CTRN vs VXZ: Correlation
How closely do Citi Trends, Inc. (CTRN) and iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN (VXZ) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of -0.27, which is negative.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are CTRN and VXZ?
Over the past 3 years, CTRN and VXZ moved with a correlation of -0.27, which is negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. The past 12 months show a tighter link (-0.12) than the 3-year average (-0.27). Over 5 years the correlation is -0.33, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is -361.4 %².
Out of 13 assets tracked against CTRN, VXZ lands near the bottom at #11. The last year tells two different stories: CTRN led by 102.8 percentage points, +86.7% for CTRN against -16.1% for VXZ. One caveat on sizing: CTRN is 2.1 times as volatile as the other leg, so an equal-dollar split is far from equal-risk.
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.
CTRN vs VXZ: side by side
| CTRN (Citi Trends, Inc.) | VXZ (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Mid-Term Futures ETN) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +86.7% | -16.1% |
| 5-year return | -19.6% | -53.1% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 52.8% | 25.6% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.41 | -1.31 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -57.0% | -36.4% |
| Market cap | $0.6B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 79.8 | – |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | – |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | CTRN | VXZ |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -72.1% | +0.5% |
| 2023 | +6.8% | -44.0% |
| 2024 | -7.2% | -12.7% |
| 2025 | +58.3% | +5.7% |
| 2026 | +65.2% | -10.5% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are CTRN and VXZ good diversifiers for each other?
Yes: at -0.27, the two have gone their own ways historically, which is what genuine diversification looks like.
FAQ
What is the correlation between CTRN and VXZ?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between CTRN and VXZ is -0.27 over 3 years, -0.12 over 1 year and -0.33 over 5 years.
Is VXZ a good diversifier for CTRN?
Yes: at -0.27, the two have gone their own ways historically, which is what genuine diversification looks like.
What does a correlation of -0.27 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, -0.27 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/ctrn-vs-vxz.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/ctrn-vs-vxz/)
The core API is free. Terms and every endpoint in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: CTRN correlations · VXZ correlations
