SIXL vs VXUS

SIXL vs VXUS

Which is better, SIXL or VXUS?

Mid Cap Blend against Large Cap Blend.

VXUS has a lower expense ratio. VXUS led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: VXUSHigher Returns: VXUS

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

MetricSIXLVXUS
Expense Ratio0.47%0.05%Best
AUM$200M$163.2B
Dividend Yield2.28%2.34%
Holdings5658,844
YTD Return+7.99%+10.00%Best
1Y Return+8.34%+17.01%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+9.86%+19.55%Best
5Y Return (annualized)+4.37%+8.55%Best
Volatility (annualized)12.6%Best14.8%
Max Drawdown-16.1%Best-29.4%
$10,000 over 5 years$12,384$15,071Best
Fund Family6 Meridian ETFVanguard (US)
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleMid Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionMay 11, 2020Jan 26, 2011

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: May 11, 2020 to Oct 14, 2026 (6.4 years).

SIXL vs VXUS 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 6.4 years both funds cover.

SIXL vs VXUS Performance

6 Meridian Low Beta Equity Strategy ETF (SIXL) is an ETF from 6 Meridian ETF and Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is an ETF from Vanguard (US). Over the past year SIXL returned +8.34% while VXUS returned +17.01%. Year to date, SIXL is up 7.99% versus a gain of 10.00% for VXUS.

Over three years, SIXL compounded at +9.86% per year against +19.55% for VXUS; over five years the annualized figures are +4.37% and +8.55% respectively. Across the full 6-year window we track, VXUS has the edge at +12.91% annualized vs +8.17%.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

VXUS has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.8% compared with 12.6% for SIXL. 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 -16.1% for SIXL and -29.4% for VXUS. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.67. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

SIXL charges 0.47% per year while VXUS charges 0.05%. On a $10,000 position that is $47 vs $5 annually, a gap of $42 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, SIXL currently yields 2.28% against 2.34% for VXUS.

Holdings Overlap

SIXL already in VXUS0.8%

At least 0.8% of SIXL's money is in holdings VXUS also owns.

Stated as a floor: for VXUS, our book for it covers 91.3% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.

We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.

2 positions in common, counted across the 242 positions we hold weights for in SIXL and 8,425 in VXUS, against full books of 565 and 8,844.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in SIXLWeight in VXUSDifference
CSRCenterspace0.45%0.00%0.45%
AMAntero Midstream Corporationam0.39%0.01%0.38%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

SIXLVXUS

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, SIXL or VXUS?

SIXL has an expense ratio of 0.47% while VXUS charges 0.05%. VXUS is the cheaper option, by $42 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, SIXL or VXUS?

Over the past year SIXL returned +8.34% vs +17.01% for VXUS, so VXUS leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (6 years), SIXL annualized +8.17% vs +12.91% for VXUS. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, SIXL or VXUS?

VXUS has been the more volatile fund at 14.8% annualized versus 12.6% for SIXL. Worst drawdown: SIXL -16.1% vs VXUS -29.4%.

Should I hold both SIXL and VXUS?

SIXL and VXUS have a monthly-return correlation of 0.67, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which pays a higher dividend, SIXL or VXUS?

SIXL yields 2.28% while VXUS yields 2.34%, so VXUS currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is VXUS better than SIXL?

VXUS has a lower expense ratio. VXUS led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.