O vs VNQ: which was the better investment?
Realty Income Corporation against Vanguard Real Estate ETF on real daily total-return data — every dividend reinvested, from Sep 29, 2004 to Jul 15, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
Did O beat VNQ?
Yes — measured from Sep 29, 2004 to Jul 15, 2026 with dividends reinvested, O came out ahead: $90,611 versus $50,308 from a $10,000 start. That gap compounds from a 10.6% annual return against 7.7%.
What would $10,000 in O be worth today?
$10,000 invested in Realty Income Corporation (O) on Sep 29, 2004 would be worth about $90,611 as of Jul 15, 2026, a total return of 806.1% (10.6% per year). The same $10,000 in VNQ would be worth $50,308.
Which was riskier — O or VNQ?
O swung with an annualized volatility of 30.5% and a worst peak-to-trough drop of -48.4%; VNQ ran at 28.4% volatility with a -73.1% maximum drawdown. Risk-adjusted (Sharpe ratio), that is 0.28 for O vs 0.20 for VNQ.
What data is this comparison based on?
Daily adjusted closing prices covering Sep 29, 2004 through Jul 15, 2026 — the full period where both assets have price history. Adjusted prices include dividends and splits, so these are total returns. The page refreshes with new market data every day.
Can I change the dates, amounts, or add monthly investing?
Yes — the interactive tool on this page is pre-loaded with O vs VNQ. You can set any start and end date, change the starting amount, add monthly contributions, or build a multi-asset portfolio and compare it against any benchmark.