CSQ vs VTI: Correlation
How closely do Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund - Closed End Fund (CSQ) and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.94, which is very strong.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are CSQ and VTI?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of CSQ and VTI correlate at 0.94, very strong, meaning they move nearly in lockstep. The relationship has been stable: the 1-year correlation (0.96) sits close to the 3-year figure. Stretching to 5 years gives 0.94, with an annualized covariance of 258.4 %².
Within CSQ's tracked universe of 51 assets, VTI comes in at #4 by 3-year correlation. Twelve-month performance is nearly a tie, at +21.4% for CSQ and +20.7% for VTI.
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.
CSQ vs VTI: side by side
| CSQ (Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund - Closed End Fund) | VTI (Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +21.4% | +20.7% |
| 5-year return | +64.2% | +74.8% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 18.8% | 14.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.22 | 1.01 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -24.2% | -19.3% |
| Market cap | $3.4B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 3.2 | – |
| Dividend yield | 2.95% | 1.06% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.03% |
| Assets under management | – | $2,290.0B |
| Sector / category | US Listed | ETF · US Large Cap |
VTI, Vanguard's Large Blend fund, carries $2,290.0B under management, 3140 holdings, a 0.03% expense ratio, a 1.06% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | CSQ | VTI |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -24.2% | -19.5% |
| 2023 | +20.9% | +26.0% |
| 2024 | +28.2% | +23.8% |
| 2025 | +16.3% | +17.1% |
| 2026 | +14.3% | +14.2% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are CSQ and VTI good diversifiers for each other?
Not really. At 0.94, the two trade almost as one position, and owning both buys little extra protection.
FAQ
What is the correlation between CSQ and VTI?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between CSQ and VTI is 0.94 over 3 years, 0.96 over 1 year and 0.94 over 5 years.
Is VTI a good diversifier for CSQ?
Not really. At 0.94, the two trade almost as one position, and owning both buys little extra protection.
What does a correlation of 0.94 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.94 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/csq-vs-vti.json
Markdown for the live badge, attribution link included:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/csq-vs-vti/)
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Related comparisons
Hubs: CSQ correlations · VTI correlations
