VDE ETF guide. Cost, sectors and top holdings in one place.
VDE tracks the MSCI US IMI/Energy 25/50 Index and holds 111 U.S. energy companies of every size. See what it costs to hold each year, what it pays, what sits inside and how it has returned.
One ticker.
What VDE is, in plain words.
VDE tracks the MSCI US IMI/Energy 25/50 Index and holds 111 U.S. energy companies of every size. The fund is managed by Vanguard, trades on NYSE Arca in U.S. dollars and launched on Sep 23, 2004. On Oct 31, 2026 it held $11.9B in net assets and its expense ratio was 0.09%. VDE is a low cost fund that spreads across U.S. energy companies of every size.
Investors search for VDE ETF because they want a clear answer to four practical questions. What does it cost to hold each year, what does it pay, what is actually inside, and how does it fit in a Roth IRA, a traditional IRA or 401(k), or a taxable account. This guide answers each one with dated figures from the issuer, and marks anything the issuer page does not publish as Not captured.
Key takeaways
- What it is. VDE tracks the MSCI US IMI/Energy 25/50 Index and holds 111 U.S. energy companies of every size.
- Cost. Expense ratio 0.09%, about $9 a year on $10,000.
- Income. Trailing yield 2.45%, paid quarterly.
- Risk. Energy stocks can fall sharply when oil and gas prices drop.
It suits you if
- You want focused exposure to the oil and gas industry.
- You already hold a broad market fund and want to add more energy.
- You can accept oil price swings that are larger than the broad market.
Look elsewhere if
- You want the whole market in one fund.
- You want a payout that stays steady, since energy dividends follow oil and gas profits.
- You cannot accept a large drop in a single industry.
What VDE holds.
The 10 largest stock positions inside VDE, as of Aug 31, 2026. Pick a number to see how much of the fund they make up.
The ten largest holdings and the group split are shown below from the issuer page. An energy fund puts almost all its weight in one industry, so a handful of names can move the whole fund.
VDE yield and distributions.
VDE pays distributions in Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec, which makes it a quarterly payer. The issuer page showed a trailing yield of 2.45% dated Sep 30, 2026. The most recent payment in the log was $1.0519 per share with an ex-date of Sep 23, 2026.
A yield is a snapshot, not a promise. The payment moves each period with the dividends and interest the fund receives, and some years include capital gains or return of capital that do not repeat. Read the year by year table below before building a plan around a single quarter. If you reinvest distributions, the payment still counts as income for tax purposes in a taxable account.
Recent distributions per share
Total distribution per share is shown on each bar. A tinted bar includes a reinvested year end amount.
Income estimate at the current yield
Uses the 2.45% yield dated Sep 30, 2026. Actual payments move each period.
Every payment, and the year by year record.
The ex-date is the cut-off, so you must hold shares before it to receive that payment. Amounts are per share in U.S. dollars from the issuer page.
Payment log
| Ex-date | Payable | Cash | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 2026 | Sep 25, 2026 | $1.05190 | $1.05190 |
| Jun 24, 2026 | Jun 26, 2026 | $1.03210 | $1.03210 |
| Mar 24, 2026 | Mar 26, 2026 | $0.96890 | $0.96890 |
| Dec 17, 2025 | Dec 19, 2025 | $1.02790 | $1.02790 |
| Sep 24, 2025 | Sep 26, 2025 | $1.00020 | $1.00020 |
| Jun 26, 2025 | Jun 30, 2025 | $0.93330 | $0.93330 |
| Mar 25, 2025 | Mar 27, 2025 | $0.94870 | $0.94870 |
| Dec 18, 2024 | Dec 20, 2024 | $0.96600 | $0.96600 |
The issuer reports the tax character of each payout after year end. Use the Form 1099-DIV from your broker for your own return.
What VDE costs to hold each year.
The expense ratio of 0.09% means the fund keeps about $9 a year for every $10,000 you hold. That cost is taken out of the fund price in small daily amounts, so you never see a bill, but it lowers your return every year. Over ten years on a flat $10,000 the expense ratio adds up to roughly $90, before any growth.
