VBK — Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index Fund ETF Shares

VBK Price Performance — Growth of $10,000

Value of a $10,000 investment in VBK over time, compared with SPY. Both lines are rebased to $10,000 on the first shared date. Based on total returns — prices are adjusted for dividends and splits, so this assumes distributions were reinvested. Hover or tap the chart for exact values.

VBK Drawdown

The "underwater" chart: VBK's decline from its highest prior value at each point in time. It shows how deep past losses ran and how long the fund took to recover to break-even.

Overview

The Vanguard Small-Cap Growth Index Fund ETF Shares (VBK) operates within the US Small Cap category, which ETFValuer currently tracks 18 funds. Issued by Vanguard, this fund has accumulated assets under management of $47.0 billion, reflecting significant investor adoption relative to its $341.70 share price. It holds an overall rank of #225 out of 458 tracked ETFs across all categories and has received an ETFValuer grade of C with a score of 61.1 out of 100. The fund maintains a low cost structure with an expense ratio of 0.05% while offering a dividend yield of 0.34%. These metrics position VBK as a large-cap-sized vehicle within a smaller category, suggesting broad institutional and retail interest despite its moderate overall ranking. The substantial asset base contrasts with its mid-tier grade, indicating that size and issuer reputation may be driving adoption alongside performance metrics.

Short-term performance shows recent declines, with the fund down 0.82% over one day and 0.84% over one week. This negative momentum extended into the month, resulting in a 3.48% loss over the last 30 days. However, the trend reversed over longer horizons, as the fund posted gains of 2.56% over three months and 4.60% over six months. Year-to-date returns have accelerated significantly to +11.54%, building on a strong one-year return of +19.86%. The long-term trajectory is even more pronounced, with a three-year return totaling +45.24%. This pattern illustrates a divergence where recent short-term weakness has been overshadowed by sustained growth over the past year and beyond.

The fund carries a Moderate volatility label and exhibits a beta of 1.29, indicating that its price movements tend to be more pronounced than the broader market. A Sharpe ratio of 0.74 suggests the fund has generated reasonable risk-adjusted returns relative to the volatility it has experienced. Despite these positive risk metrics, the fund has faced significant downside pressure, evidenced by a maximum drawdown of -27.54%. This combination of a beta above 1.0 and a deep maximum drawdown implies that while the fund offers growth potential, it also exposes investors to substantial fluctuations during market downturns. The moderate volatility classification aligns with the high beta, confirming that the fund is sensitive to market swings while maintaining a Sharpe ratio that reflects compensation for that risk over time.

AI-generated summary based on the data on this page.

VBK Top Holdings

Holdings as of 2026-03-31 per the fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing. Top 10 holdings make up 9.6% of net assets — a rough gauge of concentration risk (the higher this figure, the more the fund's return depends on a handful of names). To see how VBK's holdings overlap with other ETFs you own or are considering, check the Stock Overlap tool.

Which Funds Overlap With VBK

Holding two funds that own the same companies adds cost and complexity without adding much diversification. These tracked ETFs share the most names with VBK's top 10 — VB overlaps most, holding 5 of the same companies as VBK's top 10 (5.5% of VBK's assets).

Compares the top 10 reported holdings of each fund, so it's a floor on true overlap — two S&P 500 trackers overlap ~100% even when only 10 names are listed. Use the Stock Overlap tool to search by individual company.

Market Backdrop

10-Year Treasury Yield: 4.71% (as of 2026-07-23) — The yield on 10-year US Treasury bonds — the standard "risk-free rate" benchmark used to contextualize this fund’s Sharpe ratio and returns.

CBOE Volatility Index (VIX): 18.70 (as of 2026-07-23) — A real-time gauge of expected S&P 500 volatility over the next 30 days — useful context for this fund’s own volatility label.

Federal Funds Rate: 3.63% (as of 2026-06-01) — The Federal Reserve’s target policy rate, which anchors short-term borrowing costs across the economy.

VBK Liquidity, Domicile & Tax Treatment

Liquidity: Quoted bid/ask spread is 0.90% and average daily volume is 239K/day. Tighter spreads and higher volume mean lower round-trip trading costs; this is a live-market snapshot and can widen during volatile sessions. AUM of $47.0B provides ample scale, supporting tight spreads and issuer commitment to keep the fund open.

Domicile & tax treatment: VBK is a US-domiciled, SEC-registered ('40 Act) exchange-traded fund. Dividends and capital gains distributions are reported to US investors on Form 1099-DIV, and the fund is not subject to the PFIC reporting or UCITS-specific rules that apply to Irish- or Luxembourg-domiciled funds. Non-US investors should note that US-domiciled ETFs are generally subject to 30% US withholding tax on dividends (unless reduced by treaty) and to US estate tax exposure on the position — Irish-domiciled UCITS ETFs tracking the same index often avoid both, which is why non-US residents frequently prefer the UCITS equivalent where one exists. This is general information, not tax advice — consult a tax professional for your situation.

VBK Performance History

How VBK Compares to Other US Small Cap ETFs