Form 485BPOS VANGUARD ADMIRAL FUNDS
| SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION | |
| Washington, D.C. 20549 | |
| Form N-1A | |
| REGISTRATION STATEMENT (NO. 33-49023) | |
| UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 | [X] |
| Pre-Effective Amendment No. | [ ] |
| Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 | [X] |
| and | |
| REGISTRATION STATEMENT (NO. 811-07043) UNDER | |
| THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 | [X] |
| Amendment No. 40 | [X] |
| VANGUARD ADMIRAL FUNDS | |
| (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Declaration of Trust) | |
| P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482 | |
| (Address of Principal Executive Office) | |
| Registrants Telephone Number (610) 669-1000 | |
| Anne E. Robinson, Esquire | |
| P.O. Box 876 | |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482 | |
| Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: | |
| It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box) | |
| [ ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) | |
| [X] on December 23, 2016 pursuant to paragraph (b) | |
| [ ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) | |
| [ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1) | |
| [ ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) | |
| [ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485 | |
| If appropriate, check the following box: | |
| [ ] This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a | |
| previously filed post-effective amendment. | |
| Vanguard S&P ETFs |
| Prospectus |
| December 23, 2016 |
| Exchange-traded fund shares that are not individually redeemable and are |
| listed on NYSE Arca |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund ETF Shares (VOOV) |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares (VOOG) |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund ETF Shares (IVOO) |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund ETF Shares (IVOV) |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares (IVOG) |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund ETF Shares (VIOO) |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund ETF Shares (VIOV) |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares (VIOG) |
| This prospectus contains financial data for the Funds through the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016. |
| The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or |
| passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. |
| Contents | |||
| Vanguard ETF Summaries | Investing in Vanguard ETF Shares | 41 | |
| S&P 500 Value ETF | 1 | Investing in Index Funds | 43 |
| S&P 500 Growth ETF | 6 | More on the Funds and ETF Shares | 44 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF | 11 | The Funds and Vanguard | 52 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF | 16 | Investment Advisor | 53 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF | 21 | Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes | 54 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF | 26 | Share Price and Market Price | 55 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value ETF | 31 | Additional Information | 57 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF | 36 | Financial Highlights | 58 |
| Glossary of Investment Terms | 68 | ||
Vanguard S&P 500 Value ETF
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of large-capitalization value stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | ||
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | ||
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
| Management Fees | 0.12% | |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None | |
| Other Expenses | 0.03% | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.15% | |
| Example | ||
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $15 | $48 | $85 | $192 |
1
This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 22% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P 500® Value Index, which represents the value companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P 500 Index. The Index measures the performance of large-capitalization value stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from large-capitalization value stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Large-cap value stocks tend to go through cycles of doing betteror worsethan other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.
2
Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:
The Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares.
Although the Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained.
Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Funds ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Funds target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Funds past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
3
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund ETF Shares1
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 12.92% (quarter ended March 31, 2012), and the lowest return for a quarter was –16.37% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –3.22% | 10.80% | 12.98% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | –3.75 | 10.32 | 12.50 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | –1.38 | 8.60 | 10.45 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –3.21 | 10.81 | 12.99 |
| S&P 500 Value Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | –3.13% | 10.96% | 13.15% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as
4
an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You can buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund through a brokerage firm. The price you pay or receive for ETF Shares will be the prevailing market price, which may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. The brokerage firm may charge you a commission to execute the transaction. Unless imposed by your brokerage firm, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest and no minimum number of shares you must buy. ETF Shares of the Fund cannot be directly purchased from or redeemed with the Fund, except by certain authorized broker-dealers. These broker-dealers may purchase and redeem ETF Shares only in large blocks (Creation Units) worth several million dollars, typically in exchange for baskets of securities. For this Fund, the number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit is 25,000.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
5
Vanguard S&P 500 Growth ETF
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of large-capitalization growth stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | ||
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | ||
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
| Management Fees | 0.12% | |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None | |
| Other Expenses | 0.03% | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.15% | |
| Example | ||
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $15 | $48 | $85 | $192 |
6
This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 20% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P 500® Growth Index, which represents the growth companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P 500 Index. The Index measures the performance of large-capitalization growth stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from large-capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Large-cap growth stocks tend to go through cycles of doing betteror worsethan other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.
7
Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:
The Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares.
Although the Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained.
Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Funds ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Funds target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Funds past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
8
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 6.26%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 12.22% (quarter ended March 31, 2012), and the lowest return for a quarter was –11.65% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 5.39% | 13.89% | 16.43% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 5.00 | 13.52 | 16.07 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 3.37 | 11.14 | 13.35 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 5.35 | 13.89 | 16.44 |
| S&P 500 Growth Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 5.52% | 14.06% | 16.61% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as
9
an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You can buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund through a brokerage firm. The price you pay or receive for ETF Shares will be the prevailing market price, which may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. The brokerage firm may charge you a commission to execute the transaction. Unless imposed by your brokerage firm, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest and no minimum number of shares you must buy. ETF Shares of the Fund cannot be directly purchased from or redeemed with the Fund, except by certain authorized broker-dealers. These broker-dealers may purchase and redeem ETF Shares only in large blocks (Creation Units) worth several million dollars, typically in exchange for baskets of securities. For this Fund, the number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit is 25,000.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
10
Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of mid-capitalization stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | ||
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | ||
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
| Management Fees | 0.12% | |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None | |
| Other Expenses | 0.03% | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.15% | |
| Example | ||
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $15 | $48 | $85 | $192 |
11
This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 11% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P MidCap 400® Index. The Index measures the performance of mid-capitalization stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from mid-capitalization stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Mid-size companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
12
Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:
The Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares.
Although the Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained.
Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Funds ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Funds target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Funds past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
13
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund ETF Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 12.28%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 13.46% (quarter ended March 31, 2012), and the lowest return for a quarter was –19.93% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –2.30% | 10.53% | 13.82% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | –2.67 | 10.24 | 13.53 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | –1.07 | 8.34 | 11.12 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –2.31 | 10.37 | 13.82 |
| S&P MidCap 400 Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | –2.18% | 10.68% | 13.98% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as
14
an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You can buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund through a brokerage firm. The price you pay or receive for ETF Shares will be the prevailing market price, which may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. The brokerage firm may charge you a commission to execute the transaction. Unless imposed by your brokerage firm, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest and no minimum number of shares you must buy. ETF Shares of the Fund cannot be directly purchased from or redeemed with the Fund, except by certain authorized broker-dealers. These broker-dealers may purchase and redeem ETF Shares only in large blocks (Creation Units) worth several million dollars, typically in exchange for baskets of securities. For this Fund, the number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit is 25,000.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
15
Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of mid-capitalization value stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | ||
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | ||
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
| Management Fees | 0.17% | |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None | |
| Other Expenses | 0.03% | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.20% | |
| Example | ||
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $20 | $64 | $113 | $255 |
16
This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 26% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P MidCap 400® Value Index, which represents the value companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. The Index measures the performance of mid-capitalization value stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from mid-capitalization value stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Mid-size companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
17
Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:
The Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares.
Although the Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained.
Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Funds ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Funds target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Funds past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
18
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund ETF Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 15.07%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 15.79% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –20.98% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –6.78% | 9.98% | 12.94% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | –7.14 | 9.64 | 12.59 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | –3.54 | 7.90 | 10.39 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –6.76 | 9.87 | 12.95 |
| S&P MidCap 400 Value Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | –6.65% | 10.19% | 13.16% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as
19
an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You can buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund through a brokerage firm. The price you pay or receive for ETF Shares will be the prevailing market price, which may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. The brokerage firm may charge you a commission to execute the transaction. Unless imposed by your brokerage firm, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest and no minimum number of shares you must buy. ETF Shares of the Fund cannot be directly purchased from or redeemed with the Fund, except by certain authorized broker-dealers. These broker-dealers may purchase and redeem ETF Shares only in large blocks (Creation Units) worth several million dollars, typically in exchange for baskets of securities. For this Fund, the number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit is 25,000.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
20
Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of mid-capitalization growth stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | ||
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | ||
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
| Management Fees | 0.17% | |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None | |
| Other Expenses | 0.03% | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.20% | |
| Example | ||
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $20 | $64 | $113 | $255 |
21
This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 38% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P MidCap 400® Growth Index, which represents the growth companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. The Index measures the performance of mid-capitalization growth stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from mid-capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Mid-size companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
22
Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:
The Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares.
Although the Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained.
Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Funds ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Funds target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Funds past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
23
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 9.43%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 14.04% (quarter ended March 31, 2012), and the lowest return for a quarter was –18.88% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 1.85% | 10.90% | 14.52% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 1.53 | 10.69 | 14.31 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 1.18 | 8.65 | 11.71 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 1.84 | 10.90 | 14.53 |
| S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 2.02% | 11.10% | 14.72% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as
24
an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You can buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund through a brokerage firm. The price you pay or receive for ETF Shares will be the prevailing market price, which may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. The brokerage firm may charge you a commission to execute the transaction. Unless imposed by your brokerage firm, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest and no minimum number of shares you must buy. ETF Shares of the Fund cannot be directly purchased from or redeemed with the Fund, except by certain authorized broker-dealers. These broker-dealers may purchase and redeem ETF Shares only in large blocks (Creation Units) worth several million dollars, typically in exchange for baskets of securities. For this Fund, the number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit is 25,000.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
25
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of small-capitalization stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | ||
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | ||
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
| Management Fees | 0.10% | |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None | |
| Other Expenses | 0.05% | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.15% | |
| Example | ||
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $15 | $48 | $85 | $192 |
26
This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 15% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P SmallCap 600® Index. The Index measures the performance of small-capitalization stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from small-capitalization stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Small companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
27
Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:
The Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares.
Although the Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained.
Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Funds ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Funds target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Funds past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
28
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund ETF Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 13.79%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 17.07% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –19.90% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –2.05% | 11.30% | 15.14% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | –2.38 | 11.02 | 14.83 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | –0.97 | 8.98 | 12.23 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –2.08 | 11.29 | 15.13 |
| S&P SmallCap 600 Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | –1.97% | 11.48% | 15.31% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as
29
an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has managed the Fund since 2013 (co-managed since 2015).
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You can buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund through a brokerage firm. The price you pay or receive for ETF Shares will be the prevailing market price, which may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. The brokerage firm may charge you a commission to execute the transaction. Unless imposed by your brokerage firm, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest and no minimum number of shares you must buy. ETF Shares of the Fund cannot be directly purchased from or redeemed with the Fund, except by certain authorized broker-dealers. These broker-dealers may purchase and redeem ETF Shares only in large blocks (Creation Units) worth several million dollars, typically in exchange for baskets of securities. For this Fund, the number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit is 25,000.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
30
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value ETF
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of small-capitalization value stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | ||
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | ||
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
| Management Fees | 0.12% | |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None | |
| Other Expenses | 0.08% | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.20% | |
| Example | ||
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $20 | $64 | $113 | $255 |
31
This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 42% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P SmallCap 600® Value Index, which represents the value companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. The Index measures the performance of small-capitalization value stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from small-capitalization value stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Small companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
32
Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:
The Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares.
Although the Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained.
Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Funds ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Funds target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Funds past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
33
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund ETF Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 16.46%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 18.53% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –20.05% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –6.84% | 10.16% | 13.88% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | –7.13 | 9.86 | 13.58 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | –3.63 | 8.05 | 11.19 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –6.90 | 10.13 | 13.87 |
| S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | –6.67% | 10.37% | 14.11% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as
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an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has managed the Fund since 2013 (co-managed since 2015).
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You can buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund through a brokerage firm. The price you pay or receive for ETF Shares will be the prevailing market price, which may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. The brokerage firm may charge you a commission to execute the transaction. Unless imposed by your brokerage firm, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest and no minimum number of shares you must buy. ETF Shares of the Fund cannot be directly purchased from or redeemed with the Fund, except by certain authorized broker-dealers. These broker-dealers may purchase and redeem ETF Shares only in large blocks (Creation Units) worth several million dollars, typically in exchange for baskets of securities. For this Fund, the number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit is 25,000.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
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Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of small-capitalization growth stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | ||
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares | None through Vanguard | |
| (Broker fees vary) | ||
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | ||
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | ||
| Management Fees | 0.12% | |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None | |
| Other Expenses | 0.08% | |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.20% | |
| Example | ||
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $20 | $64 | $113 | $255 |
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This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 48% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P SmallCap 600® Growth Index, which represents the growth companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. The Index measures the performance of small-capitalization growth stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from small-capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Small companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
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Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:
The Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares.
Although the Funds ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained.
Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Funds ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Funds ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Funds target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Funds past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
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Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 11.29%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 15.80% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –19.68% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 2.57% | 12.36% | 16.29% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 2.27 | 12.15 | 16.08 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 1.61 | 9.87 | 13.23 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 2.57 | 12.34 | 16.29 |
| S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 2.78% | 12.58% | 16.53% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as
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an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has managed the Fund since 2013 (co-managed since 2015).
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You can buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund through a brokerage firm. The price you pay or receive for ETF Shares will be the prevailing market price, which may be more or less than the NAV of the shares. The brokerage firm may charge you a commission to execute the transaction. Unless imposed by your brokerage firm, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest and no minimum number of shares you must buy. ETF Shares of the Fund cannot be directly purchased from or redeemed with the Fund, except by certain authorized broker-dealers. These broker-dealers may purchase and redeem ETF Shares only in large blocks (Creation Units) worth several million dollars, typically in exchange for baskets of securities. For this Fund, the number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit is 25,000.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
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Investing in Vanguard ETF® Shares
What Are Vanguard ETF Shares?
Vanguard ETF Shares are an exchange-traded class of shares issued by certain Vanguard mutual funds. ETF Shares represent an interest in the portfolio of stocks or bonds held by the issuing fund. The following ETF Shares are offered through this prospectus:
| Vanguard Fund | Vanguard ETF Shares | Seeks to Track |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | S&P 500 Value ETF | Large-cap value stocks |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | S&P 500 Growth ETF | Large-cap growth stocks |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | S&P Mid-Cap 400 ETF | Mid-cap stocks |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value ETF | Mid-cap value stocks |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth ETF | Mid-cap growth stocks |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF | Small-cap stocks |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | S&P Small-Cap 600 Value ETF | Small-cap value stocks |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth ETF | Small-cap growth stocks |
In addition to ETF Shares, each Fund offers one conventional (not exchange-traded) class of shares. This prospectus, however, relates only to ETF Shares.
How Are Vanguard ETF Shares Different From Conventional Mutual Fund Shares?
Conventional mutual fund shares can be directly purchased from and redeemed with the issuing fund for cash at the net asset value (NAV), typically calculated once a day. ETF Shares, by contrast, cannot be purchased directly from or redeemed directly with the issuing fund by an individual investor. Rather, ETF Shares can only be purchased or redeemed directly from the issuing fund by certain authorized broker-dealers. These broker-dealers may purchase and redeem ETF Shares only in large blocks (Creation Units) worth several million dollars, usually in exchange for baskets of securities and not for cash (although some funds issue and redeem Creation Units in exchange for cash or a combination of cash and securities).
An organized secondary trading market is expected to exist for ETF Shares, unlike conventional mutual fund shares, because ETF Shares are listed for trading on a national securities exchange. Individual investors can purchase and sell ETF Shares on the secondary market through a broker. Secondary-market transactions occur not at NAV, but at market prices that change throughout the day based on the supply of and demand for ETF Shares and on changes in the prices of the funds portfolio holdings.
The market price of a funds ETF Shares typically will differ somewhat from the NAV of those shares. The difference between market price and NAV is expected to be small
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most of the time, but in times of market disruption or extreme market volatility, the difference may become significant.
How Do I Buy and Sell Vanguard ETF Shares?
ETF Shares of the Funds are listed for trading on NYSE Arca. You can buy and sell ETF Shares on the secondary market in the same way you buy and sell any other exchange-traded securitythrough a broker. Your broker may charge a commission to execute a transaction. You will also incur the cost of the bid-ask spread, which is the difference between the price a dealer will pay for a security and the somewhat higher price at which the dealer will sell the same security. Because secondary-market transactions occur at market prices, you may pay more (premium) or less (discount) than NAV when you buy ETF Shares and receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread and premiums/ discounts can increase significantly. Unless imposed by your broker, there is no minimum dollar amount you must invest and no minimum number of ETF Shares you must buy.
Your ownership of ETF Shares will be shown on the records of the broker through which you hold the shares. Vanguard will not have any record of your ownership. Your account information will be maintained by your broker, which will provide you with account statements, confirmations of your purchases and sales of ETF Shares, and tax information. Your broker also will be responsible for ensuring that you receive income and capital gains distributions, as well as shareholder reports and other communications from the fund whose ETF Shares you own. You will receive other services (e.g., dividend reinvestment and average cost information) only if your broker offers these services.
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Investing in Index Funds
What Is Indexing?
Indexing is an investment strategy for tracking the performance of a specified market benchmark, or index. An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure the investment performance of a particular market. There are many types of indexes. Some represent entire marketssuch as the U.S. stock market or the U.S. bond market. Other indexes cover market segmentssuch as small-capitalization stocks or short-term bonds. The index sponsor determines the securities to include in the index, the weighting of each security in the index, and the appropriate time to make changes to the composition of the index. One cannot invest directly in an index.
An index fund holds all, or a representative sample, of the securities that make up its target index. Index funds attempt to mirror the performance of the target index, for better or worse. However, an index fund generally does not perform exactly like its target index. For example, like all mutual funds, index funds have operating expenses and transaction costs. Market indexes do not, and therefore they will usually have a slight performance advantage over funds that track them.
Index funds typically have the following characteristics:
Variety of investments. Most Vanguard index funds generally invest in the securities of a variety of companies and industries.
Relative performance consistency. Because they seek to track market benchmarks, index funds usually do not perform dramatically better or worse than their benchmarks.
Low cost. Index funds are inexpensive to run compared with actively managed funds.
They have low or no research costs and typically keep trading activityand thus brokerage commissions and other transaction coststo a minimum compared with actively managed funds.
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More on the Funds and ETF Shares
This prospectus describes the principal risks you would face as a Fund shareholder. It is important to keep in mind one of the main axioms of investing: generally, the higher the risk of losing money, the higher the potential reward. The reverse, also, is generally true: the lower the risk, the lower the potential reward. As you consider an investment in any mutual fund, you should take into account your personal tolerance for fluctuations in the securities markets. Look for this symbol throughout the prospectus. It is used to mark detailed information about the more significant risks that you would confront as a Fund shareholder. To highlight terms and concepts important to mutual fund investors, we have provided Plain Talk® explanations along the way. Reading the prospectus will help you decide whether a Fund is the right investment for you. We suggest that you keep this prospectus for future reference.
Share Class Overview
This prospectus offers the Funds ETF Shares, an exchange-traded class of shares. Separate prospectuses offer the Funds Institutional Shares, which are generally for investors who invest a minimum of $5 million.
Both share classes offered by a Fund have the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. However, different share classes have different expenses; as a result, their investment performances will differ.
A Note to Investors
Vanguard ETF Shares can be purchased directly from the issuing Fund only by authorized broker-dealers in exchange for a basket of securities (or, in some cases, for cash or a combination of cash and securities) that is expected to be worth several million dollars. Most individual investors, therefore, will not be able to purchase ETF Shares directly from the Fund. Instead, these investors will purchase ETF Shares on the secondary market with the assistance of a broker.
Plain Talk About Costs of Investing
Costs are an important consideration in choosing a mutual fund. That is because you, as a shareholder, pay a proportionate share of the costs of operating a fund, plus any transaction costs incurred when the fund buys or sells securities. These costs can erode a substantial portion of the gross income or the capital appreciation a fund achieves. Even seemingly small differences in expenses can, over time, have a dramatic effect on a funds performance.
The following sections explain the principal investment strategies and policies that each Fund uses in pursuit of its objective. The Funds board of trustees, which oversees each Funds management, may change investment strategies or policies in
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the interest of shareholders without a shareholder vote, unless those strategies or policies are designated as fundamental. Note that each Funds investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder vote. Under normal circumstances, each Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in the stocks that make up its target index. A Fund may change its 80% policy only upon 60 days notice to shareholders.
Market Exposure
Each Fund is subject to stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. Each Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, each Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
To illustrate the volatility of stock prices, the following table shows the best, worst, and average annual total returns for the U.S. stock market over various periods as measured by the S&P 500 Index, a widely used barometer of U.S. stock market activity. Total returns consist of dividend income plus change in market price. Note that the returns shown do not include the costs of buying and selling stocks or other expenses that a real-world investment portfolio would incur.
| U.S. Stock Market Returns | ||||
| (19262015) | ||||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | 20 Years | |
| Best | 54.2% | 28.6% | 19.9% | 17.8% |
| Worst | 43.1 | 12.4 | 1.4 | 3.1 |
| Average | 11.9 | 10.0 | 10.4 | 11.1 |
The table covers all of the rolling 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-year periods from 1926 through 2015. You can see, for example, that although the average annual return on common stocks for all of the 5-year periods was 10%, average annual returns for individual 5-year periods ranged from 12.4% (from 1928 through 1932) to 28.6% (from 1995 through 1999). These average annual returns reflect past performance of common stocks; you should not regard them as an indication of future performance of either the stock market as a whole or the Funds in particular.
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Keep in mind that the S&P 500 Index tracks mainly large-cap stocks. Historically, small- and mid-cap stocks (such as those held by the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Funds and the S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Funds) have been more volatile than—and at times have performed quite differently from—the large-cap stocks of the S&P 500 Index.
Similarly, indexes that focus on growth stocks or value stocks will not necessarily perform in the same way as the broader S&P 500 Index. Both growth and value stocks have the potential at times to be more volatile than the broader markets.
Stocks of publicly traded companies and funds that invest in stocks are often classified according to market value, or market capitalization. These classifications typically include small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap. It is important to understand that, for both companies and stock funds, market-capitalization ranges change over time. Also, interpretations of size vary, and there are no “official” definitions of small-, mid-, and large-cap, even among Vanguard fund advisors.
The asset-weighted median market capitalization of each Fund’s stock holdings as of August 31, 2016, was:
| Asset-Weighted Median | |
| Vanguard Fund | Market Capitalization |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | $67.0 billion |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | 88.9 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | 4.7 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | 4.1 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | 5.3 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | 1.5 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | 1.4 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | 1.7 |
Each Fund is subject to investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from the types of stocks in which the Fund invests will trail returns from the overall stock market. Specific types of stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.
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Plain Talk About Growth Funds and Value Funds
Growth investing and value investing are two styles employed by stock-fund managers. Growth funds generally focus on stocks of companies believed to have above-average potential for growth in revenue, earnings, cash flow, or other similar criteria. These stocks typically have low dividend yields and above-average prices in relation to measures such as earnings and book value. Value funds typically emphasize stocks whose prices are below average in relation to those measures; these stocks often have above-average dividend yields. Value stocks also may remain undervalued by the market for long periods of time. Growth and value stocks have historically produced similar long-term returns, though each style has periods when it outperforms the other.
Security Selection
Each Fund attempts to track the investment performance of a benchmark index that measures the return of a particular market segment. The Funds use the replication method of indexing, meaning that each Fund generally holds the same stocks as its target index and in approximately the same proportions.
Other Investment Policies and Risks
Each Fund reserves the right to substitute a different index for the index it currently tracks if the current index is discontinued, if the Funds agreement with the sponsor of its target index is terminated, or for any other reason determined in good faith by the Funds board of trustees. In any such instance, the substitute index would represent the same market segment as the current index.
Each Fund may invest in foreign securities to the extent necessary to carry out its investment strategy of holding all, or substantially all, of the stocks that make up the index it tracks. It is not expected that any Fund will invest more than 5% of its assets in foreign securities.
To track their target indexes as closely as possible, the Funds attempt to remain fully invested in stocks. To help stay fully invested and to reduce transaction costs, the Funds may invest, to a limited extent, in derivatives, including equity futures. The Funds may also use derivatives such as total return swaps to obtain exposure to a stock, a basket of stocks, or an index. Generally speaking, a derivative is a financial contract whose value is based on the value of a financial asset (such as a stock, a bond, or a currency), a physical asset (such as gold, oil, or wheat), a market index (such as the S&P 500 Index), or a reference rate (such as LIBOR). Investments in derivatives may subject the Funds to risks different from, and possibly greater than, those of investments directly in the underlying securities or assets. The Funds will not use derivatives for speculation or for the purpose of leveraging (magnifying) investment returns.
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Cash Management
Each Funds daily cash balance may be invested in one or more Vanguard CMT Funds, which are very low-cost money market funds. When investing in a Vanguard CMT Fund, each Fund bears its proportionate share of the expenses of the CMT Fund in which it invests. Vanguard receives no additional revenue from Fund assets invested in a Vanguard CMT Fund.
Temporary Investment Measures
Each Fund may temporarily depart from its normal investment policies and strategies when the advisor believes that doing so is in the Funds best interest, so long as the alternative is consistent with the Funds investment objective. For instance, the Fund may invest beyond its normal limits in derivatives or exchange-traded funds that are consistent with the Funds objective when those instruments are more favorably priced or provide needed liquidity, as might be the case when the Fund receives large cash flows that it cannot prudently invest immediately.
Special Risks of Exchange-Traded Shares
ETF Shares are not individually redeemable. They can be redeemed with the issuing Fund at NAV only by authorized broker-dealers and only in large blocks known as Creation Units, which would cost millions of dollars to assemble. Consequently, if you want to liquidate some or all of your ETF Shares, you must sell them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.
The market price of ETF Shares may differ from NAV. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its NAV, there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more (premium) or less (discount) than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares. These discounts and premiums are likely to be greatest during times of market disruption or extreme market volatility.
Vanguards website at vanguard.com shows the previous days closing NAV and closing market price for each Funds ETF Shares. The website also discloses, in the Premium/Discount Analysis section of the ETF Shares Price & Performance page, how frequently each Funds ETF Shares traded at a premium or discount to NAV (based on closing NAVs and market prices) and the magnitudes of such premiums and discounts.
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An active trading market may not exist. Although Vanguard ETF Shares are listed on a national securities exchange, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained. Although this could happen at any time, it is more likely to occur during times of severe market disruption. If you attempt to sell your ETF Shares when an active trading market is not functioning, you may have to sell at a significant discount to NAV. In extreme cases, you may not be able to sell your shares at all.
Trading may be halted. Trading of Vanguard ETF Shares on an exchange may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from the listing exchange without first being listed on another exchange or (2) exchange officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.
Conversion Privilege
Owners of conventional shares issued by a Fund may convert those shares to ETF Shares of equivalent value of the same fund. Please note that investors who own conventional shares through a 401(k) plan or other employer-sponsored retirement or benefit plan generally may not convert those shares to ETF Shares and should check with their plan sponsor or recordkeeper. ETF Shares, whether acquired through a conversion or purchased on the secondary market, cannot be converted to conventional shares. Also, ETF Shares of one fund cannot be exchanged for ETF Shares of another fund.
You must hold ETF Shares in a brokerage account. Thus, before converting conventional shares to ETF Shares, you must have an existing, or open a new, brokerage account. This account may be with Vanguard Brokerage Services® (Vanguard Brokerage) or with any other brokerage firm. To initiate a conversion of conventional shares to ETF Shares, please contact your broker.
Vanguard Brokerage does not impose a fee on conversions from Vanguard conventional shares to Vanguard ETF Shares. However, other brokerage firms may charge a fee to process a conversion. Vanguard reserves the right, in the future, to impose a transaction fee on conversions or to limit or terminate the conversion privilege.
Converting conventional shares to ETF Shares is generally accomplished as follows. First, after your broker notifies Vanguard of your request to convert, Vanguard will transfer your conventional shares from your account to the brokers omnibus account with Vanguard (an account maintained by the broker on behalf of all its customers who hold conventional Vanguard fund shares through the broker). After the transfer, Vanguards records will reflect your broker, not you, as the owner of the shares. Next,
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your broker will instruct Vanguard to convert the appropriate number or dollar amount of conventional shares in its omnibus account to ETF Shares of equivalent value, based on the respective NAVs of the two share classes.
Your Funds transfer agent will reflect ownership of all ETF Shares in the name of the Depository Trust Company (DTC). The DTC will keep track of which ETF Shares belong to your broker, and your broker, in turn, will keep track of which ETF Shares belong to you.
Because the DTC is unable to handle fractional shares, only whole shares can be converted. For example, if you owned 300.250 conventional shares, and this was equivalent in value to 90.750 ETF Shares, the DTC account would receive 90 ETF Shares. Conventional shares with a value equal to 0.750 ETF Shares (in this example, that would be 2.481 conventional shares) would remain in the brokers omnibus account with Vanguard. Your broker then could either (1) credit your account with 0.750 ETF Shares or (2) redeem the 2.481 conventional shares for cash at NAV and deliver that cash to your account. If your broker chose to redeem your conventional shares, you would realize a gain or loss on the redemption that must be reported on your tax return (unless you hold the shares in an IRA or other tax-deferred account). Please consult your broker for information on how it will handle the conversion process, including whether it will impose a fee to process a conversion.
If you convert your conventional shares to ETF Shares through Vanguard Brokerage, all conventional shares for which you request conversion will be converted to ETF Shares of equivalent value. Because no fractional shares will have to be sold, the transaction will not be taxable.
Here are some important points to keep in mind when converting conventional shares of a Vanguard fund to ETF Shares:
The conversion process can take anywhere from several days to several weeks, depending on your broker. Vanguard generally will process conversion requests either on the day they are received or on the next business day. Vanguard imposes conversion blackout windows around the dates when a fund with ETF Shares declares dividends. This is necessary to prevent a shareholder from collecting a dividend from both the conventional share class currently held and also from the ETF share class to which the shares will be converted.
Until the conversion process is complete, you will remain fully invested in a funds conventional shares, and your investment will increase or decrease in value in tandem with the NAV of those shares.
The conversion transaction is nontaxable except, if applicable, to the very limited extent previously described.
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A precautionary note to investment companies: Vanguard ETF Shares are issued by registered investment companies, and therefore the acquisition of such shares by other investment companies is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. Vanguard has obtained an SEC exemptive order that allows registered investment companies to invest in the issuing funds beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including the requirement to enter into a participation agreement with Vanguard.
Frequent Trading and Market-Timing
Unlike frequent trading of a Vanguard funds conventional (i.e., not exchange-traded) classes of shares, frequent trading of ETF Shares does not disrupt portfolio management, increase the funds trading costs, lead to realization of capital gains by the fund, or otherwise harm fund shareholders. The vast majority of trading in ETF Shares occurs on the secondary market. Because these trades do not involve the issuing fund, they do not harm the fund or its shareholders. A few institutional investors are authorized to purchase and redeem ETF Shares directly with the issuing fund. Because these trades typically are effected in kind (i.e., for securities and not for cash), they do not cause any of the harmful effects to the issuing fund (as previously noted) that may result from frequent cash trades. For these reasons, the board of trustees of each fund that issues ETF Shares has determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures to detect and deter frequent trading and market-timing of ETF Shares.
Portfolio Holdings
Please consult the Funds Statement of Additional Information or our website for a description of the policies and procedures that govern disclosure of a Funds portfolio holdings.
Turnover Rate
Although the Funds generally seek to invest for the long term, each Fund may sell securities regardless of how long they have been held. Generally, an index fund sells securities in response to redemption requests from shareholders of conventional (not exchange-traded) shares or to changes in the composition of its target index. Turnover rates for large-cap stock index funds tend to be low because large-cap indexes typically do not change significantly from year to year. Turnover rates for mid-cap and small-cap stock index funds tend to be higher than for large-cap stock index funds (although still relatively low, compared with actively managed stock funds) because the indexes they track are more likely to change as a result of companies merging, growing, or failing. The Financial Highlights section of this prospectus shows historical turnover rates for each Fund. A turnover rate of 100%, for example, would mean that a Fund had sold and replaced securities valued at 100% of its net assets within a one-year period. Increased
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cash flow into the S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2015, resulted in higher portfolio turnover for that year. The average turnover rate for domestic stock funds was approximately 65%, as reported by Morningstar, Inc., on August 31, 2016.
Plain Talk About Turnover Rate
Before investing in a mutual fund, you should review its turnover rate. This gives an indication of how transaction costs, which are not included in the funds expense ratio, could affect the funds future returns. In general, the greater the volume of buying and selling by the fund, the greater the impact that brokerage commissions and other transaction costs will have on its return. Also, funds with high turnover rates may be more likely to generate capital gains, including short-term capital gains, that must be distributed to shareholders and will be taxable to shareholders investing through a taxable account.
The Funds and Vanguard
Each Fund is a member of The Vanguard Group, a family of more than 190 mutual funds holding assets of approximately $3.5 trillion. All of the funds that are members of The Vanguard Group (other than funds of funds) share in the expenses associated with administrative services and business operations, such as personnel, office space, and equipment.
Vanguard Marketing Corporation provides marketing services to the funds. Although shareholders do not pay sales commissions or 12b-1 distribution fees, each fund (other than a fund of funds) or each share class of a fund (in the case of a fund with multiple share classes) pays its allocated share of the Vanguard funds marketing costs.
Plain Talk About Vanguards Unique Corporate Structure
The Vanguard Group is truly a mutual mutual fund company. It is owned jointly by the funds it oversees and thus indirectly by the shareholders in those funds. Most other mutual funds are operated by management companies that may be owned by one person, by a private group of individuals, or by public investors who own the management companys stock. The management fees charged by these companies include a profit component over and above the companies cost of providing services. By contrast, Vanguard provides services to its member funds on an at-cost basis, with no profit component, which helps to keep the funds expenses low.
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Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard), P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482, which began operations in 1975, serves as advisor to the Funds through its Equity Index Group. As of August 31, 2016, Vanguard served as advisor for approximately $2.9 trillion in assets. Vanguard provides investment advisory services to the Funds on an at-cost basis, subject to the supervision and oversight of the trustees and officers of the Funds.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the advisory expenses represented an effective annual rate of each Funds average net assets as follows: for the S&P 500 Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index, S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Funds, and S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund 0.02%; and for the S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund, 0.01%.
For a discussion of why the board of trustees approved each Funds investment advisory arrangement, see the most recent annual reports to shareholders covering the fiscal year ended August 31.
The managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds are:
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has been with Vanguard since 1992; has managed investment portfolios since 1997; and has co-managed the S&P 500 Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P Small-Cap 600 Index, S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index, and S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Funds since 2015. Education: B.S.B.A., Shippensburg University.
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has worked in investment management since joining Vanguard in 2006; has managed the S&P Small-Cap 600 Index, S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index, and S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Funds since 2013 (co-managed since 2015); and has co-managed the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index, and S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Funds since 2015. Education: B.S., Kings College; M.S., Saint Josephs University.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has been with Vanguard since 2006; has worked in investment management since 2008; has managed investment portfolios since 2013; and has co-managed the S&P 500 Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index, and S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Funds since 2015. Education: B.S., Millersville University.
The Statement of Additional Information provides information about each portfolio managers compensation, other accounts under management, and ownership of shares of the Funds.
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Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes
Fund Distributions
Each Fund distributes to shareholders virtually all of its net income (interest and dividends, less expenses) as well as any net short-term or long-term capital gains realized from the sale of its holdings. Income dividends for the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index, S&P 500 Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index, and S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Funds generally are distributed quarterly in March, June, September, and December; income dividends for the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index, and S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Funds generally are distributed annually in December. Capital gains distributions, if any, generally occur annually in December. In addition, each Fund may occasionally make a supplemental distribution at some other time during the year.
Plain Talk About Distributions
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your portion of a funds income from interest and dividends as well as capital gains from the funds sale of investments. Income consists of both the dividends that the fund earns from any stock holdings and the interest it receives from any money market and bond investments. Capital gains are realized whenever the fund sells securities for higher prices than it paid for them. These capital gains are either short-term or long-term, depending on whether the fund held the securities for one year or less or for more than one year.
Reinvestment of Distributions
In order to reinvest dividend and capital gains distributions, investors in a Funds ETF Shares must hold their shares at a broker that offers a reinvestment service. This can be the brokers own service or a service made available by a third party, such as the brokers outside clearing firm or the Depository Trust Company (DTC). If a reinvestment service is available, distributions of income and capital gains can automatically be reinvested in additional whole and fractional ETF Shares of the Fund. If a reinvestment service is not available, investors will receive their distributions in cash. To determine whether a reinvestment service is available and whether there is a commission or other charge for using this service, consult your broker.
As with all exchange-traded funds, reinvestment of dividend and capital gains distributions in additional ETF Shares will occur four business days or more after the ex-dividend date (the date when a distribution of dividends or capital gains is deducted from the price of a Funds shares). The exact number of days depends on your broker. During that time, the amount of your distribution will not be invested in the Fund and therefore will not share in the Funds income, gains, and losses.
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Basic Tax Points
Investors in taxable accounts should be aware of the following basic federal income tax points:
Distributions are taxable to you whether or not you reinvest these amounts in additional ETF Shares.
Distributions declared in Decemberif paid to you by the end of Januaryare taxable as if received in December.
Any dividend distribution or short-term capital gains distribution that you receive is taxable to you as ordinary income. If you are an individual and meet certain holding-period requirements with respect to your ETF Shares, you may be eligible for reduced tax rates on qualified dividend income, if any, distributed by the Fund.
Any distribution of net long-term capital gains is taxable to you as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned ETF Shares.
Capital gains distributions may vary considerably from year to year as a result of the Funds normal investment activities and cash flows.
A sale of ETF Shares is a taxable event. This means that you may have a capital gain to report as income, or a capital loss to report as a deduction, when you complete your tax return.
Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income takes into account distributions paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale of ETF Shares.
Dividend distributions and capital gains distributions that you receive, as well as your gains or losses from any sale of ETF Shares, may be subject to state and local income taxes.
This prospectus provides general tax information only. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply. Please consult your tax advisor for detailed information about any tax consequences for you.
Share Price and Market Price
Share price, also known as net asset value (NAV), is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. Each share class has its own NAV, which is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to the share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. On U.S. holidays or other days when the NYSE is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Funds do not sell or redeem shares. However, on those days the value of a Funds assets may be affected to the
55
extent that the Fund holds securities that change in value on those days (such as foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open).
Remember: If you buy or sell ETF Shares on the secondary market, you will pay or receive the market price, which may be higher or lower than NAV. Your transaction will be priced at NAV only if you purchase or redeem your ETF Shares in Creation Unit blocks (an option available only to certain authorized broker-dealers) or if you convert your conventional fund shares to ETF Shares.
Stocks held by a Vanguard fund are valued at their market value when reliable market quotations are readily available from the principal exchange or market on which they are traded. When a fund determines that market quotations either are not readily available or do not accurately reflect the value of a security, the security is priced at its fair value (the amount that the owner might reasonably expect to receive upon the current sale of the security). Such securities are generally valued at their official closing price, the last reported sales price, or if there were no sales that day, the mean between the closing bid and asking prices.
Certain short-term debt instruments used to manage a funds cash may be valued at amortized cost when it approximates fair value. A fund also will use fair-value pricing if the value of a security it holds has been materially affected by events occurring before the funds pricing time but after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded. This most commonly occurs with foreign securities, which may trade on foreign exchanges that close many hours before the funds pricing time. Intervening events might be company-specific (e.g., earnings report, merger announcement) or country-specific or regional/global (e.g., natural disaster, economic or political news, act of terrorism, interest rate change). Intervening events include price movements in U.S. markets that exceed a specified threshold or that are otherwise deemed to affect the value of foreign securities.
The values of any foreign securities held by a fund are converted into U.S. dollars using an exchange rate obtained from an independent third party as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The values of any mutual fund shares held by a fund are based on the NAVs of the shares. The values of any ETF shares, institutional money market fund shares, or closed-end fund shares held by a fund are based on the market value of the shares.
Fair-value pricing may be used for domestic securitiesfor example, if (1) trading in a security is halted and does not resume before the funds pricing time or a security does not trade in the course of a day and (2) the fund holds enough of the security that its price could affect the NAV.
Fair-value prices are determined by Vanguard according to procedures adopted by the board of trustees. When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used
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by a fund to calculate the NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.
Vanguards website will show the previous days closing NAV and closing market price for each Funds ETF Shares.
| Additional Information | |||
| Vanguard | |||
| Inception | Fund | CUSIP | |
| Date | Number | Number | |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | |||
| ETF Shares | 9/7/2010 | 3340 | 921932703 |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | |||
| ETF Shares | 9/7/2010 | 3341 | 921932505 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | |||
| ETF Shares | 9/7/2010 | 3342 | 921932885 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | |||
| ETF Shares | 9/7/2010 | 3344 | 921932844 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | |||
| ETF Shares | 9/7/2010 | 3343 | 921932869 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | |||
| ETF Shares | 9/7/2010 | 3345 | 921932828 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | |||
| ETF Shares | 9/7/2010 | 3346 | 921932778 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | |||
| ETF Shares | 9/7/2010 | 3347 | 921932794 |
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Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Funds financial performance for the periods shown, and certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in each table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost each period on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). This information has been obtained from the financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose reportsalong with each Funds financial statementsare included in the Funds most recent annual reports to shareholders. You may obtain a free copy of the latest annual or semiannual reports by visiting vanguard.com or by contacting Vanguard by telephone or mail.
Plain Talk About How to Read the Financial Highlights Tables
This explanation uses the S&P 500 Value Index Funds ETF Shares as an example. The ETF Shares began fiscal year 2016 with a net asset value (share price) of $83.75 per share. During the year, each ETF Share earned $2.125 from investment income (interest and dividends) and $8.605 from investments that had appreciated in value or that were sold for higher prices than the Fund paid for them.
Shareholders received $2.07 per share in the form of dividend distributions. A portion of each years distributions may come from the prior years income or capital gains.
The share price at the end of the year was $92.41, reflecting earnings of $10.73 per share and distributions of $2.07 per share. This was an increase of $8.66 per share (from $83.75 at the beginning of the year to $92.41 at the end of the year). For a shareholder who reinvested the distributions in the purchase of more shares, the total return was 13.03% for the year.
As of August 31, 2016, the ETF Shares had approximately $487 million in net assets. For the year, the expense ratio was 0.15% ($1.50 per $1,000 of net assets), and the net investment income amounted to 2.64% of average net assets. The Fund sold and replaced securities valued at 22% of its net assets.
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| S&P 500 Value Index Fund ETF Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $83.75 | $88.54 | $73.72 | $61.42 | $53.59 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 2.125 | 1.932 | 1.702 | 1.584 | 1.329 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 8.605 | (4.838) | 14.824 | 12.242 | 7.734 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 10.730 | (2.906) | 16.526 | 13.826 | 9.063 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (2.070) | (1.884) | (1.706) | (1.526) | (1.233) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (2.070) | (1.884) | (1.706) | (1.526) | (1.233) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $92.41 | $83.75 | $88.54 | $73.72 | $61.42 |
| Total Return | 13.03% | 3.41% | 22.64% | 22.79% | 17.16% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $487 | $274 | $204 | $118 | $52 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 2.64% | 2.37% | 2.31% | 2.45% | 2.43% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate1 | 22% | 23% | 25% | 25% | 20% |
1 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $99.21 | $96.99 | $77.29 | $68.43 | $58.81 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 1.565 | 1.523 | 1.257 | 1.291 | 1.135 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 9.857 | 2.193 | 19.715 | 8.848 | 9.543 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 11.422 | 3.716 | 20.972 | 10.139 | 10.678 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (1.512) | (1.496) | (1.272) | (1.279) | (1.058) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (1.512) | (1.496) | (1.272) | (1.279) | (1.058) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $109.12 | $99.21 | $96.99 | $77.29 | $68.43 |
| Total Return | 11.62% | 3.80% | 27.33% | 15.00% | 18.38% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $1,031 | $570 | $325 | $147 | $96 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.59% | 1.62% | 1.56% | 1.81% | 1.82% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate1 | 20% | 21% | 23% | 24% | 22% |
1 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund ETF Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $95.87 | $97.19 | $79.72 | $65.20 | $58.37 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 1.393 | 1.330 | 1.016 | 1.1331 | .648 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 10.091 | (1.425) | 17.285 | 14.112 | 6.657 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 11.484 | (.095) | 18.301 | 15.245 | 7.305 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (1.844) | (1.225) | (.831) | (.725) | (.475) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (1.844) | (1.225) | (.831) | (.725) | (.475) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $105.51 | $95.87 | $97.19 | $79.72 | $65.20 |
| Total Return | 12.19% | 0.12% | 23.06% | 23.57% | 12.60% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $485 | $379 | $345 | $191 | $72 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.56% | 1.45% | 1.28% | 1.50% | 1.35% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 11% | 12% | 14% | 10% | 13% |
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund ETF Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $91.40 | $96.78 | $77.93 | $62.71 | $55.69 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 1.8911 | 1.600 | 1.5001 | 1.153 | 1.001 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 9.880 | (5.563) | 18.094 | 15.146 | 6.814 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 11.771 | (3.963) | 19.594 | 16.299 | 7.815 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (1.471) | (1.417) | (.744) | (1.079) | (.795) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (1.471) | (1.417) | (.744) | (1.079) | (.795) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $101.70 | $91.40 | $96.78 | $77.93 | $62.71 |
| Total Return | 13.13% | 4.17% | 25.26% | 26.31% | 14.18% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $460 | $103 | $87 | $27 | $9 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.97% | 1.75% | 1.66% | 1.87% | 1.80% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 26% | 47% | 35% | 74% | 31% |
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $99.88 | $97.18 | $80.96 | $67.47 | $61.13 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | .954 | 1.036 | .571 | .721 | .405 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 9.960 | 2.456 | 16.256 | 13.257 | 6.266 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 10.914 | 3.492 | 16.827 | 13.978 | 6.671 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (1.034) | (.792) | (.607) | (.488) | (.331) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (1.034) | (.792) | (.607) | (.488) | (.331) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $109.76 | $99.88 | $97.18 | $80.96 | $67.47 |
| Total Return | 11.04% | 3.60% | 20.84% | 20.83% | 10.97% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $513 | $377 | $292 | $182 | $91 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.08% | 1.08% | 0.81% | 1.08% | 0.76% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate1 | 38% | 47% | 38% | 35% | 26% |
1 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund ETF Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $100.42 | $99.81 | $84.98 | $68.12 | $58.84 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 1.3751 | 1.204 | .976 | 1.024 | .745 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 11.683 | .497 | 14.697 | 16.854 | 9.012 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 13.058 | 1.701 | 15.673 | 17.878 | 9.757 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (1.248) | (1.091) | (.843) | (1.018) | (.477) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (1.248) | (1.091) | (.843) | (1.018) | (.477) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $112.23 | $100.42 | $99.81 | $84.98 | $68.12 |
| Total Return | 13.17% | 1.69% | 18.47% | 26.57% | 16.66% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $342 | $206 | $165 | $85 | $34 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.36% | 1.27% | 1.10% | 1.48% | 1.28% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 15% | 11% | 16% | 12% | 12% |
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund ETF Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $94.66 | $98.93 | $82.76 | $65.79 | $56.68 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 1.352 | 1.337 | 1.3551 | 1.146 | .960 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 12.736 | (4.323) | 15.685 | 16.731 | 8.801 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 14.088 | (2.986) | 17.040 | 17.877 | 9.761 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (1.768) | (1.284) | (.870) | (.907) | (.651) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (1.768) | (1.284) | (.870) | (.907) | (.651) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $106.98 | $94.66 | $98.93 | $82.76 | $65.79 |
| Total Return | 15.14% | 3.09% | 20.64% | 27.45% | 17.33% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $126 | $95 | $94 | $29 | $16 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.49% | 1.43% | 1.43% | 1.73% | 1.56% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 42% | 43% | 32% | 37% | 29% |
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
65
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $106.99 | $101.36 | $87.79 | $70.70 | $61.18 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 1.180 | 1.043 | .6681 | .822 | .5311 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 10.685 | 5.345 | 13.432 | 17.083 | 9.326 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 11.865 | 6.388 | 14.100 | 17.905 | 9.857 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (1.605) | (.758) | (.530) | (.815) | (.337) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (1.605) | (.758) | (.530) | (.815) | (.337) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $117.25 | $106.99 | $101.36 | $87.79 | $70.70 |
| Total Return | 11.24% | 6.32% | 16.07% | 25.59% | 16.17% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $132 | $75 | $61 | $22 | $14 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.15% | 0.98% | 0.66% | 1.03% | 0.83% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 48% | 63% | 44% | 39% | 45% |
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
66
CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute.
