Investment objective & strategy
As of Jan. 28, 2026 · prospectusObjective. Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide capital appreciation and current income consistent with its current asset allocation.
Strategy. The Fund invests in a mix of Vanguard mutual funds (the Underlying Funds) according to an asset allocation strategy designed for investors planning to retire and leave the workforce in or within a few years of 2040 (the Target Year). The Fund is designed for an investor who plans to withdraw the value of an account in the Fund over a period of many years after the Target Year. The Funds asset allocation will become more conservative over time, meaning that the percentage of assets allocated to stocks will decrease while the percentage of assets allocated to bonds and other fixed income investments will increase. Within seven years after 2040, the Funds asset allocation should become similar to that of … The Fund invests in a mix of Vanguard mutual funds (the Underlying Funds) according to an asset allocation strategy designed for investors planning to retire and leave the workforce in or within a few years of 2040 (the Target Year). The Fund is designed for an investor who plans to withdraw the value of an account in the Fund over a period of many years after the Target Year. The Funds asset allocation will become more conservative over time, meaning that the percentage of assets allocated to stocks will decrease while the percentage of assets allocated to bonds and other fixed income investments will increase. Within seven years after 2040, the Funds asset allocation should become similar to that of Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund. As of September 30, 2025, the Funds allocation among the underlying asset classes was approximately: U.S. stocks 45.6% Foreign stocks 30.6% U.S. fixed income securities 16.5% Foreign fixed income securities 6.7% The Funds asset allocation may be affected by a variety of factors, such as whether the Underlying Funds are accepting additional investments. The Funds indirect stock holdings are a diversified mix of U.S. and foreign large-, mid-, and small-capitalization stocks. The Funds indirect fixed income holdings are a diversified mix of short-, intermediate-, and long-term U.S. government, U.S. agency, and investment-grade U.S. corporate bonds; mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities; and government, agency, corporate, and securitized investment-grade foreign bonds issued in currencies other than the U.S. dollar (but hedged by the advisor to minimize foreign currency exposure).
Top holdings
As of March 31, 2026 · N-PORT| Security | Ticker | Value | % of fund |
|---|---|---|---|
| VANG-T ST M-INS+ | — | $47.17B | 43.49% |
| VANG-TO INT-INV | — | $32.80B | 30.24% |
| VANG-TB II-INV | — | $19.62B | 18.09% |
| VANG-TTL INT-INS | — | $8.21B | 7.57% |
| Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund | — | $564.60M | 0.52% |
Portfolio moves
Dec 31, 2025 → Mar 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 TARGET RETIREMENT 2035 FUND · VTTHX | 93% | 0.08% |
| VANGUARD TARGET RETIREMENT 2045 FUND · VTIVX | 93% | 0.08% |
| VANGUARD TARGET RETIREMENT 2030 FUND · VTHRX | 85% | 0.08% |
Advisers
| Firm | Role |
|---|---|
| The Vanguard Group, Inc. | Adviser |
Footnotes
- Expense ratio as of January 28, 2026, from the fund's prospectus.
- Net assets and holdings count as of March 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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