VUG concentrates on U.S. large-cap growth stocks, posting a 14.7% one-year return but also a -15.3% max drawdown — more volatile than most large-cap ETFs in this batch. It shows the classic growth-factor pattern: outperforming the market on the way up, but falling harder on the way down.

With heavier tech exposure than VOO, it's effectively "VOO with a growth tilt." It suits investors willing to accept extra volatility for greater growth exposure, and is often paired with VTV (value) to balance the two factor tilts.