VDE vs IXC

Portfolio characteristics

Net assets are for the ETF share class on different dates (VDE $10.33B; IXC $2.73B), so they are not matched. Figures that were not available are left out rather than estimated.

Top ten sums: VDE 65.8% · IXC 60.8%. 6 shared top-ten stocks. Weights change.

The sector mirror

Same funds, different lenses

Company size

Both hold energy companies. VDE holds 111 stocks and IXC holds 50.

What you actually own

The first rows are market price total returns computed on the same dates for both funds (to Nov 9, 2026), so they compare like for like. The 10-year figure runs from the December 2016 monthly price (about 9.9 years). The issuer NAV rows are dated separately (VDE to Sep 30, 2026, IXC to Sep 30, 2026) and include the since-inception figures. “Since inception” starts in different years (VDE 2004, IXC 2001). Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Growth of a hypothetical $10,000 · Market price total return, both to Nov 9, 2026

Both funds derived from annualized market price total returns on matched dates (compounded). Distributions reinvested; fund expenses are already in the price. Illustration, not a forecast.

Paid per share, last 12 months vs the 12 months before

Payouts are listed by ex-dividend date. Energy funds pay uneven distributions, so the like-for-like comparison is the total paid over the last 12 months against the 12 months before (cards above: VDE $4.081 per share, IXC $1.572 per share). Payouts move with oil and gas profits and not only with price. See yield vs total return.

Rank by rank, the ten largest positions of each fund. Top five: VDE 50.1%, IXC 46.4%. Top ten: VDE 65.8%, IXC 60.8%.

Large funds like these usually trade with small spreads, but check the live spread before you trade. A spread of 0.01% is about $10 between the buy and sell price on $100,000, so check the live quote. Energy shares can swing sharply when oil prices move, so spreads can widen on volatile days. Use limit orders for large trades and avoid the first and last minutes of the session. See creation, redemption and trading for how NAV, premiums and spreads arise.

Expense ratio is taken from fund assets, not billed. It excludes the bid/ask spread, any premium or discount to NAV, brokerage commissions, and taxes.

Exact eligibility rules, caps and rebalance dates sit in each prospectus and index methodology; read them before relying on this summary.

The two funds follow different indexes. The MSCI US IMI/Energy 25/50 Index covers U.S. energy stocks from large companies to small ones and caps the weight of the largest names under its 25/50 rule, so it holds a long tail of small producers and service firms. The S&P Global 1200 Energy Index is a global energy index, so it holds U.S. giants plus Shell, TotalEnergies, BP, Equinor, Enbridge and other foreign companies.

VDE follows the MSCI US IMI/Energy 25/50 Index and IXC follows the S&P Global 1200 Energy Index. Because each index sets its own rules, the funds hold different numbers of stocks (111 against 50) and different mixes of businesses such as integrated majors, producers, refiners, pipelines and oilfield services. Over any window the results can diverge in either direction, and the gap comes mostly from what each index holds and when it rebalances, not from fees.

Start with what separates them: The two funds follow different indexes. The MSCI US IMI/Energy 25/50 Index covers U.S. energy stocks from large companies to small ones and caps the weight of the largest names under its 25/50 rule, so it holds a long tail of small producers and service firms.

The S&P Global 1200 Energy Index is a global energy index, so it holds U.S. giants plus Shell, TotalEnergies, BP, Equinor, Enbridge and other foreign companies. Then check what you already own: the funds overlap by 60.8%, so holding both is a real decision about how much of each market you want.

• Step 1 · Market: VDE holds U.S. energy stocks of every size from the MSCI US IMI Energy 25/50 Index; IXC holds the largest energy companies in the world, including Shell, TotalEnergies and BP, from the S&P Global 1200 Energy Index.
• Step 2 · Cost: VDE 0.09% vs IXC 0.37%.
• Step 3 · Concentration: ten largest positions 65.8% vs 60.8%.
• Step 4 · Overlap: use the Diversification Calculator against what you own.

Size the position against your whole portfolio, including any U.S. stock fund you hold, because broad stock funds already hold Exxon and Chevron.

VDE and IXC are U.S.-listed and trade in U.S. dollars, so buying them from a Canadian account usually involves converting Canadian dollars, which adds a cost on both entry and exit. Because the funds hold U.S. companies, a move in the U.S. dollar also changes your return in Canadian dollars.

U.S. dividends paid to Canadian residents are generally subject to U.S. withholding tax under the tax treaty; the treaty exemption usually applies inside an RRSP, while a TFSA is not exempt. Rules depend on the fund and the account, so confirm them with a tax professional. This is general education, not tax advice.

Both funds invest in energy companies. Most dividends from U.S. energy companies can be qualified dividends, but the share depends on the fund and on how long you hold it. Check each fund’s tax documents for the split. Funds that hold foreign companies such as IXC can pass through foreign tax credits or withholding.

For Canadian account types and withholding tax, see the Canadian section above. Confirm the rules for your account with a tax professional, and read how to build an ETF portfolio.

Investors comparing VDE and IXC often also look at the other energy funds in this group: XLE, VDE, IYE, IXC, FENY and RSPG. See the other energy ETFs comparisons and the ETF research hub.

Is VDE or IXC better?

