# Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW): ETF Facts & Distributions > Markdown mirror of https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vaw for AI agents. Same live data as the HTML page, regenerated on the same refresh cycle. Not investment advice. - Issuer: Vanguard · Asset class: Sector Equity - Strategy: Thematic · Inception: 2004-01-26 This exchange-traded fund aims to mirror the financial performance of a reference index that gauges the returns of corporations operating in the basic materials industry. It operates with a passive management approach, primarily by fully replicating the index's portfolio; however, a sampling method may be used if necessitated by regulatory or practical limitations. The fund's investments include stocks of companies engaged in the extraction or initial processing of raw resources. ## Key Facts | Metric | Value | |---|---| | Price | $227.44 | | Expense Ratio | 0.09% | | AUM (All Share Classes) | $4.50B | | NAV | $227.15 | | Holdings Count | 115 | | Distribution Yield (TTM) | 1.40% | | Annual Distribution (TTM) | $3.18 /share | | Distribution Frequency | Quarterly | | 52-Week Range | $190.29 – $245.26 | | Beta | 0.98 | ## Latest Distribution - Amount: $0.7756 /share - Ex-date: 2026-09-23 - Pay date: 2026-09-25 ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What does VAW invest in? This exchange-traded fund aims to mirror the financial performance of a reference index that gauges the returns of corporations operating in the basic materials industry. It operates with a passive management approach, primarily by fully replicating the index's portfolio; however, a sampling method may be used if necessitated by regulatory or practical limitations. The fund's investments include stocks of companies engaged in the extraction or initial processing of raw resources. ### What is the expense ratio of VAW? Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW) charges an expense ratio of 0.09%. This is the annual fee deducted from fund assets to cover management and operations. ### How big is VAW? Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW) is one share class of a fund that manages $4.50B across all of its share classes (VMIAX reports the same total). Our data does not carry the assets of this share class alone. AUM determines bid-ask liquidity and the fund's vulnerability to closure. Funds below ~$50M are at higher risk of liquidation. ### Is VAW actively managed or an index fund? VAW's management style is described in the fund's prospectus. See the description on the Summary tab for the published strategy. ### When was VAW launched? Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW) launched in January 2004 and is managed by Vanguard. ### How has VAW performed? VAW's total return (price change plus reinvested distributions) is charted at the top of this page. Switch the price chart to Total Return and pick a 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, or 10-year window to read the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over each horizon. ### Does VAW pay a dividend? Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW) currently distributes little or no income. Trailing-twelve-month yield is 1.40%. Investors looking for income should consider income-focused alternatives. See the Peers tab. ### How often does VAW pay dividends? Vanguard Materials ETF pays dividends Quarterly. Each ex-dividend date, record date, and payment date is listed in the dividend history table on this page. ### What is VAW's dividend yield? VAW's trailing-twelve-month yield is 1.40%, calculated from the sum of dividends over the past year divided by the current price. ### When is VAW's next ex-dividend date? The most recently announced ex-dividend date for VAW was 2026-09-23. The next ex-date typically follows Quarterly; once announced it appears at the top of the dividend history table on this page. ### How much will VAW's expense ratio cost me over 30 years? On a $10,000 investment compounding at 7% gross return, a 0.09% expense ratio quietly compounds against your balance every year. The Fee Compounding Forecast card above projects the dollar drag for any holding period and assumption you pick. The typical result for a 1.0% expense ratio on a 30-year hold is roughly 25% of the final balance lost to fees. ### How does VAW charge its expense ratio? The expense ratio is deducted in tiny daily slices from VAW's net asset value (NAV). You never see a bill. The price quoted on every exchange is already net of fees. There's no "fee day" to avoid; the cost is continuous and built into the trading price. ### Why does VAW cost more than a fund like VOO? VAW's strategy (current expense ratio 0.09%) is different from a broad-market index tracker like VOO, so its fee belongs to a different cohort. The Cost Verdict card above shows you where VAW sits within its own category, which is the comparison that actually matters. ### Are there cheaper alternatives to VAW? The Lower-Fee Alternatives card above lists ETFs following the same investment strategy as VAW (0.09%) but at a lower expense ratio. Each row shows the fee gap, the peer's AUM as a liquidity sanity-check, and a direct link to that fund's analysis page. Cheaper price doesn't automatically mean better. Verify the peer holds what you actually want. ## More on Dividend Data - Overview (HTML): https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vaw - Distribution history: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vaw/dividend - Holdings & diversification: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vaw/diversification - Fees & cheaper alternatives: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vaw/expenses - Peer comparison: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vaw/peers Data sourced from primary filings and market data providers; see https://www.dividenddata.com/methodology.