Vanguard US Value Factor ETF

VFVA

Market cap $683M

CVAR: Why You Should Avoid This High Fee Active All-Cap Value ETF

Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF focuses on U.S. value stocks with a small-cap tilt and has a higher expense ratio of 0.13%. VFVA has underperformed the S&P 500 Index since inception, delivering a total return of 79.1% compared to the S&P 500's 149.2%. The fund's low exposure to growth sectors, particularly technology, and high turnover ratio contribute to its underperformance and higher trading costs.

VFVA is an actively managed value ETF launched in 2018 and managed by The Vanguard Group, Inc. The ETF focuses on undervalued U.S. stocks using indicators like forward earnings yield and book value to price ratio. Despite low expenses and turnover, Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF's size agnosticism may limit potential excess returns.

The Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF approaches value investing based on certain key metrics. The fund is incredibly diversified across hundreds of names -- far more so than the S&P 500.

Vanguard offers factor-based ETFs that have shown outstanding performance compared to unmanaged, index-based comparison ETFs. Factor-based ETFs have now become mainstream investments, with a market share of over 20% globally. Assets under management for factor-based investments have grown significantly, leading many investors to include factor funds in their portfolios.

Vanguard has an actively managed fund called Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF ETF Shares that uses a quantitative model for security selection. The VFVA ETF focuses on US equities with low price-to-fundamentals ratios, betting on the value premium. The fund has a well-diversified portfolio, and a value-oriented sector composition, and has performed well in a cycle favoring large-cap stocks.

Vanguard U.S. Value Factor ETF is an actively managed fund holding 593 stocks with value characteristics. VFVA is overweight in financials, yet well diversified across holdings. Surprisingly, VFVA is superior to the benchmark regarding both value and growth metrics.

With so many small and mid-cap ETFs out there, which might be the best to own right now. I'll restrict this analysis to Vanguard ETFs which seem to have a reasonable exchange policy and which offers among the best returns over the long term. My top choices are based on which Vanguard ETF have shown the best returns over the last five years, with the admonition that past returns may not predict the future.

Most investors have never heard of so-called "factor funds" but four of five such Vanguard factor funds have outperformed Vanguard ETFs of similar composition. Factor funds focus on portfolios that have stocks with past characteristics such as momentum, quality, and low volatility. Outperformance has been consistent since inception, except for a fund with a focus on low volatility.

Vanguard Value Index Fund ETF Shares is the largest value ETF in the market.