Finny logo
Finny logo
Advertiser Disclosure

26 important things you should know about Vanguard VGTSX mutual fund

Updated: January 29, 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
  • 15-year return above the benchmark
  • Low expense ratio
  • No sales load or distribution fees
Bear Case
  • No Bear case arguments for now!

Before we start: if you’re looking for VGTSX “stock” price, you can quickly find it out by visiting Finny and typing "VGTSX quote". If you’re looking for a quick scoop on VGTSX "stock" (price chart, key stats, buy or sell analysis and holdings), go to Finny and look for "VGTSX". You’ll get all this info in one place.

Are you looking to buy or sell VGTSX? Or perhaps you’re looking for VGTSX fact sheet, and learn about its alternatives? If so, you came to the right place.

In this VGTSX mutual fund 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: VGTSX performance, returns, expense ratio, holdings and dividend yield;
  • Analysis: VGTSX buy or sell; the pros and cons of investing in VGTSX mutual fund;
  • Alternatives: other ETFs and mutual funds you should consider as alternatives to VGTSX.

And here is the list of questions we’ll answer:

  1. Describe Vanguard STAR Funds: Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund; Investor Shares (VGTSX).
  2. What are VGTSX holdings?
  3. What is VGTSX performance? What are VGTSX historical returns?
  4. How many up and down years did VGTSX have historically?
  5. What is VGTSX dividend yield?
  6. What is VGTSX minimum initial investment amount?
  7. What is VGTSX expense ratio?
  8. Does VGTSX have any sales loads or 12b-1 distribution expenses?
  9. What is VGTSX tax efficiency (tax-cost ratio)?
  10. What is VGTSX beta? How would you assess VGTSX risk?
  11. What is VGTSX Sharpe ratio?
  12. What is VGTSX Finny Score? VGTSX buy or sell?
  13. What are the pros of investing in VGTSX? What are VGTSX buy reasons?
  14. What are the cons of investing in VGTSX? What are VGTSX sell reasons?
  15. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTIAX.
  16. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VXUS.
  17. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTSAX.
  18. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTSNX.
  19. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs FTIHX.
  20. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs FSPSX.
  21. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs SWISX.
  22. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTMGX.
  23. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTI.
  24. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VEA.
  25. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTSMX.

So let’s start. Scroll down to the question that interests you the most.

Fact Sheet

1. Describe Vanguard STAR Funds: Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund; Investor Shares (VGTSX).

The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks issued by companies located in developed and emerging markets, excluding the United States. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index.

2. What are VGTSX top holdings?

VGTSX has 5,922 stock holdings and 5 bond holdings.

The top 10 holdings represent 11.07% of total assets. Here are the top holdings:

Name Symbol % Assets
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd ADR BABA 2.09%
Tencent Holdings Ltd 00700 1.56%
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd 2330.TW 1.46%
Nestle SA NESN 1.34%
Roche Holding AG Dividend Right Cert. ROG 0.97%
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd 005930.KS 0.93%
Novartis AG NOVN 0.75%
SAP SE SAP.DE 0.71%
Toyota Motor Corp 7203 0.66%
ASML Holding NV ASML 0.60%

3. What is VGTSX performance? What are VGTSX historical returns?

VGTSX has generated the following returns:

  • 1-month return is 5.93%;
  • 3-month return is 18.38%;
  • 1-year return is 18.38%;
  • 3-year return is 4.09%;
  • 5-year return is 11.99%;
  • 10-year return is 5.35%;
  • 15-year return is 4.82%.

4. How many up and down years did VGTSX have historically?

In the last 10 years, VGTSX had 5 up years and 4 down years.

VGTSX up and down years

5. What is VGTSX dividend yield?

VGTSX yield is 2.05%.

6. What is VGTSX minimum initial investment amount?

VGTSX minimum initial investment amount is $3.00K.

7. What is VGTSX expense ratio?

VGTSX expense ratio is 0.17%. The expense ratio of a fund is the total percentage of fund assets used for administrative, management, and all other expenses.

