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VBK

Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK)

Rating:65Neutral
Price Target:$360.00â–²(8.23% Upside)

VBK, the Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF, has a solid overall rating that reflects a mix of strong growth stories and some more challenging holdings. Top contributors like TechnipFMC, Credo Technology Group, Okta, and nVent Electric support the fund’s quality through robust financial performance, positive earnings call sentiment, and generally favorable technical trends, even though valuations are often on the high side. The main risk factor is that several holdings, such as Revolution Medicines and others with bearish technical signals or profitability issues, add volatility and highlight the fund’s exposure to smaller, growth-focused companies that can be more sensitive to market swings.

Positive Factors
Strong Top Holdings PerformanceSeveral of the largest positions, especially in health care and technology, have shown strong gains this year, helping support the ETF’s overall results.
Broad Sector DiversificationThe fund spreads its investments across many sectors, including technology, health care, industrials, and others, which helps reduce the impact if any single industry struggles.
Low Expense RatioThe ETF charges a very low fee, so more of the fund’s returns stay in investors’ pockets instead of going to costs.
Negative Factors
Recent Short-Term WeaknessThe ETF has shown weak performance over the last month and three months, which may signal near-term volatility for small-cap growth stocks.
Heavy U.S. ConcentrationAlmost all of the fund’s holdings are in U.S. companies, offering very limited geographic diversification outside the United States.
Growth and Small-Cap SensitivityBecause the ETF focuses on smaller, growth-oriented companies, its price can be more sensitive to market downturns and changes in investor risk appetite.

VBK vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

-10%-5%0%5%10%15%20%25%SPY+12.53%VBK+12.89%Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26
AUM
22.37B
Region
North America
Expense Ratio
0.05%
Beta
1.15
Issuer
Vanguard
Inception Date
Jan 26, 2004
Dividend Yield
0.42%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
Morningstar US Small Cap Growth TR USD

VBK Summary

VBK is the Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF, which follows the Morningstar US Small Cap Growth Index. It focuses on smaller U.S. companies that are growing quickly, across areas like technology, health care, and industrials. Some well-known holdings include Twilio and Okta. Investors might consider VBK if they want long-term growth and broader diversification beyond large, well-known stocks. However, because it invests in smaller, fast-growing companies, the share price can be more volatile and may go up and down sharply with changes in the market.

How much will it cost me?

VBK has an expense ratio of 0.05%, which means you’ll pay about $0.50 per year for every $1,000 invested. This cost is lower than the average ETF because it’s a passively managed fund that tracks a small-cap growth index rather than paying managers to pick individual stocks.

What would affect this ETF?

VBK could benefit if the U.S. economy stays healthy and innovation-driven, since its focus on small, fast-growing technology and healthcare companies tends to do well when business investment and consumer spending are strong. On the downside, higher interest rates, economic slowdowns, or tighter regulations on tech and healthcare could hurt these smaller, more volatile companies more than larger, established firms, leading to bigger price swings for the ETF.

VBK Top 10 Holdings

VBK is leaning heavily into U.S. small-cap growth, with a clear tilt toward innovative tech and healthcare names. Natera, Illumina, and Okta have been rising and act like the fund’s growth engine, helped by strong momentum and upbeat earnings stories. Pure Storage has also been a steady contributor, adding some tech firepower. On the flip side, Twilio’s mixed recent performance and nVent’s lagging trend have taken a bit of shine off returns. Overall, the ETF is driven by a cluster of fast-moving, domestically focused growth stories.

VBK top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
NTRANTRANatera1.62%$708.93M$54.62B96.05%73Outperform
TWLOTWLOTwilio1.28%$562.56M$32.12B57.07%70Neutral
RVMDRVMDRevolution Medicines1.19%$523.45M$40.33B227.37%52Neutral
ILMNILMNIllumina1.18%$517.70M$34.26B98.52%71Outperform
PPEverpure1.18%$517.25M$37.91B19.32%64Neutral
OKTAOKTAOkta1.00%$437.71M$32.32B108.26%75Outperform
EMEEMEEMCOR Group0.95%$416.91M$29.89B5.03%73Outperform
CRDOCRDOCredo Technology Group Holding Ltd0.94%$412.66M$26.32B-16.46%77Outperform
FTIFTITechnipFMC0.76%$333.65M$26.00B58.53%80Outperform
NVTNVTnVent Electric0.74%$325.02M$19.99B15.04%76Outperform

VBK Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentNegative
Last Price332.62

Price Trends

50DMA339.95Negative
100DMA346.55Negative
200DMA335.43Negative

Market Momentum

MACD-2.46Negative
RSI46.71Neutral
STOCH41.12Neutral

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For VBK, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 332.62 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 334.17, below the 50-day MA of 339.95, and below the 200-day MA of 335.43, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -2.46 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 46.71 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 41.12 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for VBK.

VBK Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

VBK against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
VBKVBK$332.62$360.00(8.23% Upside)$22.37B0.05%65Neutral
IJRIJR$141.05$169.86(20.43% Upside)$106.45B0.06%65Neutral
VBVB$292.34$365.95(25.18% Upside)$79.16B0.03%66Neutral
IWMIWM$279.79$371.22(32.68% Upside)$75.63B0.19%63Neutral
VBRVBR$245.00$284.30(16.04% Upside)$37.48B0.05%67Neutral
IWOIWO$352.27$490.18(39.15% Upside)$13.78B0.24%62Neutral

Performance Comparison

0%10%20%VBKIJRVBIWMVBRIWODec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26Nov '26
VBK and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
VBKVanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF332.6232.8810.97%
IJRiShares Core S&P Small Cap ETF141.0524.0120.52%
VBVanguard Small-Cap ETF292.3441.7916.68%
IWMiShares Russell 2000 ETF279.7937.5715.51%
VBRVanguard Small Cap Value ETF245.0042.5521.02%
IWOiShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF352.2726.948.28%
Glossary
BuyAn ETF rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldAn ETF rated as a "Hold" s expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the ETF is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellAn ETF rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF may deliver lower returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer

This AI Analyst ETF Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in ETFs carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.