Two other costs sit outside the expense ratio. Trading commissions depend on your brokerage, and most large U.S. brokerages now charge nothing to buy ETFs. The bid and ask spread is a small cost you pay each time you trade, and for the largest funds it is usually tiny.
Expense ratio cost at common amounts
| Amount held | Per month | Per year | Over 10 years, flat | Hypothetical 2.00% fund, per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $0.07 | $0.90 | $9 | $20 |
| $5,000 | $0.38 | $4.50 | $45 | $100 |
| $10,000 | $0.75 | $9.00 | $90 | $200 |
| $25,000 | $1.88 | $22.50 | $225 | $500 |
| $50,000 | $3.75 | $45.00 | $450 | $1,000 |
| $100,000 | $7.50 | $90.00 | $900 | $2,000 |
| $250,000 | $18.75 | $225.00 | $2,250 | $5,000 |
Flat estimates at the current expense ratio with no growth and no change in fee. Trading commissions depend on your brokerage and are not included. The 2.00% fund is a hypothetical used for scale.
Where the cost shows up
- Not as a bill. The share price and returns are already lower by the expense ratio.
- Trading cost shows up as the bid and ask spread each time you buy or sell, and as a commission if your broker charges one.
- In a taxable account, dividends are reported on Form 1099-DIV and taxed in the year they are paid.
Expense ratio cost calculator
Flat estimate at an expense ratio of 0.09% with no growth and no change in fee. It shows scale only, not a forecast.
How VDE has returned.
Calendar year returns were Not captured from the issuer page for this fund, so this guide shows the period returns the issuer publishes. Returns include fees. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and a single period tells you little about the next one.
Annualised NAV returns from the issuer, as of Sep 30, 2026. They include fees.
Past performance does not guarantee future results. Gaps are shown as Not captured because the issuer page did not publish that period.
What $10,000 became over 5 years
Using the annualised NAV return from the issuer, with distributions reinvested.
An illustration of past figures, not a forecast. It ignores taxes and trading costs.
What $10,000 became, by starting point
Each row starts a different number of years before Sep 30, 2026 and uses the issuer annualised NAV return for that period.
VDE fund facts in one place.
Every figure comes from the issuer for the date shown. A line reads Not captured when it is not published on the pages we use.
Where the companies are.
Industry group exposure
What the ride can look like.
VDE can lose value, and the period returns from the issuer show the range so far.
- Market risk. The fund falls when stock markets fall.
- Oil and gas price risk. Energy company profits follow oil and natural gas prices, which can swing sharply in either direction.
- Concentrated holdings. VDE holds 111 stocks, so smaller producers and service firms add a long tail beyond the large integrated companies. Exxon and Chevron together are about 36% in the report dated Aug 31, 2026.
- Cycle risk. Energy earnings rise and fall with commodity prices and demand, so a year of large gains can be followed by large losses.
- Distribution risk. Payments change each period with company dividends and are not guaranteed.
How investors use VDE.
VDE is most often used as a satellite holding, a smaller piece added on top of a broad market core. An investor who owns it is choosing to tilt the portfolio toward oil and gas, which is a bet on energy prices and company profits rather than on the market as a whole.
Because energy can lead or lag the market for years, many investors cap it at a small share of the portfolio and rebalance. That choice is worth checking against your own situation.
Before buying VDE, check four things on the issuer page. First, confirm the expense ratio matches the figure on this page, since fees can change when an issuer cuts costs. Second, confirm the fund is eligible for the account you plan to use. Third, read the latest tax breakdown if you hold it in a taxable account. Fourth, look at the bid and ask spread on the day you trade, since a wide spread is a cost that the expense ratio does not show.
Several comparable funds exist, with expense ratios of XLE at 0.08%, IYE at 0.37%, IXC at 0.37%, FENY at 0.084%, so weigh cost together with what each fund holds, how it pays and the account you use.
No single fund is right for everyone, and this guide describes the product rather than recommending it. The figures come from the issuer and are dated. Distribution amounts, yields and holdings change, and past returns do not predict future returns. For a decision with large amounts of money, read the prospectus and the shareholder reports, and consider speaking with a licensed adviser about your own situation.
VDE against similar funds.