VGTSX expenses

8. Does VGTSX have any sales loads or 12b-1 distribution expenses?

VGTSX 12b-1 distribution fee is 0. VGTSX front-end sales load is 0. VGTSX back-end sales load is 0.

9. What is VGTSX tax efficiency (tax-cost ratio)?

  • 1-year ax cost ratio is 0.65%;
  • 3-year ax cost ratio is 0.77%.
VGTSX tax costs

10. What is VGTSX beta? How would you assess VGTSX risk?

VGTSX Beta

11. What is VGTSX Sharpe ratio?

  • 3-year Sharpe ratio is 0.27;
  • 5-year Sharpe ratio is 0.56;
  • 10-year Sharpe ratio is 0.36;
  • 15-year Sharpe ratio is 0.29.
VGTSX Sharpe ratio

Analysis

12. What is Finny Score? buy or sell?

Finny Score is 100. Our quantitative analysis shows 7 reasons to buy and 0 reasons to sell it, resulting in the Finny Score of 100.

13. What are the pros of investing in VGTSX? What are VGTSX buy reasons?

The following are VGTSX strengths from our perspective:

  • VGTSX net assets are $180.79 billion. This fund is a popular choice with retail and institutional investors.
  • VGTSX 3-year return is 4.09%, which is higher than the 3-year return of the benchmark index (FTSE Global All Cap ex US (USA) NR USD), 4.02%.
  • VGTSX 5-year return is 11.99%, which is higher than the 5-year return of the benchmark index (FTSE Global All Cap ex US (USA) NR USD), 11.98%.
  • VGTSX 10-year return is 5.35%, which is in line with the 10-year return of the benchmark index (FTSE Global All Cap ex US (USA) NR USD), 5.5%.
  • VGTSX 15-year return is 4.82%, which is in line with the 15-year return of the benchmark index (FTSE Global All Cap ex US (USA) NR USD), 5.35%.
  • VGTSX expense ratio is 0.17%, which is considered low. Nice job picking a low-cost fund.
  • Good news: this fund does not have 12b1, front-end or back-end sales fees.

14. What are the cons of investing in VGTSX? What are VGTSX negatives?

There are no visible red flags.

Alternatives

15. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTIAX.

Both VGTSX and VTIAX are mutual funds. VGTSX has a lower 5-year return than VTIAX (11.99% vs 12.06%). VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than VTIAX (0.17% vs 0.11%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and VTIAX.

VGTSX VTIAX
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend International Equity: Foreign Large Blend
Net Assets $180.79B $73.36B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.11%
Management Style passive (index-based) passive (index-based)
Underlying Index N/A N/A
YTD Return 4.07% 4.07%
1-Year Return 18.38% 18.4%
3-Year Return 4.09% 4.16%
5-Year Return 11.99% 12.06%
10-Year Return 5.35% 5.42%
Dividend Yield 2.05% 2.1%

VTIAX profile: The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks issued by companies located in developed and emerging markets, excluding the United States. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index.

For further information, check out VGTSX vs VTIAX comparison details.

16. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VXUS.

VGTSX is a mutual fund, whereas VXUS is an ETF. VGTSX has a higher 5-year return than VXUS (11.99% vs 11.73%). VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than VXUS (0.17% vs 0.08%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and VXUS.

VGTSX VXUS
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend Equity: Global Ex-U.S. - Total Market
Net Assets $180.79B $38.51B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.08%
Management Style passive (index-based) passive (index-based)
Underlying Index N/A FTSE Global All Cap ex US Net US RIC
YTD Return 4.07% 4.39%
1-Year Return 18.38% 14.5%
3-Year Return 4.09% 4.29%
5-Year Return 11.99% 11.73%
10-Year Return 5.35% 5.46%
Dividend Yield 2.05% 2.13%

VXUS profile: The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks issued by companies located in developed and emerging markets, excluding the United States. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index.

