VAS AU
Vanguard Australian Shares INDEX ETF Guide (VAS) and Details
Price data last refreshed:
The VAS ETF, the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS), is one of the most important core building-block ETFs for Australian investors. It gives you broad exposure to listed Australian shares by tracking the S&P/ASX 300 Index, which covers large, mid and smaller companies on the ASX.
What it does: Broad exposure to around 300 Australian shares and property trusts listed on the ASX.
Who it may suit: Australians looking for a low-cost, long-term core allocation to local equities.
Main local issue: VAS is already Australian-domiciled and ASX-listed, so the main decision is usually whether to choose VAS or a close local rival like A200 or IOZ.
Best Australian-listed alternative: A200 for the lower fee, or IOZ/STW if you specifically want ASX 200 exposure instead of ASX 300.
VAS has delivered strong long-run results in line with the broad Australian sharemarket, but the fund’s return pattern reflects the local market’s heavy exposure to banks, miners and dividend-paying blue chips. That means it can look very different to a U.S.-heavy global equity fund in some years.
Can Australians buy this ETF?
Short answer: Yes. VAS is one of the easiest ETFs for Australians to access because it is Australian-domiciled, ASX-listed, and built specifically for the local market.
Australian investors should still check a few practical points before buying:
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- Where it is listed: ASX
- Fund domicile: Australia
- Whether there is an ASX equivalent: A200, IOZ and STW are the main close substitutes
- Whether the exposure is hedged or unhedged to AUD: Not relevant in the usual sense, because the underlying holdings are Australian shares priced in Australian dollars
For most Australians, VAS does not create the same access friction as buying a U.S.-listed ETF. It is already a local ETF structure, with a PDS and TMD available through Vanguard Australia, and it trades directly on the ASX like other domestic ETFs.
That means the real choice is usually not “Can I buy it?” but rather “Is VAS the best local Australian equities ETF for my needs?” For many investors the answer is yes, but fee-sensitive investors may prefer A200, while others may prefer IOZ or STW if they specifically want ASX 200 exposure instead of the broader ASX 300.
ETF at a glance
| ETF name | Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF |
|---|---|
| Ticker | VAS |
| Issuer | Vanguard Investments Australia |
| Fund domicile | Australia |
| Primary exchange | ASX |
| Australian access route | Directly ASX-listed |
| Underlying benchmark | S&P/ASX 300 Index |
| Inception date | 4 May 2009 |
| Management fee | 0.07% p.a. |
| ETF size | A$24.23 billion |
| Total fund size | A$50.78 billion |
| Number of holdings | 320 |
| Base currency | AUD |
| Currency exposure for Australians | Primarily Australian dollar equity exposure |
| Distribution frequency | Quarterly |
| Yield metric used | Equity yield (dividend): 2.9% |
| PDS available? | Yes |
| TMD available? | Yes |
| Best local alternative | A200 for lower fee / IOZ or STW for ASX 200 exposure |
What does the ETF actually do?
VAS is designed to track the S&P/ASX 300 Index before fees, expenses and tax. In practical terms, that means it aims to give investors broad exposure to the Australian sharemarket across the biggest listed companies, while still including some mid-cap and smaller names that are excluded from narrower ASX 200 funds.
For Australian investors, this makes VAS one of the cleanest local “core portfolio” ETFs. It can work as a single-ticket allocation to Australian equities, or as the Australian sharemarket component inside a broader portfolio that also includes global shares, bonds and cash.
What VAS is not: it is not a global ETF, not a defensive income fund, and not a sector ETF. It is a broad Australian equities exposure with a heavy tilt toward the sectors that dominate the local market, especially financials and materials.
Overview
Vanguard Australian Shares INDEX ETF (VAS) is an Australian-listed ETF focused on domestic shares. The supplied profile shows a price of A$107.92 and assets under management of about A$55.4 billion. Its broad company exposure is balanced by significant concentration in financials, resources and its largest holdings.
Category
VAS offers exposure to Australian listed companies across multiple sectors, but the supplied portfolio data shows that the allocation is weighted strongly toward financial firms and basic materials. This gives the fund a distinctly domestic profile rather than a globally diversified one.
VAS reflects a domestic market where financial companies and resource businesses have substantial representation in the supplied portfolio breakdown. That mix can make the ETF’s performance sensitive to conditions affecting major banks and materials companies, while offering less weight to some other sectors.
Key facts
- Ticker
- VAS
- Exchange
- AU
- ISIN
- AU000000VAS1
- Provider
- Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd
- Domicile
- Australia
- Currency
- AUD
- Inception date
- 2009-05-04
- Use of income
- Quarterly
- UCITS
- No
Costs
- TER
- 0.00%
- Ongoing charge
- 0.00%
- Net expense ratio
- 0.00%
- AUM
- 55.4B
The supplied ongoing-charge, net-expense-ratio and TER display fields each show 0%. These figures do not necessarily represent every cost an investor may incur, such as brokerage or transaction-related costs.
Performance
- YTD
- 1.9%
- 1 year
- 0.0%
- 3 years
- 10.9%
- 5 years
- 7.2%
- 10 years
- 8.6%
- Dividend yield
- 2.91%
- Top 10 concentration
- 46.7%
Holdings
-
BHP Group Ltd11.77%
-
-
-
-
-
Wesfarmers Ltd3.20%
-
Macquarie Group Ltd3.07%
-
CSL Ltd2.98%
-
RIO Tinto Ltd2.28%
-
Weights are percentages of the fund; bars use a 0–100% scale. Displayed entries may not cover the whole portfolio.
The portfolio has notable exposure to Financial Services and Basic Materials. Its largest listed holdings include BHP Group at 11.769% and Commonwealth Bank of Australia at 9.079%. The top 10 holdings account for 46.69% of the portfolio, so a substantial share is concentrated in a relatively small group of companies.
Sectors
-
Financial Services32.4%
-
Basic Materials27.4%
-
Consumer Cyclicals7.1%
-
Healthcare6.7%
-
Industrials5.9%
-
Real Estate5.7%
-
Energy4.6%
-
Consumer Defensive3.6%
-
Communication Services3.3%
-
Technology2.8%
Weights are percentages of the fund; bars use a 0–100% scale. Displayed entries may not cover the whole portfolio.
Risks
Who it may suit
VAS may be relevant to investors researching diversified exposure to Australian shares who are comfortable with the domestic market’s sector and company concentration. Its large bank and resources exposures mean it is not evenly weighted across industries. This is general information, not personal investment advice.
Key risks
VAS is exposed to Australian share-market volatility and the fortunes of its underlying companies. Its sizeable Financial Services and Basic Materials allocations, together with 46.69% in its top 10 holdings, can make results sensitive to a limited number of sectors and companies. Distributions and investment returns can vary, and the displayed dividend yield is not guaranteed.
FAQ
What does VAS invest in?
VAS provides exposure to Australian shares. Its largest sector allocations are Financial Services and Basic Materials, with Financial Services at 32.442% and Basic Materials at 27.436% of the portfolio.
How often does VAS make distributions?
The supplied profile indicates quarterly distributions. The displayed dividend yield is 2.907%; distributions and yields can change and are not guaranteed.
What are VAS’s reported returns?
The supplied figures show a 1-year return of -0.032%, a 3-year return of 10.857%, and a 5-year return of 7.24%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
*This content is aimed to provide general information only, and does not take your personal objectives, financial situation or needs into account.
