EFA vs VO: 2% overlap
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF share 2.2% of their portfolios by weight — computed as Σ min(wA, wB) over every holding both funds own.
You would hold two tickers and get the diversification of 2.0. Two funds that shared nothing would score 2.0; two identical funds score 1.0.
Top shared holdings
EFA and VO hold 17 of the same securities. The ten contributing most to the overlap figure:
| Holding | in EFA | in VO | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROP | 1.4% | 0.3% | 1.1% |
| DTE | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| DG | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| EL | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| PRU | 0.2% | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| SUNB | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| RKT | 0.2% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| HEI | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| HEI-A | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| ALL | 0.1% | 0.6% | 0.5% |
Where EFA and VO differ
Sector weights as a share of each fund, ordered by the size of the gap rather than the size of the sector — two funds that overlap heavily still usually diverge somewhere.
| Sector | EFA | VO | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financials | 25.8% | 14.0% | +11.8pp |
| Information Technology | 12.0% | 16.1% | −4.1pp |
| Utilities | 4.5% | 8.4% | −3.9pp |
| Real Estate | 1.6% | 5.1% | −3.5pp |
| Energy | 3.9% | 7.3% | −3.4pp |
| Consumer Staples | 7.0% | 4.9% | +2.2pp |
| Materials | 5.8% | 4.3% | +1.4pp |
| Consumer Discretionary | 8.3% | 8.9% | −0.6pp |
Δ is EFA minus VO, in percentage points. Sector data is not published by every issuer, so “Unclassified” is a real category rather than a gap in the table.
What each fund holds alone
95.8% of EFA by weight, held in no part of VO.
94.8% of VO by weight, held in no part of EFA.
A large count with a small weight is the usual shape: the positions one fund adds are typically its smallest ones.
Concentration and cost
| EFA | VO | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10 holdings | 14.5% | 9.5% |
| Positions held | 678 | 283 |
| Cost per $10,000 held, per year | $33 | $3 |
Cost is the expense ratio applied to $10,000; it excludes any brokerage commission, bid-ask spread or tax consequence. Figures are facts about the funds, not a suggestion about which to hold.
Frequently asked
How much do EFA and VO overlap?
EFA and VO overlap 2.2% by portfolio weight — largely distinct portfolios. They share 17 holdings. The figure comes from current issuer holdings files (EFA as of 2026-07-23, VO as of 2026-06-30).
How is the overlap between EFA and VO calculated?
As the sum of the smaller weight in each fund, over every holding both funds own: Σ min(wA, wB). If EFA holds a stock at 6% and VO holds the same stock at 4%, 4% counts as shared. The result is bounded between 0% and 100%, and it is computed after looking through any fund-of-funds to the underlying holdings.
Is it redundant to hold both EFA and VO?
That depends on your goals — we state facts, not advice. At 2.2% overlap, each fund still contributes meaningfully distinct exposure.
What does EFA own that VO doesn't?
EFA holds 678 positions and VO holds 283; 660 of EFA's positions don't appear in VO at all, and they are 95.8% of EFA by weight.
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Related comparisons
Sources: issuer holdings files, EFA as of 2026-07-23, VO as of 2026-06-30. Weights are fractions of each fund. Diagnostics, not advice.