For further information, check out VGTSX vs VXUS comparison details.

17. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTSAX.

Both VGTSX and VTSAX are mutual funds. VGTSX has a lower 5-year return than VTSAX (11.99% vs 18.37%). VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than VTSAX (0.17% vs 0.04%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and VTSAX.

VGTSX VTSAX
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend U.S. Equity: Large Blend
Net Assets $180.79B $273.62B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.04%
Management Style passive (index-based) passive (index-based)
Underlying Index N/A N/A
YTD Return 4.07% 3.48%
1-Year Return 18.38% 14.33%
3-Year Return 4.09% 13.57%
5-Year Return 11.99% 18.37%
10-Year Return 5.35% 13.9%
Dividend Yield 2.05% 1.41%

VTSAX 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 VGTSX vs VTSAX comparison details.

18. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTSNX.

Both VGTSX and VTSNX are mutual funds. VGTSX has a lower 5-year return than VTSNX (11.99% vs 12.09%). VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than VTSNX (0.17% vs 0.08%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and VTSNX.

VGTSX VTSNX
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend International Equity: Foreign Large Blend
Net Assets $180.79B $38.35B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.08%
Management Style passive (index-based) passive (index-based)
Underlying Index N/A N/A
YTD Return 4.07% 4.08%
1-Year Return 18.38% 18.43%
3-Year Return 4.09% 4.19%
5-Year Return 11.99% 12.09%
10-Year Return 5.35% 5.44%
Dividend Yield 2.05% 2.13%

VTSNX profile: The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks issued by companies located in developed and emerging markets, excluding the United States. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index.

For further information, check out VGTSX vs VTSNX comparison details.

19. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs FTIHX.

Both VGTSX and FTIHX are mutual funds. VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than FTIHX (0.17% vs 0.06%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and FTIHX.

VGTSX FTIHX
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend
Net Assets $180.79B $5.79B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.06%
Management Style passive (index-based) N/A
Underlying Index N/A N/A
YTD Return 4.07% 4.2%
1-Year Return 18.38% 18.61%
3-Year Return 4.09% 4.2%
5-Year Return 11.99% N/A
10-Year Return 5.35% N/A
Dividend Yield 2.05% 1.62%

FTIHX profile: The Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond to the total return of foreign developed and emerging stock markets. It normally investing at least 80% of assets in securities included in the MSCI ACWI ex USA Investable Market Index and in depository receipts representing securities included in the index.

For further information, check out VGTSX vs FTIHX comparison details.

20. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs FSPSX.

Both VGTSX and FSPSX are mutual funds. VGTSX has a higher 5-year return than FSPSX (11.99% vs 10.19%). VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than FSPSX (0.17% vs 0.04%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and FSPSX.

VGTSX FSPSX
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend
Net Assets $180.79B $31.41B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.04%
Management Style passive (index-based) N/A
Underlying Index N/A N/A
YTD Return 4.07% 2.28%
1-Year Return 18.38% 16.49%
3-Year Return 4.09% 3.22%
5-Year Return 11.99% 10.19%
10-Year Return 5.35% 5.6%
Dividend Yield 2.05% 1.84%

FSPSX profile: The Fund seeks to provide investment results corresponding to the total return of foreign stock markets. The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in common stocks included in the MSCI EAFE Index.

For further information, check out VGTSX vs FSPSX comparison details.

21. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs SWISX.

Both VGTSX and SWISX are mutual funds. VGTSX has a higher 5-year return than SWISX (11.99% vs 10.11%). VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than SWISX (0.17% vs 0.06%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and SWISX.

VGTSX SWISX
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend International Equity: Foreign Large Blend
Net Assets $180.79B $7.34B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.06%
Management Style passive (index-based) passive (index-based)
Underlying Index N/A N/A
YTD Return 4.07% 2.23%
1-Year Return 18.38% 16.4%
3-Year Return 4.09% 3.19%
5-Year Return 11.99% 10.11%
10-Year Return 5.35% 5.54%
Dividend Yield 2.05% 1.88%

SWISX profile: The Fund seeks to track the total return of the Schwab International Index. The Schwab International Index includes common stocks of the 350 largest publicly traded companies from selected countries outside the United States.

