# Vanguard Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund Investor Shares (VSTCX): Mutual Fund Facts & Distributions > Markdown mirror of https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vstcx for AI agents. Same live data as the HTML page, regenerated on the same refresh cycle. Not investment advice. - Issuer: Vanguard · Asset class: Small/Micro Cap Equity - Strategy: Actively Managed · Inception: 2006-04-24 This actively managed fund offers broad exposure to domestic small-capitalization stocks that the advisor believes have above-average return potential. The advisor relies on a computer-driven stock selection process in an attempt to build a portfolio with risk characteristics similar to those of the fund’s comparative index, while seeking to provide better returns. One of the fund’s risks is its focus on small-cap companies, which can be a volatile segment of the market. As a result, the fund’s returns may vary widely from year to year. An investor with a well-balanced, long-term portfolio... ## Key Facts | Metric | Value | |---|---| | Price | $50.25 | | Expense Ratio | 0.21% | | Assets Under Management | $3.30B | | NAV | $50.25 | | Holdings Count | 547 | | Distribution Yield (TTM) | 6.36% | | Annual Distribution (TTM) | $3.20 /share | | Distribution Frequency | Annual | | 52-Week Range | $41.93 – $53.46 | | Beta | 1.10 | ## Latest Distribution - Amount: $3.1976 /share - Ex-date: 2025-12-17 - Pay date: 2025-12-18 ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What does VSTCX invest in? This actively managed fund offers broad exposure to domestic small-capitalization stocks that the advisor believes have above-average return potential. The advisor relies on a computer-driven stock selection process in an attempt to build a portfolio with risk characteristics similar to those of the fund’s comparative index, while seeking to provide better returns. One of the fund’s risks is its focus on small-cap companies, which can be a volatile segment of the market. As a result, the fund’s returns may vary widely from year to year. An investor with a well-balanced, long-term portfolio who seeks exposure to small-cap companies may wish to consider this fund. ### What is the expense ratio of VSTCX? Vanguard Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund Investor Shares (VSTCX) charges an expense ratio of 0.21%. This is the annual fee deducted from fund assets to cover management and operations. ### How big is VSTCX? Vanguard Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund Investor Shares (VSTCX) manages $3.30B in total assets. AUM determines bid-ask liquidity and the fund's vulnerability to closure. Funds below ~$50M are at higher risk of liquidation. ### Is VSTCX actively managed or an index fund? VSTCX is actively managed: the manager selects holdings rather than tracking an index. Active funds typically charge higher expense ratios than index funds (VSTCX's is 0.21%) in exchange for the discretion to over- or under-weight positions. ### When was VSTCX launched? Vanguard Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund Investor Shares (VSTCX) launched in April 2006 and is managed by Vanguard. ### How has VSTCX performed? VSTCX'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 VSTCX pay a dividend? Vanguard Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund Investor Shares (VSTCX) currently distributes little or no income. Trailing-twelve-month yield is 6.36%. Investors looking for income should consider income-focused alternatives. See the Peers tab. ### How often does VSTCX pay dividends? Vanguard Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund Investor Shares pays dividends Annual. Each ex-dividend date, record date, and payment date is listed in the dividend history table on this page. ### What is VSTCX's dividend yield? VSTCX's trailing-twelve-month yield is 6.36%, calculated from the sum of dividends over the past year divided by the current price. ### When is VSTCX's next ex-dividend date? The most recently announced ex-dividend date for VSTCX was 2025-12-17. The next ex-date typically follows Annual; once announced it appears at the top of the dividend history table on this page. ### How much will VSTCX's expense ratio cost me over 30 years? On a $10,000 investment compounding at 7% gross return, a 0.21% 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 VSTCX charge its expense ratio? The expense ratio is deducted in tiny daily slices from VSTCX'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 VSTCX cost more than a fund like VOO? VSTCX is actively managed (current expense ratio 0.21%). Active funds charge more than passive index trackers in exchange for the manager's discretion to over- or under-weight positions. The Cost Verdict card above tells you whether VSTCX's fee is competitive for the active-management cohort. ### Are there cheaper alternatives to VSTCX? The Lower-Fee Alternatives card above lists mutual funds following the same investment strategy as VSTCX (0.21%) 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/vstcx - Distribution history: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vstcx/dividend - Holdings & diversification: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vstcx/diversification - Fees & cheaper alternatives: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vstcx/expenses - Peer comparison: https://www.dividenddata.com/funds/vstcx/peers Data sourced from primary filings and market data providers; see https://www.dividenddata.com/methodology.