RMT vs VAMO

RMT vs VAMO

Which is better, RMT or VAMO?

RMT has been ahead.

VAMO has a lower expense ratio. RMT led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. VAMO is less concentrated, with 13.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 14.9%.

Lower Fees: VAMOHigher Returns: RMTLess Concentrated: VAMO

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricRMTVAMO
Expense Ratio1.35%0.65%Best
AUM$830M$86M
Dividend Yield5.71%0.68%
Holdings171206
YTD Return+28.04%Best+3.07%
1Y Return+32.06%Best+5.56%
3Y Return (annualized)+25.90%Best+11.96%
5Y Return (annualized)+10.78%Best+8.43%
Volatility (annualized)23.4%13.0%Best
Max Drawdown-57.3%-41.8%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$16,684Best$14,988
Top 10 Weight14.9%13.1%Best
Fund FamilyFranklin Templeton Investments (US)Cambria Investment Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleSmall Cap BlendSmall Cap Blend
InceptionDec 14, 1993Sep 8, 2015

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 9, 2015 to Oct 14, 2026 (11.1 years).

RMT vs VAMO growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 11.1 years both funds cover.

Compare RMT against instead:RMT vs SPYRMT vs QQQRMT vs VOORMT vs VTIVAMO against:VAMO vs VXUS

RMT vs VAMO Performance

Royce Micro-Cap Trust Inc. (RMT) is an ETF from Franklin Templeton Investments (US) and Cambria Value and Momentum Hedged Equity ETF (VAMO) is an ETF from Cambria Investment Management. Over the past year RMT returned +32.06% while VAMO returned +5.56%. Year to date, RMT is up 28.04% versus a gain of 3.07% for VAMO.

Over three years, RMT compounded at +25.90% per year against +11.96% for VAMO; over five years the annualized figures are +10.78% and +8.43% respectively. Across the full 11-year window we track, RMT has the edge at +8.67% annualized vs +4.22%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

RMT has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 23.4% compared with 13.0% for VAMO. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -57.3% for RMT and -41.8% for VAMO. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.62. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

RMT charges 1.35% per year while VAMO charges 0.65%. On a $10,000 position that is $135 vs $65 annually, a gap of $70 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, RMT currently yields 5.71% against 0.68% for VAMO.

Holdings Overlap

RMT already in VAMO2.5%
VAMO already in RMT1.7%

2.5% of RMT's money is in holdings VAMO also owns. 1.7% of VAMO's money is in holdings RMT also owns.

RMT and VAMO share little of their money.

The two holdings books were reported 101 days apart, RMT as of Jun 30, 2026 and VAMO as of Oct 9, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

2 positions in common, counted across the 169 positions we hold weights for in RMT and 102 in VAMO, against full books of 171 and 206.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 100 positions for VAMO that do not appear in our book for RMT (93.6% of the fund), and 146 for RMT that do not appear in VAMO (89.3%).

Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in RMTWeight in VAMODifference
NWPXNorthwest Pipe Co1.46%0.86%0.60%
AMNAmn Healthcare Services Inc1.07%0.88%0.19%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of RMT and VAMO you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

RMTVAMO

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, RMT or VAMO?

RMT has an expense ratio of 1.35% while VAMO charges 0.65%. VAMO is the cheaper option, by $70 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, RMT or VAMO?

Over the past year RMT returned +32.06% vs +5.56% for VAMO, so RMT leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (11 years), RMT annualized +8.67% vs +4.22% for VAMO. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, RMT or VAMO?

RMT has been the more volatile fund at 23.4% annualized versus 13.0% for VAMO. Worst drawdown: RMT -57.3% vs VAMO -41.8%.

Should I hold both RMT and VAMO?

RMT and VAMO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.62, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between RMT and VAMO?

2.5% of RMT's money is in holdings VAMO also owns. 1.7% of VAMO's is in holdings RMT also owns. They hold 2 positions in common, counted across the 169 positions we hold weights for in RMT and 102 in VAMO.

Which pays a higher dividend, RMT or VAMO?

RMT yields 5.71% while VAMO yields 0.68%, so RMT currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VAMO better than RMT?

VAMO has a lower expense ratio. RMT led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. VAMO is less concentrated, with 13.1% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 14.9%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.