VPU vs SPY
Comparison between VANGUARD UTILITIES INDEX FUND ETF SHARES (VPU, ETF) and SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY, ETF).
5-Year PerformanceSPY has outperformed VPU, delivering a return of +13.3% compared to +9.4%
VPU vs SPY - Performance Comparison
Key Characteristics
Financial metrics and valuation ratios
Net Assets
VPU
$11B
Winner
SPY
$652B
Expense Ratio
VPU
0.09%
SPY
0.09%
Max Drawdown
Winner
VPU
48.41%
SPY
56.47%
Sharpe Ratio
VPU
0.74
Winner
SPY
2.07
5Y Beta
Winner
VPU
0.34
SPY
1.00
P/E Ratio
Winner
VPU
21.08
SPY
28.24
Forward P/E
Winner
VPU
18.99
SPY
21.85
5Y Dividends CAGR
Winner
VPU
12.72%
SPY
5.43%
5Y EPS CAGR
VPU
12.68%
Winner
SPY
25.79%
Debt to Equity
VPU
130.57%
Winner
SPY
22.35%
P/S Ratio
Winner
VPU
2.93
SPY
3.55
P/B Ratio
Winner
VPU
2.39
SPY
5.29
VPU vs SPY - Holdings Comparison
VPU and SPY have 32 common holdings. Overlap is 2.34%
VPU's top 25 holdings weight is 83.01%. SPY's top 25 holdings weight is 51.32%.
| Rank | VPU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | NEXTERA ENERGY INC (NEE) - 12.15% | NVIDIA CORP (NVDA) - 8.45% |
| #2 | SOUTHERN CO (SO) - 6.75% | APPLE INC (AAPL) - 6.48% |
| #3 | DUKE ENERGY CORP (DUK) - 6.47% | MICROSOFT CORP (MSFT) - 5.20% |
| #4 | CONSTELLATION ENERGY CORP (CEG) - 5.46% | AMAZON.COM INC (AMZN) - 4.14% |
| #5 | AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER CO INC (AEP) - 4.45% | ALPHABET INC CLASS A (GOOGL) - 3.32% |
| #6 | SEMPRA (SRE) - 4.03% | BROADCOM INC (AVGO) - 3.09% |
| #7 | DOMINION ENERGY INC (D) - 3.35% | ALPHABET INC CLASS C (GOOG) - 2.65% |
| #8 | VISTRA CORP (VST) - 3.24% | META PLATFORMS INC CLASS A (META) - 2.40% |
| #9 | ENTERGY CORP (ETR) - 3.19% | TESLA INC (TSLA) - 1.73% |
| #10 | XCEL ENERGY INC (XEL) - 2.98% | BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY INC CLASS B (BRK-B) - 1.43% |
| #11 | EXELON CORP (EXC) - 2.87% | JPMORGAN CHASE & CO (JPM) - 1.37% |
| #12 | CONSOLIDATED EDISON INC (ED) - 2.59% | ELI LILLY AND CO (LLY) - 1.13% |
| #13 | PUBLIC SERVICE ENTERPRISE GROUP INC (PEG) - 2.57% | EXXON MOBIL CORP (XOM) - 1.03% |
| #14 | PG&E CORP (PCG) - 2.45% | MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC (MU) - 0.93% |
| #15 | WEC ENERGY GROUP INC (WEC) - 2.39% | WALMART INC (WMT) - 0.91% |
| #16 | DTE ENERGY CO (DTE) - 1.93% | JOHNSON & JOHNSON (JNJ) - 0.90% |
| #17 | ATMOS ENERGY CORP (ATO) - 1.90% | ADVANCED MICRO DEVICES INC (AMD) - 0.86% |
| #18 | AMEREN CORP (AEE) - 1.89% | VISA INC CLASS A (V) - 0.85% |
| #19 | NRG ENERGY INC (NRG) - 1.87% | COSTCO WHOLESALE CORP (COST) - 0.72% |
| #20 | EDISON INTERNATIONAL (EIX) - 1.79% | MASTERCARD INC CLASS A (MA) - 0.67% |
| #21 | CENTERPOINT ENERGY INC (CNP) - 1.79% | INTEL CORP (INTC) - 0.65% |
| #22 | PPL CORP (PPL) - 1.79% | NETFLIX INC (NFLX) - 0.64% |
| #23 | FIRSTENERGY CORP (FE) - 1.77% | CATERPILLAR INC (CAT) - 0.62% |
| #24 | AMERICAN WATER WORKS CO INC (AWK) - 1.69% | CHEVRON CORP (CVX) - 0.58% |
| #25 | EVERSOURCE ENERGY (ES) - 1.65% | PROCTER & GAMBLE CO (PG) - 0.57% |
| Total Holdings | 71 | 505 |
VPU vs SPY - Historical Returns
Returns include dividend reinvestment.
1M
VPU
-4.05%
Winner
SPY
+9.11%
3M
VPU
+3.43%
Winner
SPY
+6.59%
6M
VPU
+1.10%
Winner
SPY
+10.56%
1Y
VPU
+14.94%
Winner
SPY
+32.04%
5Y(CAGR)
VPU
+9.36%
Winner
SPY
+13.35%
10Y(CAGR)
VPU
+9.49%
Winner
SPY
+15.49%
Max(CAGR)
Winner
VPU
+9.82%
SPY
+8.50%
VPU vs SPY - Annual Returns (1999 - 2026)
Returns include dividend reinvestment.
| Year | VPU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | +4.25% | +8.27% |
| 2025 | +15.69% | +18.00% |
| 2024 | +21.44% | +25.59% |
| 2023 | -7.47% | +26.72% |
| 2022 | +1.95% | -18.64% |
| 2021 | +20.23% | +30.52% |
| 2020 | +0.48% | +17.28% |
| 2019 | +27.23% | +31.09% |
| 2018 | +5.28% | -5.24% |
| 2017 | +12.90% | +20.78% |
| 2016 | +18.00% | +13.59% |
| 2015 | -5.35% | +1.31% |
| 2014 | +28.95% | +14.56% |
| 2013 | +12.65% | +29.00% |
| 2012 | +3.49% | +14.17% |
| 2011 | +18.22% | +0.85% |
| 2010 | +6.57% | +13.14% |
| 2009 | +9.14% | +22.67% |
| 2008 | -27.21% | -36.25% |
| 2007 | +16.61% | +5.32% |
| 2006 | +19.41% | +13.85% |
| 2005 | +16.00% | +5.32% |
| 2004 | +20.60% | +10.75% |
| 2003 | N/A | +24.18% |
| 2002 | N/A | -22.42% |
| 2001 | N/A | -10.13% |
| 2000 | N/A | -8.84% |
| 1999 | N/A | +8.61% |
VPU vs SPY Drawdown Comparison
The maximum drawdown for VPU was -46.30%, occurring on Mar 9, 2009. Recovery took 1131 trading sessions.
The maximum drawdown for SPY was -55.20%, occurring on Mar 9, 2009. Recovery took 1224 trading sessions.
The current VPU drawdown is -5.20%.
| Rank | VPU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | -46.30% Dec 10, 2007 - Jun 6, 2012 | -55.20% Oct 9, 2007 - Aug 16, 2012 |
| #2 | -36.43% Feb 18, 2020 - Aug 13, 2021 | -47.50% Mar 24, 2000 - Oct 26, 2006 |
| #3 | -25.15% Sep 12, 2022 - Aug 1, 2024 | -33.70% Feb 19, 2020 - Aug 10, 2020 |
| #4 | -16.15% Jan 29, 2015 - Mar 8, 2016 | -24.50% Jan 3, 2022 - Dec 13, 2023 |
| #5 | -15.28% Apr 8, 2022 - Aug 12, 2022 | -19.34% Sep 20, 2018 - Apr 12, 2019 |
| #6 | -15.14% Nov 14, 2017 - Sep 6, 2018 | -18.76% Feb 19, 2025 - Jun 26, 2025 |
| #7 | -12.17% May 21, 2007 - Dec 3, 2007 | -13.02% Jul 20, 2015 - Apr 18, 2016 |
| #8 | -11.88% Oct 3, 2005 - Jul 19, 2006 | -10.10% Jan 26, 2018 - Aug 6, 2018 |
| #9 | -11.58% Jul 6, 2016 - Feb 28, 2017 | -9.44% Sep 2, 2020 - Nov 11, 2020 |
| #10 | -11.02% Apr 30, 2013 - Feb 13, 2014 | -9.30% Jan 19, 2000 - Mar 17, 2000 |
| #11 | -10.23% Nov 29, 2024 - May 16, 2025 | -9.05% Jul 19, 2007 - Oct 5, 2007 |
| #12 | -9.44% Dec 31, 2021 - Mar 24, 2022 | -8.88% Jan 27, 2026 - Apr 14, 2026 |
| #13 | -9.39% Jul 30, 2012 - Feb 11, 2013 | -8.41% Jul 16, 2024 - Sep 19, 2024 |
| #14 | -9.27% Jun 30, 2014 - Oct 23, 2014 | -7.35% Sep 14, 2012 - Jan 2, 2013 |
| #15 | -9.21% Apr 1, 2004 - Jul 19, 2004 | -7.27% Sep 18, 2014 - Oct 31, 2014 |
Correlation
Correlation between VPU and SPY is 0.98 which considered as a very strong positive correlation - the stocks move almost identically together.
0.98
-101
Dividend Comparison (1999 - 2026)
VPU vs SPY dividend yield comparison.
| Year | VPU | SPY |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0.66% | 0.24% |
| 2025 | 2.73% | 1.07% |
| 2024 | 3.02% | 1.21% |
| 2023 | 3.49% | 1.40% |
| 2022 | 2.98% | 1.65% |
| 2021 | 2.70% | 1.20% |
| 2020 | 3.17% | 1.52% |
| 2019 | 2.83% | 1.75% |
| 2018 | 3.23% | 2.04% |
| 2017 | 3.18% | 1.80% |
| 2016 | 3.19% | 2.03% |
| 2015 | 3.63% | 2.06% |
| 2014 | 3.02% | 1.87% |
| 2013 | 3.76% | 1.81% |
| 2012 | 3.98% | 2.18% |
| 2011 | 3.46% | 2.05% |
| 2010 | 3.79% | 1.80% |
| 2009 | 3.79% | 1.95% |
| 2008 | 3.87% | 3.02% |
| 2007 | 2.50% | 1.85% |
| 2006 | 2.85% | 1.73% |
| 2005 | 2.92% | 1.73% |
| 2004 | 2.64% | 1.82% |
| 2003 | 0.00% | 1.47% |
| 2002 | 0.00% | 1.70% |
| 2001 | 0.00% | 1.25% |
| 2000 | 0.00% | 1.15% |
| 1999 | 0.00% | 0.24% |
Select Stocks to Compare
Popular: VPU vs SPY
More Comparisons
Compare with similar stocks