CARS vs VXZ: Correlation
Cars.com Inc. (CARS) and iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN (VXZ) show a negative relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is -0.43.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are CARS and VXZ?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of CARS and VXZ correlate at -0.43, negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. Little has changed lately, as the 1-year reading of -0.48 lands near the 3-year figure. Stretching to 5 years gives -0.39, with an annualized covariance of -459.6 %².
VXZ is close to the least connected end of CARS's tracked universe, ranking #14 of 14. The trailing year gives CARS the advantage: -10.6% versus -16.1%, a 5.5-point spread. Note the risk asymmetry: CARS runs 1.6 times the annualized volatility of the other leg, so equal-weighting the two is not an equal-risk position.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
CARS vs VXZ: side by side
| CARS (Cars.com Inc.) | VXZ (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | -10.6% | -16.1% |
| 5-year return | -7.8% | -53.1% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 42.1% | 25.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.42 | -1.31 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -63.4% | -36.4% |
| Market cap | $0.6B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 21.0 | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | – |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | CARS | VXZ |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -14.4% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | +37.8% | -44.0% |
| 2024 | -8.6% | -12.7% |
| 2025 | -29.6% | +5.7% |
| 2026 | -3.5% | -10.5% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are CARS and VXZ good diversifiers for each other?
Yes: at -0.43, the two have gone their own ways historically, which is what genuine diversification looks like.
FAQ
What is the correlation between CARS and VXZ?
The CARS/VXZ correlation stands at -0.43 on a 3-year window (1 year: -0.48, 5 years: -0.39), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is VXZ a good diversifier for CARS?
Yes: at -0.43, the two have gone their own ways historically, which is what genuine diversification looks like.
What does a correlation of -0.43 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, -0.43 describes how much the two returns move together: +1 is lockstep, 0 is independence, negative values mean opposite directions. It says nothing about which performed better.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/cars-vs-vxz.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/cars-vs-vxz/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: CARS correlations · VXZ correlations
