What Is VUG?
Pure large-cap growth at 0.03% — 155 U.S. companies with faster-than-market earnings growth in a single fund.
~$350B AUM · 0.03% ER · 0.43% Yield · Quarterly
$10,000 in VUG ten years ago turned into roughly $49,900. The same $10,000 in VOO — the S&P 500 — reached about $39,800. That’s a $10,100 gap from a single fund selection.
But VUG also dropped 33% in 2022 while VOO fell 18%. The price of that growth premium is real — and most VUG ETF review articles gloss over it. This one doesn’t.
Vanguard Growth ETF holds 155 large-cap U.S. growth companies in a single ticker at 0.03% per year. Over half the fund sits in technology. The top 10 holdings — NVIDIA, Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, Broadcom, Tesla, Eli Lilly — account for 64% of the fund. That concentration has historically amplified both gains and losses.
This VUG ETF review breaks down 11 years of returns, the real risk metrics, sector exposure, and who should actually own this fund — based on data, not hype. Every number reflects year-end 2025 data unless noted.
VUG ETF: $10K Growth Test
| Time Period | VUG | VOO (S&P 500) | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Years (2021–2025) | $19,800 | $19,600 | ~$200 |
| 10 Years (2016–2025) | $49,900 | $39,800 | +$10,100 |
| Since Inception (2004–2025) | ~$107,000 | ~$85,000 | +~$22,000 |
$10,000 → 10 Years Later (2016–2025)
Gap: +$10,100 · VUG outperformed by 25.4% over 10 years
The 5-year window is almost a dead heat. VUG barely edged out VOO over 2021–2025 — the 2022 crash hit growth stocks harder, and the recovery brought VUG back to roughly even with the broader market over that window.
Stretch the timeline to 10 years, and the compounding gap widens. Over $10,100 of extra gains from a fund that charges $3 per year on a $10,000 investment. Sustained earnings growth has historically done the heavy lifting — when given enough runway.
The Price of Growth — VUG Risk Profile
| Risk Metric | VUG | VOO (S&P 500) |
|---|---|---|
| Max Drawdown (since inception) | -50.7% | -33.9% |
| Annualized Volatility | 20.0% | ~15.5% |
| Beta (vs S&P 500) | 1.23 | 1.00 |
| Sharpe Ratio (since inception) | 0.54 | ~0.60 |
| Worst Year (2022) | -33.2% | -18.1% |
Sources: MyPlanIQ, PortfoliosLab.
A beta of 1.23 means the VUG ETF amplifies market moves by roughly 23%. When the S&P 500 drops 10%, the VUG ETF historically drops around 12.3%. That’s the mathematical cost of growth concentration.
The VUG ETF max drawdown since inception — -50.7% during the 2008–2009 financial crisis — took years to fully recover. The Sharpe ratio of 0.54 is lower than VOO’s ~0.60, reflecting the core tension: the extra returns historically haven’t fully compensated for the extra risk on a risk-adjusted basis.
VUG: Year-by-Year Total Returns
| Year | VUG | S&P 500 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +3.3% | +1.4% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | +6.3% | +12.0% | -5.7% |
| 2017 | +27.7% | +21.8% | +5.9% |
| 2018 | -3.3% | -4.4% | +1.1% |
| 2019 | +37.0% | +31.5% | +5.5% |
| 2020 | +40.2% | +18.4% | +21.8% |
| 2021 | +27.3% | +28.7% | -1.4% |
| 2022 | -33.2% | -18.1% | -15.1% |
| 2023 | +46.8% | +26.3% | +20.5% |
| 2024 | +32.7% | +25.0% | +7.7% |
| 2025 | +19.4% | +17.9% | +1.5% |
Source: Yahoo Finance. Total returns include reinvested dividends.
The VUG ETF outperformed the S&P 500 in 8 out of 11 years. But 2022 tells the full story — when rates spiked, growth stocks cratered. The VUG ETF lost a third of its value. Investors who sold locked in that loss. Investors who held saw a +46.8% rebound the very next year. That pattern — overshoot in both directions — is baked into every share.
