CARKvsVUGETF Comparison
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CastleArk Large Growth ETF (CARK) and Vanguard Morningstar 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 Finance. CARK is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.54%, versus 0.03% for VUG. CARK is up 7.22% year-to-date (YTD) with +$4M in YTD flows. VUG performs better with 9.12% YTD performance, and +$7.61B 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.
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CARK vs VUG performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 10/27/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | CARK VUG | -2.54%-1.76% | +3.12%+6.18% | +7.22%+9.12% | +4.39%+6.95% | n/a+105.18% | n/a+76.20% |
| Flows | CARK VUG | -$35K+$1.16B | +$12M+$1.34B | +$4M+$7.61B | -$14M+$11.86B | -+$41.04B | -+$53.39B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | CARK VUG | +17.63%+16.64% | +18.62%+18.00% | n/a+19.77% | n/a+22.80% |
| Max drawdown | CARK VUG | -7.43%-6.32% | -16.56%-16.50% | n/a-23.03% | n/a-35.61% |
| Max drawdown duration | CARK VUG | 21d21d | 184d183d | n/a126d | n/a756d |
Trading data
CARK | VUG | |
Last sale 10/28/2026 at 1:30 PM | $47.53 | $88.81 |
| Previous close 10/27/2026 | $47.22 | $88.45 |
| Consolidated volume 10/27/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of September 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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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 | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 10/28/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
CARK | VUG | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $47.53 | $88.81 |
| 1D performance | +0.65% | +0.41% |
| AuM | $335.65 M | $229.60 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 | 29 | 144 |
| Asset class | - | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | December 6, 2023 | January 26, 2004 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
CARK
USA
98.74%
Other
1.26%
VUG
USA
99.11%
Other
0.89%
Sectors
CARK
Technology
64.84%
Finance
9.72%
Healthcare
8.59%
Other
16.84%
VUG
Technology
70.35%
Other
29.65%
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Diversification
CARK
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
78.17%
VUG
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
70.67%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of August 31, 2026
CARK
NVIDIA Corp.
14.01%
Alphabet, Inc.
9.54%
Apple, Inc.
6.35%
Eli Lilly & Co.
5.35%
Arista Networks, Inc.
5.13%
Lam Research Corp.
4.91%
Microsoft Corp.
4.82%
Visa, Inc.
4.78%
Broadcom Inc.
4.66%
Snowflake, Inc.
3.44%
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
3.25%
Gilead Sciences, Inc.
3.24%
Meta Platforms, Inc.
3.20%
Mastercard, Inc.
2.77%
Amazon.com, Inc.
2.72%
VUG
NVIDIA Corp.
13.61%
Apple, Inc.
12.48%
Microsoft Corp.
10.11%
Alphabet, Inc.
5.34%
Amazon.com, Inc.
4.76%
Alphabet, Inc.
4.20%
Broadcom Inc.
4.10%
Meta Platforms, Inc.
3.38%
Tesla, Inc.
2.79%
Eli Lilly & Co.
2.64%
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
2.07%
Visa, Inc.
1.66%
Mastercard, Inc.
1.27%
Costco Wholesale Corp.
1.14%
Palantir Technologies, Inc.
1.11%
Frequently asked questions about CARK and VUG
How have the CARK and VUG ETFs performed in 2026?
As of October 27, 2026, CARK is up 7.22% year-to-date (YTD), while VUG has returned 9.12%. That puts VUG better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: CARK or VUG?
Year-to-date, the CARK ETF saw +$4M in flows, compared to +$7.61B for VUG.
Which ETF is more volatile: CARK or VUG?
Over the past year, CARK had a volatility of 18.62%, while VUG experienced 18%.
Which ETF is bigger: CARK or VUG?
As of October 27, 2026, CARK holds $335.65 M in assets under management (AUM), while VUG manages $229.60 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 29 securities with 78.17% of its assets in the top 15. VUG has 146 securities and a top 15 weight of 70.67%.
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