Should You Invest in the Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC)?

Looking for broad exposure to the Consumer Staples - Broad segment of the equity market? You should consider the Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 01/26/2004.Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.Investor-friendly, sector ETFs provide many options to gain low risk and diversified exposure to a broad group of companies in particular sectors. Consumer Staples - Broad is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 14, placing it in bottom 13%.Index DetailsThe fund is sponsored by Vanguard. It has amassed assets over $7.12 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs attempting to match the performance of the Consumer Staples - Broad segment of the equity market. VDC seeks to match the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Consumer Staples 25/50 Index before fees and expenses.The MSCI US Investable Market Consumer Staples 25/50 Index measures the investment return of stocks in the consumer staples sector.CostsSince cheaper funds tend to produce better results than more expensive funds, assuming all other factors remain equal, it is important for investors to pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio.Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.10%, making it one of the cheaper products in the space.It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.27%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsEven though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Consumer Staples sector--about 99.90% of the portfolio.Looking at individual holdings, Costco Wholesale Corp (COST) accounts for about 13.03% of total assets, followed by Procter & Gamble Co/the (PG) and Walmart Inc (WMT).The top 10 holdings account for about 60.88% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskYear-to-date, the Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF has gained about 2.68% so far, and was up about 15.46% over the last 12 months (as of 01/28/2025). VDC has traded between $192.76 and $223.62 in this past 52-week period.The ETF has a beta of 0.62 and standard deviation of 13.13% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 107 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesVanguard Consumer Staples ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, VDC is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Consumer Staples ETFs area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.IShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF (IYK) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Consumer Goods Index and the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP) tracks Consumer Staples Select Sector Index. IShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF has $1.25 billion in assets, Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF has $16.92 billion. IYK has an expense ratio of 0.40% and XLP charges 0.09%.Bottom LineTo learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.Want key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.Get it free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF (VDC): ETF Research Reports Procter & Gamble Company (The) (PG): Free Stock Analysis Report Walmart Inc. (WMT): Free Stock Analysis Report Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST): Free Stock Analysis Report Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP): ETF Research Reports iShares U.S. Consumer Staples ETF (IYK): ETF Research ReportsTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks