ETF Profiles on DividendCalc.org

Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What XLP actually is

XLP follows the consumer staples companies in the S&P 500, one of the Select Sector SPDR funds.

What is inside

Large, well-known companies such as Procter & Gamble, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Walmart and Costco, plus tobacco and household products firms.

Distributions

XLP pays quarterly and the yield is moderate. Many holdings are long-time dividend raisers, which is why this fund is popular for stable income.

What to keep in mind

Slow growth. Mature businesses grow modestly.
Inflation and costs. They pressure margins.
Valuation. Defensive stocks can be expensive.

Quick take

XLP is a steady, defensive sector fund with a reliable dividend, but modest growth.

Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What XLE actually is

XLE follows the energy companies in the S&P 500, one of the Select Sector SPDR funds.

What is inside

Mostly large oil and gas producers and integrated companies such as Exxon Mobil and Chevron, plus refiners, pipeline firms and oilfield services.

Distributions

XLE pays quarterly. Energy companies have often paid above-average dividends, but the payouts depend on oil and gas prices and can fall when prices drop.

Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What XLF actually is

XLF follows the financial companies in the S&P 500, one of the Select Sector SPDR funds.

What is inside

Large banks, insurers, payment networks and asset managers, among them Berkshire Hathaway, JPMorgan, Visa and Mastercard. Banks often make up the biggest slice.

Distributions

XLF pays quarterly. The yield is usually moderate, since banks pay dividends but need to keep capital. Bank dividends can be cut in a crisis, as happened in 2008.

Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What XLV actually is

XLV follows the health care companies in the S&P 500, one of the Select Sector SPDR funds.

What is inside

Large drugmakers such as Eli Lilly, Johnson & Johnson, AbbVie and Merck, insurers such as UnitedHealth, and medical-device and biotech companies.

Distributions

XLV pays a quarterly dividend. The yield is moderate and the payers are usually stable, though a few big names matter a lot.

What to keep in mind

Policy risk. Drug pricing and insurance rules.
Patent expiries. Drugmakers face cheaper copies.
Concentration. A few companies lead.

Quick take

XLV is a defensive sector fund with moderate income, for people who want health care exposure in one purchase.

Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (QQQM)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What QQQM actually is

QQQM tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index, the same index as the famous QQQ, but is positioned for buy-and-hold investors rather than active traders.

What is inside

The 100 largest non-financial companies on the Nasdaq, with heavy weights in technology and communication services such as Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon and Alphabet.

Distributions

QQQM pays a small quarterly dividend. These companies mostly prefer reinvesting and buybacks, so income is low.

Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What QQQ actually is

QQQ is an ETF sponsored by Invesco that follows the Nasdaq-100 index. It holds the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange, in the same proportions as the index. It is the most heavily traded fund of its kind.

It launched in March 1999. Its ticker was changed to QQQQ in 2004 and reverted to QQQ in 2011.

What is inside

The Nasdaq-100 has no banks or insurers, and a large part of it consists of technology, communication and consumer companies. Names like Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta carry heavy weights. That is why QQQ has outperformed the broader market in strong technology phases, and why it has fallen harder when tech has struggled.

Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (SPHD)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What SPHD actually is

SPHD follows an index of the 50 stocks in the S&P 500 with the highest dividend yields and the lowest volatility over the past year.

What is inside

A concentrated portfolio, often heavy in real estate, utilities, consumer staples and energy. The index is rebalanced regularly, so the holdings can change a lot.

Distributions

SPHD pays monthly. The yield has typically been well above the market, but because it picks the highest yields, some holdings can have high payouts for risky reasons.

iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (TLT)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What TLT actually is

TLT holds US Treasury bonds with maturities of 20 years or more. They are backed by the US government, so the risk of default is very low, but because they are so long-dated they react strongly to changes in interest rates.

What is inside

Only long-term US Treasuries. When interest rates fall, long bond prices rise a lot, and when rates rise, they fall a lot. That makes TLT a tool for betting on interest rates or hedging a stock portfolio, as much as an income fund.

iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What DGRO actually is

DGRO is an iShares ETF that tracks the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. The index picks US companies selected for a consistent history of growing dividends, and it can include large, mid and small companies. It is weighted by the dividend dollars each company pays, not by size.

