VFIFX vs VO: 10% overlap
Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 and Vanguard Mid-Cap ETF share 9.6% 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 1.9. Two funds that shared nothing would score 2.0; two identical funds score 1.0.
Top shared holdings
VFIFX and VO hold 283 of the same securities. The ten contributing most to the overlap figure:
| Holding | in VFIFX | in VO | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| CASH | 1.9% | 0.5% | 1.4% |
| ROP | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| WDC | 0.2% | 1.1% | 0.9% |
| STX | 0.2% | 1.0% | 0.9% |
| DTE | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| VRT | 0.1% | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| PWR | 0.1% | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| HWM | 0.1% | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| DG | 0.1% | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| NEM | 0.1% | 0.5% | 0.4% |
Where VFIFX 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 | VFIFX | VO | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Technology | 26.1% | 16.1% | +10.0pp |
| Industrials | 10.5% | 19.6% | −9.1pp |
| Utilities | 2.4% | 8.4% | −5.9pp |
| Unclassified | 6.3% | 0.4% | +5.8pp |
| Energy | 2.8% | 7.3% | −4.6pp |
| Treasuries | 3.6% | 0.0% | +3.6pp |
| Real Estate | 1.9% | 5.1% | −3.2pp |
| Communication Services | 5.9% | 2.8% | +3.2pp |
Δ is VFIFX 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
89.0% of VFIFX by weight, held in no part of VO.
0.0% of VO by weight, held in no part of VFIFX.
A large count with a small weight is the usual shape: the positions one fund adds are typically its smallest ones.
Concentration and cost
| VFIFX | VO | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10 holdings | 19.3% | 9.5% |
| Positions held | 6 | 283 |
| Cost per $10,000 held, per year | $8 | $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 VFIFX and VO overlap?
VFIFX and VO overlap 9.6% by portfolio weight — largely distinct portfolios. They share 283 holdings. The figure comes from current issuer holdings files (VFIFX as of 2026-03-31, VO as of 2026-06-30).
How is the overlap between VFIFX and VO calculated?
As the sum of the smaller weight in each fund, over every holding both funds own: Σ min(wA, wB). If VFIFX 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 VFIFX and VO?
That depends on your goals — we state facts, not advice. At 9.6% overlap, each fund still contributes meaningfully distinct exposure.
What does VFIFX own that VO doesn't?
VFIFX holds 6 positions and VO holds 283; 16,399 of VFIFX's positions don't appear in VO at all, and they are 89.0% of VFIFX by weight.
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Related comparisons
Sources: issuer holdings files, VFIFX as of 2026-03-31, VO as of 2026-06-30. Weights are fractions of each fund. Diagnostics, not advice.