VUG’s Top 10 Holdings
| # | Company | Ticker | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NVIDIA | NVDA | 12.73% |
| 2 | Apple | AAPL | 11.88% |
| 3 | Microsoft | MSFT | 10.63% |
| 4 | Alphabet (Class A) | GOOGL | 5.39% |
| 5 | Amazon | AMZN | 4.58% |
| 6 | Alphabet (Class C) | GOOG | 4.27% |
| 7 | Meta Platforms | META | 4.26% |
| 8 | Broadcom | AVGO | 4.04% |
| 9 | Tesla | TSLA | 3.77% |
| 10 | Eli Lilly | LLY | 2.72% |
| Top 10 Total | 64.27% | ||
Source: Vanguard. Holdings as of February 13, 2026.
Three stocks — NVIDIA, Apple, and Microsoft — make up 35% of the VUG ETF. That’s the part most growth investors don’t fully internalize until a drawdown hits. For context, VOO’s top 3 represent about 20% of the fund — VUG is almost 60% more concentrated at the top.
The notable difference from QQQ: VUG includes Eli Lilly (healthcare), Visa, and other names not listed on the Nasdaq exchange. It’s growth-factor driven, not exchange-restricted.
VUG ETF Sector Allocation
| Sector | VUG Weight | S&P 500 Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | 52.5% | ~32% |
| Communication Services | 16.5% | ~9% |
| Consumer Cyclical | 12.8% | ~10% |
| Healthcare | 5.7% | ~12% |
| Financial Services | 5.4% | ~13% |
| Industrials | 3.8% | ~9% |
| Energy | 0.3% | ~3.5% |
Source: Robinhood. Sector weights as of December 2025.
Over half the VUG ETF goes into technology. Add Communication Services — which includes Alphabet and Meta — and the total reaches 69% in tech-adjacent sectors. Healthcare, financials, energy, and industrials together barely crack 15%.
This is a deliberate bet. When tech leads, the VUG ETF flies. When rates rise and growth valuations compress — like 2022 — VUG drops faster and harder than the market. There’s no diversification cushion built in.
VUG Dividend & Cost Analysis
The VUG ETF pays a quarterly dividend, but income generation is not its purpose. At 0.43% yield, a $100,000 position generates roughly $430 per year. Compare that to SCHD at 3.35% — which pays $3,350 on the same investment.
Growth stocks tend to reinvest earnings into expansion rather than distributing them. The VUG ETF’s dividend has grown about 5% annually over the past few years, but investors prioritizing cash flow may find the yield insufficient for income needs.
At 0.03% expense ratio, the VUG ETF costs $3 per year for every $10,000 invested. That matches VOO (0.03%) and VTI (0.03%) — Vanguard’s February 2026 fee cut brought VUG in line with its broad market siblings. Current fee structure is available through SEC filings.
VUG’s direct competitor, Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF (SCHG), charges 0.04%. iShares S&P 500 Growth ETF (IVW) charges 0.18%. At 0.03%, VUG holds a clear cost edge over most growth ETF alternatives.
Top 3 stocks = 32% of the fund. NVIDIA, Apple, and Microsoft alone control over a third of VUG. If any of these companies misses earnings expectations or faces regulatory action, the impact hits harder than it would in a broad index fund.
Technology = 52% sector weight. A sector rotation away from tech — driven by rising rates, regulatory shifts, or valuation compression — would hit VUG roughly 1.6x harder than the S&P 500.
155 holdings vs 500+ in VOO. VUG’s concentrated basket means less diversification by design. This is a feature in bull markets and a liability in corrections.
Who Should Buy, Consider, or Skip VUG?
10+ year horizon, comfortable with 30%+ drawdowns, want concentrated exposure to large-cap growth companies at 0.03%. Often held alongside broad market funds like VOO or VTI as a growth tilt.
Already own VOO and want to tilt toward growth as a satellite position. Some investors combine a growth fund with SCHD or a value ETF to offset the concentration risk.
Near retirement, need income, or uncomfortable with a 33% drop in a single year. The 0.43% yield generates minimal cash flow. Investors in this category may find VOO or a SCHD + VOO combination more aligned with their goals. New to ETFs? Start with our beginner ETF guide.
