VGHAX vs VXF
Vanguard Health Care Fund Admiral Shares vs Vanguard Extended Market ETF
Which is better, VGHAX or VXF?
Large Cap Growth against Mid Cap Blend.
VXF has a lower expense ratio. VXF led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y 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 | VGHAX | VXF |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.27% | 0.05%Best |
| AUM | $32.8B | $31.4B |
| Dividend Yield | 6.15% | 1.01% |
| Holdings | 109 | 3,385 |
| YTD Price Return | +0.79% | +10.34%Best |
| 1Y Price Return | +6.82% | +11.34%Best |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | -0.08% | +18.67%Best |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -2.01% | +4.76%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.3%Best | 20.2% |
| Max Drawdown | -32.7%Best | -36.8% |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $9,035 | $12,618Best |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Mid Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 12, 2001 | Dec 27, 2001 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Returns are price returns and exclude distributions, because our data feed carries no adjusted close for VGHAX. Both funds are measured the same way, so the comparison holds. VGHAX yields 6.15% and VXF 1.01% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 13, 2021 to Oct 9, 2026 (5 years).
VGHAX vs VXF 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 5 years both funds cover. Prices exclude distributions, on both funds alike.
VGHAX vs VXF Performance
Vanguard Health Care Fund Admiral Shares (VGHAX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Extended Market ETF (VXF) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VGHAX returned +6.82% while VXF returned +11.34%. Year to date, VGHAX is up 0.79% versus a gain of 10.34% for VXF.
Over three years, VGHAX compounded at -0.08% per year against +18.67% for VXF; over five years the annualized figures are -2.01% and +4.76% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VXF has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 20.2% compared with 15.3% for VGHAX. 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 -32.7% for VGHAX and -36.8% for VXF. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.55. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VGHAX charges 0.27% per year while VXF charges 0.05%. On a $10,000 position that is $27 vs $5 annually, a gap of $22 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VGHAX currently yields 6.15% against 1.01% for VXF.
Structure and taxes
VGHAX is a mutual fund and VXF is an ETF. A mutual fund prices once a day at net asset value and may carry a purchase minimum. An ETF trades through the day at whatever the market pays for it.
In a taxable account the difference that usually matters is distributions. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely has to sell holdings and rarely passes a capital gain to the people who held it; a mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can distribute a realised gain at year end to everyone still in the fund, whether or not they sold anything themselves. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. Both are descriptions of how the two wrappers work, not a recommendation.
Tax-loss harvesting works on either wrapper.
Holdings Overlap
At least 2.6% of VXF's money is in holdings VGHAX also owns.
Stated as a floor: for VGHAX, our book for it covers 92.5% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
VXF and VGHAX share little of their money.
29 positions in common, counted across the 77 positions we hold weights for in VGHAX and 3,278 in VXF, against full books of 109 and 3,385.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in VGHAX | Weight in VXF | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALNYAlnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. | 1.36% | 0.33% | 1.03% |
| RVMDRevolution Medicines Inc | 1.01% | 0.45% | 0.56% |
| UTHRUnited Therapeutics Corp | 1.05% | 0.26% | 0.79% |
| IONSIonis Pharmaceuticals Inc | 0.92% | 0.10% | 0.82% |
| MDGLMadrigal Pharmaceuticals Inc | 0.72% | 0.11% | 0.61% |
| CYTKCytokinetics Inc | 0.68% | 0.13% | 0.55% |
| BBIOBridgebio Pharma Inc_None_0 | 0.51% | 0.17% | 0.34% |
| KYMRKymera Therapeutics Inc | 0.53% | 0.08% | 0.45% |
| CGONCg Oncology Inc | 0.52% | 0.06% | 0.46% |
| SRRKScholar Rock Holding Corporation Com | 0.49% | 0.06% | 0.43% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VGHAX and VXF 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, VGHAX or VXF?
VGHAX has an expense ratio of 0.27% while VXF charges 0.05%. VXF is the cheaper option, by $22 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, VGHAX or VXF?
Over the past year VGHAX returned +6.82% vs +11.34% for VXF, so VXF leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, VGHAX or VXF?
VXF has been the more volatile fund at 20.2% annualized versus 15.3% for VGHAX. Worst drawdown: VGHAX -32.7% vs VXF -36.8%.
Should I hold both VGHAX and VXF?
VGHAX and VXF have a monthly-return correlation of 0.55, 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 VGHAX and VXF?
At least 2.6% of VXF's money is in holdings VGHAX also owns. Our book for VGHAX is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 29 positions in common, counted across the 77 positions we hold weights for in VGHAX and 3,278 in VXF.
Which pays a higher dividend, VGHAX or VXF?
VGHAX yields 6.15% while VXF yields 1.01%, so VGHAX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VGHAX or VXF in a taxable account?
VXF is an ETF and VGHAX is a mutual fund. An ETF can meet redemptions in kind, so it rarely distributes a capital gain to the people holding it. A mutual fund that sells holdings to meet redemptions can pass a realised gain to every holder at year end. In a tax-deferred account that difference largely disappears. This is information, not a recommendation.
Is VXF better than VGHAX?
VXF has a lower expense ratio. VXF led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.