ETF Versus

VWO vs VYM

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-02

VWO Vanguard

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund (VWO) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to stocks in emerging market economies with higher growth potential. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.06%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.76%. Launched in 2005, the fund has a 21-year track record.

AUM: $107.3B ER: 0.06% Yield: 2.76% Since: Mar 4, 2005
VYM Vanguard

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares (VYM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.37%. Launched in 2006, the fund has a 20-year track record.

AUM: $71.3B ER: 0.04% Yield: 2.37% Since: Nov 10, 2006

Quick Verdict

VYM has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.04% vs 0.06%), saving about $40 per $10,000 over 10 years. VWO has edged ahead over the past year (19.4% vs 15.0%).

Key Metrics

Metric VWO VYM
Expense Ratio 0.06% 0.04%
Dividend Yield 2.8% 2.4%
Fund Family Vanguard Vanguard
Category Emerging Markets US Dividend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

65 83 101 119 137 155 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
VWO +3.0%
VYM +44.6%

Performance Comparison

Period VWO VYM Difference
1 Month -5.29% -4.59% -0.70%
3 Months -1.31% +2.20% -3.51%
6 Months -1.06% +4.52% -5.58%
YTD -1.31% +2.20% -3.51%
1 Year +19.38% +14.98% +4.40%
3 Years +33.62% +39.18% -5.56%
5 Years +3.00% +44.55% -41.55%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period VWO Fees VYM Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $120 $80 $40
$10.000 20 years $515 $344 $171
$10.000 30 years $1.664 $1.112 $552
$50.000 10 years $598 $399 $199
$50.000 30 years $8.318 $5.560 $2.758
$100.000 30 years $16.637 $11.121 $5.516

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric VWO VYM
Annualized Volatility 17.3% 14.0%
Max Drawdown -35.9% -17.5%
Sharpe Ratio -0.14 0.28

Dividend Comparison

Metric VWO VYM
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.45 $3.51
Dividend Yield 2.68% 2.37%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 8 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

VWO Top Holdings

NameWeight
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited!tpe/233012.71%
Tencent Holdings Limited!hkg/07003.44%
Alibaba Group Holding Limited!hkg/99882.74%
HDFC Bank Limited!nse/HDFCBANK0.93%
Reliance Industries Limited!nse/RELIANCE0.88%
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.!tpe/23170.78%
MediaTek Inc.!tpe/24540.76%
China Construction Bank Corporation!hkg/09390.75%

VYM Top Holdings

NameWeight
Broadcom Inc.AVGO6.48%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM3.36%
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM2.83%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ2.63%
Walmart Inc.WMT2.44%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV1.81%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG1.72%
The Home Depot, Inc.HD1.66%
Chevron CorporationCVX1.54%
Caterpillar Inc.CAT1.51%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VYM if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose VWO if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose VWO if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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