Investment objective & strategy
As of Feb. 27, 2026 · prospectusObjective. Vanguard Core Tax-Exempt Bond ETF (the Fund) seeks to provide total return, through current income that is exempt from federal personal income taxes, and capital appreciation.
Strategy. The Fund employs an active management approach, investing in U.S dollar-denominated municipal bonds from a variety of issuers. As a matter of fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in debt securities that are primarily issued by U.S. states, local governments, or agencies and whose interest is exempt from federal income taxes and the federal alternative minimum tax (AMT). The Fund expects to maintain, under normal market conditions, a dollar-weighted average maturity of 8 to 20 years, but has no limitations on the maturities of individual securities. Although the Fund may invest in municipal bonds of any quality, it typically invests a majority … The Fund employs an active management approach, investing in U.S dollar-denominated municipal bonds from a variety of issuers. As a matter of fundamental policy, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in debt securities that are primarily issued by U.S. states, local governments, or agencies and whose interest is exempt from federal income taxes and the federal alternative minimum tax (AMT). The Fund expects to maintain, under normal market conditions, a dollar-weighted average maturity of 8 to 20 years, but has no limitations on the maturities of individual securities. Although the Fund may invest in municipal bonds of any quality, it typically invests a majority of its assets in municipal bonds rated investment-grade as determined by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (e.g., Baa3 or higher by Moodys) or, if unrated, determined to be of comparable quality by the Funds advisor. With no more than 20% of its assets, the Fund also may invest in municipal bonds rated below investment-grade (also referred to as high-yield securities or junk bonds). The Fund is considered nondiversified, as defined under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of particular issuers as compared with diversified funds.
Top holdings
As of Jan. 31, 2026 · N-PORT| Security | Ticker | Value | % of fund |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Municipal Cash Management Fund | — | $30.98M | 3.22% |
| GREAT LAKES WTR(SENIOR LIEN) 5% 7/1/46 | — | $8.45M | 0.88% |
| TX TMGUTL 01/01/2054 | TMGUTL | $6.94M | 0.72% |
| SOUTHEAST ENERGY AUTH VAR | SEEPWR | $6.17M | 0.64% |
| N TX TOLLWAY AUTH REVENUE | — | $6.07M | 0.63% |
| NYC MUNI WTR FIN-BB | — | $5.28M | 0.55% |
| Energy Southeast Cooperative District, Alabama, Energy Supply Revenue Bonds, Series 2025B | ESDPWR | $5.27M | 0.55% |
| STATE OF NEW YORK SALES TAX REVENUE 5.0% 03-15-55 | — | $5.16M | 0.54% |
| NYS DORM PIT 5% 2/15/2043 | — | $5.10M | 0.53% |
| P3 IRVINE SL HOLDINGS LLC OBLIGATED GROUP 6.375% 06-01-59 | — | $5.03M | 0.52% |
Portfolio moves
Oct 31, 2025 → Jan 31, 2026How many positions this fund opened, exited, grew, trimmed, or left unchanged between its two most recent N-PORT snapshots — net changes between point-in-time reports, not a trade log.
Similar funds
Funds whose portfolios most overlap this one, by weight| Fund | Overlap | Net exp. |
|---|---|---|
| VANGUARD LIMITED-TERM TAX-EXEMPT FUND · VMLTX, VMLUX | 15% | 0.09% |
| VANGUARD LONG-TERM TAX-EXEMPT FUND · VWLTX, VWLUX | 15% | 0.09% |
| VANGUARD SHORT DURATION TAX-EXEMPT BOND ETF · VSDM | 15% | 0.12% |
Advisers
| Firm | Role |
|---|---|
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | Adviser |
Footnotes
- Expense ratio as of February 27, 2026, from the fund's prospectus.
- Net assets and holdings count as of January 31, 2026, from the fund's N-PORT filing.
- Total return for calendar year 2025, before tax and after fund expenses. As reported in the fund's prospectus performance bar chart.
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