VGHAX vs VXUS
Vanguard Health Care Fund Admiral Shares vs Vanguard Total International Stock ETF
Which is better, VGHAX or VXUS?
Large Cap Growth against Large Cap Blend.
VXUS has a lower expense ratio. VXUS 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 | VXUS |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.27% | 0.05%Best |
| AUM | $32.8B | $158.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 6.15% | 2.51% |
| Holdings | 109 | 8,747 |
| YTD Price Return | +1.54% | +12.20%Best |
| 1Y Price Return | +15.26% | +16.48%Best |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | -0.02% | +15.93%Best |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -2.47% | +6.19%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 15.3%Tie | 15.3%Tie |
| Max Drawdown | -32.7% | -31.2%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $8,825 | $13,503Best |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | Vanguard (US) |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Large Cap Growth | Large Cap Blend |
| Inception | Nov 12, 2001 | Jan 26, 2011 |
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 VXUS 2.51% on top.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 20, 2021 to Sep 18, 2026 (5 years).
VGHAX 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 5 years both funds cover. Prices exclude distributions, on both funds alike.
VGHAX vs VXUS Performance
Vanguard Health Care Fund Admiral Shares (VGHAX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US) and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year VGHAX returned +15.26% while VXUS returned +16.48%. Year to date, VGHAX is up 1.54% versus a gain of 12.20% for VXUS.
Over three years, VGHAX compounded at -0.02% per year against +15.93% for VXUS; over five years the annualized figures are -2.47% and +6.19% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
VGHAX and VXUS have been equally volatile, both at 15.3% annualized.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -32.7% for VGHAX and -31.2% 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 0.59. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VGHAX charges 0.27% per year while VXUS 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 2.51% for VXUS.
Structure and taxes
VGHAX is a mutual fund and VXUS 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
We hold position weights for 77 holdings in VGHAX and 8,082 in VXUS, totalling 92.5% and 88.8% 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, 15 positions appear in both.
15 positions in common, counted across the 77 positions we hold weights for in VGHAX and 8,082 in VXUS, against full books of 109 and 8,747.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in VGHAX | Weight in VXUS | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| AZN:LNAstraZeneca PLC | 4.85% | 0.57% | 4.28% |
| GSK:LNGSK plc | 2.97% | 0.23% | 2.74% |
| NOVN:SMNovartis Ag Ordinary Shares | 1.77% | 0.65% | 1.12% |
| ARGX:ASArgenx Se | 2.14% | 0.12% | 2.02% |
| UCB:BRUcb Sa | 1.72% | 0.07% | 1.65% |
| GALD:SMGalderma | 1.30% | 0.09% | 1.21% |
| 4519:JPChugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. Com Stk | 0.98% | 0.06% | 0.92% |
| 4568:JPDaiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd. Com Stk | 0.94% | 0.06% | 0.88% |
| 4578:JPOtsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. Com Stk | 0.93% | 0.07% | 0.86% |
| QGEN:ASQiagen Nv | 0.66% | 0.02% | 0.64% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VGHAX and VXUS 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 VXUS?
VGHAX has an expense ratio of 0.27% while VXUS charges 0.05%. VXUS is the cheaper option, by $22 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, VGHAX or VXUS?
Over the past year VGHAX returned +15.26% vs +16.48% for VXUS, so VXUS leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, VGHAX or VXUS?
VGHAX and VXUS have been equally volatile, both at 15.3% annualized. Worst drawdown: VGHAX -32.7% vs VXUS -31.2%.
Should I hold both VGHAX and VXUS?
VGHAX and VXUS have a monthly-return correlation of 0.59, 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, VGHAX or VXUS?
VGHAX yields 6.15% while VXUS yields 2.51%, so VGHAX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VGHAX or VXUS in a taxable account?
VXUS 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 VXUS better than VGHAX?
VXUS has a lower expense ratio. VXUS 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.