For further information, check out VGTSX vs SWISX comparison details.

22. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTMGX.

Both VGTSX and VTMGX are mutual funds. VGTSX has a higher 5-year return than VTMGX (11.99% vs 10.85%). VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than VTMGX (0.17% vs 0.07%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and VTMGX.

VGTSX VTMGX
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend International Equity: Foreign Large Blend
Net Assets $180.79B $21.21B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.07%
Management Style passive (index-based) passive (index-based)
Underlying Index N/A N/A
YTD Return 4.07% 2.56%
1-Year Return 18.38% 17.59%
3-Year Return 4.09% 3.72%
5-Year Return 11.99% 10.85%
10-Year Return 5.35% 5.9%
Dividend Yield 2.05% 2.02%

VTMGX 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 and the Pacific Region. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index.

For further information, check out VGTSX vs VTMGX comparison details.

23. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTI.

VGTSX is a mutual fund, whereas VTI is an ETF. VGTSX has a lower 5-year return than VTI (11.99% vs 17.92%). VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than VTI (0.17% vs 0.03%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and VTI.

VGTSX VTI
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend Equity: U.S. - Total Market
Net Assets $180.79B $202.07B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.03%
Management Style passive (index-based) passive (index-based)
Underlying Index N/A CRSP US Total Market Index
YTD Return 4.07% 3.21%
1-Year Return 18.38% 21.29%
3-Year Return 4.09% 13.54%
5-Year Return 11.99% 17.92%
10-Year Return 5.35% 13.94%
Dividend Yield 2.05% 1.42%

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 VGTSX vs VTI comparison details.

24. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VEA.

VGTSX is a mutual fund, whereas VEA is an ETF. VGTSX has a higher 5-year return than VEA (11.99% vs 10.61%). VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than VEA (0.17% vs 0.05%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and VEA.

VGTSX VEA
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend Equity: Developed Markets Ex-U.S. - Total Market
Net Assets $180.79B $87.58B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.05%
Management Style passive (index-based) passive (index-based)
Underlying Index N/A FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index Net TR US RIC
YTD Return 4.07% 3.16%
1-Year Return 18.38% 12.31%
3-Year Return 4.09% 3.88%
5-Year Return 11.99% 10.61%
10-Year Return 5.35% 5.98%
Dividend Yield 2.05% 2.04%

VEA 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 and the Pacific Region. The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index.

For further information, check out VGTSX vs VEA comparison details.

25. Compare and contrast: VGTSX vs VTSMX.

Both VGTSX and VTSMX are mutual funds. VGTSX has a lower 5-year return than VTSMX (11.99% vs 18.25%). VGTSX has a higher expense ratio than VTSMX (0.17% vs 0.14%). Below is the comparison between VGTSX and VTSMX.

VGTSX VTSMX
Segment International Equity: Foreign Large Blend U.S. Equity: Large Blend
Net Assets $180.79B $153.84B
Expense Ratio 0.17% 0.14%
Management Style passive (index-based) passive (index-based)
Underlying Index N/A N/A
YTD Return 4.07% 3.48%
1-Year Return 18.38% 14.31%
3-Year Return 4.09% 13.45%
5-Year Return 11.99% 18.25%
10-Year Return 5.35% 13.78%
Dividend Yield 2.05% 1.33%

VTSMX 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 VGTSX vs VTSMX comparison details.

In the VGTSX review, we covered VGTSX key stats (return, performance, yield, expense ratio, and holdings), buy and sell analysis, and alternative investments. If this review was helpful to you, feel free to check out other mutual fund and ETF reviews.
Follow Us
LearnDiscussCommunityRewards
Finnyvest