The same fund type from other issuers. Open a comparison for holdings overlap and returns.
| Fund | Issuer | Expense ratio | Net assets | Trailing yield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VDE (this fund) | Vanguard | 0.09% | $11.9B | 2.45% |
| XLE | State Street | 0.08% | $40.93B | 2.45% |
| IYE | iShares | 0.37% | $1.77B | 1.83% |
| IXC | iShares | 0.37% | $2.68B | 2.45% |
| FENY | Fidelity | 0.084% | $2.37B | 2.31% |
| RSPG | Invesco | 0.40% | $628.52M | 1.92% |
VDE is part of the Energy ETFs category on this site, grouped here with XLE, IYE, IXC. Each comparison page lines up two funds on cost, holdings overlap, yield and returns, so you can see what separates them.
Where VDE fits.
Qualified withdrawals from a Roth IRA are tax free, so dividends and gains compound without a yearly tax bill and the expense ratio is the main drag you carry. VDE is an ordinary exchange traded fund, so most brokerages let you hold it in a Roth IRA.
Tax is deferred until you withdraw, and withdrawals are taxed as ordinary income. A 401(k) offers only the funds on its menu, so check whether VDE or a similar fund is in your plan.
Most of the distribution is dividends from energy companies. Dividends that meet the holding rules are taxed as qualified dividends at lower long term rates in a taxable account, the rest is taxed as ordinary income, and gains are taxed when you sell. Your broker reports the amounts on Form 1099-DIV after year end, and those figures are what count on your return. ETFs also tend to pass out few capital gains because of how shares are created and redeemed.
General education, not tax advice. Rules change, so confirm with the issuer tax documents or an adviser.
Buying VDE in five steps.
- Pick the account. Roth IRA, traditional IRA, 401(k) or taxable. Most brokerages let IRAs hold ETFs like this one.
- Search the ticker. Type VDE in your brokerage and choose the U.S. listing, priced in U.S. dollars.
- Use a limit order. It sets the most you will pay and avoids surprises at the open.
- Check the cost. Most large U.S. brokerages charge no commission on ETFs, and some charge a small fee per trade.
- Set a routine. Add money on a schedule and decide whether to reinvest distributions.
Terms used on this page.
Where to go next from VDE.
Every VDE link in one place. Start with the category, then the head to head comparisons, then the guides for other funds and the tools.
CategoryEnergy ETFsEvery fund in this category, with a comparison page for every pair.Open the category →VDE comparison pages 5
Guides for similar funds
More U.S. fund guides
Calculators for VDE investors
Other ETF categories
Guides and research
Common questions about VDE.
What is VDE?
VDE tracks the MSCI US IMI/Energy 25/50 Index and holds 111 U.S. energy companies of every size. It is managed by Vanguard, trades on NYSE Arca in U.S. dollars and launched on Sep 23, 2004.
What is the expense ratio of VDE?
The expense ratio of VDE on the issuer page is 0.09%, or about $9 a year per $10,000 invested.
What is the VDE dividend yield?
The issuer page showed a trailing yield of 2.45% on Sep 30, 2026 for VDE. Yields change, so check the issuer page for the current figure.
How often does VDE pay a dividend?
VDE pays distributions in Mar, Jun, Sep, Dec. The latest payment in the log was $1.0519 per share.
What does VDE hold?
VDE holds 111 positions. Its largest positions are ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips.
Can I hold VDE in a Roth IRA or 401(k)?
Yes for IRAs. VDE is an ordinary exchange traded fund, so most brokerages let you hold it in a Roth IRA or a traditional IRA. Whether it is available in a 401(k) depends on the funds your plan offers.
How has VDE performed?
The issuer period returns are shown in the returns section. Returns include fees, and past performance does not guarantee future results.
VDE or FENY, what is the difference?
The two funds do a similar job and differ in cost, issuer and holdings. VDE has an expense ratio of 0.09% and FENY has an expense ratio of 0.084%. Open the VDE vs FENY comparison for holdings overlap, yield and returns side by side.
How is VDE taxed in a taxable account?
Dividends are reported on Form 1099-DIV. Qualified dividends are taxed at long term rates and the rest as ordinary income. The split changes by year, so use the figures your broker reports.
Source, Vanguard fund page. All figures are dated as shown. This guide is for education and is not personal advice or an offer to sell.