VEA vs VFIFX: 29% overlap
Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF and Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 share 28.6% 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 1.7. Two funds that shared nothing would score 2.0; two identical funds score 1.0.
Top shared holdings
VEA and VFIFX hold 3,792 of the same securities. The ten contributing most to the overlap figure:
| Holding | in VEA | in VFIFX | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| CASH | 1.4% | 1.9% | 0.5% |
| 005930 | 3.1% | 0.8% | 2.3% |
| 000660 | 3.0% | 0.8% | 2.2% |
| ASML | 2.3% | 0.6% | 1.7% |
| HSBA | 1.0% | 0.3% | 0.7% |
| ROP | 0.9% | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| SAN | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| NOVN | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| RY | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.7% |
| AZN | 0.9% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
Where VEA 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 | VEA | VFIFX | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Technology | 17.1% | 26.1% | −9.0pp |
| Financials | 20.7% | 14.1% | +6.6pp |
| Industrials | 16.9% | 10.5% | +6.4pp |
| Treasuries | 0.0% | 3.6% | −3.6pp |
| Communication Services | 2.5% | 5.9% | −3.5pp |
| Unclassified | 8.9% | 6.3% | +2.6pp |
| Materials | 5.1% | 3.0% | +2.1pp |
| Consumer Staples | 5.6% | 4.0% | +1.6pp |
Δ is VEA 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
0.0% of VEA by weight, held in no part of VFIFX.
68.9% of VFIFX by weight, held in no part of VEA.
A large count with a small weight is the usual shape: the positions one fund adds are typically its smallest ones.
Concentration and cost
| VEA | VFIFX | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10 holdings | 15.2% | 19.3% |
| Positions held | 3,792 | 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 VEA and VFIFX overlap?
VEA and VFIFX overlap 28.6% by portfolio weight — moderate overlap. They share 3,792 holdings. The figure comes from current issuer holdings files (VEA as of 2026-06-30, VFIFX as of 2026-03-31).
How is the overlap between VEA and VFIFX calculated?
As the sum of the smaller weight in each fund, over every holding both funds own: Σ min(wA, wB). If VEA 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 VEA and VFIFX?
That depends on your goals — we state facts, not advice. At 28.6% overlap, each fund still contributes meaningfully distinct exposure.
What does VEA own that VFIFX doesn't?
VEA holds 3,792 positions and VFIFX holds 6; 0 of VEA's positions don't appear in VFIFX at all, and they are 0.0% of VEA by weight.
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Related comparisons
Sources: issuer holdings files, VEA as of 2026-06-30, VFIFX as of 2026-03-31. Weights are fractions of each fund. Diagnostics, not advice.