Vanguard ESG US Stock ETF

ESGV

Market cap $11.5B

I rate ESGV a hold; it's essentially a closet S&P 500 index fund with minimal differentiation despite its ESG branding. ESGV's performance, risk profile, and sector allocation closely mirror the S&P 500, offering little unique value beyond ESG screens. The fund boasts strong momentum, high liquidity, and a low expense ratio, but trades at a premium valuation with no clear bargain.

Key Points in This Article: Bill Gates' investing philosophy emphasizes stability, quality, and long-term value, drawing from the investment approach of his major charitable trust, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust.

XVV: A Strong ESG-Focused Investment With Potential For Long-Term Growth

Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF (ESGV) excludes companies involved in vice products, non-renewable energy, weapons, and controversial practices. ESGV is heavily concentrated in technology and large caps, and its fundamentals are below average. However, ESGV has outperformed the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index since inception, challenging the notion that ethical investing hampers performance.

ESGV is a total market ETF that excludes companies operating in the fossil fuels, vice products, and weapons industries. Additional conduct screens eliminate other "controversial" stocks like Johnson & Johnson. These screens may not be comprehensive enough for some investors, and the subjective conduct screen means it may not be consistently applied. Still, it's a step in the right direction. Historical performance is solid but not exceptional, as other ETFs, particularly SUSL, have proved better over the last five years. However, I expect ESGV will catch up shortly.

The S&P 500 Index outperformed the Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF in the first half of 2024. This Vanguard ETF is a good option for investors looking to replace the S&P with a fund more tightly focused on socially responsible companies.

Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock ETF avoids investing in companies that might run afoul of environmental, social, and governance concerns. The exchange-traded fund has performed fairly well compared to the S&P 500 Index.

Vanguard ESG U.S. Stock is a low-cost ETF that focuses on companies that perform well on ESG criteria. ESGV has delivered comparable returns to the S&P 500 index since its inception in 2018. The Fund's exposure to small-cap stocks and its tilt towards growth may result in slightly higher volatility and potentially higher returns in the long run.

With one quarter of 2024 now over, we can now speculate as to which ETFs will end the remainder of this year as your best choices.

Eight Vanguard ETFs own positions in each of the "Magnificent Seven" stocks. These Vanguard ETFs match closely on cost, risk, and five-year performance.