VIG ETF — Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF

Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG)

Updated October 2, 2026.

VIG is a low-cost ETF that tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index. its distribution rate is 1.58%, its trailing-12-month yield is 1.55%, its expense ratio is 0.04%. Dividend Vision Distribution Safety Score™ is 100/100 (Safe). Total return is 604.6% over the past 20.4 years, 149.6 points behind SPY at 754.2%.

At the current 1.58% distribution rate, a $10,000 investment would generate approximately $158 per year, or about $39.50 per quarter if the next payment matches the last regular one.

Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF is an ETF that tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index, holding a basket of stocks from companies with at least 10 years of consecutive increasing dividend payments. The fund distributes quarterly with a modest current distribution rate and carries a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. It appeals to income-focused investors seeking exposure to established dividend-paying companies with a track record of growth in their payouts.

VIG performance versus SPY

Price and return data through 2026-10-02.

Total return is 604.6% over the past 20.4 years, 149.6 points behind SPY at 754.2%. Over the past year its total return — price change plus distributions reinvested — is 10.1%. Its deepest 1-year drawdown was 7.9%.

VIG key facts

Distribution Safety Score™

100 · Safe

Safety-Adjusted Yield

1.58%

Issuer

Vanguard

Asset type

ETF

Asset class

Equity

Inception date

04/21/2006

Expense ratio

0.04%

Distribution rate

1.58%

Distribution frequency

Quarterly

Trailing yield

1.55%

Last close

$235.05 (as of 2026-10-02)

AUM

$111,081,002,840

Average volume

1303200.0

Last dividend

$0.93

Last ex-dividend date

09/28/2026

Last payment date

09/30/2026

Beta

0.74

P/E ratio

24.4791

How Dividend Vision calculates yield and returns

Distribution rate (1.58%) is the latest regular payout annualized by the fund's stated frequency, divided by the last close. Issuers often publish this as “Distribution Rate” on the fact sheet. Trailing-12-month yield (1.55%) is the sum of distributions paid in the last 12 months, split-adjusted, divided by the last close. 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; Index: S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index; 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.

VIG risks and drawbacks

VIG's current distribution rate is moderate, not a high-yield payout — the strategy is dividend quality more than maximum income. Payments are quarterly, 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 7.9%.

Who may consider VIG — and who may not

VIG may suit someone looking for low-cost broad dividend exposure, a high Distribution Safety Score. It is a weaker fit for investors who need monthly cash flow (VIG pays quarterly); 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.

Compare VIG

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Frequently asked questions

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