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Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares (VPU)



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Upturn Advisory Summary
10/10/2025: VPU (1-star) has a low Upturn Star Rating. Not recommended to BUY.
Analysis of Past Performance
Type ETF | Historic Profit 8.01% | Avg. Invested days 38 | Today’s Advisory Consider higher Upturn Star rating |
Upturn Star Rating ![]() ![]() | Upturn Advisory Performance ![]() | ETF Returns Performance ![]() |
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Key Highlights
Volume (30-day avg) - | Beta 0.73 | 52 Weeks Range 142.46 - 178.17 | Updated Date 06/30/2025 |
52 Weeks Range 142.46 - 178.17 | Updated Date 06/30/2025 |
Upturn AI SWOT
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares
ETF Overview
Overview
The Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares (VPU) seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks of utilities companies. This ETF provides exposure to the utilities sector, focusing on companies involved in electric, gas, and water services. The fund employs a passive investment strategy.
Reputation and Reliability
Vanguard is a highly reputable and reliable issuer known for its low-cost and investor-focused approach.
Management Expertise
Vanguard has extensive experience and expertise in managing index funds and ETFs, with a strong track record of tracking benchmarks effectively.
Investment Objective
Goal
To track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of stocks of utilities companies.
Investment Approach and Strategy
Strategy: VPU employs a passive management strategy, seeking to replicate the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Utilities 25/50 Index.
Composition The ETF primarily holds stocks of companies in the utilities sector, including electric utilities, gas utilities, and water utilities.
Market Position
Market Share: VPU holds a significant market share within the utilities ETF sector.
Total Net Assets (AUM): 5963000000
Competitors
Key Competitors
- XLU
- IDU
- FXU
Competitive Landscape
The utilities ETF market is dominated by a few major players. VPU competes primarily with XLU, offering a similar investment strategy but potentially differing slightly in expense ratios or index tracking. XLU has a larger market share, but VPU's low expense ratio makes it an attractive alternative.
Financial Performance
Historical Performance: Historical performance can be found from various finance sites like Yahoo Finance, Google Finance, etc. Please check them individually.
Benchmark Comparison: VPU's performance closely tracks the MSCI US Investable Market Utilities 25/50 Index, indicating its effectiveness in replicating the benchmark.
Expense Ratio: 0.1
Liquidity
Average Trading Volume
VPU exhibits good liquidity with a substantial average trading volume, facilitating easy buying and selling of shares.
Bid-Ask Spread
The bid-ask spread for VPU is generally tight, indicating efficient trading and lower transaction costs.
Market Dynamics
Market Environment Factors
Economic indicators, sector growth prospects, interest rate changes, regulatory changes and current market conditions significantly impact VPU's performance as well as the stability of the Utilities sector.
Growth Trajectory
VPU's growth trajectory typically aligns with the overall performance of the utilities sector and investor demand for dividend-paying stocks and sector exposure. No big strategy changes observed.
Moat and Competitive Advantages
Competitive Edge
VPU benefits from Vanguard's strong brand reputation, low expense ratio, and efficient index tracking. It offers investors a cost-effective way to gain exposure to the utilities sector, providing a competitive edge over higher-cost alternatives. The ETF's passive investment strategy ensures diversification within the sector. VPU's low fees enhance its attractiveness to long-term investors. The utilities sector itself is characterized by relative stability, providing a degree of defensiveness during economic downturns.
Risk Analysis
Volatility
VPU's volatility generally aligns with the utilities sector, which is typically less volatile than the broader market but sensitive to interest rate changes.
Market Risk
VPU is subject to market risk, including sector-specific risks such as regulatory changes, commodity price fluctuations, and changing consumer demand for utility services.
Investor Profile
Ideal Investor Profile
VPU is suitable for investors seeking income from dividends, diversification within their portfolio, and exposure to the relatively stable utilities sector.
Market Risk
VPU is best suited for long-term investors seeking passive index exposure and dividend income, rather than active traders seeking short-term gains.
Summary
The Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares (VPU) is a cost-effective and efficient way to gain exposure to the US utilities sector. With a low expense ratio and strong tracking of its benchmark index, VPU offers investors a diversified portfolio of utility stocks. The ETF is suitable for long-term investors seeking income and stability. While sector-specific risks exist, VPU's diversified holdings and Vanguard's management expertise help mitigate those risks. The market share indicates VPU is a major player in the utility ETF space.
Peer Comparison
Sources and Disclaimers
Data Sources:
- Vanguard
- Yahoo Finance
- Google Finance
- ETFdb.com
Disclaimers:
The data and analysis provided are for informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice. Investment decisions should be based on your own research and risk tolerance.
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
About Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares
Exchange NYSE ARCA | Headquaters - | ||
IPO Launch date - | CEO - | ||
Sector - | Industry - | Full time employees - | Website |
Full time employees - | Website |
The fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the index, an index made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small U.S. companies within the utilities sector, as classified under the 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.

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