VUG vs QQQ — Quick Comparison
No VUG ETF review is complete without addressing QQQ. Both funds are dominated by the same mega-cap tech names — but the construction methodology creates real differences.
| Feature | VUG | QQQ |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.03% | 0.18% |
| Holdings | ~155 | ~100 |
| Selection Method | Growth factors | Nasdaq-listed |
| Includes Financials? | Yes (Visa, Mastercard) | No |
| 10-Year CAGR | ~17.4% | ~18.5% |
The VUG ETF is cheaper and slightly more diversified. QQQ has historically edged ahead on raw returns. The fee gap — 0.15% annually — compounds over decades. On a $100,000 portfolio held for 30 years, that difference could translate to tens of thousands in cumulative cost drag. Whether QQQ’s marginally higher historical returns offset that cost depends on the time period measured.
The Numbers Behind the Growth Label
VUG Fund Specs — Quick Reference
| Metric | VUG |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Vanguard Growth ETF |
| Index Tracked | CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index |
| Expense Ratio | 0.03% ($3 per $10,000/year) |
| AUM | ~$350 billion |
| Holdings | ~155 stocks |
| Dividend Yield | 0.43% |
| Inception Date | January 26, 2004 |
| Issuer | Vanguard |
The VUG ETF is Vanguard’s flagship large-cap growth fund — designed to capture companies growing earnings faster than the broader market. Unlike QQQ, which tracks the Nasdaq-100, VUG pulls from the entire U.S. large-cap universe based on six growth factors defined by the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index: expected and historical earnings growth, sales growth, investment-to-assets ratio, and return on assets.
The VUG ETF runs a concentrated portfolio that overlaps heavily with QQQ but includes names outside the Nasdaq exchange — like Eli Lilly and Visa.
Frequently Asked Questions
This VUG ETF review covers the most common questions investors ask about the fund:
Is VUG a good long-term investment?
Based on historical data, VUG has delivered an annualized return of roughly 11.8% since its 2004 inception, outpacing the S&P 500. The trade-off is higher volatility — VUG dropped 33% in 2022 and over 50% during the 2008 crisis.
For investors with a 10+ year horizon who can tolerate sharp drawdowns, VUG’s historical track record has been strong as a growth allocation. Many investors hold it alongside a broad market fund like VOO rather than as a standalone holding.
What is the difference between VUG and QQQ?
VUG tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index using six growth factors, while QQQ tracks the 100 largest non-financial Nasdaq-listed companies. VUG charges 0.03% vs QQQ’s 0.18%. VUG includes financial-sector growth stocks like Visa and Mastercard that QQQ excludes. Returns have been similar over long periods, but the fee difference compounds significantly over decades.
Is VUG good for a Roth IRA?
VUG can work well in a Roth IRA because growth stocks tend to benefit from tax-free compounding — qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA are not subject to capital gains tax. The low 0.43% dividend yield means minimal taxable events.
However, VUG’s volatility makes it more suitable as a portion of a Roth IRA rather than the entire account. Some investors combine it with a core holding like VOO or VTI for broader diversification.
How many stocks does VUG hold?
VUG holds approximately 155 stocks, all large-cap U.S. growth companies. This is fewer than VOO (500+) or VTI (4,000+), making it more concentrated. The top 10 holdings account for about 64% of the fund, with technology stocks representing over half the portfolio.
Does VUG pay dividends?
Yes, the VUG ETF pays quarterly dividends at a yield of approximately 0.43%. On a $10,000 investment, that’s about $43 per year. Growth companies prioritize reinvesting profits over distributing them, so VUG’s yield is minimal compared to dividend-focused ETFs like SCHD (3.35%) or VYM (2.7%).
Should I buy VUG or VOO?
VOO gives you the entire S&P 500 — growth and value combined — with lower volatility and a higher Sharpe ratio. VUG gives you only the growth half, with higher potential returns but steeper drawdowns.
Historical data shows VUG outperforming over 10+ year periods, but underperforming on a risk-adjusted basis. A common approach among investors is holding both: VOO as the core and the VUG ETF as a growth tilt.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research or consult a licensed financial advisor before making investment decisions.