MKTN vs VXUS

MKTN vs VXUS

Which is better, MKTN or VXUS?

Market Neutral Strategy against Large Cap Blend.

VXUS has a lower expense ratio. VXUS led over 1Y 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

MetricMKTNVXUS
Expense Ratio1.94%0.05%Best
AUM$142M$164.9B
Dividend Yield0.48%2.51%
Holdings8028,844
YTD Return+9.73%+11.16%Best
1Y Return+14.11%+17.13%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+20.44%
5Y Return (annualized)-+9.18%
Volatility (annualized)5.7%Best14.0%
Max Drawdown-4.1%Best-11.3%
$10,000 over 1 years$11,267$11,920Best
Fund FamilyFederated HermesVanguard (US)
CategoryAlternativeEquity
StyleMarket Neutral StrategyLarge Cap Blend
InceptionSep 24, 2025Jan 26, 2011

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 1, 2026 (1 years).

MKTN 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 1 years both funds cover.

MKTN vs VXUS Performance

Federated Hermes MDT Market Neutral ETF (MKTN) is an ETF from Federated Hermes and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year MKTN returned +14.11% while VXUS returned +17.13%. Year to date, MKTN is up 9.73% versus a gain of 11.16% for VXUS.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

VXUS has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.0% compared with 5.7% 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 -11.3% 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 -0.29. They move largely independently of each other.

Fees and Cost Over Time

MKTN charges 1.94% per year while VXUS charges 0.05%. On a $10,000 position that is $194 vs $5 annually, a gap of $189 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, MKTN currently yields 0.48% against 2.51% for VXUS.

Holdings Overlap

We hold position weights for 398 holdings in MKTN and 8,082 in VXUS, totalling 89.8% and 89.3% of the two funds. Neither is a share of a fund we can divide by, so no overlap percentage is shown here. Within what we can see, 4 positions appear in both.

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

4 positions in common, counted across the 398 positions we hold weights for in MKTN and 8,082 in VXUS, against full books of 802 and 8,844.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in MKTNWeight in VXUSDifference
HALHalliburton Co.0.08%0.02%0.06%
JHX:AUJames Hardie Industries Plc Sponsored Adr (1 Ads : 1 Ordinary)-0.03%0.03%0.06%
BEPC:CABrookfield Renewable Corporation Class A Subordinate Voting Shares-0.05%0.01%0.06%
BAM:CABrookfield Asset Management Ltd. Cl A Ltd Vtg Shs-0.44%0.04%0.48%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

MKTNVXUS

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, MKTN or VXUS?

MKTN has an expense ratio of 1.94% while VXUS charges 0.05%. VXUS is the cheaper option, by $189 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, MKTN or VXUS?

Over the past year MKTN returned +14.11% vs +17.13% for VXUS, so VXUS leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), MKTN annualized +12.67% vs +19.20% for VXUS. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, MKTN or VXUS?

VXUS has been the more volatile fund at 14.0% annualized versus 5.7% for MKTN. Worst drawdown: MKTN -4.1% vs VXUS -11.3%.

Should I hold both MKTN and VXUS?

MKTN and VXUS have a monthly-return correlation of -0.29, 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, MKTN or VXUS?

MKTN yields 0.48% while VXUS yields 2.51%, so VXUS currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VXUS better than MKTN?

VXUS has a lower expense ratio. VXUS 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.