VSMAX vs XLB: 2% overlap
Vanguard Small-Cap Index Admiral and Materials Select Sector SPDR Fund share 2.1% of their portfolios by weight — computed as Σ min(wA, wB) over every holding both funds own.
You would hold two tickers and get the diversification of 2.0. Two funds that shared nothing would score 2.0; two identical funds score 1.0.
Top shared holdings
VSMAX and XLB hold 13 of the same securities. The ten contributing most to the overlap figure:
| Holding | in VSMAX | in XLB | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| SW | 0.3% | 3.1% | 2.8% |
| DD | 0.2% | 2.5% | 2.3% |
| CF | 0.2% | 2.6% | 2.4% |
| BALL | 0.2% | 2.2% | 2.0% |
| ALB | 0.2% | 1.9% | 1.7% |
| STLD | 0.2% | 4.0% | 3.8% |
| AVY | 0.1% | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| IP | 0.1% | 2.7% | 2.6% |
| DOW | 0.1% | 3.0% | 2.9% |
| IFF | 0.1% | 2.5% | 2.4% |
Where VSMAX and XLB differ
Sector weights as a share of each fund, ordered by the size of the gap rather than the size of the sector — two funds that overlap heavily still usually diverge somewhere.
| Sector | VSMAX | XLB | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | 5.3% | 99.8% | −94.5pp |
| Industrials | 21.0% | 0.0% | +21.0pp |
| Information Technology | 16.1% | 0.0% | +16.1pp |
| Financials | 12.7% | 0.0% | +12.7pp |
| Health Care | 11.9% | 0.0% | +11.9pp |
| Consumer Discretionary | 9.9% | 0.0% | +9.9pp |
| Real Estate | 7.1% | 0.0% | +7.1pp |
| Energy | 3.7% | 0.0% | +3.7pp |
Δ is VSMAX minus XLB, in percentage points. Sector data is not published by every issuer, so “Unclassified” is a real category rather than a gap in the table.
What each fund holds alone
96.3% of VSMAX by weight, held in no part of XLB.
70.5% of XLB by weight, held in no part of VSMAX.
A large count with a small weight is the usual shape: the positions one fund adds are typically its smallest ones.
Concentration and cost
| VSMAX | XLB | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10 holdings | 5.6% | 57.4% |
| Positions held | 1,308 | 28 |
| Cost per $10,000 held, per year | $5 | $8 |
Cost is the expense ratio applied to $10,000; it excludes any brokerage commission, bid-ask spread or tax consequence. Figures are facts about the funds, not a suggestion about which to hold.
Frequently asked
How much do VSMAX and XLB overlap?
VSMAX and XLB overlap 2.1% by portfolio weight — largely distinct portfolios. They share 13 holdings. The figure comes from current issuer holdings files (VSMAX as of 2026-06-30, XLB as of 2026-07-23).
How is the overlap between VSMAX and XLB calculated?
As the sum of the smaller weight in each fund, over every holding both funds own: Σ min(wA, wB). If VSMAX holds a stock at 6% and XLB holds the same stock at 4%, 4% counts as shared. The result is bounded between 0% and 100%, and it is computed after looking through any fund-of-funds to the underlying holdings.
Is it redundant to hold both VSMAX and XLB?
That depends on your goals — we state facts, not advice. At 2.1% overlap, each fund still contributes meaningfully distinct exposure.
What does VSMAX own that XLB doesn't?
VSMAX holds 1,308 positions and XLB holds 28; 1,295 of VSMAX's positions don't appear in XLB at all, and they are 96.3% of VSMAX by weight.
You probably hold more than two funds
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Related comparisons
Sources: issuer holdings files, VSMAX as of 2026-06-30, XLB as of 2026-07-23. Weights are fractions of each fund. Diagnostics, not advice.