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Critical Facts You Need to Know About Preferred Stocks
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Rating
Sector Rating
Recommendation *
Avoid
Neutral
Fair
Quality
Rating Breakdown
Avg.
Relative Strength
The relative strength of a dividend stock indicates whether the stock is uptrending or not. The major determining factor in this rating is whether the stock is trading close to its 52-week-high.
Overall Yield Attractiveness
If a stock’s yield is above or near the market average then it will be rated higher within this parameter. High dividend yields (usually over 10%) should be considered extremely risky, while low dividend yields (1% or less) are simply not very beneficial to long-term investors.
Dividend Reliability
A stock’s dividend reliability is determined by a healthy payout ratio that is higher than other stocks. A company that pays out close to half its earnings as dividends and retains the other half of earnings has ample room to grow its business and pay out more dividends in the future.
Dividend Uptrend
A stock’s Dividend Uptrend rating is dependent on the company’s price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio to evaluate whether or not a stock’s dividend is likely to trend upward. If a stock is valued near, or slightly below the market average, research has shown that the market expects the stock’s dividend to increase.
Earnings Growth
A stock’s Earnings Growth rating evaluates a company’s expected EPS for the current financial year and compares it to next financial year’s expected EPS. Stocks with single-digit growth estimates will have a higher rating than others, as our research has shown that well-established dividend-paying companies have modest earnings growth estimates.
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Vanguard Utilities Index Fund
etf
VPU
Dividend policy
Active
Price as of:
$144.62
-1.99
0%
primary theme
Utilities Sector Equity
VPU (ETF)
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund
Dividend policy
Active
Price as of:
$144.62
-1.99
0%
primary theme
Utilities Sector Equity
VPU (ETF)
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund
Dividend policy
Active
Price as of:
$144.62
-1.99
0%
primary theme
Utilities Sector Equity
Name
Price
Aum/Mkt Cap
YIELD & DIV
Exp Ratio
Watchlist
Vitals
YTD Return
5.4%
1 yr return
19.2%
3 Yr Avg Return
11.2%
5 Yr Avg Return
10.3%
Net Assets
$6.71 B
Holdings in Top 10
55.4%
52 WEEK LOW AND HIGH
$146.61
$124.05
$152.64
Expenses
OPERATING FEES
Expense Ratio 0.10%
SALES FEES
Front Load N/A
Deferred Load N/A
TRADING FEES
Turnover 5.00%
Redemption Fee N/A
Min Investment
Standard (Taxable)
N/A
IRA
N/A
Fund Classification
Fund Type
Exchange Traded Fund
Investment Style
Utilities
Name
Price
Aum/Mkt Cap
YIELD & DIV
Exp Ratio
Watchlist
VPU - Profile
Distributions
- YTD Total Return 5.4%
- 3 Yr Annualized Total Return 11.2%
- 5 Yr Annualized Total Return 10.3%
- Capital Gain Distribution Frequency Annually
- Net Income Ratio 3.18%
- Dividend Yield 2.2%
- Dividend Distribution Frequency Quarterly
Fund Details
-
Legal NameVanguard Utilities Index Fund
-
Fund Family NameVanguard
-
Inception DateJan 26, 2004
-
Shares Outstanding34281480
-
Share ClassN/A
-
CurrencyUSD
-
Domiciled CountryUnited States
-
ManagerAwais Khan
Fund Description
The fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Index (IMI)/Utilities 25/50, an index made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small U.S. companies within the utilities sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The Advisor attempts to replicate the target index by seeking to invest all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the index, in order to hold each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the index. The fund is non-diversified.
