Data as of Sep 12, 2026. Both funds on the fields they both publish, from the same sources.
VPU vs VYM: how they differ
VPU and VYM hold 6% of their weight in the same names, and VYM returned more over the year.
Vanguard Utilities Index Fund and Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund.
What they hold in common
By the books each fund has filed, VPU and VYM hold 6% of their money in the same securities at the same weight.
| Holding | VPU | VYM |
|---|---|---|
| NextEra Energy Inc | 11.84% | 0.85% |
| Southern Co/The | 6.70% | 0.45% |
| Duke Energy Corp | 6.31% | 0.42% |
| American Electric Power Co Inc | 4.47% | 0.31% |
| Sempra | 3.85% | 0.26% |
| Dominion Energy Inc | 3.78% | 0.23% |
| Entergy Corp | 3.22% | 0.22% |
| Xcel Energy Inc | 3.11% | 0.20% |
| Exelon Corp | 3.05% | 0.20% |
| Public Service Enterprise Group Inc | 2.60% | 0.17% |
| Consolidated Edison Inc | 2.52% | 0.17% |
| WEC Energy Group Inc | 2.39% | 0.16% |
| Only in VPU | Only in VYM |
|---|---|
| Constellation Energy Corp 5.86% | Broadcom Inc 8.07% |
| Vistra Corp 3.59% | JPMorgan Chase & Co 3.36% |
| PG&E Corp 2.37% | Exxon Mobil Corp 2.73% |
| Talen Energy Corp 0.99% | Johnson & Johnson 2.31% |
| Ormat Technologies Inc 0.44% | Caterpillar Inc 1.73% |
| Oklo Inc 0.39% | AbbVie Inc 1.57% |
| Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc 0.15% | Cisco Systems Inc 1.52% |
| NextEra Energy Partners LP 0.07% | Chevron Corp 1.51% |
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.
| VPU Vanguard Utilities Index Fund | VYM Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | Core index fund | Core index fund |
| Issuer | Vanguard | Vanguard |
| What it is | Utilities | US high dividend |
| Total return, 1 year | +2.1% | +17.6% |
| S&P 500 over the same days | +17.5% | +17.5% |
| Gap to the S&P 500 | −15.4 pts | +0.1 pts |
| Expense ratio | 0.09% | 0.04% |
| Already in the S&P 500 | 90.1% | 92.2% |
| Holdings | 66 | 608 |
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.
VYM in plain words
VYM is an index equity fund tracking the US high dividend. Over the year to Sep 11, 2026 it returned +17.6% with distributions reinvested, against +17.5% for the S&P 500 and +23.0% for the Nasdaq-100. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.04% a year. By its holdings filed for Apr 30, 2026, 92% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 608 positions, with the top ten at 25.7%.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, VPU or VYM?
- In the year to Sep 12, 2026, with distributions reinvested, VPU returned +2.1% and VYM returned +17.6%, so VYM returned more. One year is one year; the longer windows are in the table.
- Which is cheaper, VPU or VYM?
- VPU charges 0.09% a year and VYM charges 0.04%, so VYM is cheaper. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
- How much do VPU and VYM overlap with the S&P 500?
- By their latest filed holdings, 90% of VPU and 92% of VYM by weight is stocks the S&P 500 already holds. Between the two funds, 6% of their books are the same securities at the same weight.
Other comparisons
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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, VPU against VYM, data as of Sep 12, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/VPU-VYM Free to use with attribution; the underlying files are at Open data.
A comparison is not a recommendation. Standards and sources