VFORX Mutual Fund — Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund

Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund (VFORX)

Updated October 16, 2026.

VFORX is a low-cost Mutual Fund. its distribution rate is 2.08%, its trailing-12-month yield is 2.55%, its expense ratio is 0.08%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 94/100 (Safe). Total return is 396.1% over the past 20.4 years, 385.8 points behind SPY at 781.9%.

Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund is a mutual fund that invests in a diversified mix of Vanguard stock and bond funds with an asset allocation strategy designed for investors targeting retirement around 2040; the fund's allocation automatically shifts to become more conservative over time, gradually reducing equity exposure and increasing fixed-income holdings as the target date approaches. The fund has a modest current distribution rate, distributes annually, and carries a very low expense ratio of 0.08%. This fund appeals to retirement-focused investors seeking a single, professionally managed portfolio that aligns with a specific retirement timeline without requiring manual rebalancing.

VFORX performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-16.

Total return is 396.1% over the past 20.4 years, 385.8 points behind SPY at 781.9%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 11.4%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 7.7%.

VFORX key facts

Distribution Safety Score™

94 · Safe

Safety-Adjusted Yield

1.96%

Issuer

Vanguard

Asset type

Mutual Fund

Asset class

Equity

Inception date

06/07/2006

Expense ratio

0.08%

Distribution rate

2.08%

Distribution frequency

Annual

Trailing yield

2.55%

Last close

$54.28 (as of 2026-10-16)

NAV

$54.77 as of 2026-09-30; source eodhd (stale)

Premium / discount

N/A (price 2026-10-16, NAV 2026-09-30) (NAV stale)

AUM

$120,298,340,000

Average volume

0.0

Dividend

$1.38201

Ex-dividend date

12/23/2025

Payment date

12/24/2025

Beta

1.05

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (2.08%) uses calculation basis unavailable. Issuer rates can use a different denominator and date, including ex-date NAV. Trailing-12-month yield (2.55%) is the sum of split-adjusted cash distributions with ex-dates in the last 12 months, divided by the published price. It lags a recent raise or cut. Total return uses split-adjusted close with distributions reinvested on the ex-dividend date (a modeling convention, not the cash-settlement date) from the first stored bar on or after inception through the latest bar, compared with the same window on the benchmark. That is the security's total return, not your personal gain/loss.

Yield and safety methodology · Distribution rate methodology · Distribution Safety Score methodology

Sources and review

Primary sources: Vanguard or company page; prices and distributions from Dividend Vision, derived from vendor EOD data.

Reviewed by Bert Sweet, CEO and Co-owner of Dividend Vision. Methodology: Distribution Safety Score.

VFORX risks and drawbacks

VFORX's current distribution rate is moderate, not a high-yield payout — the strategy is dividend quality more than maximum income. Payments are annual, so cash flow is lumpy versus a monthly fund. Total return has trailed SPY over the available window. The deepest 1-year drawdown on record here is 7.7%.

Who may consider VFORX — and who may not

VFORX may suit someone looking for low-cost broad dividend exposure, a high Distribution Safety Score, moderate current income with a quality tilt. It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (VFORX pays annual); investors hunting double-digit covered-call yields; investors whose main goal is matching SPY total return. This is educational context, not a recommendation to buy or sell.

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Frequently asked questions

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