Investors seeking exposure to large-cap growth stocks in the U.S. equity market have multiple options, including two prominent Vanguard exchange-traded funds: the Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF (ticker: MGK) and the Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (ticker: VONG). Both funds are designed to track growth-oriented companies but differ distinctly in their breadth and concentration of holdings, sector allocations, and associated risk-return profiles.
Fund Overview and Cost Structure
MGK and VONG are passively managed funds with the goal of mirroring the performance of their respective underlying indexes. Each charges an expense ratio of 0.07%, providing investors with cost-effective access to growth equities. As of late December 2025, MGK managed assets totaling approximately $32.7 billion, while VONG held a larger asset base of roughly $44.6 billion.
Dividend yields also differ slightly between the two ETFs. VONG's yield stands at 0.45%, marginally higher than MGK's 0.37%. While both yields are modest, the difference may be relevant for income-sensitive investors seeking higher dividends from growth stocks.
Portfolio Composition and Sector Exposure
The primary distinction between the two funds resides in their portfolio composition and concentration of assets. VONG tracks the Russell 1000 Growth Index, encompassing 391 large-cap growth stocks. This broad exposure includes a significant weighting toward the technology sector, which constitutes 55% of total assets, followed by sizable allocations to consumer cyclical and communication services sectors.
MGK, on the other hand, holds a considerably narrower portfolio of 66 stocks, concentrated predominantly in mega-cap technology companies, with technology making up 58% of its holdings. Both funds share leading individual holdings in Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft; however, MGK assigns higher individual weights to these names compared to VONG.
This fundamental difference implies that MGK’s portfolio carries increased concentration risk relative to VONG, given its smaller number of holdings and a heavier tilt toward a single sector.
Performance Metrics and Volatility Considerations
Over a one-year period ending December 27, 2025, MGK returned 17.59%, slightly surpassing VONG's 15.46%. Examining longer-term results, over five years, an investment of $1,000 in MGK would have grown to approximately $2,080, whereas the same initial investment in VONG would be worth about $2,010.
Regarding risk, the funds' betas over a five-year period show that MGK has a beta of 1.24 compared to VONG's 1.17, indicating that MGK experiences greater price volatility relative to the S&P 500 Index. Maximum drawdowns, which measure the largest peak-to-trough declines, were also more pronounced for MGK at -36.02%, compared to -32.72% for VONG.
Implications for Investment Strategy
Investors seeking to emphasize growth and particularly technology sector exposure might find both funds appropriate. The sizable allocations to tech in both ETFs suggest potential for above-average returns when the sector performs well. However, the choice between MGK and VONG depends largely on an investor's appetite for concentration risk and diversification.
MGK's concentrated approach entails investing in fewer, heavily weighted mega-cap stocks. This can offer the potential for higher earnings if these large companies experience strong growth but simultaneously raises the risk that underperformance in one or more of these positions could significantly impact overall returns.
Conversely, VONG's broader diversification across nearly 400 stocks tends to mitigate concentration risk, potentially cushioning downside fluctuations in individual securities or sectors. The increased breadth reduces exposure to any single company's performance but may also dilute gains in the event of exceptional performance by a few leading companies.
The marginally higher dividend yield offered by VONG might also appeal to investors incorporating income considerations into their growth stock allocation.
Given the similarity in expense ratios and the comparable levels of performance exhibited over recent periods, the decision between MGK and VONG hinges on individual risk tolerance and investment objectives. MGK's higher beta and maximum drawdown imply greater volatility, though its concentrated focus has contributed to slightly superior returns. VONG's greater diversification and lower volatility could serve investors prioritizing steadier performance profiles.
In scenarios where the technology sector continues to drive market gains, MGK's heavier weighting could position it for outperformance relative to VONG. Conversely, if the technology sector encounters headwinds, VONG's more diversified holdings might afford it relative resilience against sharp downturns.
Glossary of Key Terms
- ETF: Exchange-Traded Fund, a pooled investment vehicle traded on stock exchanges.
- Expense Ratio: The annual fee charged by a fund, expressed as a percentage of total assets, used to cover operational costs.
- Dividend Yield: The ratio of annual dividends to the current price of the fund, shown as a percentage.
- Total Return: Cumulative gain or loss including price appreciation and dividends, assuming reinvestment.
- Beta: A measure of volatility relative to the broader market, typically the S&P 500.
- AUM: Assets Under Management, the total market value of investments managed by the fund.
- Max Drawdown: The largest observed percentage decrease in fund value from peak to trough within a specific timeframe.
- Concentration Risk: The risk resulting from a fund's investments being heavily weighted in a limited number of holdings or sectors.
- Diversification: Spreading investments over a wide array of assets to reduce risk associated with any single investment.
- Sector Tilt: A portfolio's disproportionate allocation to a particular industry sector compared to the market.
- Russell 1000 Growth Index: An equity index representing large-cap U.S. companies exhibiting growth characteristics.