RLJ vs VXX: Correlation
RLJ Lodging Trust (RLJ) and iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) show a negative relationship: their 3-year correlation of weekly returns is -0.45.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are RLJ and VXX?
Across a 3-year window, the weekly returns of RLJ and VXX correlate at -0.45, negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. Lately the two have moved closer together, with the 1-year correlation at -0.12 versus -0.45 over 3 years. Stretching to 5 years gives -0.42, with an annualized covariance of -735.2 %².
VXX is close to the least connected end of RLJ's tracked universe, ranking #16 of 17. Correlation aside, the last 12 months split them widely, with RLJ ahead by 106.5 points (+56.8% versus -49.7%). Note the risk asymmetry: VXX runs 2.3 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.
RLJ vs VXX: side by side
| RLJ (RLJ Lodging Trust) | VXX (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +56.8% | -49.7% |
| 5-year return | -2.6% | -95.6% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 27.0% | 60.9% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.76 | -3.31 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -44.2% | -83.3% |
| Market cap | $1.7B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 1138.0 | – |
| Dividend yield | 5.24% | 0.00% |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | RLJ | VXX |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -23.1% | -23.8% |
| 2023 | +14.6% | -72.5% |
| 2024 | -8.4% | -26.2% |
| 2025 | -21.0% | -42.2% |
| 2026 | +57.9% | -31.6% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are RLJ and VXX good diversifiers for each other?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.45, RLJ and VXX have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
FAQ
What is the correlation between RLJ and VXX?
As of 2026-08-27, the correlation of weekly returns between RLJ and VXX is -0.45 over 3 years, -0.12 over 1 year and -0.42 over 5 years.
Is VXX a good diversifier for RLJ?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.45, RLJ and VXX have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
What does a correlation of -0.45 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, -0.45 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/rlj-vs-vxx.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/rlj-vs-vxx/)
Free with attribution; caching and terms are described in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: RLJ correlations · VXX correlations
