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20 important things you should know about Vanguard VEA ETF
Updated: July 07, 2021
100
Bull Case
- High net assets
- 3-year return above the benchmark
- 5-year return above the benchmark
- 10-year return above the benchmark
- Low expense ratio
Bear Case
- No Bear case arguments for now!
Before we start: if you’re looking for VEA “stock” price, you can quickly find it out by visiting Finny and typing "VEA quote". If you’re looking for a quick scoop on VEA "stock" (price chart, key stats, buy or sell analysis and holdings), go to Finny and look for "VEA". You’ll get all this info in one place.
Are you looking to buy or sell VEA? Or perhaps you’re looking for VEA fact sheet, and learn about its alternatives? If so, you came to the right place.
In this VEA ETF review, we’ll address key questions our readers have been asking us about this fund, above and beyond what you can find in its prospectus, and on Morningstar or Yahoo Finance.
Here is what you’ll be able to find in this review:
- Fact Sheet: VEA performance, returns, expense ratio, holdings and dividend yield;
- Analysis: VEA buy or sell; the pros and cons of investing in VEA ETF;
- Alternatives: other ETFs and mutual funds you should consider as alternatives to VEA.
And here is the list of questions we’ll answer:
- Describe Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA).
- What is VEA underlying index?
- What are VEA holdings?
- What is VEA performance? What are VEA historical returns?
- How many up and down years did VEA have historically?
- What is VEA dividend yield?
- What is VEA expense ratio?
- What is VEA tax efficiency (tax-cost ratio)?
- What is VEA Sharpe ratio?
- What is VEA Finny Score? VEA buy or sell?
- What are the pros of investing in VEA? What are VEA buy reasons?
- What are the cons of investing in VEA? What are VEA sell reasons?
- Compare and contrast: VEA vs VWO.
- Compare and contrast: VEA vs VEU.
- Compare and contrast: VEA vs VGK.
- Compare and contrast: VEA vs VOO.
- Compare and contrast: VEA vs VSS.
- Compare and contrast: VEA vs VT.
- Compare and contrast: VEA vs VTI.
So let’s start. Scroll down to the question that interests you the most.
Fact Sheet
1. Describe Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA).
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks issued by companies located in the major markets of Europe and the Pacific Region. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index.
3. What are VEA top holdings?
VEA has 4,007 stock holdings and 0 bond holdings.
The top 10 holdings represent 9.73% of total assets. Here are the top holdings:
| Name | Symbol | % Assets |
|---|---|---|
| Nestle SA | NESN | 1.77% |
| Samsung Electronics Co Ltd | 005930.KS | 1.28% |
| Roche Holding AG Dividend Right Cert. | ROG | 1.26% |
| Novartis AG | NOVN | 0.95% |
| Toyota Motor Corp | 7203 | 0.91% |
| ASML Holding NV | ASML | 0.82% |
| AstraZeneca PLC | AZN.L | 0.75% |
| SAP SE | SAP.DE | 0.68% |
| LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE | MC.PA | 0.66% |
| AIA Group Ltd | 01299.HK | 0.65% |
4. What is VEA performance? What are VEA historical returns?
VEA has generated the following returns:
- 1-month return is -1.09%;
- 3-month return is 5.07%;
- 1-year return is 35.53%;
- 3-year return is 9.90%;
- 5-year return is 11.00%;
- 10-year return is 6.32%.
5. How many up and down years did VEA have historically?
In the last 10 years, VEA had 6 up years and 4 down years.
6. What is VEA dividend yield?
VEA yield is 2.03%.
7. What is VEA expense ratio?
VEA expense ratio is 0.05%. The expense ratio of a fund is the total percentage of fund assets used for administrative, management, and all other expenses.
8. What is VEA tax efficiency (tax-cost ratio)?
- 1-year ax cost ratio is 0.91%;
- 3-year ax cost ratio is 0.88%.
9. What is VEA Sharpe ratio?
- 3-year Sharpe ratio is 0.50;
- 5-year Sharpe ratio is 0.68;
- 10-year Sharpe ratio is 0.45;
- 15-year Sharpe ratio is 0.30.
Analysis
10. What is Finny Score? buy or sell?
Finny Score is 100. Our quantitative analysis shows 5 reasons to buy and 0 reasons to sell it, resulting in the Finny Score of 100.
11. What are the pros of investing in VEA? What are VEA buy reasons?
The following are VEA strengths from our perspective:
- VEA net assets are $100.92 billion. This fund is a popular choice with retail and institutional investors.
