SLM vs VXX: Correlation
How closely do SLM Corporation (SLM) and iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN (VXX) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of -0.42, which is negative.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are SLM and VXX?
Over the past 3 years, SLM and VXX moved with a correlation of -0.42, which is negative, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. The link has tightened recently: the 1-year correlation (-0.17) runs above the 3-year figure (-0.42). Over 5 years the correlation is -0.46, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is -851.6 %².
Out of 10 assets tracked against SLM, VXX lands near the bottom at #9. Their recent paths diverged sharply: over the last 12 months SLM outperformed by 35.9 percentage points (-13.8% for SLM against -49.7% for VXX). One caveat on sizing: VXX is 1.8 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.
SLM vs VXX: side by side
| SLM (SLM Corporation) | VXX (iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short-Term Futures ETN) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | -13.8% | -49.7% |
| 5-year return | +62.3% | -95.6% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 33.1% | 60.9% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.96 | -3.31 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -45.1% | -83.3% |
| Market cap | $5.0B | – |
| P/E (trailing) | 7.5 | – |
| Dividend yield | 1.94% | 0.00% |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | SLM | VXX |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -13.5% | -23.8% |
| 2023 | +18.7% | -72.5% |
| 2024 | +47.3% | -26.2% |
| 2025 | -0.2% | -42.2% |
| 2026 | +0.2% | -31.6% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are SLM and VXX good diversifiers for each other?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.42, SLM and VXX have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
FAQ
What is the correlation between SLM and VXX?
The SLM/VXX correlation stands at -0.42 on a 3-year window (1 year: -0.17, 5 years: -0.46), computed from weekly returns as of 2026-08-27.
Is VXX a good diversifier for SLM?
Yes. With a correlation of -0.42, SLM and VXX have moved largely independently, which makes them a genuinely diversifying pair by historical standards.
What does a correlation of -0.42 mean?
On the −1 to +1 scale, -0.42 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/slm-vs-vxx.json
Drop this badge in a README or notebook; it updates with the data:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/slm-vs-vxx/)
Free with attribution; caching and terms are described in the API documentation.
Related comparisons
Hubs: SLM correlations · VXX correlations
