Investment objective & strategy
As of Feb. 27, 2026 · prospectusObjective. Vanguard Explorer Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
Strategy. The Fund employs an active management approach, investing mainly in the stocks of small and mid-size companies and choosing stocks considered by the Funds advisors to have superior growth potential. These companies often provide little or no dividend income. The Fund has multiple advisors, each of which independently selects and maintains a portfolio of common stocks for the Fund. The Fund employs an active management approach, investing mainly in the stocks of small and mid-size companies and choosing stocks considered by the Funds advisors to have superior growth potential. These companies often provide little or no dividend income. The Fund has multiple advisors, each of which independently selects and maintains a portfolio of common stocks for the Fund.
Top holdings
As of Jan. 31, 2026 · N-PORT| Security | Ticker | Value | % of fund |
|---|---|---|---|
| VANGUARD SM-C ET | VB | $379.79M | 1.83% |
| Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund | — | $303.68M | 1.46% |
| COHERENT CORP | — | $223.49M | 1.07% |
| COMFORT SYSTEMS USA INC | — | $213.03M | 1.02% |
| BLOOM ENERGY CORP CL A | — | $204.81M | 0.99% |
| MACOM TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS HOLDINGS INC | — | $195.34M | 0.94% |
| WINTRUST FINL | — | $177.60M | 0.85% |
| BWX TECHNOLOGIES INC | — | $175.86M | 0.85% |
| Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund | — | $169.48M | 0.82% |
| FABRINET | — | $169.33M | 0.81% |
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 SMALL-CAP GROWTH INDEX FUND · VISGX, VSGIX, VBK, VSGAX | 40% | 0.05% |
| Bridge Builder Small/Mid Cap Growth Fund · BBGSX | 37% | 0.34% |
| SMALL COMPANY GROWTH PORTFOLIO | 37% | 0.29% |
Advisers
| Firm | Role |
|---|---|
| ClearBridge Investments, LLC | Adviser |
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | Adviser |
| Wellington Management Company LLP | Adviser |
| Stephens Investment Management Group, LLC | Adviser |
| ArrowMark Colorado Holdings, LLC | 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. Computed by compounding the twelve monthly total returns the fund reported in its SEC N-PORT filings for 2025 (the latest prospectus does not yet chart this year).
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