VO: The Easiest Way to Invest in U.S. Mid-Cap Stocks In the U.S. stock market, mid-cap companies play a unique and powerful role. They are often considered the “sweet spot” between stability and growth—more established than small-cap companies, yet still offering higher growth potential than large-cap giants. Today’s featured ETF, VO (Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF) , is one of the most efficient ways to gain broad exposure to the U.S. mid-cap market. With Vanguard’s trusted management and wide diversification, VO has become a long-term favorite among global investors. Visit VANGUARD ETF OFFICIAL WEBSITE! This guide breaks down what VO is, what companies it includes, when it performs well, and which type of investor it is best suited for. 1. What Is VO? VO is an ETF that invests in U.S. mid-cap stocks . Mid-cap companies sit between large and small companies in terms of market capitalization, offering a blend of stability and growth potential. VO tracks the CRSP US Mid Cap Inde...
What’s the Difference Between SPY and SPYG? Here’s an Easy Breakdown
When investing in U.S. stocks, two ETFs you’ll come across early are SPY and SPYG. Their names look similar, and many of their holdings overlap, so it’s easy to assume they’re almost the same. But in reality, these two ETFs have very different purposes and characteristics — meaning your choice should depend heavily on your investment style.
Today, let’s break down what sets SPY and SPYG apart and which type of investor each ETF works best for.
| Item (SPYG) | Value (SPYG) |
|---|---|
| NAV | $106.63 (as of Nov 26, 2025) |
| Base Currency | USD |
| Assets Under Management (AUM) | $45,387.17M (as of Nov 26, 2025) |
| Gross Expense Ratio | 0.04% |
| Overall Morningstar Rating | ★★★★ (as of Oct 31, 2025) |
1. SPY Holds the Entire S&P 500, While SPYG Holds Only the Growth Stocks
SPY tracks the S&P 500 index, which includes 500 of the largest U.S. companies. It offers broad exposure across the entire market — tech, healthcare, industrials, financials, consumer goods, and more. From Apple and Microsoft to Amazon, Google, and NVIDIA, SPY spreads your investment across every major sector.
Because of its wide diversification, SPY is ideal for investors who want to follow the overall U.S. market with stability.
SPYG, on the other hand, follows the S&P 500 Growth Index. In simple terms, it selects only the high-growth companies from the S&P 500 — the ones showing strong revenue growth, rising stock prices, and improving profitability.
As a result, SPYG tends to have a higher concentration in tech stocks and mega-cap growth names. If you want to focus on companies with strong future potential, SPYG becomes the more attractive choice.
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2. Returns and Volatility Are Very Different
<SPYG ETF HOLDINGS TOP 10 (AS OF 2025/11/26 & SOURCE: STATE STREET WEBSITE)>
| Name | Ticker | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA CORP | NVDA | 13.827234 |
| APPLE INC | AAPL | 5.956557 |
| MICROSOFT CORP | MSFT | 5.899541 |
| BROADCOM INC | AVGO | 5.878731 |
| ALPHABET INC CL A | GOOGL | 5.851039 |
| ALPHABET INC CL C | GOOG | 4.701991 |
| META PLATFORMS INC CLASS A | META | 4.320437 |
| AMAZON.COM INC | AMZN | 4.055262 |
| TESLA INC | TSLA | 3.763263 |
| ELI LILLY + CO | LLY | 2.760229 |
Because SPY and SPYG are structured differently, their performance tendencies also differ.
SPY, with its broad market exposure, tends to be less volatile. Even during economic downturns or rising-rate environments, some sectors can offset weakness in others, resulting in smoother performance.
SPYG, however, is more heavily influenced by tech stocks. In bull markets — especially when interest rates are low — SPYG often outperforms SPY significantly.
But the opposite is also true: in downturns, growth stocks can see steeper corrections.
The simplest way to understand SPYG is:
➡️ Higher growth potential
➡️ Higher volatility and risk
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3. They Also Differ in Dividend Behavior
| Ex-Dividend Date | Payment Date | Declaration Date | Dividend (SPYG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/09/22 | 2025/09/24 | 2025/09/22 | 0.1389 |
| 2025/06/23 | 2025/06/25 | 2025/06/23 | 0.1354 |
| 2025/03/24 | 2025/03/26 | 2025/03/24 | 0.1170 |
Because SPY includes a wide range of sectors, many of its holdings pay regular dividends — especially companies in financials, healthcare, consumer staples, and energy. This makes SPY a suitable ETF for investors who value steady dividend income along with long-term growth.
SPYG, however, focuses on growth companies, many of which reinvest profits instead of paying dividends.
That means SPYG generally has lower dividend yields and isn’t ideal for dividend-focused strategies.
Instead, its main strength is capital appreciation — capturing long-term price growth.
For investors who prioritize future growth over current income, SPYG can be the better fit.
*This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
4. Which ETF Should You Choose? It Depends on Your Strategy
The "better" ETF highly depends on your personal investment goals.
✔ Choose SPY if…
– You want broad U.S. market exposure
– You prefer lower volatility
– You value stable dividends
– You want a classic, all-market long-term ETF
✔ Choose SPYG if…
– You believe in the long-term strength of tech and growth stocks
– You are comfortable with higher volatility
– You want higher potential returns during bull markets
– You prefer price appreciation over dividends
Both SPY and SPYG are strong choices based on the S&P 500, but their investment purposes are very different. If you base your decision on “Growth vs. Stability,” choosing between them becomes much easier.
*The information in this article is provided for informational purposes only. All investment decisions and results are solely the responsibility of the investor.
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