Is Vanguard S&P 500 ETF a good investment?
The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO 0.57%) is one of the most popular investment options for index investors. And with good reason. Its low expense ratio and strong track record of tracking the index make it a great option for those simply looking to match the S&P 500.
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)
Expense ratio: 0.03 percent. That means every $10,000 invested would cost $3 annually. Who is it good for?: Great for investors looking for a broadly diversified index fund at a low cost to serve as a core holding in their portfolio.
If you don't want to put a lot of effort into managing your investments, then S&P 500 ETFs are a good solution. But if you're willing to do the work, then you might do even better in the long run with a portfolio of hand-picked stocks (although, the odds are against you).
It might actually lead to unwanted losses. Investors that only invest in the S&P 500 leave themselves exposed to numerous pitfalls: Investing only in the S&P 500 does not provide the broad diversification that minimizes risk. Economic downturns and bear markets can still deliver large losses.
You only need one S&P 500 ETF
You could be tempted to buy all three ETFs, but just one will do the trick. You won't get any additional diversification benefits (meaning the mix of various assets) because all three funds track the same 500 companies.
- Best funds.
- Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)
- Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI)
- Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND)
- Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS)
- Vanguard FTSE All-World Ex-U.S. ETF (VEU)
- Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT)
- Compare the best Vanguard ETFs.
The Fidelity Blue-Chip Growth ETF FBCG has jumped 58.7% in 2023 to become the best-performing U.S. fund, excluding ETNs and leveraged products, according to FactSet data. The WisdomTree U.S. Quality Growth Fund QGRW is up 56.2% this year, while the Invesco QQQ Trust Series I QQQ has risen 55.6% in 2023.
Bottom line. ETFs make a great pick for many investors who are starting out as well as for those who simply don't want to do all the legwork required to own individual stocks. Though it's possible to find the big winners among individual stocks, you have strong odds of doing well consistently with ETFs.
Time is your most valuable resource when investing, so getting started early is often more important than investing hundreds of dollars per month. With as little as $100 per month, it's possible to build an investment portfolio worth hundreds of thousands of dollars or more while minimizing risk.
The index itself has a long history of earning positive returns over time and recovering from downturns. While there are never any guarantees when it comes to investing, opting for an S&P 500 index fund or ETF is about as close to guaranteed long-term returns as you can get.
Is Vanguard S&P 500 safe?
The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO 0.06%) is one of the most popular investment options for index investors. And with good reason. Its low expense ratio and strong track record of tracking the index make it a great option for those simply looking to match the S&P 500.
ETFs are subject to market fluctuation and the risks of their underlying investments. ETFs are subject to management fees and other expenses.
![Is Vanguard S&P 500 ETF a good investment? (2024)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GwuMyH4AnAg/hq720.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEcCNAFEJQDSFXyq4qpAw4IARUAAIhCGAFwAcABBg==&rs=AOn4CLC6Db2agPxWF5J8wD3T3fX_4FcyQg)
They also believe that the Federal Reserve will be careful not to raise interest rates too quickly, which could slow down economic growth. As a result, they expect the S&P 500 to grow by an average of 10-12% per year over the next five years.
Experts agree that for most personal investors, a portfolio comprising 5 to 10 ETFs is perfect in terms of diversification.
You expose your portfolio to much higher risk with sector ETFs, so you should use them sparingly, but investing 5% to 10% of your total portfolio assets may be appropriate. If you want to be highly conservative, don't use these at all.
- Best S&P 500 ETFs.
- SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY)
- iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV)
- Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)
- SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPLG)
- Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP)
- Compare the best S&P 500 ETFs.
- Methodology.
The goal of the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF is to track the returns of the S&P 500 index. VOO appeals to investors because it's well-diversified and is made up of equities of large corporations—called large-cap stocks.
Vanguard's unique cost structure, the economies of scale it has achieved, and the total number of assets under management (AUM) allow it to offer its ETFs at the lowest cost available in the market. We've listed 10 of the firm's cheapest ETFs by their expense ratio.
While it depends on your financial situation and existing portfolio, Vanguard ETFs could make sound investments for most individuals, especially if you plan to invest over a long period. You can use our investment calculator to determine how much your investment could grow.
- High-yield savings account (HYSA) ...
- 401(k) ...
- Short-term certificates of deposit (CD) ...
- Money market accounts (MMA) ...
- Mutual funds. ...
- Index funds. ...
- Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) ...
- Stocks.
Is 2023 a good time to invest in ETFs?
The stock market appears to be headed for solid returns in 2023. Next year will bring the U.S. presidential election. Historically, the market tends to perform well during presidential election years. All in all, it seems to be a pretty good time to invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
- Coinbase.
- Nvidia.
- DraftKings DKNG.
- Meta Platforms META.
- Palantir Technologies PLTR.
At any given time, the spread on an ETF may be high, and the market price of shares may not correspond to the intraday value of the underlying securities. Those are not good times to transact business. Make sure you know what an ETF's current intraday value is as well as the market price of the shares before you buy.
ETFs can be safe investments if used correctly, offering diversification and flexibility. Indexed ETFs, tracking specific indexes like the S&P 500, are generally safe and tend to gain value over time. Leveraged ETFs can be used to amplify returns, but they can be riskier due to increased volatility.
Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
S&P 500 ETFs are generally one of the safest types of funds out there. Investing in hundreds of stocks at once provides immediate diversification, and the S&P 500 itself has a decades-long track record of recovering from even the worst market crashes, recessions, and other downturns.