VPU - Performance
Return Ranking - Trailing
| Period | VPU Return | Category Return Low | Category Return High | Rank in Category (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD | 5.4% | -11.0% | 22.4% | 82.72% |
| 1 Yr | 19.2% | 8.6% | 40.0% | 50.00% |
| 3 Yr | 11.2%* | 4.2% | 16.4% | 44.62% |
| 5 Yr | 10.3%* | 2.6% | 12.6% | 46.15% |
| 10 Yr | 11.2%* | 5.0% | 12.1% | 20.34% |
* Annualized
Return Ranking - Calendar
| Period | VPU Return | Category Return Low | Category Return High | Rank in Category (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -4.0% | -52.1% | 22.0% | 42.86% |
| 2019 | 21.3% | 1.6% | 32.5% | 21.54% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | -22.9% | 4.1% | 25.81% |
| 2017 | 9.0% | -6.4% | 16.0% | 52.46% |
| 2016 | 13.9% | -0.4% | 19.4% | 22.03% |
Total Return Ranking - Trailing
| Period | VPU Return | Category Return Low | Category Return High | Rank in Category (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD | 5.4% | -11.2% | 22.3% | 69.14% |
| 1 Yr | 19.2% | 5.1% | 40.0% | 37.93% |
| 3 Yr | 11.2%* | 4.2% | 16.4% | 29.07% |
| 5 Yr | 10.3%* | 2.6% | 12.6% | 30.23% |
| 10 Yr | 11.2%* | 5.0% | 12.1% | 16.42% |
* Annualized
Total Return Ranking - Calendar
| Period | VPU Return | Category Return Low | Category Return High | Rank in Category (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -4.0% | -52.1% | 22.0% | 42.86% |
| 2019 | 21.3% | 4.1% | 32.5% | 21.54% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | -22.9% | 5.1% | 40.32% |
| 2017 | 9.0% | -3.7% | 17.9% | 63.93% |
| 2016 | 13.9% | -0.4% | 23.7% | 38.98% |
VPU - Holdings
Concentration Analysis
| VPU | Category Low | Category High | VPU % Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net Assets | 6.71 B | 17.7 M | 13.6 B | 4.55% |
| Number of Holdings | 65 | 23 | 298 | 24.14% |
| Net Assets in Top 10 | 3.7 B | 3.49 K | 8.73 B | 3.45% |
| Weighting of Top 10 | 55.43% | 21.5% | 68.9% | 18.39% |
Top 10 Holdings
- NextEra Energy Inc 14.90%
- Duke Energy Corp 7.28%
- Southern Co 6.29%
- Dominion Energy Inc 5.68%
- Exelon Corp 4.33%
- American Electric Power Co Inc 4.05%
- Sempra Energy 3.63%
- Xcel Energy Inc 3.35%
- American Water Works Co Inc 2.99%
- Public Service Enterprise Group Inc 2.92%
Asset Allocation
| Weighting | Return Low | Return High | VPU % Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stocks | 100.10% | 67.94% | 135.13% | 6.90% |
| Preferred Stocks | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.71% | 89.66% |
| Other | 0.00% | -33.64% | 1.18% | 83.91% |
| Convertible Bonds | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 89.66% |
| Bonds | 0.00% | 0.00% | 23.54% | 91.95% |
| Cash | -0.10% | -35.14% | 13.84% | 96.55% |
Stock Sector Breakdown
| Weighting | Return Low | Return High | VPU % Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utilities | 98.74% | 35.61% | 100.00% | 24.14% |
| Basic Materials | 0.58% | 0.00% | 6.53% | 27.59% |
| Energy | 0.41% | 0.00% | 29.72% | 75.86% |
| Technology | 0.27% | 0.00% | 8.16% | 35.63% |
| Real Estate | 0.00% | 0.00% | 17.64% | 91.95% |
| Industrials | 0.00% | 0.00% | 29.58% | 91.95% |
| Healthcare | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.23% | 89.66% |
| Financial Services | 0.00% | 0.00% | 10.60% | 89.66% |
| Communication Services | 0.00% | 0.00% | 49.25% | 93.10% |
| Consumer Defense | 0.00% | 0.00% | 8.63% | 89.66% |
| Consumer Cyclical | 0.00% | 0.00% | 2.23% | 89.66% |
Stock Geographic Breakdown
| Weighting | Return Low | Return High | VPU % Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | 100.10% | 16.28% | 100.34% | 3.45% |
| Non US | 0.00% | 0.00% | 81.81% | 96.55% |
VPU - Expenses
Operational Fees
| VPU Fees (% of AUM) | Category Return Low | Category Return High | Rank in Category (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 0.10% | 0.08% | 2.45% | 98.82% |
| Management Fee | 0.09% | 0.03% | 1.00% | 6.06% |
| 12b-1 Fee | N/A | 0.00% | 1.00% | N/A |
| Administrative Fee | N/A | 0.04% | 0.26% | N/A |
Sales Fees
| VPU Fees (% of AUM) | Category Return Low | Category Return High | Rank in Category (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front Load | N/A | 0.00% | 5.75% | N/A |
| Deferred Load | N/A | 1.00% | 4.00% | N/A |
Trading Fees
| VPU Fees (% of AUM) | Category Return Low | Category Return High | Rank in Category (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Max Redemption Fee | N/A | 2.00% | 2.00% | N/A |
Related Fees
Turnover provides investors a proxy for the trading fees incurred by mutual fund managers who frequently adjust position allocations. Higher turnover means higher trading fees.
