What ETFs outperform the S&P 500?
Real assets have outperformed the S&P 500 for the past 30 years, without a single negative year. Even when investing in the real asset index on its worst day ever, one year later, that investment would yield a positive return of 1.5%.
| ETF | Ticker | Annualized 5-year return |
|---|---|---|
| Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | VOO | 14.72% |
| iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | IVV | 14.27% |
| SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | SPY | 14.14% |
Real assets have outperformed the S&P 500 for the past 30 years, without a single negative year. Even when investing in the real asset index on its worst day ever, one year later, that investment would yield a positive return of 1.5%.
Vanguard Growth & Income Fund (VGIAX)
VGIAX's one-two punch of investment goals helped it beat the overall stock market in 2022 and 2023. Over the past 10 years, this fund's average annual return is about even with the S&P 500. Likewise, its trailing 12-month dividend yield approaches the broad market's.
MarketWatch spotlights VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (MOAT), consistently outperforming the S&P 500 by targeting companies with long-term competitive advantages or "economic moats."
| Symbol | Name | 5-Year Return |
|---|---|---|
| GBTC | Grayscale Bitcoin Trust | 63.85% |
| USD | ProShares Ultra Semiconductors | 57.79% |
| FNGU | MicroSectors FANG+™ Index 3X Leveraged ETN | 50.24% |
| FNGO | MicroSectors FANG+ Index 2X Leveraged ETNs | 47.48% |
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, VOO is a great option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Blend segment of the market.
In the trailing five-, 10-, 15-, and 20-year periods, the Vanguard Growth ETF (NYSEMKT: VUG) has outperformed the S&P 500. That is a remarkable track record. And it's a long-enough time horizon to have confidence that this streak can continue in the years ahead.
S&P 500 10 Year Return is at 174.1%, compared to 171.8% last month and 162.1% last year. This is higher than the long term average of 114.2%.
Lack of Global Diversification
The S&P 500 is all US-domiciled companies that over the last ~40 years have accounted for ~50% of all global stocks. By just owning the S&P 500 you miss out on almost half of the global opportunity set which is another ~10,000 public companies.
Why not to use Vanguard?
Vanguard's trading platform isn't as robust as other stock trading platforms from trading-first brokers. If you regularly move in and out of stocks or like to make complex options trades, Vanguard is probably not the best choice for you.
- Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO).
- Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI).
- Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND).
- Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS).
- Vanguard FTSE All-World Ex-U.S. ETF (VEU).
- Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT).
The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) is a top choice for most index fund investors. Even Warren Buffett recommends it above any other investment. There's a good reason for that. Its low expense ratio and tight index tracking make it a top choice for anyone looking to match the returns of the S&P 500.
A leveraged ETF uses derivative contracts to magnify the daily gains of an index or benchmark. These funds can offer high returns, but they also come with high risk and expenses. Funds that offer 3x leverage are particularly risky because they require higher leverage to achieve their returns.
SPDR SSGA Multi-Asset Real Return ETF (RLY)
We believe the SPDR SSGA Multi-Asset Real Return ETF might be the best inflation ETF. This actively managed fund holds shares of other ETFs that track market sectors expected to outperform the inflation rate.
Unlike a managed fund, an ETF does not aim to beat the index, but to match its performance, giving you potentially more predictable returns.
ICICI Prudential Nifty 50 Index Fund-Growth is among India's top 10 index funds. It falls within the Large Cap Index category. Over the past year, ICICI Prudential Nifty 50 Index Fund-Growth has returned 15.09 percent. Since its inception, it has delivered an average annual return of 14.74 percent.
The largest Aggressive ETF is the iShares Core Aggressive Allocation ETF AOA with $1.85B in assets. In the last trailing year, the best-performing Aggressive ETF was AOA at 21.87%. The most recent ETF launched in the Aggressive space was the iShares ESG Aware Aggressive Allocation ETF EAOA on 06/12/20.
| Ticker | Name | 5-year return (%) |
|---|---|---|
| AMAGX | Amana Growth Investor | 17.62% |
| APGYX | AB Large Cap Growth Advisor | 17.00% |
| PBFDX | Payson Total Return | 16.58% |
| CFGRX | Commerce Growth | 16.48% |
Both have the same expense ratio and similar dividend yield, so you should choose whichever one you prefer based on the fund's strategy. If you only want to own the biggest and safest companies, choose VOO. If you want broader exposure and more diversification, choose VTI.
Should I own both VOO and VTI?
Does it make sense to have both VTI and VOO? For most investors, it probably doesn't make sense to own both. VTI and VOO both provide great diversification at a low cost. However, you may find that your retirement plan at work doesn't offer a total stock market index fund like VTI.
ETFs are subject to market fluctuation and the risks of their underlying investments. ETFs are subject to management fees and other expenses. Unlike mutual funds, ETF shares are bought and sold at market price, which may be higher or lower than their NAV, and are not individually redeemed from the fund.
Therefore, the downside risk is likely to be higher in case of the Nasdaq 100 when compared S&P 500 index, which has a much broader representation of the US companies across different sectors. So, if you are looking to own a more diversified basket of stocks, the S&P 500 will be the right fit for you.
Almost every institutional investor would like to find an investment manager with a high probability of outperforming the S&P 500. It is widely acknowledged to be one of the most efficient markets and most difficult benchmarks to beat. For a typical pension plan, 35-40 % of all capital is invested in the S&P 500.
If the S&P 500 does compound 9.2% annually over the next 10 years, it will reach 10,000 by 2033, Colas wrote Friday. Of course, that's a high bar, as Colas notes.
