VHT — Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ETF Shares

Overview

The Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ETF Shares (VHT) operates within the Healthcare category, one of three funds tracked by ETFValuer in this sector. Issued by Vanguard, the fund has accumulated assets under management of $20.4 billion, reflecting significant investor adoption relative to its peers. It currently holds an overall rank of #26 out of 120 tracked ETFs across all categories and carries an ETFValuer grade of B with a score of 73.2 out of 100. The fund offers a low-cost structure with an expense ratio of 0.09% and provides a dividend yield of 0.92%. Trading at a price of $306.41, the substantial asset base suggests strong liquidity and market presence. These metrics collectively position VHT as a widely held option within the broader fund universe despite its specific sector focus.

Recent price action shows a decline of 1.25% over the last day, followed by a recovery to a 2.47% gain over the one-week period. Momentum accelerated significantly over the longer horizons, with the fund posting an 8.21% return in one month and a 12.70% gain over three months. Year-to-date performance stands at 6.88%, while the six-month return is recorded at 7.04%. The one-year return has reached 25.95%, and the three-year annualized return is 33.52%. This trajectory indicates a pattern where short-term volatility was followed by sustained growth over the annual and multi-year periods. The data shows a clear divergence between the immediate daily dip and the robust long-term appreciation.

VHT is assigned a Moderate volatility label and exhibits a beta of 0.57, indicating that the fund's price movements have historically been less sensitive to broad market fluctuations. A Sharpe ratio of 1.37 suggests the fund has generated a favorable amount of excess return per unit of risk taken over the measured period. Despite the lower beta, the fund experienced a maximum drawdown of -16.91%, representing the largest peak-to-trough decline observed. This combination of a moderate volatility rating and a relatively low beta implies a defensive posture that still allows for significant downside during severe market corrections. The high Sharpe ratio alongside the specific drawdown figure illustrates a profile where returns have generally compensated well for the risks incurred, even during periods of stress.

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

VHT Top Holdings

Holdings as of 2026-02-28 per the fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing.

Market Backdrop

10-Year Treasury Yield: 4.55% (as of 2026-07-07) — 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): 16.13 (as of 2026-07-07) — 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.

VHT Performance History

How VHT Compares to Other Healthcare ETFs