| VPU Fees (% of AUM) | Category Return Low | Category Return High | Rank in Category (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Turnover | 5.00% | 2.00% | 209.00% | 13.64% |
VPU - Distributions
Dividend Yield Analysis
| VPU | Category Low | Category High | VPU % Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield | 2.23% | 0.00% | 2.39% | 91.95% |
Dividend Distribution Analysis
| VPU | Category Low | Category High | Category Mod | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend Distribution Frequency | Quarterly | Annually | Monthly | Monthly |
Net Income Ratio Analysis
| VPU | Category Low | Category High | VPU % Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net Income Ratio | 3.18% | 0.61% | 7.85% | 6.06% |
Capital Gain Distribution Analysis
| VPU | Category Low | Category High | Capital Mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Gain Distribution Frequency | Annually | Annually | Semi-Annually | Annually |
Dividend Payout History
| Date | Amount |
|---|---|
| Sep 16, 2020 | $0.887 |
| Jun 25, 2020 | $1.258 |
| Mar 13, 2020 | $0.875 |
| Dec 19, 2019 | $1.022 |
| Oct 01, 2019 | $1.089 |
| Jun 26, 2019 | $0.981 |
| Mar 26, 2019 | $0.945 |
| Dec 18, 2018 | $1.018 |
| Sep 27, 2018 | $0.934 |
| Jul 03, 2018 | $1.016 |
| Mar 21, 2018 | $0.839 |
| Dec 19, 2017 | $0.935 |
| Oct 02, 2017 | $0.963 |
| Jul 05, 2017 | $0.876 |
| Mar 30, 2017 | $0.933 |
| Dec 20, 2016 | $0.943 |
| Sep 26, 2016 | $0.919 |
| Jun 27, 2016 | $0.834 |
| Mar 28, 2016 | $0.717 |
| Dec 23, 2015 | $0.878 |
| Oct 01, 2015 | $0.875 |
| Jul 02, 2015 | $0.838 |
| Mar 27, 2015 | $0.823 |
| Dec 24, 2014 | $0.824 |
| Sep 26, 2014 | $0.791 |
| Jun 27, 2014 | $0.743 |
| Mar 28, 2014 | $0.731 |
| Dec 27, 2013 | $0.824 |
| Sep 27, 2013 | $0.800 |
| Jun 28, 2013 | $0.784 |
| Mar 28, 2013 | $0.724 |
| Dec 27, 2012 | $0.798 |
| Sep 28, 2012 | $0.782 |
| Jun 29, 2012 | $0.710 |
| Mar 30, 2012 | $0.707 |
| Dec 28, 2011 | $0.690 |
| Sep 29, 2011 | $0.683 |
| Jun 30, 2011 | $0.664 |
| Mar 31, 2011 | $0.622 |
| Dec 29, 2010 | $0.717 |
| Sep 30, 2010 | $0.636 |
| Jun 30, 2010 | $0.616 |
| Mar 31, 2010 | $0.571 |
| Dec 29, 2009 | $0.619 |
| Sep 30, 2009 | $0.608 |
| Jun 30, 2009 | $0.618 |
| Mar 31, 2009 | $0.625 |
| Dec 29, 2008 | $0.649 |
| Sep 30, 2008 | $0.622 |
| Jun 30, 2008 | $0.526 |
| Mar 31, 2008 | $0.566 |
| Dec 20, 2007 | $0.607 |
| Sep 28, 2007 | $0.591 |
| Jun 29, 2007 | $0.506 |
| Mar 30, 2007 | $0.483 |
| Dec 22, 2006 | $0.564 |
| Sep 29, 2006 | $0.543 |
| Jun 30, 2006 | $0.600 |
| Mar 29, 2006 | $0.483 |
| Jan 05, 2006 | $0.556 |
| Oct 06, 2005 | $0.399 |
| Jul 08, 2005 | $0.530 |
| Apr 06, 2005 | $0.415 |
| Jan 04, 2005 | $1.546 |
VPU - Fund Manager Analysis
Managers
Awais Khan
Start Date
Tenure
Tenure Rank
Nov 30, 2017
3.75
3.8%
Awais Khan, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has been with Vanguard since 2010; has worked in investment management since 2012. Education: B.S./B.S.B.A., University of North Carolina.
Nick Birkett
Start Date
Tenure
Tenure Rank
Jul 19, 2021
0.12
0.1%
Nick Birkett, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has worked in investment management since 2006; has been with Vanguard since 2017; and has co-managed Russell 1000 Index, Russell 1000 Value Index, Russell 1000 Growth Index, Russell 2000 Index, Russell 2000 Value Index, Russell 2000 Growth Index, and Russell 3000 Index Funds since July 2021. Prior to joining Vanguard, he was at JP Morgan for 11 years, where he last held the position of Executive Director, Head of European Program Trading Risk. Education: B.S., University of Bath.
Tenure Analysis
| Category Low | Category High | Category Average | Category Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.12 | 22.68 | 8.46 | 7.34 |
