Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF vs Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund — how do they compare? Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF trades at $91.94 (market cap $384.60B), while Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund trades at $170.85 (market cap $43.48B). The key difference: Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF is far larger — about 8.8× Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund's market cap, and Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals — on Pluang, investors hold Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF for 47 Days and Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund for 100 Days on average.
| VUG | XLV | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $384.60B | $43.48B |
Volume | 5,662,307 | 11,121,431 |
Sector | Sector/Thematic | — |
52-Week High | $92.64 | $175.68 |
52-Week Low | $70.00 | $141.95 |
Typical Hold Time | 47 Days | 100 Days |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
VUG trades at $92.42, down 0.24% on the day, with a bullish technical outlook supported by moving averages but showing overbought conditions on shorter-term RSI readings. The ETF maintains strong long-term performance credentials with 11-12% average annual returns since 2004, though current concentration in mega-cap tech stocks presents both opportunity and risk. Recent dividend activity shows minimal income generation with a $0.09 distribution scheduled for September 2026.
The growth-focused ETF offers exposure to market-leading companies but faces concentration risk with over 36% in three holdings. Long-term investors benefit from Vanguard's low-cost structure and historical outperformance, though near-term technical indicators suggest potential consolidation. Market sentiment remains positive for buy-and-hold strategies despite recent value stock outperformance in 2026.
XLV trades at $170.86, up 1.21% with a bearish technical signal from moving averages while oscillators remain neutral. The healthcare ETF shows strong cost advantages with a 0.08% expense ratio compared to peers, holding 61 diversified healthcare stocks from the S&P 500. Recent news highlights XLV's defensive characteristics during potential Fed rate hikes and political volatility.
The ETF offers defensive exposure to healthcare with low costs, though technical indicators suggest near-term pressure. Key risks include sector-specific regulatory changes and election uncertainty, while the fund's diversification provides stability amid market volatility.
Trailing returns across standard periods
What Pluang investors did over the last 30 days
VUG is an index-based ETF that tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, providing concentrated exposure to the largest and fastest-growing companies in the United States. It focuses on stocks with high growth potential across tech, communication, and consumer sectors, serving as a low-cost, high-conviction core holding for long-term capital appreciation.
Read more on VUG →In seeking to track the performance of the index, the fund employs a replication strategy. It generally invests substantially all, but at least 95%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the index. The index includes companies from the following industries: pharmaceuticals; health care equipment & supplies; health care providers & services; biotechnology; life sciences tools & services; and health care technology. The fund is non-diversified.
Read more on XLV →