Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (NASDAQ:WONG) Provides exposure to large-cap giants at a lower cost, while State Street SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF (NYSEMKT:SLYG) Offers a specific strategy focused on small-cap stocks.
Growth investment strategies often vary significantly depending on the size of the underlying businesses. While Wong tracks the largest and most influential U.S. growth leaders, SLYG focuses on high-growth small-cap companies. This comparison helps clarify which market segment and risk profile may better suit your long-term financial goals.
Snapshot (cost and size)
|
metric |
SLYG |
wong |
|---|---|---|
|
Issuer |
SPDR |
vanguard |
|
expense ratio |
0.15% |
0.06% |
|
1-Year Returns (by June 3, 2026) |
25.60% |
22.26% |
|
dividend yield |
0.70% |
0.40% |
|
beta |
1.06 |
1.16 |
|
Om |
$4.7 billion |
$54.8 billion |
Beta measures price volatility relative to the S&P 500; Beta is calculated from five-year monthly returns. 1-year returns represent the total returns over the last 12 months. Dividend yield is the trailing 12-month distribution yield.
The Vanguard fund is significantly more affordable, with an expense ratio of 0.06% compared to the 0.15% charged by the State Street fund. Over a decade, this 0.09 percentage point difference could result in a significant difference in total returns for long-term investors. Additionally, the State Street fund currently offers a higher payout, with a 0.70% yield compared to the 0.40% yield from the Vanguard fund.
Performance and risk comparison
|
metric |
SLYG |
wong |
|---|---|---|
|
Maximum drawdown (5 years) |
(29.20%) |
(32.70%) |
|
$1,000 growth in 5 years (total return) |
$1,307 |
$2,044 |
what’s inside
The Vanguard fund tracks 394 holdings, with a heavy weighting in technology at 51%, followed by communication services at 13% and consumer cyclical stocks at 13%. Its largest positions include NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) At 13.23%, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) at 11.13%, and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) At 8.70%. The fund, launched in 2010, has a trailing-12-month dividend of $0.56 per share.
In contrast, the State Street fund targets 344 holdings within the S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index, which selects companies based on sales growth and earnings momentum. Its sector mix is more balanced, consisting of technology 20%, industrials 19% and healthcare 14%. Its largest positions include sanmina (NASDAQ:SANM) At 1.79%, Viavi Solutions (NASDAQ:VIAV) at 1.44%, and Semtech (NASDAQ:SMTC) At 1.27%. Launched in 2000, it has a trailing-12-month dividend of $0.77 per share.
For more guidance on ETF investing, check out the complete guide this link.
What does this mean for investors
Investing in growth stocks is a great way to generate strong returns for your portfolio. The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG) and the State Street SPDR S&P 600 Small Cap Growth ETF (SLYG) both offer an efficient way to gain exposure to growth companies, but use very different strategies to do so. Choosing which fund to invest in depends on the approach that best suits the individual investor.