It launched in 2014 and is part of the iShares Core family of building-block funds.

What is inside

Weighting by dividends paid means the fund leans toward companies that pay out the most cash, which can differ from the biggest companies by market value. Holdings span many sectors, with a mix of large and mid-sized dividend growers.

iShares Core High Dividend ETF (HDV)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What HDV actually is

HDV is an iShares ETF built around an index of income-paying securities screened for superior company quality and financial health, as determined by Morningstar’s methodology. It invests at least 80% of its assets in the index components.

It launched in 2011. The fund is classed as non-diversified, meaning it can hold large positions in a small number of companies.

What is inside

The portfolio is relatively concentrated in large, established companies, and it tends to hold a lot in a few sectors such as energy, healthcare and consumer staples. Large positions in a handful of names make it behave differently from a broad fund.

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What IEFA actually is

IEFA is an iShares ETF from BlackRock that follows the MSCI EAFE Investable Market Index. EAFE stands for Europe, Australasia and the Far East, the developed markets outside the United States and Canada. The “investable market” part means it includes small and mid-sized companies as well as the large ones.

It is part of the iShares Core range, the family of funds designed as portfolio building blocks. iShares was originally launched by Barclays in 2000 and bought by BlackRock in 2009.

iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What IEMG actually is

IEMG tracks the MSCI Emerging Markets Investable Market Index. Compared with EEM, it also includes small companies, so it holds many more stocks and gives a fuller picture of emerging markets.

What is inside

Thousands of companies in China, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Brazil and other developing markets. The largest holdings overlap heavily with EEM, so the two funds often behave similarly.

Distributions

IEMG pays dividends, typically twice a year, and amounts change with the companies and currencies involved. It is not an income fund, and yield is usually moderate.

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What IVV actually is

IVV is BlackRock’s iShares fund that follows the S&P 500, the index of roughly 500 of the largest companies in the United States. It is part of the “iShares Core” range, the group of funds meant to be the building blocks of a long-term portfolio.

iShares began as a family of ETFs created by Barclays, which started a major push into the market in 2000. BlackRock bought the business in 2009, and iShares is now the largest ETF provider in the US and in the world.

iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF (IJH)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What IJH actually is

IJH follows the S&P MidCap 400, an index of mid-sized US companies. These are firms that have outgrown the small-company stage but are not yet among the 500 largest.

What is inside

A mix of industrials, financials, technology, health care and consumer companies. The index includes profitable companies only, which keeps out many weaker names. Many mid-caps are future large-cap members, and some of today’s large companies were once in this index.

iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What IJR actually is

IJR tracks the S&P SmallCap 600, an index of smaller US companies. Unlike some other small-cap indexes, it requires companies to be profitable to be included, which filters out some of the weakest names.

What is inside

Companies in industrials, financials, consumer, health care and technology, with a market value far smaller than the large caps in an S&P 500 fund. Many are regional or specialized businesses.

iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What ITOT actually is

ITOT is a total-market ETF. Instead of just the 500 largest companies, it holds thousands of US stocks of all sizes, weighted by company value. It is a one-fund way to own the US economy.

What is inside

The largest companies make up most of the fund, so it behaves much like the S&P 500. Mid-size and small companies add a small but real extra layer of diversification.

iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What AGG actually is

AGG is an iShares ETF that tracks an index measuring the total US investment-grade bond market. It invests at least 80% of its assets in the index components and related securities, and at least 90% in fixed-income securities of the types included in the index.

It launched in 2003 and is one of the largest bond ETFs in the world.

What is inside

Thousands of bonds: US Treasuries and other government debt, corporate bonds from creditworthy companies and mortgage-backed securities. It spreads the risk of any single bond defaulting across the whole market.

iShares Gold Trust (IAU)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What IAU actually is

IAU is a trust from iShares that aims to reflect the price of gold, before the trust’s expenses and liabilities. It is not actively managed and does not try to profit from gold’s ups and downs. It is intended as a simple, cost-effective alternative to owning gold directly, which involves assaying, transport, storage and insurance.

It launched in 2005 and competes directly with GLD.

