Should Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (VIOG) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Question

Looking for broad exposure to the Small Cap Growth segment of the US equity market? You should consider the Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF (VIOG), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 09/09/2010.

The fund is sponsored by Vanguard. It has amassed assets over $823.83 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Growth segment of the US equity market.

Why Small Cap Growth

With more potential comes more risk, and small cap companies, with market capitalization below $2 billion, epitomizes this way of thinking.

Growth stocks have higher than average sales and earnings growth rates. While these are expected to grow faster than the broader market, they also have higher valuations. Further, growth stocks have a higher level of volatility associated with them. Compared to value stocks, growth stocks are a safer bet in a strong bull market, but don't perform as strongly in almost all other financial environments.

Costs

Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.10%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.19%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Industrials sector--about 21.90% of the portfolio. Financials and Healthcare round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Spx Technologies Inc (SPXC) accounts for about 1.07% of total assets, followed by Badger Meter Inc (BMI) and Armstrong World Industries Inc (AWI).

The top 10 holdings account for about 6.12% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

VIOG seeks to match the performance of the S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index before fees and expenses. The S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index represents the growth companies of the S&P Small-Cap 600 Index.

The ETF has lost about -3.76% so far this year and is up roughly 0.53% in the last one year (as of 06/04/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $93.75 and $129.74.

The ETF has a beta of 1.08 and standard deviation of 22% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 348 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Story Continues## Alternatives

Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, VIOG is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Growth area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.

The iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF (IWO) and the Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF (VBK) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 2000 Growth ETF has $11.35 billion in assets, Vanguard Small-Cap Growth ETF has $18.33 billion. IWO has an expense ratio of 0.24% and VBK charges 0.07%.

Bottom-Line

While an excellent vehicle for long term investors, passively managed ETFs are a popular choice among institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency.

To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.

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