VHT — Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ETF Shares

VHT Price Performance — Growth of $10,000

Value of a $10,000 investment in VHT 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.

VHT Drawdown

The "underwater" chart: VHT'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

Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ETF Shares is a healthcare-focused ETF issued by Vanguard, one of the largest and most reputable fund providers. This ETF is ranked #42 out of 458 tracked ETFs across all categories, indicating a solid position in the market. With an expense ratio of 0.09%, it is relatively cost-effective, and its dividend yield of 0.88% provides a modest income stream for investors. The fund's price of $327.70 and assets under management (AUM) of $20.9B suggest strong investor adoption and confidence in the fund's performance and stability.

The performance of Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ETF Shares shows a consistent upward trend across various time horizons. Over the past year, the fund has delivered a strong return of 30.92%, while over the past three years, it has achieved an even more impressive 40.25%. This indicates a positive long-term trend. However, in the short term, the fund has shown some volatility, with a 1-day return of +1.24% and a 1-week return of +4.13%, suggesting that while the fund has been resilient, it can experience fluctuations in the short run. The 1-month return of +8.04% and the 3-month return of +18.91% further support the overall positive trend, but the 6-month return of +13.85% shows a slight deceleration compared to the 3-month period.

Vanguard Health Care Index Fund ETF Shares is categorized as having a moderate volatility label, which suggests that the fund's price movements are somewhat predictable but can still be subject to significant fluctuations. With a beta of 0.57, the fund is less volatile than the market, indicating that it may be a good choice for investors seeking exposure to the healthcare sector while managing risk. The Sharpe ratio of 1.68 is quite high, indicating that the fund has provided a good risk-adjusted return. This suggests that the fund has been able to generate returns that are commensurate with the level of risk it takes. The maximum drawdown of -16.91% highlights the fund's worst performance during a downturn, which is a significant figure to consider. Overall, these figures imply that the fund has the potential to provide stable returns in both up and down markets, though it is important for investors to be aware of the potential for short-term volatility.

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

VHT Top Holdings

Holdings as of 2026-05-31 per the fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing. Top 10 holdings make up 51.9% 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 VHT's holdings overlap with other ETFs you own or are considering, check the Stock Overlap tool.

Which Funds Overlap With VHT

Holding two funds that own the same companies adds cost and complexity without adding much diversification. These tracked ETFs share the most names with VHT's top 10 — XLV overlaps most, holding 9 of the same companies as VHT's top 10 (49.5% of VHT'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: 4.69% (as of 2026-08-20) — 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): 16.01 (as of 2026-08-20) — 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 2026-07-01) — The Federal Reserve’s target policy rate, which anchors short-term borrowing costs across the economy.

VHT Liquidity, Domicile & Tax Treatment

Liquidity: Quoted bid/ask spread is 0.37% and average daily volume is 257K/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 $20.9B provides ample scale, supporting tight spreads and issuer commitment to keep the fund open.

Domicile & tax treatment: VHT 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.

VHT Performance History

How VHT Compares to Other Healthcare ETFs