How it works

Instead of holding stocks, the trust holds physical gold. Each share represents a fraction of an ounce of gold (a fraction that shrinks slightly over time as the trust pays its expenses), so the share price follows the gold price, less those expenses.

iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What HYG actually is

HYG holds high-yield corporate bonds, sometimes called “junk bonds”. These are issued by companies whose credit rating is below investment grade, so they must pay more interest to attract buyers.

What is inside

Hundreds of bonds from companies across many industries, with a mix of maturities. They tend to behave more like stocks than like government bonds in a downturn, because the risk of default rises.

iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF (LQD)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What LQD actually is

LQD is one of the largest corporate bond ETFs. It holds bonds issued by large US companies with investment-grade credit ratings, which means rating agencies see them as relatively safe borrowers.

What is inside

Bonds from banks, technology, consumer and industrial companies, with a mix of maturities that is longer than short-term funds. That makes its price more sensitive to interest-rate changes.

Distributions

LQD pays interest monthly. The amount changes as bonds are bought, sold or mature, and a portion is taxable as ordinary income. A bond fund yield is not guaranteed, and it is not like a company dividend that grows over time.

iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What EFA actually is

EFA tracks the MSCI EAFE Index: developed-market stocks in Europe, Australasia and the Far East. It excludes the US and Canada, so it is a way to diversify a portfolio that is mostly US.

What is inside

Large companies such as major banks, drugmakers, consumer brands and industrials from countries like Japan, the UK, France, Switzerland, Germany and Australia. Its sector mix is more tilted to financials and industrials than the US market.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What EEM actually is

EEM follows the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, which covers large and mid-sized companies from developing economies. These countries often grow faster than developed ones, but with more volatility.

What is inside

Large weights in technology, financials and consumer companies in places such as China, India, Taiwan, South Korea and Brazil. Semiconductor makers and big internet firms are among the biggest holdings.

Distributions

EEM pays dividends, usually twice a year, and the amount depends on foreign companies and exchange rates. The yield is moderate and can change a lot from year to year.

iShares National Muni Bond ETF (MUB)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What MUB actually is

MUB holds municipal bonds, which are loans to US states, cities, school districts and public agencies. The interest on most of them is exempt from federal income tax, which is the main reason people buy them.

What is inside

Thousands of bonds issued for schools, roads, hospitals and utilities, mostly investment grade. Yields look lower than on corporate bonds, but the tax benefit can make them competitive for investors in higher tax brackets.

iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What IWF actually is

IWF follows the Russell 1000 Growth Index, the growth half of the 1,000 largest US companies. Growth stocks are those with higher expected earnings growth and richer valuations.

What is inside

A handful of mega-cap technology and consumer companies make up a big part of the fund, along with health care and other growth businesses. It is much more concentrated at the top than a total-market fund.

iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What IWD actually is

IWD follows the Russell 1000 Value Index, which selects the more inexpensive half of the largest 1,000 US companies, based on measures like price-to-book ratio and growth forecasts.

What is inside

Large banks, health care and insurance companies, industrials and energy firms, with less technology than a growth fund. Many of these companies are mature and pay regular dividends.

Distributions

It pays quarterly. The yield is usually higher than the overall market’s, but not as high as a dedicated income fund. Payments move with the dividends of its holdings.

iShares Russell 2000 ETF (IWM)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What IWM actually is

IWM is the iShares ETF that follows the Russell 2000 Index, a float-adjusted, capitalisation-weighted index of the smaller companies in the broader Russell 3000. It may use derivatives to gain or reduce exposure to the index.

It launched in 2000 and is one of the most traded small-cap ETFs.

What is inside

Roughly two thousand smaller US companies, many of which are less well known than the big names in large-cap funds. They include regional banks, small industrial and health-care companies and emerging technology businesses.

iShares Select Dividend ETF (DVY)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What DVY actually is

DVY follows the Dow Jones U.S. Select Dividend Index. The index picks US companies with a history of paying and growing dividends, a reasonable payout ratio, and enough trading volume, and then weights them mainly by their dividend.

What is inside

Utilities, financials, consumer staples and industrials feature heavily, since those sectors pay most of the dividends. It holds fewer technology stocks than the market. Weighting by dividend means higher-yielding companies get larger weights.

iShares Silver Trust (SLV)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What SLV actually is

SLV is a trust that holds physical silver in vaults and issues shares that track its price. Owning a share is a way to hold silver without storing bars yourself.