In the VDE vs IXC question, neither is better for everyone. VDE and IXC differ in what they hold and what they charge. The two funds follow different indexes. The MSCI US IMI/Energy 25/50 Index covers U.S. energy stocks from large companies to small ones and caps the weight of the largest names under its 25/50 rule, so it holds a long tail of small producers and service firms.

The S&P Global 1200 Energy Index is a global energy index, so it holds U.S. giants plus Shell, TotalEnergies, BP, Equinor, Enbridge and other foreign companies. Expense ratios are 0.09% and 0.37%. Market price total returns, annualized (both to Nov 9, 2026): 1 year 40.26% vs 39.40%; 3 years 17.62% vs 18.25%; 5 years 19.54% vs 18.80%; 10 years 8.83% vs 9.39%. Neither is better for everyone; the choice turns on cost, which markets you want, and what you already own.

VDE vs IXC, what are the expense ratios?

VDE charges 0.09% and IXC charges 0.37%, which is $9 and $37 a year per $10,000.

VDE vs IXC, how much do the funds overlap?

About 60.8% of the weight is held by both funds, matched by ticker in full holdings files dated Aug 31, 2026 and Nov 9, 2026. 6 stocks appear in both top-ten lists.

VDE vs IXC, what does each ETF track?

VDE tracks the MSCI US IMI/Energy 25/50 Index. IXC tracks the S&P Global 1200 Energy Index.

VDE vs IXC, what are the top holdings?

VDE (Aug 31, 2026): ExxonMobil 21.924%, Chevron 14.101%, ConocoPhillips 6.022%, Marathon Petroleum 4.083%, Valero Energy 3.994%. IXC (Nov 9, 2026): ExxonMobil 18.26%, Chevron 11.22%, Shell 7.73%, TotalEnergies 4.83%, ConocoPhillips 4.35%.

VDE vs IXC, which has performed better?

Market price total returns, annualized (both to Nov 9, 2026): 1 year 40.26% vs 39.40%; 3 years 17.62% vs 18.25%; 5 years 19.54% vs 18.80%; 10 years 8.83% vs 9.39%. Returns depend on what each fund holds, and past performance does not guarantee future results.

VDE vs IXC, can I own both?

On VDE vs IXC, you can, but they overlap by about 60.8%. 6 top-ten stocks are shared. Holding both repeats more than half of the same exposure, so the second fund mostly adds weight to what you already own.

VDE vs IXC, how often do the funds pay dividends?

VDE pays quarterly and IXC pays semi-annual. Trailing yields are 2.37% trailing and 2.56%; check each issuer page for the schedule.

VDE vs IXC, are they suitable for Canadian investors?

On VDE vs IXC, both are U.S.-listed and trade in U.S. dollars, so Canadians face currency conversion costs and U.S. withholding tax on dividends. Treatment differs across TFSA, RRSP and taxable accounts. This is general education, not tax advice.

VDE vs IXC, how do the funds differ by sector?

VDE (Aug 31, 2026): integrated oil and gas 36.0%, exploration and production 23.5%, midstream 14.6%. IXC (Nov 9, 2026): integrated oil and gas 56.9%, exploration and production 16.6%, midstream 12.2%.

Third-party sources

StockAnalysis VDE · StockAnalysis IXC.

Methodology and limits

• VDE figures come from Vanguard fund pages and IXC figures from iShares fund pages.
• Dates are shown beside each figure; the issuer documents are linked below.
• Holdings overlap is the sum of the smaller weight of each ticker held by both funds, using each issuer’s full holdings file. Holdings dates are Aug 31, 2026 and Nov 9, 2026. Cash, futures and unmatched tickers are excluded and dates differ for some pairs, so treat it as an estimate. VDE’s full holdings come from Vanguard’s annual shareholder report dated Aug 31, 2026, the latest complete list available, so its weights may have drifted since. IXC holds non-U.S. companies such as Shell, TotalEnergies, BP and Equinor that the U.S.-only funds do not hold, which lowers its overlap with them. Shares listed under different tickers on two exchanges are matched to the U.S. ticker where one exists.
• State Street figures come from the XLE holdings file and fact sheet; iShares figures from the IYE and IXC holdings files, fact sheets and summary prospectuses; Fidelity figures from the FENY holdings list, fact sheet and summary prospectus; Invesco figures from the RSPG holdings file, fact sheet and prospectus; Vanguard figures from the VDE fact sheet and summary prospectus; market data (shares, beta, range) from StockAnalysis, dated Nov 9, 2026.
• Sector groups on this page use one business-type scheme applied to every fund: each stock is placed in a group such as integrated oil and gas, exploration and production, refining and marketing, midstream pipelines, equipment and services, or coal, uranium and other, and the weights are added up from the full holdings. This lets the funds be compared on the same labels, but it will not match each issuer’s own sector table exactly.
• Figures that were unavailable are left out, and nothing was filled from memory or from another fund.
• Growth of $10,000 is derived from annualized market price total returns on matched dates; dollar values are approximate.
• Returns are computed from daily adjusted closing prices (distributions reinvested) so both funds share the same dates (the 10-year figure runs from the December 2016 monthly price, about 9.9 years); issuer NAV returns, where captured, are shown beside them with their dates. Standard deviation is computed from 36 monthly total returns, Nov 2023 to Oct 2026, the same way for every fund.

Pathways, not rankings or recommendations.