VYM vs VIG: Returns, Drawdowns and Dividends Since 2016
VYM (Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF) and VIG (Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF) moved almost in lockstep: their daily returns had a correlation of 0.952, where 1 would mean identical. VIG came out ahead, returning 13.7% a year with dividends reinvested from January 2016 to November 2026, against 12.2% for VYM.
Bought on any day and held five years, VIG finished ahead 72% of the time. VIG also fell less at its worst: 31.7%, against 35.2% for VYM.
| Measure | VYM | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| Annual return | 12.2% | 13.7% |
| $10,000 grew to | $34,675 | $40,359 |
| Worst decline | −35.2%Mar 2020 | −31.7%Mar 2020 |
| Volatility Volatility How much the fund's daily returns swing: their standard deviation over this period, annualized with the square root of 252 trading days. | 16.0% | 15.7% |
| Sharpe ratio Sharpe ratio Return above T-bills for each unit of risk: daily returns minus the T-bill ETF BIL, averaged, divided by their standard deviation and annualized. Higher is better. T-bill funds show none. Sharpe ratio calculator | 0.67 | 0.76 |
| 12-month yield 12-month yield Cash dividends with ex-dividend dates in the past 12 months, divided by the latest closing price. | 2.2% | 1.4% |
| Best year | +26.2%2021 | +29.6%2019 |
| Worst year | −5.9%2018 | −9.8%2022 |
| Correlation between them Correlation How closely the two funds' daily returns moved together over this period: 1 means identical every day, 0 means no relation. | 0.952 | |
VYM: Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETFVIG: Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF
Jan 4, 2016 to Nov 4, 2026, dividends reinvested.
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Worst declines
VYM fell 35.2% from Jan 17, 2020 to Mar 23, 2020 and was back at its high on Dec 31, 2020. VIG fell 31.7% from Feb 14, 2020 to Mar 23, 2020 and was back at its high on Aug 26, 2020.
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Year by year
VYM was ahead in 6 of the 11 calendar years.
| Year | VYM | VIG | Ahead (pts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Nov 4) | +17.2% | +16.4% | VYM+0.8 |
| 2025 | +15.4% | +14.2% | VYM+1.3 |
| 2024 | +17.6% | +17.0% | VYM+0.6 |
| 2023 | +6.6% | +14.5% | VIG+7.9 |
| 2022 | −0.5% | −9.8% | VYM+9.4 |
| 2021 | +26.2% | +23.8% | VYM+2.4 |
| 2020 | +1.1% | +15.4% | VIG+14.3 |
| 2019 | +24.1% | +29.6% | VIG+5.5 |
| 2018 | −5.9% | −2.1% | VIG+3.8 |
| 2017 | +16.4% | +22.2% | VIG+5.8 |
| 2016 (from Jan 4) | +18.5% | +13.5% | VYM+5.0 |
Held for 1, 3 or 5 years: which came out ahead
Buy on any trading day from Jan 4, 2016, hold for a set time, and see which fund ended higher. The periods overlap, so they show how much the start date mattered, not separate results.
| Hold | Days tested | Ahead more often | Median lead (pts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 year | 2,474 | VIG53% | +0.4 |
| 3 years | 1,970 | VIG69% | +5.1 |
| 5 years | 1,466 | VIG72% | +16.3 |
Median lead is the typical gap in total return across all start dates, in percentage points. The latest 5-year hold starts on Oct 27, 2021.
Dividends
Over the past 12 months VYM paid 2.2% of its price in dividends and VIG 1.4%. The returns above already include them, reinvested on each ex-dividend date.
Dividends per share by year
| Year | VYM | VIG |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to Nov 4) | $2.73 3 payments | $2.76 3 payments |
| 2025 | $3.50 4 payments | $3.56 4 payments |
| 2024 | $3.49 4 payments | $3.38 4 payments |
| 2023 | $3.48 4 payments | $3.21 4 payments |
| 2022 | $3.25 4 payments | $2.97 4 payments |
| 2021 | $3.10 4 payments | $2.66 4 payments |
| 2020 | $2.91 4 payments | $2.30 4 payments |
| 2019 | $2.84 4 payments | $2.13 4 payments |
| 2018 | $2.65 4 payments | $2.04 4 payments |
| 2017 | $2.40 4 payments | $1.92 4 payments |
| 2016 (from Jan 4) | $2.21 4 payments | $1.83 4 payments |
Per share in today's shares (earlier amounts are restated for share splits), by ex-dividend date.
The two funds
- VYM
- Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF, an ETF launched Nov 16, 2006. FinLab prices start Jan 4, 2016.
- VYM price and signal backtests
- VIG
- Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF, an ETF launched May 2, 2006. FinLab prices start Jan 4, 2016.
- VIG price and signal backtests
More comparisons
Source: FinLab U.S. fund prices, Jan 4, 2016 to Nov 4, 2026, the days both funds traded. Returns use prices adjusted for dividends and splits, before taxes; annual return is compounded.
For research and education. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and this is not investment advice.