- VEA 3-year return is 9.9%, which is higher than the 3-year return of the benchmark index (MSCI ACWI Ex USA NR USD), 9.8%.
- VEA 5-year return is 11%, which is higher than the 5-year return of the benchmark index (MSCI ACWI Ex USA NR USD), 10.89%.
- VEA 10-year return is 6.32%, which is higher than the 10-year return of the benchmark index (MSCI ACWI Ex USA NR USD), 5.37%.
- VEA expense ratio is 0.05%, which is considered low. Nice job picking a low-cost fund.
12. What are the cons of investing in VEA? What are VEA negatives?
There are no visible red flags.
Alternatives
13. Compare and contrast: VEA vs VWO.
Both VEA and VWO are ETFs. VEA has a lower 5-year return than VWO (11% vs 11.62%). VEA has a lower expense ratio than VWO (0.05% vs 0.1%). Below is the comparison between VEA and VWO.
| VEA | VWO | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Equity: Developed Markets Ex-U.S. - Total Market | Equity: Emerging Markets - Total Market |
| Net Assets | $100.92B | $84.08B |
| Expense Ratio | 0.05% | 0.1% |
| Management Style | passive (index-based) | passive (index-based) |
| Underlying Index | FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index Net TR US RIC | FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index Net TR US RIC |
| YTD Return | 11.24% | 8.39% |
| 1-Year Return | 35.53% | 34.3% |
| 3-Year Return | 9.9% | 11.92% |
| 5-Year Return | 11% | 11.62% |
| 10-Year Return | 6.32% | 3.7% |
| Dividend Yield | 2.03% | 1.8% |
VWO profile: The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks issued by companies located in emerging market countries. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the FTSE Emerging Markets All Cap China A Inclusion Index by sampling the Index.
For further information, check out VEA vs VWO comparison details.
14. Compare and contrast: VEA vs VEU.
Both VEA and VEU are ETFs. VEA has a lower 5-year return than VEU (11% vs 11.18%). VEA has a lower expense ratio than VEU (0.05% vs 0.08%). Below is the comparison between VEA and VEU.
| VEA | VEU | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Equity: Developed Markets Ex-U.S. - Total Market | Equity: Global Ex-U.S. - Total Market |
| Net Assets | $100.92B | $34.95B |
| Expense Ratio | 0.05% | 0.08% |
| Management Style | passive (index-based) | passive (index-based) |
| Underlying Index | FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index Net TR US RIC | FTSE All World ex US Net TR US RIC |
| YTD Return | 11.24% | 10.09% |
| 1-Year Return | 35.53% | 34.2% |
| 3-Year Return | 9.9% | 10.34% |
| 5-Year Return | 11% | 11.18% |
| 10-Year Return | 6.32% | 5.57% |
| Dividend Yield | 2.03% | 1.89% |
VEU profile: The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks of companies located in developed and emerging markets outside of the United States. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the FTSE All-World ex US Index.
For further information, check out VEA vs VEU comparison details.
15. Compare and contrast: VEA vs VGK.
Both VEA and VGK are ETFs. VEA has a lower 5-year return than VGK (11% vs 11.02%). VEA has a lower expense ratio than VGK (0.05% vs 0.08%). Below is the comparison between VEA and VGK.
| VEA | VGK | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Equity: Developed Markets Ex-U.S. - Total Market | Equity: Developed Europe - Total Market |
| Net Assets | $100.92B | $19.66B |
| Expense Ratio | 0.05% | 0.08% |
| Management Style | passive (index-based) | passive (index-based) |
| Underlying Index | FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index Net TR US RIC | FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index (Net TR US RIC) |
| YTD Return | 11.24% | 14.35% |
| 1-Year Return | 35.53% | 36.2% |
| 3-Year Return | 9.9% | 9.93% |
| 5-Year Return | 11% | 11.02% |
| 10-Year Return | 6.32% | 6% |
| Dividend Yield | 2.03% | N/A |
VGK profile: The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks issued by companies located in the major markets of Europe. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach by investing all of its assets in the common stocks included in the FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index.
For further information, check out VEA vs VGK comparison details.
