PALU vs VOO
Direxion Daily PANW Bull 2X ETF vs Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
Which is better, PALU or VOO?
Trading-Leveraged Equity against Large Cap Blend.
VOO has a lower expense ratio. PALU led over 1Y and the full window.
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 | PALU | VOO |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 1.08% | 0.03%Best |
| AUM | $39M | $1.0T |
| Dividend Yield | 3.20% | 1.04% |
| Holdings | 22 | 506 |
| YTD Return | +270.18%Best | +12.75% |
| 1Y Return | +164.71%Best | +15.60% |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | - | +22.95% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | - | +13.55% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 126.5% | 11.8%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -62.2% | -12.6%Best |
| $10,000 over 1.5 years | $28,729Best | $13,626 |
| Fund Family | Direxion Shares ETF Trust | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Alternative | Equity |
| Style | Trading-Leveraged Equity | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Mar 26, 2025 | Sep 7, 2010 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.5 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Mar 26, 2025 to Oct 1, 2026 (1.5 years).
PALU 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 1.5 years both funds cover.
PALU vs VOO Performance
Direxion Daily PANW Bull 2X ETF (PALU) is an ETF from Direxion Shares ETF Trust and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year PALU returned +164.71% while VOO returned +15.60%. Year to date, PALU is up 270.18% versus a gain of 12.75% for VOO.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
PALU has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 126.5% compared with 11.8% 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 -62.2% for PALU and -12.6% 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 0.31. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
PALU charges 1.08% per year while VOO charges 0.03%. On a $10,000 position that is $108 vs $3 annually, a gap of $105 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PALU currently yields 3.20% against 1.04% for VOO.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.4% of VOO's money is in holdings PALU also owns.
Stated as a floor: for PALU, our book for it covers 74.8% 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.
The two holdings books were reported 46 days apart, PALU as of Sep 15, 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.
1 positions in common, counted across the 4 positions we hold weights for in PALU and 494 in VOO, against full books of 22 and 506.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in PALU | Weight in VOO | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| PANWPalo Alto Networks, Inc | 13.62% | 0.42% | 13.20% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of PALU and VOO you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, PALU or VOO?
PALU has an expense ratio of 1.08% while VOO charges 0.03%. VOO is the cheaper option, by $105 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, PALU or VOO?
Over the past year PALU returned +164.71% vs +15.60% for VOO, so PALU leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (2 years), PALU annualized +102.09% vs +22.91% for VOO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PALU or VOO?
PALU has been the more volatile fund at 126.5% annualized versus 11.8% for VOO. Worst drawdown: PALU -62.2% vs VOO -12.6%.
Should I hold both PALU and VOO?
PALU and VOO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.31, 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, PALU or VOO?
PALU yields 3.20% while VOO yields 1.04%, so PALU currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is VOO better than PALU?
VOO has a lower expense ratio. PALU 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.