Fund Overview
The Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund ETF Shares, identified by the ticker VDC, operates within the Consumer Defensive category and is managed by the Vanguard fund family. This specific investment vehicle holds a total assets under management figure of $9.87B, a scale that indicates significant popularity among institutional and individual investors seeking exposure to non-cyclical goods. Although the specific number of holdings is not publicly listed in the available data, the fund's structure inherently provides diversification across the consumer staples sector. The fund charges an expense ratio of 0.1%, which positions it as a low-cost option when compared conceptually to higher-cost actively managed funds or other passive alternatives with larger fee structures. This minimal cost burden is designed to preserve capital and allow a larger portion of the fund's assets to remain invested in the underlying basket of consumer staple stocks.
Performance Analysis
The fund currently distributes an annual yield of 1.9%, a metric that provides a steady stream of income for investors seeking regular cash flow alongside capital appreciation. In the context of the current year-to-date period, the fund has delivered a YTD return of 15.7%, reflecting the performance of its underlying holdings during the specific timeframe leading up to the present moment. Looking at longer-term consistency, the 3-year average return stands at 8.1% while the 5-year average return is recorded at 7.1%, indicating that the fund has maintained a positive track record over multiple market cycles. The comparison between the short-term YTD return of 15.7% and the long-term averages reveals a significant variance, suggesting that recent market conditions or sector rotation have driven returns well above the historical mean established in the prior five years. Furthermore, the expense ratio of 0.1% plays a critical role in maximizing net returns over time, as the low fee structure ensures that the majority of gross gains generated by the portfolio are retained by the shareholder rather than being eroded by management fees.
Price & Risk Profile
The trading price of the ETF has fluctuated between a 52-week low of $202.96 and a 52-week high of $244.33, establishing a range that indicates the level of price volatility experienced over the past year. Based on the provided 52-week metrics, the current price sits within this established range, though the exact current price is not explicitly stated in the source data, the proximity to the highs and lows helps contextualize recent market sentiment. The available facts do not list a specific beta value for the fund, so a precise numerical comparison to the broader market volatility cannot be calculated from the provided dataset. Despite the absence of a beta figure, the classification as a Consumer Defensive fund generally implies a risk profile that is often less volatile than the broader market, as these stocks are essential to daily life and tend to perform consistently regardless of economic downturns. The combination of the wide 52-week price range and the defensive nature of the sector suggests that while short-term price swings can occur, the underlying assets are selected for their resilience during various economic conditions.