CARKvsVUGETF Comparison
VS
CastleArk Large Growth ETF (CARK) and Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) belong to the same industry segment: US Large Cap Growth. CARK's top 3 sector exposures are Technology, Finance and Healthcare. In contrast, VUG's top sector exposures are Technology, Consumer Non-Cyclicals and Industrials. CARK is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.54%, versus 0.03% for VUG. CARK is up 3.97% year-to-date (YTD) with -$8M in YTD flows. VUG performs worse with 2.77% YTD performance, and +$6.17B in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of CARK and VUG below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
Find out how industry players manage ETF portfolios. Discover our library of Model portfolios
CARK vs VUG performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 07/27/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | CARK VUG | -1.10%-1.74% | +0.39%+0.02% | +3.97%+2.77% | +8.73%+10.21% | n/a+76.79% | n/a+73.17% |
| Flows | CARK VUG | +$1M-$1.33B | +$1M+$1.03B | -$8M+$6.17B | -$51M+$13.34B | -+$41.38B | -+$52.78B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | CARK VUG | +18.09%+18.93% | +18.17%+17.56% | n/a+19.80% | n/a+22.71% |
| Max drawdown | CARK VUG | -7.38%-8.07% | -16.56%-16.50% | n/a-23.03% | n/a-35.61% |
| Max drawdown duration | CARK VUG | 56d56d | 184d183d | n/a126d | n/a756d |
Trading data
CARK | VUG | |
Last sale 7/27/2026 at 1:30 PM | $45.77 | $83.44 |
| Previous close 07/27/2026 | $45.88 | $83.38 |
| Consolidated volume 07/27/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of June 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
Create an account to view replication metrics
Join for free
CARK
is actively managed and doesn’t replicate an indexCARK | VUG | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
Advertisement
Main metrics
Last update 7/27/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
CARK | VUG | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $45.77 | $83.44 |
| 1D performance | -0.24% | +0.07% |
| AuM | $314.51 M | $215.01 B |
| E/R | 0.54% | 0.03% |
Characteristics
CARK | VUG | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Active | Passive |
| Provider | CastleArk Management | Vanguard |
| Benchmark | - | CRSP U.S. Large Cap Growth Index |
| N° of holdings | 26 | 143 |
| Asset class | - | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | December 6, 2023 | January 26, 2004 |
| ESG | No | No |
Advertisement
Exposure
Countries
CARK
USA
95.32%
Other
4.68%
VUG
USA
99.19%
Other
0.81%
Sectors
CARK
Technology
64.37%
Finance
8.59%
Healthcare
8.46%
Other
18.58%
VUG
Technology
69.79%
Other
30.21%
Advertisement
Diversification
CARK
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
79.31%
VUG
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
68.66%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of June 30, 2026
CARK
NVIDIA Corp.
14.77%
Alphabet, Inc.
10.18%
Apple, Inc.
6.75%
Lam Research Corp.
6.57%
Microsoft Corp.
6.02%
Eli Lilly & Co.
5.62%
Arista Networks, Inc.
4.51%
Visa, Inc.
4.13%
Broadcom Inc.
3.87%
Amazon.com, Inc.
3.39%
GE Vernova, Inc.
2.84%
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
2.84%
Meta Platforms, Inc.
2.82%
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
2.56%
Mastercard, Inc.
2.45%
VUG
NVIDIA Corp.
12.59%
Apple, Inc.
11.64%
Microsoft Corp.
7.59%
Alphabet, Inc.
5.74%
Alphabet, Inc.
4.52%
Amazon.com, Inc.
4.46%
Broadcom Inc.
4.27%
Meta Platforms, Inc.
3.40%
Tesla, Inc.
3.26%
Eli Lilly & Co.
2.80%
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
2.61%
Applied Materials, Inc.
1.59%
Visa, Inc.
1.53%
Lam Research Corp.
1.50%
Costco Wholesale Corp.
1.15%
Frequently asked questions about CARK and VUG
How have the CARK and VUG ETFs performed in 2026?
As of July 27, 2026, CARK is up 3.97% year-to-date (YTD), while VUG has returned 2.77%. That puts CARK better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: CARK or VUG?
Year-to-date, the CARK ETF saw -$8M in flows, compared to +$6.17B for VUG.
Which ETF is more volatile: CARK or VUG?
Over the past year, CARK had a volatility of 18.17%, while VUG experienced 17.56%.
Which ETF is bigger: CARK or VUG?
As of July 27, 2026, CARK holds $314.51 M in assets under management (AUM), while VUG manages $215.01 B.
What sectors do the CARK and VUG ETFs invest in?
CARK leans toward sectors like Technology, Finance and Healthcare. Meanwhile, VUG focuses on Technology.
What are the top holdings of the CARK ETF and VUG ETF?
CARK top holdings include NVIDIA Corp., Alphabet, Inc. and Apple, Inc.. VUG holds in its top three: NVIDIA Corp., Apple, Inc. and Microsoft Corp..
Which ETF is more diversified: CARK or VUG?
CARK holds 26 securities with 79.31% of its assets in the top 15. VUG has 146 securities and a top 15 weight of 68.66%.
Advertisement
Latest news about CARK & VUG
ETF Comparison: Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) Versus Vanguard Value ETF (VTV)
December 30, 2024
VUG
Will 2024 be the Year of Small Caps and Value Stocks?
July 29, 2024
CARK
VUG
Equity Investing 101: Understanding U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETFs
December 6, 2023
VUG
Top 3 growth ETFs of 2022
November 18, 2022
VUG
Advertisement
Can growth stock ETFs offer tax efficiency?
November 9, 2022
VUG
Can growth stock ETFs offer tax efficiency?
November 9, 2022
VUG
The battle of Value vs. Growth
November 2, 2022
VUG
How to become a growth investor using ETFs
June 28, 2022
VUG
Advertisement
