Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
VGK vs VPU: how they differ
VGK and VPU hold 0% of their weight in the same names, and VGK returned more over the year.
Vanguard European Stock Index Fund and Vanguard Utilities Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, VGK and VPU hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Only in VGK | Only in VPU |
|---|---|
| ASML Holding NV 3.63% | NextEra Energy Inc 11.84% |
| HSBC Holdings PLC 2.05% | Southern Co/The 6.70% |
| AstraZeneca PLC 1.84% | Duke Energy Corp 6.31% |
| Novartis AG 1.84% | Constellation Energy Corp 5.86% |
| Nestle SA 1.69% | American Electric Power Co Inc 4.47% |
| Siemens AG 1.41% | Sempra 3.85% |
| Banco Santander SA 1.16% | Dominion Energy Inc 3.78% |
| Allianz SE 1.13% | Vistra Corp 3.59% |
Weight overlap is an ETFIQ calculation: for every security both funds hold, the smaller of the two weights, summed. Above 50%, holding both is close to holding one of them twice. Holdings dated Apr 30, 2026 and May 31, 2026.
| VGK Vanguard European Stock Index Fund | VPU Vanguard Utilities Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| What it is | European Stock | Utilities |
| Total return, 1 year | +16.5% | +2.1% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −1.0 pts | −15.4 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.06% | 0.09% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 0.0% | 90.1% |
| Holdings | 1228 | 66 |
VGK in plain words
VGK is an index equity fund tracking the European Stock. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +16.5% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year. By its holdings filed for Apr 30, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 1228 positions, with the top ten at 18.1%. It sat 3.4% below its high of Aug 25, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
VPU in plain words
VPU is an index equity fund tracking the Utilities. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +2.1% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.09% a year. By its holdings filed for May 31, 2026, 90% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 66 positions, with the top ten at 52.7%. It sat 9.8% below its high of Feb 27, 2026 on Sep 11, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, VGK or VPU?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VGK returned +16.5% and VPU returned +2.1%, so VGK returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, VGK or VPU?
- VGK charges 0.06% a year and VPU charges 0.09%, so VGK is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do VGK and VPU overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 0% of VGK and 90% of VPU by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 0% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
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Where these figures came from
ETFIQ links to the documents behind every figure. It is not affiliated with any issuer, and a link is not an endorsement.
Cite this page. ETFIQ, VGK against VPU, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/VGK-VPU Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources