VB vs XLK
Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares vs State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF
Last updated: 2026-04-02
Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund ETF Shares (VB) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to small-cap U.S. equities with higher growth potential and volatility. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 1.33%. Launched in 2004, the fund has a 22-year track record.
State Street Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to us sector - technology securities. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers a modest dividend yield of 0.57%. Launched in 1998, the fund has a 28-year track record.
Quick Verdict
VB has a slightly lower expense ratio (0.03% vs 0.08%), saving about $99 per $10,000 over 10 years. Over the past year, XLK has significantly outperformed with a 29.7% return vs 18.4%. Income investors may prefer VB for its higher yield (1.3% vs 0.6%).
Key Metrics
Performance Chart
Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)
Performance Comparison
Fee Impact Over Time
Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns
Risk Metrics
Based on 5 years of daily returns
Dividend Comparison
Top Holdings
0 of top 9 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)
VB Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| Sandisk CorporationSNDK | 1.21% |
| Comfort Systems USA, Inc.FIX | 0.65% |
| Lumentum Holdings Inc.LITE | 0.64% |
| Ciena CorporationCIEN | 0.64% |
| Coherent Corp.COHR | 0.53% |
| Rocket Lab CorporationRKLB | 0.48% |
| NRG Energy, Inc.NRG | 0.44% |
| Bloom Energy CorporationBE | 0.43% |
| EMCOR Group, Inc.EME | 0.42% |
XLK Top Holdings
| Name | Weight |
|---|---|
| NVIDIA CorporationNVDA | 15.50% |
| Apple Inc.AAPL | 13.63% |
| Microsoft CorporationMSFT | 10.05% |
| Broadcom Inc.AVGO | 5.37% |
| Micron Technology, Inc.MU | 3.39% |
| Palantir Technologies Inc.PLTR | 2.98% |
| Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.AMD | 2.95% |
| Cisco Systems, Inc.CSCO | 2.73% |
| Applied Materials, Inc.AMAT | 2.42% |
| Lam Research CorporationLRCX | 2.38% |
Which One Should You Choose?
Choose VB if...
you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.
Choose XLK if...
recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.
Choose VB if...
you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.