VUG — Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF

VUG Price Performance — Growth of $10,000

Value of a $10,000 investment in VUG 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.

VUG Drawdown

The "underwater" chart: VUG'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 Morningstar Growth ETF (Ticker: VUG) is a US Large Cap Growth fund managed by Vanguard, a well-established and reputable issuer. With an overall rank of #207 out of 458 tracked ETFs, it falls within the middle tier of the market. The fund has an expense ratio of 0.03%, which is quite low, indicating efficient management. It also offers a dividend yield of 1.77%, providing a modest income stream for investors. The fund's assets under management (AUM) stand at $372B, suggesting significant investor adoption and confidence in the fund's performance and management.

Over the past year, the fund has delivered a strong return of 16.38%, which is consistent with its position as a growth ETF. However, the 1-month return of +4.44% and the 1-week return of -2.06% indicate some short-term volatility. The 3-month return of +0.13% suggests a deceleration in growth over the recent quarter. Looking at the longer-term trends, the 3-year return of +89.27% is impressive, showing a consistent upward trajectory. This pattern of short-term fluctuations followed by long-term growth is typical of growth-oriented funds, which often experience more volatility but can offer higher returns over extended periods.

The Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF is labeled as having a moderate level of volatility, which is consistent with its growth-oriented nature. Its beta of 1.26 indicates that the fund is slightly more volatile than the market, suggesting that it may experience larger price swings during market downturns. The Sharpe ratio of 0.64 suggests that the fund provides a reasonable risk-adjusted return, meaning that the additional risk taken is justified by the returns generated. The maximum drawdown of -22.85% highlights the fund's potential for significant losses during market downturns, which is a key risk for investors to consider. Overall, the combination of moderate volatility, a slightly higher beta, and a reasonable Sharpe ratio suggests that the fund is suitable for investors who are willing to accept higher risk in pursuit of potentially higher returns, especially during periods of market growth.

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

VUG Top Holdings

Holdings as of 2026-03-31 per the fund's most recent SEC N-PORT-P filing. Top 10 holdings make up 63.9% 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 VUG's holdings overlap with other ETFs you own or are considering, check the Stock Overlap tool.

Which Funds Overlap With VUG

Holding two funds that own the same companies adds cost and complexity without adding much diversification. These tracked ETFs share the most names with VUG's top 10 — SCHG overlaps most, holding 9 of the same companies as VUG's top 10 (63.9% of VUG'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.

See it in a portfolio

VUG isn't one of the twelve funds in the portfolio game, but QQQ — Tech — sits in the same category and is. It is an equivalent, not a substitute: different holdings, different fee, different returns.

Free, no sign-up, virtual money only.

VUG Liquidity, Domicile & Tax Treatment

Liquidity: Quoted bid/ask spread is 0.27% and average daily volume is 7.5M/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 $372B provides ample scale, supporting tight spreads and issuer commitment to keep the fund open.

Domicile & tax treatment: VUG 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.

VUG Performance History

How VUG Compares to Other US Large Cap Growth ETFs