Zacks Equity Research
·3 min read
If you're interested in broad exposure to the Technology - Broad segment of the equity market, look no further than the Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT), 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.
Sector ETFs also provide investors access to a broad group of companies in particular sectors that offer low risk and diversified exposure. Technology - Broad is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 5, placing it in top 31%.
Index Details
The fund is sponsored by Vanguard. It has amassed assets over $39.99 billion, making it the largest ETF attempting to match the performance of the Technology - Broad segment of the equity market. VGT seeks to match the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Information Technology 25/50 Index before fees and expenses.
The MSCI US Investable Market Information Technology 25/50 Index is designed to transition in and out of securities affected by pending updates to the information technology sector.
Costs
Since 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 least expensive products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 0.90%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
While ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Information Technology sector--about 99.80% of the portfolio.
Looking at individual holdings, Apple Inc. (AAPL) accounts for about 24.10% of total assets, followed by Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) and Nvidia Corp. (NVDA).
The top 10 holdings account for about 61.07% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
So far this year, VGT has added roughly 1.45%, and is down about -24.81% in the last one year (as of 01/10/2023). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $300.84 and $442.51.
The ETF has a beta of 1.15 and standard deviation of 32.16% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 377 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
Vanguard Information Technology ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, VGT is an outstanding option for investors seeking exposure to the Technology ETFs segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.
IShares U.S. Technology ETF (IYW) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Technology Index and the Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) tracks Technology Select Sector Index. IShares U.S. Technology ETF has $7.92 billion in assets, Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF has $38.75 billion. IYW has an expense ratio of 0.39% and XLK charges 0.10%.
Bottom Line
To 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 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 Information Technology ETF (VGT): ETF Research Reports
Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK): ETF Research Reports
iShares U.S. Technology ETF (IYW): ETF Research Reports
