5 Vanguard Mutual Funds to Depend On

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Vanguard funds - 5 Vanguard Mutual Funds to Depend On

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[Editor’s note: This story was previously published in November 2018 It has since been updated and republished.]

Vanguard funds don’t just include ETFs. Prior to ascending to the second spot among U.S. ETF issuer sponsors, Vanguard had long-been one of the largest issuers of low-cost index and mutual funds. Today, devoted advisors and investors are apt to say that one of the primary reasons fund fees continue declining is Vanguard’s low-cost leadership. And that argument is correct.

Vanguard funds include hundreds of offerings spanning domestic and international equities as well as a wide array of fixed income funds. The universe of Vanguard funds includes something for everyone, including conservative, income-seeking investors and more risk-tolerant tactical investors seeking sector-level or international exposure.

Here are some solid ideas among Vanguard funds for investors looking for a break on fees and some investment opportunities that could be durable over the long haul.

Vanguard Wellington Investor Shares (VWELX)

Expense ratio: 0.25% per year, or $25 on a $10,000 investment.

The Vanguard Wellington Investor Shares (MUTF:VWELX) is the oldest Vanguard fund of them all. Founded in 1929, this Vanguard fund is also the oldest balanced fund in the U.S. The investor share class requires a minimum investment of $3,000, but among actively managed mutual funds, this Vanguard has a favorable fee, making it less expensive than 70% of competing strategies, according to issuer data.

This Vanguard fund mixes equity and fixed income exposure with the former usually representing two-thirds of the portfolio and the latter usually representing a third.

“Another key attribute is broad diversification — the fund invests in stocks and bonds across all economic sectors,” according to Vanguard. “This is important because one or two holdings should not have a sizeable impact on the fund. Investors with a long-term time horizon who want growth and are willing to accept stock market volatility may wish to consider this as a core holding in their portfolio.”

VWELX currently holds 933 bonds and about 96 stocks.

Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund (VSCSX)

Expense ratio: 0.07% per year, or $7 on a $10,000 investment.

To grab the benefit of the Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund’s (MUTF:VSCSX) low expense ratio, investors need to plunk down a minimum investment of $3,000.

With interest rates expected to eventually rise further, this Vanguard fund is worth considering. VSCSX holds 2,200 bonds, with an average effective maturity of 2.9 years.

Credit risk is minimal with this Vanguard fund as nearly all of its holdings are rated Aa, A or Baa.

Vanguard International High Dividend Yield Index Admiral Shares Fund (VIHAX)

Expense ratio: 0.32% per year, or $32 on a $10,000 investment.

Among Vanguard funds, the Vanguard International High Dividend Yield Index Admiral Shares Fund (MUTF:VIHAX) is one of the newer options, having debuted in 2016. This Vanguard fund also requires a $3,000 minimum investment.

International funds play important roles in helping investors enhance portfolio diversification and some of these funds, including VIHAX, can bolster a portfolio’s income profile. In many cases, international developed markets stocks outside the U.S. feature higher dividend yields than their domestic counterparts. Risk-averse investors should note that VIHAX devotes just over 21% of its weight to emerging markets stocks, so this may not be suitable for extremely conservative investors looking for mutual funds to buy.

This mutual fund holds 887  stocks with a median market value of $46.4 billion. The dividend yield of 4% on this Vanguard fund is more than double the comparable yield of the S&P 500.

Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares (VIGAX)

Expense ratio: 0.05% per year, or $5 on a $10,000 investment.

The October equity market swoon was caused in large part by erosion in the growth and momentum trade, so it may not be surprising that the Vanguard Growth Index Fund Admiral Shares (MUTF:VIGAX) is not the first Vanguard fund investors are considering right now. On the other hand, a pullback in growth names could spell opportunity for some investors.

As is the case with many traditional growth strategies, this Vanguard fund is heavily allocated to the consumer discretionary and technology sectors. Those sectors combine for nearly half of this Vanguard fund’s weight.

Familiar names are the primary drivers of this Vanguard fund’s performance. The top 10 holdings in VIGAX, which combine for almost 34% of the fund’s weight, include Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), Amazon.com Inc.(NASDAQ:AMZN)and Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ:FB).

Vanguard High-Yield Fund Investor Shares (VWEHX)

Expense ratio: 0.23% per year, or $23 on a $10,000 investment.

The Vanguard High-Yield Fund Investor Shares (MUTF:VWEHX)has a track record dating back to 1978 and although this Vanguard fund has a minimum investment of $3,000, its annual fee is among the lowest in the high-yield corporate bond fund category.

VWEHX has an average duration of 4.1 years, but another issue may confound the high-yield bond market more than interest rate risk: slumping oil prices. During prior, recent oil bear markets, junk bonds tumbled and with oil recently coming off one of its worst skids in over three decades, high-yield bond funds are under pressure.

In other words, investors considering this Vanguard fund may be best served by waiting for oil’s bear market to run its course.

As of this writing, Todd Shriber does not own any of the aforementioned securities.

Todd Shriber has been an InvestorPlace contributor since 2014.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2019/02/5-vanguard-mutual-funds-to-depend-on/.

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