VCSH vs VFIFX: 3% overlap
Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF and Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 share 3.2% of their portfolios by weight — computed as Σ min(wA, wB) over every holding both funds own.
Different holding dates. These holdings were published about 3 months apart — VFIFX as of 2026-03-31, the rest through 2026-06-30. Each fund is compared using its most recent file, so any trading in between shows up as a difference.
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
VCSH and VFIFX hold 911 of the same securities. The ten contributing most to the overlap figure:
| Holding | in VCSH | in VFIFX | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| CASH | 1.1% | 1.9% | 0.8% |
| UST-0-3Y | 0.3% | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| UST-3-10Y | 0.1% | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| 46647P | 2.7% | 0.0% | 2.6% |
| 06051G | 2.4% | 0.0% | 2.3% |
| 68389X | 0.9% | 0.0% | 0.8% |
| 023135 | 1.0% | 0.0% | 1.0% |
| 38141G | 1.5% | 0.0% | 1.5% |
| 00206R | 0.5% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| 404280 | 1.6% | 0.0% | 1.5% |
Where VCSH and VFIFX 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 | VCSH | VFIFX | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corporate — industrial & other | 50.5% | 1.1% | +49.3pp |
| Financials | 40.5% | 14.1% | +26.4pp |
| Information Technology | 0.0% | 26.1% | −26.1pp |
| Industrials | 0.0% | 10.5% | −10.5pp |
| Consumer Discretionary | 0.0% | 7.5% | −7.5pp |
| Health Care | 0.0% | 6.9% | −6.9pp |
| Communication Services | 0.0% | 5.9% | −5.9pp |
| Unclassified | 0.3% | 6.3% | −5.9pp |
Δ is VCSH minus VFIFX, 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
0.2% of VCSH by weight, held in no part of VFIFX.
93.5% of VFIFX by weight, held in no part of VCSH.
A large count with a small weight is the usual shape: the positions one fund adds are typically its smallest ones.
Concentration and cost
| VCSH | VFIFX | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10 holdings | 14.7% | 19.3% |
| Positions held | 933 | 6 |
| Cost per $10,000 held, per year | $3 | $8 |
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 VCSH and VFIFX overlap?
VCSH and VFIFX overlap 3.2% by portfolio weight — largely distinct portfolios. They share 911 holdings. The figure comes from current issuer holdings files (VCSH as of 2026-06-30, VFIFX as of 2026-03-31).
How is the overlap between VCSH and VFIFX calculated?
As the sum of the smaller weight in each fund, over every holding both funds own: Σ min(wA, wB). If VCSH holds a stock at 6% and VFIFX 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 VCSH and VFIFX?
That depends on your goals — we state facts, not advice. At 3.2% overlap, each fund still contributes meaningfully distinct exposure.
What does VCSH own that VFIFX doesn't?
VCSH holds 933 positions and VFIFX holds 6; 22 of VCSH's positions don't appear in VFIFX at all, and they are 0.2% of VCSH by weight.
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Related comparisons
Sources: issuer holdings files, VCSH as of 2026-06-30, VFIFX as of 2026-03-31. Weights are fractions of each fund. Diagnostics, not advice.