What if you invested monthly in a Growth ETF (VUG) for 15 years?
This calculates the result of investing a fixed amount monthly into VUG, which holds US large-cap growth stocks, over 15 years using actual price data. It honestly shows growth's higher return potential and large volatility alongside maximum drawdown and time underwater.
Investment conditions
Asset · VUG (US Growth ETF)
Method · Recurring monthly investment
Period · 2011-07-01 ~ 2026-07-01
Amount · $222 / month
As of · 2026-07-01
Key metrics
These results do not reflect taxes. Based on historical data.
Risk & recovery
As important as returns. This service does not hide maximum drawdown or loss periods.
Maximum drawdown (MDD)
-33.5%
Largest drop from peak
Longest loss period
3months
Months in loss: 3
Recovery period
11months
Growth over time
Invested principal (dashed) and portfolio value (solid). Values below match the calculation.
Total invested $40,222 → Final value $162,043 (+302.9%), Maximum drawdown (MDD) -33.5%
Why this period and asset
VUG holds high-growth US large-caps, weighted toward price appreciation rather than dividends. It serves as the contrast piece within this dividend/value batch. For much of this 15-year window (2011-2026), tech and growth led, so growth outran value and the index for long stretches, but during the 2022 rate-hike phase growth was badly shaken and its maximum drawdown ran deeper than value at times.
Interpreting the result
Growth stocks show high return potential in rallies, but they also tend to carry greater volatility and deeper maximum drawdowns. With small dividends, reinvested dividends make up a smaller share of total return than for dividend ETFs. Monthly investing accumulates more shares during sharp declines, but growth selloffs can be deeper than dividend stocks and take longer to recover. Even within these 15 years there were stretches below cost and waits to recover past highs, so look at drawdown and recovery time, not just the high return.
Caveats & limits
Even with small dividends, dividends and capital gains are taxed, and taxes are not reflected in this calculation. Expense ratios, trading fees, and USD/KRW exchange-rate moves also change the outcome. Growth tends to have large drawdowns, which can be psychologically demanding. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and this page does not recommend buying any specific security.
Data sources & limits
- Price data source: Yahoo Finance / FinanceDataReader
- Collected on: 2026-07-23
- Effective trading date: 2026-07-01
- Price basis: Cierre ajustado (refleja dividendos y desdoblamientos de acciones)
- Trading fees and taxes are not reflected — figures are pre-tax.
- Based on historical data; does not guarantee future returns.
Frequently asked questions
Does this result include dividends?
It treats returns on a total-return basis with dividends reinvested. Growth stocks pay little, so dividends make up a small share of total return, and taxes are withheld when actually received.
How are growth stocks taxed?
Taxes are not reflected in this calculation. Dividends may face dividend tax and realized gains capital-gains tax, so after-tax results are lower.
How does it compare with a value ETF (VTV)?
Growth (VUG) led for much of this window, but at times, such as 2022, growth's drawdown ran deeper than value's. Use the compare feature to view the same window side by side, including maximum drawdown.
Related scenarios
📋 Los resultados se basan en datos históricos; las rentabilidades pasadas no garantizan rentabilidades futuras.
📋 Este servicio se ofrece con fines educativos para ayudarte a entender la inversión, no como asesoramiento de inversión.