$690.1B
Dividend Yield0.48%1.03%
Holdings8023,524
YTD Return+9.89%+14.72%Best
1Y Return+16.01%+16.82%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+22.93%
5Y Return (annualized)-+12.78%
Volatility (annualized)5.6%Best12.6%
Max Drawdown-4.1%Best-8.9%
$10,000 over 1 years$11,265$11,873Best
Fund FamilyFederated HermesVanguard (US)
CategoryAlternativeEquity
StyleMarket Neutral StrategyLarge Cap Blend
InceptionSep 24, 2025May 24, 2001

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 25, 2025 to Oct 6, 2026 (1 years).

MKTN 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 years both funds cover.

MKTN vs VTI Performance

Federated Hermes MDT Market Neutral ETF (MKTN) is an ETF from Federated Hermes and Vanguard Morningstar Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year MKTN returned +16.01% while VTI returned +16.82%. Year to date, MKTN is up 9.89% versus a gain of 14.72% 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 12.6% compared with 5.6% for MKTN. 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 -4.1% for MKTN and -8.9% 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 -0.42. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

MKTN charges 1.94% per year while VTI charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $194 vs $3 annually, a gap of $191 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, MKTN currently yields 0.48% against 1.03% for VTI.

Holdings Overlap

VTI already in MKTN34.2%

At least 34.2% of VTI's money is in holdings MKTN also owns.

Stated as a floor: for MKTN, our book for it covers 89.8% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.

The two portfolios partly overlap.

The two holdings books were reported 48 days apart, MKTN as of Sep 17, 2026 and VTI as of Jul 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

381 positions in common, counted across the 398 positions we hold weights for in MKTN and 3,463 in VTI, against full books of 802 and 3,524.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in MKTNWeight in VTIDifference
NVDANvidia Corp1.20%6.40%5.20%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A1.40%2.90%1.50%
ABBVAbbvie Inc.2.37%0.61%1.76%
CRWDCrowdstrike Holdings Inc2.59%0.26%2.33%
GEGeneral Electric Co.2.26%0.52%1.74%
FTNTFortinet Inc2.31%0.14%2.17%
TRVThe Travelers Cos, Inc.2.32%0.11%2.21%
FIFiserv, Inc. (United States)2.33%0.04%2.29%
GEVGe Vernova, Inc.2.00%0.37%1.63%
FIVEFive Below2.22%0.02%2.20%

34.2% of VTI is already inside MKTN.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

MKTNVTI

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, MKTN or VTI?

MKTN has an expense ratio of 1.94% while VTI charges 0.03%. VTI is the cheaper option, by $191 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, MKTN or VTI?

Over the past year MKTN returned +16.01% vs +16.82% for VTI, so VTI leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), MKTN annualized +12.65% vs +18.73% for VTI. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, MKTN or VTI?

VTI has been the more volatile fund at 12.6% annualized versus 5.6% for MKTN. Worst drawdown: MKTN -4.1% vs VTI -8.9%.

Should I hold both MKTN and VTI?

MKTN and VTI have a monthly-return correlation of -0.42, 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 MKTN and VTI?

At least 34.2% of VTI's money is in holdings MKTN also owns. Our book for MKTN is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 381 positions in common, counted across the 398 positions we hold weights for in MKTN and 3,463 in VTI.

Which pays a higher dividend, MKTN or VTI?

MKTN yields 0.48% while VTI yields 1.03%, so VTI currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VTI better than MKTN?

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.