What is inside

Only silver. Silver is used both as an investment and as an industrial metal in electronics, solar panels and other products, so its price reacts to both the economy and investor demand.

Income

SLV does not pay a dividend or interest. Its return comes only from the change in the price of silver, less the fund’s fees. It is therefore not suited to income investors.

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPI)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What JEPI actually is

JEPI is an actively managed ETF from JPMorgan. It builds a portfolio of equity securities and, through equity-linked notes (ELNs), sells call options with exposure to the S&P 500. The goal is to provide total return through price growth and income, with lower volatility than the broad US large-cap market and additional income.

It launched in 2020.

How the income works

Selling call options produces option premiums, which are paid out as income on top of ordinary dividends. In return, you give up part of the gains when the market rises sharply, because the options limit the upside.

JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What JEPQ actually is

JEPQ is JPMorgan’s actively managed ETF that follows the same idea as JEPI but on the technology-heavy Nasdaq-100. It builds a portfolio of equity securities comprised significantly of those in the Nasdaq-100 Index, and through equity-linked notes sells call options with exposure to that benchmark. It is classed as non-diversified.

It launched in 2022 and trades on the Nasdaq.

How the income works

As with JEPI, the option premiums produce extra income, paid out on top of dividends, while the upside in strong rallies is capped. Because the Nasdaq-100 is more volatile than the S&P 500, option premiums are typically larger, which is why payouts tend to be higher than for JEPI.

ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What NOBL actually is

NOBL is the ETF that follows the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats: companies in the S&P 500 that have consistently increased their dividends each year for at least 25 years. It invests at least 80% of its assets in the index components or in instruments with similar economic characteristics.

It launched in 2013 and is one of the simplest ways to own the whole group of Aristocrats in one fund. Learn more about them on our Dividend Aristocrats page.

Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (SCHB)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What SCHB actually is

SCHB tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Broad Stock Market Index, which covers nearly all publicly traded US companies.

What is inside

Thousands of stocks weighted by size, with large companies making up most of the fund. It is similar in makeup and behavior to VTI and ITOT.

Distributions

SCHB pays quarterly dividends equal to what its holdings pay, with a yield close to the market’s. It is a core holding, so income is modest.

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What SCHD actually is

SCHD is Schwab’s dividend ETF. It tries to follow an index of high dividend-yielding US companies that have a record of paying dividends consistently, chosen for fundamental strength relative to their peers using financial ratios. It invests at least 90% of its assets in the stocks of that index.

It launched in 2011 and is one of the best-known ETFs built for dividend investors.

What is inside

The index does not simply pick the highest yields. A company has to pass quality tests too, so the fund avoids many of the stocks with big payouts but weak finances. That tilts it toward established companies in sectors such as consumer staples, healthcare, financials and energy, and away from technology growth names that pay little.

Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF (SCHG)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What SCHG actually is

SCHG follows an index of large US growth companies from the Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market family.

What is inside

Mega-cap technology and consumer companies lead the fund, along with health care and communication businesses. A handful of names make up a big share.

Distributions

SCHG pays a small quarterly dividend. Growth companies tend to reinvest, so the fund suits investors who want growth rather than income.

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What DIA actually is

DIA follows the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the old index of 30 large US companies such as Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Home Depot and Coca-Cola. It was one of the first ETFs and is popular for its monthly payments.

What is inside

The Dow is price-weighted: companies with higher share prices have more influence, no matter their size. That is different from the S&P 500, which weights by company value, and it makes the Dow’s makeup a bit unusual.

SPDR Gold Shares (GLD)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What GLD actually is

GLD, or SPDR Gold Shares, is an ETF that holds physical gold bullion. It is managed and marketed by State Street Global Advisors, and it gives you exposure to the gold price without having to buy, store or insure bars yourself.

The fund launched in November 2004, originally under the name streetTRACKS Gold Shares. For a few years it was the second-largest ETF in the world, and it was briefly the largest.

SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What SDY actually is

SDY follows the S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index. To qualify, a company must have raised its dividend every year for at least 20 years.

