NIE vs VOO
Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund vs Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
Which is better, NIE or VOO?
Equity-oriented Balanced against Large Cap Blend.
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.91. NIE is less concentrated, with 28.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.6%.
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
| Metric | NIE | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.07% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $793M | $997.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 9.01% | 1.04% |
| Holdings | 196 | 509 |
| YTD Return | +7.39% | +11.01%Best |
| 1Y Return | +12.73% | +15.60%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +18.09% | +20.82%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +9.01% | +12.60%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.5% | 14.1%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -40.4% | -34.3%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $15,393 | $18,101Best |
| Top 10 Weight | 28.3%Best | 37.6% |
| Fund Family | Virtus Investment Partners | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Allocation/Balanced | Equity |
| Style | Equity-oriented Balanced | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Feb 27, 2007 | Sep 7, 2010 |
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 9, 2010 to Sep 16, 2026 (16 years).
NIE vs VOO 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 16 years both funds cover.
NIE vs VOO Performance
Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE) is an ETF from Virtus Investment Partners and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year NIE returned +12.73% while VOO returned +15.60%. Year to date, NIE is up 7.39% versus a gain of 11.01% for VOO.
Over three years, NIE compounded at +18.09% per year against +20.82% for VOO; over five years the annualized figures are +9.01% and +12.60% respectively. Across the full 16-year window we track, VOO has the edge at +13.30% annualized vs +6.85%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
NIE has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 15.5% compared with 14.1% for VOO. 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 -40.4% for NIE and -34.3% for VOO. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.91. They move almost in lockstep, so holding both mostly duplicates the same exposure.
Fees and Cost Over Time
NIE charges 1.07% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $107 vs $3 annually, a gap of $104 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, NIE currently yields 9.01% against 1.04% for VOO.
Holdings Overlap
72.6% of NIE's money is in holdings VOO also owns. 60.7% of VOO's money is in holdings NIE also owns.
Most of NIE is already inside VOO. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.
The two holdings books were reported 154 days apart, NIE as of Feb 27, 2026 and VOO as of Jul 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
89 positions in common, counted across the 161 positions we hold weights for in NIE and 494 in VOO, against full books of 196 and 509.
What only one of them owns
Our book lists 398 positions for VOO that do not appear in our book for NIE (38.4% of the fund), and 67 for NIE that do not appear in VOO (22.0%).
Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in NIE | Weight in VOO | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDANvidia Corp | 5.65% | 7.55% | 1.90% |
| AAPLApple, Inc | 4.55% | 7.05% | 2.50% |
| MSFTMicrosoft Corp | 3.16% | 5.36% | 2.20% |
| GOOGLAlphabet Inc,class A | 3.52% | 3.24% | 0.28% |
| AMZNAmazon.Com Inc | 2.52% | 4.13% | 1.61% |
| AVGOBroadcom Inc | 1.84% | 2.86% | 1.02% |
| METAMeta Platforms Inc | 1.47% | 1.90% | 0.43% |
| GOOGAlphabet Inc | 0.50% | 2.62% | 2.12% |
| LITELumentum Holdings Inc | 2.41% | 0.09% | 2.32% |
| MUMicron Technology, Inc. | 1.06% | 1.44% | 0.38% |
72.6% of NIE is already inside VOO.
You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, NIE or VOO?
NIE has an expense ratio of 1.07% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $104 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, NIE or VOO?
Over the past year NIE returned +12.73% vs +15.60% for VOO, so VOO leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (16 years), NIE annualized +6.85% vs +13.30% for VOO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, NIE or VOO?
NIE has been the more volatile fund at 15.5% annualized versus 14.1% for VOO. Worst drawdown: NIE -40.4% vs VOO -34.3%.
Should I hold both NIE and VOO?
NIE and VOO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.91, so they move almost identically. What is left to separate them is the fee and the index each one tracks. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between NIE and VOO?
72.6% of NIE's money is in holdings VOO also owns. 60.7% of VOO's is in holdings NIE also owns. They hold 89 positions in common, counted across the 161 positions we hold weights for in NIE and 494 in VOO.
Which pays a higher dividend, NIE or VOO?
NIE yields 9.01% while VOO yields 1.04%, so NIE currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VOO better than NIE?
VOO has a lower expense ratio. VOO led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. The two have moved almost in lockstep, correlation 0.91. NIE is less concentrated, with 28.3% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 37.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.