CSQ vs VUG: Correlation
How closely do Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund - Closed End Fund (CSQ) and Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.90, which is very strong.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are CSQ and VUG?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of CSQ and VUG correlate at 0.90, very strong, meaning they move nearly in lockstep. Little has changed lately, as the 1-year reading of 0.91 lands near the 3-year figure. Stretching to 5 years gives 0.90, with an annualized covariance of 327.9 %².
Within CSQ's tracked universe of 51 assets, VUG comes in at #13 by 3-year correlation. On 12-month performance CSQ holds a 5.2-point edge, +21.4% against +16.2%.
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 VUG: side by side
| CSQ (Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund - Closed End Fund) | VUG (Vanguard Growth ETF) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +21.4% | +16.2% |
| 5-year return | +64.2% | +78.4% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 18.8% | 19.4% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.22 | 1.28 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -24.2% | -22.8% |
| Market cap | $3.4B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 3.2 | – |
| Dividend yield | 2.95% | 0.40% |
| Expense ratio | – | 0.03% |
| Assets under management | – | $372.0B |
| Sector / category | US Listed | ETF · US Style |
VUG, Vanguard's Large Growth fund, carries $372.0B under management, 146 holdings, a 0.03% expense ratio, a 0.40% trailing dividend yield.
Year-by-year returns
| Year | CSQ | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -24.2% | -33.2% |
| 2023 | +20.9% | +46.8% |
| 2024 | +28.2% | +32.7% |
| 2025 | +16.3% | +19.4% |
| 2026 | +14.3% | +9.6% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are CSQ and VUG good diversifiers for each other?
No: a correlation of 0.90 means CSQ and VUG tend to fall together, which is precisely when diversification is supposed to help.
FAQ
What is the correlation between CSQ and VUG?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between CSQ and VUG is 0.90 over 3 years, 0.91 over 1 year and 0.90 over 5 years.
Is VUG a good diversifier for CSQ?
No: a correlation of 0.90 means CSQ and VUG tend to fall together, which is precisely when diversification is supposed to help.
What does a correlation of 0.90 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, 0.90 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-vug.json
Markdown for the live badge, attribution link included:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/csq-vs-vug/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: CSQ correlations · VUG correlations