What is inside

Established companies across consumer staples, industrials, utilities, financials and health care. The index weights by yield, with limits so no single name dominates.

Distributions

SDY pays quarterly. The yield is usually moderate. Because it only holds companies with a long record of increases, its income has tended to grow over time.

State Street SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (SPYD)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What SPYD actually is

SPYD is a State Street SPDR fund built around an index of 80 high dividend-yielding companies within the S&P 500. It invests substantially all, and at least 80%, of its assets in the securities of the index. Unlike VYM, it can include REITs, because they are part of the S&P 500.

It launched in 2015.

What is inside

Choosing the 80 highest yielders means the fund holds a lot of real estate, utilities, financials and energy, and little technology. Some of these companies yield a lot because their share prices have fallen, so the list changes over time.

State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What SPY actually is

SPY is the oldest exchange-traded fund in the United States. It launched in January 1993 and holds the stocks of the S&P 500, the index of roughly 500 of the largest US companies. Owning one share gives you a small slice of all of them, from Apple and Microsoft to Johnson & Johnson and ExxonMobil.

Its name comes from “Standard & Poor’s Depositary Receipts”, which is why it is still nicknamed “the spider”. The fund was long called the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust and was renamed the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust in January 2026. The ticker stayed the same.

Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What XLK actually is

XLK follows the technology companies in the S&P 500. It is one of the Select Sector SPDR funds, which split the S&P 500 into 11 sectors.

What is inside

A few mega-cap companies, such as Apple, Microsoft and Nvidia, make up a large part of the fund, together with software, semiconductor and hardware firms. It is much more concentrated than the whole market.

Distributions

XLK pays a small quarterly dividend. Technology companies generally reinvest in growth or buy back shares, so income is low and the fund is meant mainly for growth.

Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What XLU actually is

XLU follows the utility companies in the S&P 500, one of the Select Sector SPDR funds.

What is inside

Regulated and unregulated power companies such as NextEra Energy, Southern Company, Duke Energy and others. They are capital-intensive businesses with regulated returns.

Distributions

XLU pays quarterly. Utilities distribute a large share of profit, so the yield is usually above the market. Growth in the dividend is slow and steady.

Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VIG actually is

VIG is Vanguard’s dividend growth ETF. It tracks an index of US companies that have a record of increasing their dividends over time. The fund attempts to hold all, or substantially all, of the stocks in the index, in about the same proportions.

It launched in 2006.

What is inside

The aim is companies that grow their payouts, not companies that pay the most today. These tend to be large, profitable businesses in technology, healthcare, financials and consumer sectors. Because many of these companies keep a lot of profit for growth, their current yields are modest.

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VEA actually is

VEA is Vanguard’s ETF for developed markets outside the United States. It follows the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index, which holds nearly 4,000 large, mid and small companies in Canada and the major markets of Europe and the Pacific region. Think of companies like Nestlé, ASML, Toyota or Shell.

It launched in 2007 and is one of the most popular ways to add international stocks to a portfolio.

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VWO actually is

VWO is Vanguard’s ETF for emerging-market stocks. It tracks the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index, which measures the investment return of stocks issued by companies located in emerging markets. The fund invests by sampling the index, holding a broadly diversified collection of securities that approximates its key characteristics.

It launched in 2005.

What is inside

A broad set of companies in countries such as China, India, Taiwan, Brazil and South Africa, across technology, financials, consumer and industrial sectors. China is usually the largest single country weight.

Vanguard Growth ETF (VUG)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VUG actually is

VUG is Vanguard’s ETF for large US growth stocks. It follows an index that picks out companies expected to grow their earnings and sales faster than average, and it weights them by size. Its biggest holdings are the large technology and consumer companies, many of which also sit at the top of the S&P 500.

It launched in 2004 and is a popular way to tilt a portfolio toward growth.

Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VYM actually is

VYM is Vanguard’s ETF for US stocks with higher-than-average dividends. It follows an index of common stocks of companies that pay dividends that are generally above average, and the index excludes real estate investment trusts (REITs). It invests at least 80% of its assets in those stocks.

It launched in 2006 and is one of the largest dividend-focused ETFs.