16. Compare and contrast: VEA vs VOO.
Both VEA and VOO are ETFs. VEA has a lower 5-year return than VOO (11% vs 17.86%). VEA has a higher expense ratio than VOO (0.05% vs 0.03%). Below is the comparison between VEA and VOO.
| VEA | VOO | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Equity: Developed Markets Ex-U.S. - Total Market | Equity: U.S. - Large Cap |
| Net Assets | $100.92B | $232.65B |
| Expense Ratio | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| Management Style | passive (index-based) | passive (index-based) |
| Underlying Index | FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index Net TR US RIC | S&P 500 |
| YTD Return | 11.24% | 16.82% |
| 1-Year Return | 35.53% | 41.16% |
| 3-Year Return | 9.9% | 19.04% |
| 5-Year Return | 11% | 17.86% |
| 10-Year Return | 6.32% | 14.78% |
| Dividend Yield | 2.03% | 1.4% |
VOO profile: The Fund seeks to track the performance of its benchmark index, the S&P 500. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index with the same approximate weightings as the Index.
For further information, check out VEA vs VOO comparison details.
17. Compare and contrast: VEA vs VSS.
Both VEA and VSS are ETFs. VEA has a higher 5-year return than VSS (11% vs 10.87%). VEA has a lower expense ratio than VSS (0.05% vs 0.11%). Below is the comparison between VEA and VSS.
| VEA | VSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Equity: Developed Markets Ex-U.S. - Total Market | Equity: Global Ex-U.S. - Small Cap |
| Net Assets | $100.92B | $9.54B |
| Expense Ratio | 0.05% | 0.11% |
| Management Style | passive (index-based) | passive (index-based) |
| Underlying Index | FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index Net TR US RIC | FTSE Global ex US Small Cap Index Net Tax (US RIC) |
| YTD Return | 11.24% | 13.32% |
| 1-Year Return | 35.53% | 43.67% |
| 3-Year Return | 9.9% | 9.19% |
| 5-Year Return | 11% | 10.87% |
| 10-Year Return | 6.32% | 5.82% |
| Dividend Yield | 2.03% | 1.69% |
VSS profile: The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks of international small-cap companies. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach to track the FTSE Global Small Cap ex US Index by investing in representative sample of securities that resembles the full Index.
For further information, check out VEA vs VSS comparison details.
18. Compare and contrast: VEA vs VT.
Both VEA and VT are ETFs. VEA has a lower 5-year return than VT (11% vs 14.86%). VEA has a lower expense ratio than VT (0.05% vs 0.08%). Below is the comparison between VEA and VT.
| VEA | VT | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Equity: Developed Markets Ex-U.S. - Total Market | Equity: Global - Total Market |
| Net Assets | $100.92B | $21.84B |
| Expense Ratio | 0.05% | 0.08% |
| Management Style | passive (index-based) | passive (index-based) |
| Underlying Index | FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index Net TR US RIC | FTSE Global All Cap Net TR US RIC |
| YTD Return | 11.24% | 13.65% |
| 1-Year Return | 35.53% | 40.02% |
| 3-Year Return | 9.9% | 15.07% |
| 5-Year Return | 11% | 14.86% |
| 10-Year Return | 6.32% | 10.09% |
| Dividend Yield | 2.03% | 1.53% |
VT profile: The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks of companies located in developed and emerging markets around the world. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach to track the performance of the FTSE Global All Cap Index and attempts to sample the index.
For further information, check out VEA vs VT comparison details.
19. Compare and contrast: VEA vs VTI.
Both VEA and VTI are ETFs. VEA has a lower 5-year return than VTI (11% vs 18.11%). VEA has a higher expense ratio than VTI (0.05% vs 0.03%). Below is the comparison between VEA and VTI.
| VEA | VTI | |
|---|---|---|
| Segment | Equity: Developed Markets Ex-U.S. - Total Market | Equity: U.S. - Total Market |
| Net Assets | $100.92B | $252.63B |
| Expense Ratio | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| Management Style | passive (index-based) | passive (index-based) |
| Underlying Index | FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index Net TR US RIC | CRSP US Total Market Index |
| YTD Return | 11.24% | 16.47% |
| 1-Year Return | 35.53% | 44.58% |
| 3-Year Return | 9.9% | 19.07% |
| 5-Year Return | 11% | 18.11% |
| 10-Year Return | 6.32% | 14.66% |
| Dividend Yield | 2.03% | 1.3% |
VTI profile: The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of the overall stock market. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach to track the performance of the CRSP US Total Market Index. The Fund invests by holding a collection of securities that approximates the Index.
For further information, check out VEA vs VTI comparison details.