Vanguard is well-known for its low-cost stock-based mutual funds, and its index funds are some of the cheapest of all. Here's a list of Vanguard's current roster of index funds available as "investor shares" and the indexes they track so you can review your options and make the best decisions for your portfolio.
What is an index fund?
An index fund is a mutual fund or ETF that tracks a certain index, either through directly buying the stocks in the index, or through derivative instruments. For example, an S&P 500 index fund would own all 500 stocks in that index, in the same proportions.
Image source: Getty Images.
Index funds are also known as passively managed funds because their managers don't actually choose the stocks -- rather, they buy and sell based on the construction of the index. For this reason, index funds tend to have relatively low expense ratios when compared with actively managed funds, since those managers (theoretically) need to be skilled stock-pickers.
Vanguard's large-cap index funds
|
Fund Name |
Symbol |
Expense Ratio |
Yield |
10-Year Annualized Total Returns |
Underlying Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vanguard 500 Index Fund |
VFINX |
0.16% |
1.98% |
7.30% |
S&P 500 |
|
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund |
VDAIX |
0.19% |
2.01% |
7.55% |
NASDAQ U.S. Dividend Achievers Select |
|
Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund |
VFTSX |
0.25% |
1.76% |
6.30% |
FTSE4Good U.S. Select Index |
|
Vanguard Growth Index Fund |
VIGRX |
0.22% |
1.26% |
8.52% |
CRSP U.S. Large Cap Growth Index |
|
Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund |
VHDYX |
0.16% |
3.02% |
6.81% (since Nov. 16, 2006) |
FTSE High Dividend Yield Index |
|
Vanguard Large-Cap Index Fund |
VLACX |
0.20% |
1.89% |
7.40% |
CRSP U.S. Large Cap Index |
|
Vanguard Value Index Fund |
VIVAX |
0.22% |
2.50% |
6.24% |
CRSP U.S. Large Cap Value Index |
Data source: Vanguard.
Vanguard's mid-cap index funds
|
Fund Name |
Symbol |
Expense Ratio |
Yield |
10-Year Annualized Total Returns |
Underlying Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund |
VEXMX |
0.22% |
1.25% |
7.33% |
S&P Completion Index |
|
Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Index Fund |
VMGIX |
0.20% |
0.65% |
7.85% |
CRSP U.S. Mid Cap Growth Index |
|
Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund |
VIMSX |
0.20% |
1.36% |
7.66% |
CRSP U.S. Mid Cap Index |
|
Vanguard Mid-Cap Value Index Fund |
VMVIX |
0.20% |
1.96% |
7.86% |
CRSP U.S. Mid Cap Value Index |
Data source: Vanguard (Growth and Value fund returns are from August 2006 inception through 6/30/2016).
Vanguard's small-cap index funds
|
Fund Name |
Symbol |
Expense Ratio |
Yield |
10-Year Annualized Total Returns |
Underlying Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index Fund |
VISGX |
0.20% |
0.83% |
7.87% |
CRSP U.S. Small Cap Growth Index |
|
Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund |
NAESX |
0.20% |
1.41% |
7.61% |
CRSP U.S. Small Cap Index |
|
Vanguard Small-Cap Value Index Fund |
VISVX |
0.20% |
1.86% |
7.07% |
CRSP U.S. Small Cap Value Index |
Data source: Vanguard.
Vanguard's total stock market funds
|
Fund Name |
Symbol |
Expense Ratio |
Yield |
10-Year Annualized Total Returns |
Underlying Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund |
VTSMX |
0.16% |
1.84% |
7.86% |
CRSP U.S. Total Market Index |
|
Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund |
VTWSX |
0.25% |
2.10% |
N/A (Inception June 2008) |
FTSE Global All Cap Index |
Data source: Vanguard.
Vanguard's international stock index funds
|
Fund Name |
Symbol |
Expense Ratio |
Distribution Yield (TTM) |
10-Year Annualized Total Returns |
Underlying Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund |
VDVIX |
0.20% |
2.65% |
N/A (inception Dec. 2013) |
FTSE Developed All Cap ex U.S. Index |
|
Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund |
VEIEX |
0.33% |
2.26% |
3.39% |
FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Transition Index |
|
Vanguard European Stock Index Fund |
VEURX |
0.26% |
3.21% |
1.74% |
FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index |
|
Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund |
VFWIX |
0.26% |
2.66% |
N/A (inception March 2007) |
FTSE All-World ex-U.S. Index |
|
Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund |
VFSVX |
0.31% |
2.46% |
N/A (inception April 2009) |
FTSE Global Small-Cap ex-U.S. Index |
|
Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation Index Fund |
VIAIX |
0.35% |
N/A |
N/A (inception Feb. 2016) |
NASDAQ Intl Dividend Achievers Select Index |
|
Vanguard International High Dividend Yield Index Fund |
VIHIX |
0.40% |
N/A |
N/A (inception Feb. 2016) |
FTSE All-World ex-U.S. High Dividend Yield Index |
|
Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund |
VPACX |
0.26% |
2.22% |
1.67% |
FTSE Developed Asia Pacific All Cap Index |
|
Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund |
VGTSX |
0.19% |
2.64% |
1.90% |
FTSE Global All Cap ex-U.S. Index |
Data source: Vanguard.
Vanguard's U.S bond index funds
|
Fund Name |
Symbol |
Expense Ratio |
Yield |
10-Year Annualized Total Returns |
Underlying Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund |
VBIIX |
0.16% |
1.86% |
6.29% |
Barclays U.S. 5-10 Year Government/Credit Float Index |
|
Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund |
VBLTX |
0.16% |
3.14% |
8.38% |
Barclays U.S. Long Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index |
|
Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund |
VBISX |
0.16% |
0.99% |
3.37% |
Barclays U.S. 1-5 Year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index |
|
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index |
VTIPX |
0.17% |
-0.43% |
N/A (inception Oct. 2012) |
Barclays U.S. 0-5 Year TIPS Index |
|
Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund |
VBMFX |
0.16% |
1.79% |
5.01% |
Barclays U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index |
|
Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund |
VTEBX |
0.20% |
1.27% |
N/A (inception Aug. 2015) |
S&P National AMT-Free Municipal Bond Index |
Data source: Vanguard.
Vanguard's international and global bond index funds
|
Fund Name |
Symbol |
Expense Ratio |
Yield |
10-Year Annualized Total Returns |
Underlying Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund |
VGOVX |
0.49% |
3.93% |
N/A (inception May 2013) |
Barclays USD EmergMkt GovRIC Cap Index |
|
Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund |
VTIBX |
0.17% |
0.41% |
N/A (inception May 2013) |
Barclays Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index |
Data source: Vanguard.
Vanguard's balanced index fund (stocks and bonds)
|
Fund Name |
Symbol |
Expense Ratio |
Yield |
10-Year Annualized Total Returns |
Underlying Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vanguard Balanced Index Fund |
VBINX |
0.22% |
1.76% |
6.79% |
60% CRSP U.S. Total Market Index, 40% Barclays U.S. Aggregate Float Adjusted Index |
Data source: Vanguard.
Choosing the best index funds for you
In a nutshell, the best index funds for you are those that fit into your specific investment objectives. For example, if you have a relatively low risk tolerance, a small-cap growth fund might not be the best choice for you. And, if you have nothing but U.S.-based companies in your current portfolio, an international index fund could help you get some much-needed geographical diversification.
The point is that this list can serve as a good starting point, but you still need to do your homework and make sure the funds you choose can help you meet your goals.
