VIPIX vs XLF
Vanguard Inflation Protected Securities Fund Insti Shs vs State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF
Which is better, VIPIX or XLF?
Inflation Protection against Large Cap Value.
VIPIX has a lower expense ratio.
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 | VIPIX | XLF |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.07%Best | 0.08% |
| AUM | $12.4B | $51.9B |
| Dividend Yield | 5.20% | 1.40% |
| Holdings | 69 | 160 |
| YTD Price Return | -4.60% | -2.62% |
| 1Y Price Return | -6.89% | +0.26% |
| 3Y Price Return (annualized) | -0.59% | +18.24% |
| 5Y Price Return (annualized) | -5.14% | +7.19% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 6.6%Best | 18.1% |
| Max Drawdown | -25.0%Best | -26.9% |
| Fund Family | Vanguard (US) | SPDR State Street Global Advisors |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | Inflation Protection | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Dec 12, 2003 | Dec 16, 1998 |
Not shown on this pair: $10,000 over 5 years, Top 10 Weight.
A price return is not the return of a fund that pays its income out. The coupon or distribution never appears in the price, so the return rows carry no winner here. VIPIX currently yields 5.20% and XLF 1.40%.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 4, 2021 to Oct 1, 2026 (5 years).
VIPIX vs XLF Performance
Vanguard Inflation Protected Securities Fund Insti Shs (VIPIX) is a mutual fund from Vanguard (US) and State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLF) is an ETF from SPDR State Street Global Advisors. Over the past year VIPIX's price moved -6.89% and XLF's +0.26%, before the income each one paid out.
Over three years, VIPIX compounded at -0.59% per year against +18.24% for XLF; over five years the annualized figures are -5.14% and +7.19% respectively.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
XLF has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 18.1% compared with 6.6% for VIPIX. 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 -25.0% for VIPIX and -26.9% for XLF. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.47. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
VIPIX charges 0.07% per year while XLF charges 0.08%. On a $10,000 position that is $7 vs $8 annually, a gap of $1 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, VIPIX currently yields 5.20% against 1.40% for XLF.
Structure and taxes
VIPIX is a mutual fund and XLF 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 52 holdings in VIPIX and 77 in XLF, totalling 74.3% and 99.8% of the two funds. The two books name no position in common, so there is no overlap percentage to show.
0 positions in common, counted across the 52 positions we hold weights for in VIPIX and 77 in XLF, against full books of 69 and 160.
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of VIPIX and XLF 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, VIPIX or XLF?
VIPIX has an expense ratio of 0.07% while XLF charges 0.08%. VIPIX is the cheaper option, by $1 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which is riskier, VIPIX or XLF?
XLF has been the more volatile fund at 18.1% annualized versus 6.6% for VIPIX. Worst drawdown: VIPIX -25.0% vs XLF -26.9%.
Should I hold both VIPIX and XLF?
VIPIX and XLF have a monthly-return correlation of 0.47, 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, VIPIX or XLF?
VIPIX yields 5.20% while XLF yields 1.40%, so VIPIX currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is it better to hold VIPIX or XLF in a taxable account?
XLF is an ETF and VIPIX 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 XLF better than VIPIX?
VIPIX has a lower expense ratio. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.