What is inside

Because the index is broad, VYM holds a large number of companies, mostly established, large businesses in sectors such as financials, healthcare, consumer staples, energy and industrials. Weighting follows company size, so the biggest dividend payers have the largest weights.

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCIT)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VCIT actually is

VCIT is a bond fund. It holds bonds issued by US companies with good credit ratings and maturities of about five to ten years. When you own the fund, you receive a share of the interest those bonds pay.

What is inside

Hundreds of bonds from banks, industrial companies, utilities and technology firms. Because the issuers are investment grade, default risk is lower than in high-yield bonds, but it is not zero. The medium maturity sits between short-term and long-term bond funds.

Vanguard International High Dividend Yield ETF (VYMI)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VYMI actually is

VYMI is Vanguard’s international dividend fund. It holds companies outside the United States that are expected to pay above-average dividends, covering developed markets such as Europe and Japan and emerging markets as well.

What is inside

Many of the holdings are banks, energy, materials and consumer companies, because these sectors tend to pay larger dividends in other countries. It offers a way to diversify away from the US market and the heavy weight of US technology companies.

Vanguard Real Estate ETF (VNQ)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VNQ actually is

VNQ is Vanguard’s ETF for US real estate. It invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks that make up its index, a broad set of US real estate companies, mostly REITs (real estate investment trusts). The fund is classed as non-diversified.

It launched in 2004.

What is inside

A real estate ETF holds many property types: apartments, warehouses, data centres, cell towers, shopping centres, offices and health-care buildings. Spreading across property types and across many companies avoids relying on one landlord.

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VOO actually is

VOO is Vanguard’s ETF for the S&P 500. It aims to replicate the index by holding all, or substantially all, of its stocks in about the same proportions as the index, so you own a slice of roughly 500 of the largest US companies.

Vanguard is known for its investor-owned structure and its focus on low costs, which has made it a favourite among long-term, buy-and-hold investors.

Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What BND actually is

BND is Vanguard’s ETF for the broad US investment-grade bond market. Instead of stocks, it holds thousands of bonds: US Treasuries and other government debt, corporate bonds from creditworthy companies, mortgage-backed securities and international dollar-denominated bonds. All have maturities of more than one year.

It launched in 2007 and is one of the largest bond funds in the world. Because it holds so many bonds, Vanguard tracks the index using sampling rather than owning every single one.

Vanguard Total International Bond ETF (BNDX)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What BNDX actually is

BNDX is a bond fund that holds investment-grade bonds issued outside the United States: government debt and corporate bonds from Europe, Japan, Canada and other developed countries. It is designed to complement a US bond fund.

What is inside

Thousands of bonds across many countries and issuers. The fund hedges its currency exposure back to US dollars, so changes in exchange rates have a smaller effect on what you earn.

Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VXUS actually is

VXUS is Vanguard’s ETF for stocks outside the United States. It follows the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index, a float-adjusted, market-capitalisation-weighted index of companies in developed and emerging markets, excluding the US. The fund invests all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks in its target index.

It launched in 2011 and trades on the Nasdaq.

What is inside

Thousands of companies of every size across Europe, Japan, Canada, Australia and also emerging markets such as China, India and Taiwan. Compared with a fund such as VEA, VXUS adds emerging markets to the developed ones.

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VTI actually is

VTI is Vanguard’s ETF that tracks the CRSP US Total Market Index, which covers essentially the entire investable US stock market. Where an S&P 500 fund holds around 500 large companies, VTI also holds thousands of mid-sized and small ones.

It launched in 2001 and is one of the biggest ETFs in the world.

What is inside

Because the index is weighted by company size, the largest names still make up most of the fund. The big technology and financial companies sit at the top, just as in an S&P 500 fund. The difference is the long tail of smaller companies, which adds diversification and exposure to firms that may grow into tomorrow’s large caps.

Vanguard Value ETF (VTV)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000

What VTV actually is

VTV is Vanguard’s value ETF for large US companies. It holds hundreds of established businesses that are priced lower than their growth and earnings suggest. Many of them are mature companies that pay dividends.

What is inside

Value indexes lean toward financials, health care, consumer staples, energy and industrials, and away from the fast-growing technology names that dominate growth funds. The result is a broad fund with a different personality from the S&P 500.