Morningstar data © 2016 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
The S&P 500 Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index (the Indexes) are products of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (SPDJI), and have been licensed for use by Vanguard. Standard & Poors® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC (S&P); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (Dow Jones); S&P® and S&P 500® are trademarks of S&P; and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by Vanguard. Vanguard S&P ETFs are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, S&P Dow Jones Indices). S&P Dow Jones Indices make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Vanguard S&P ETFs or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in Vanguard S&P ETFs particularly or the ability of the S&P 500 Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices only relationship to Vanguard with respect to the S&P 500 Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index is the licensing of the Indexes and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors. The S&P 500 Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index are determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to Vanguard or the Vanguard S&P ETFs. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation to take the needs of Vanguard or the owners of Vanguard S&P ETFs into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the S&P 500 Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of Vanguard S&P ETFs or the timing of the issuance or sale of Vanguard S&P ETFs or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which Vanguard S&P ETFs are to be converted into cash, surrendered or redeemed, as the case may be. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of Vanguard S&P ETFs. There is no assurance that investment products based on the S&P 500 Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.
S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEXES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY VANGUARD, OWNERS OF THE VANGUARD S&P ETFS, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEXES OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND VANGUARD, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.
67
Glossary of Investment Terms
Active Management. An investment approach that seeks to exceed the average returns of a particular financial market or market segment. In selecting securities to buy and sell, active managers may rely on, among other things, research, market forecasts, quantitative models, and their own judgment and experience.
Authorized Participant. Institutional investors that are permitted to purchase Creation Units directly from, and redeem Creation Units directly with, the issuing fund. To be an Authorized Participant, an entity must be a participant in the Depository Trust Company and must enter into an agreement with the funds Distributor.
Bid-Ask Spread. The difference between the price a dealer is willing to pay for a security (the bid price) and the somewhat higher price at which the dealer is willing to sell the same security (the ask price).
Capital Gains Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of gains realized on securities that a fund has sold at a profit, minus any realized losses.
Common Stock. A security representing ownership rights in a corporation.
Creation Unit. A large block of a specified number of ETF Shares. Certain broker-dealers known as Authorized Participants may purchase and redeem ETF Shares from the issuing fund in Creation Unit size blocks.
Dividend Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of income from interest or dividends generated by a funds investments.
Ex-Dividend Date. The date when a distribution of dividends and/or capital gains is deducted from the share price of a mutual fund or stock. On the ex-dividend date, the share price drops by the amount of the distribution per share (plus or minus any market activity).
Expense Ratio. A funds total annual operating expenses expressed as a percentage of the funds average net assets. The expense ratio includes management and administrative expenses, but it does not include the transaction costs of buying and selling portfolio securities.
Inception Date. The date on which the assets of a fund (or one of its share classes) are first invested in accordance with the funds investment objective. For funds with a subscription period, the inception date is the day after that period ends. Investment performance is generally measured from the inception date.
Indexing. A low-cost investment strategy in which a mutual fund attempts to trackrather than outperforma specified market benchmark, or index.
68
Median Market Capitalization. An indicator of the size of companies in which a fund invests; the midpoint of market capitalization (market price x shares outstanding) of a funds stocks, weighted by the proportion of the funds assets invested in each stock. Stocks representing half of the funds assets have market capitalizations above the median, and the rest are below it.
Mutual Fund. An investment company that pools the money of many people and invests it in a variety of securities in an effort to achieve a specific objective over time.
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). A stock exchange based in New York City that is open for regular trading on business days, Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time. Net asset values (NAVs) are calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. In the rare event the NYSE experiences unanticipated trade disruptions and is unavailable at the close of the trading day, NAVs will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq (or another alternate exchange if the Nasdaq is unavailable), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time.
Securities. Stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and other investments.
Total Return. A percentage change, over a specified time period, in a mutual funds net asset value, assuming the reinvestment of all distributions of dividends and capital gains.
Volatility. The fluctuations in value of a mutual fund or other security. The greater a funds volatility, the wider the fluctuations in its returns.
Yield. Income (interest or dividends) earned by an investment, expressed as a percentage of the investments price.
| Institutional Division | |
| P.O. Box 2900 | |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
| Connect with Vanguard® > vanguard.com | |
| For More Information | To receive a free copy of the latest annual or |
| If you would like more information about Vanguard | semiannual reports or the SAI, or to request additional |
| S&P ETFs, the following documents are available free | information about Vanguard ETF Shares, please visit |
| upon request: | vanguard.com or contact us as follows: |
| Annual/Semiannual Reports to Shareholders | The Vanguard Group |
| Additional information about the Funds investments is | Institutional Investor Information |
| available in the Funds annual and semiannual reports | P.O. Box 2900 |
| to shareholders. In the annual reports, you will find a | Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 |
| discussion of the market conditions and investment | Telephone: 866-499-8473 |
| strategies that significantly affected the Funds | |
| Information Provided by the Securities and | |
| performance during their last fiscal year. | |
| Exchange Commission (SEC) | |
| Statement of Additional Information (SAI) | You can review and copy information about the Funds |
| The SAI provides more detailed information about the | (including the SAI) at the SECs Public Reference Room |
| Funds ETF Shares and is incorporated by reference | in Washington, DC. To find out more about this public |
| into (and thus legally a part of) this prospectus. | service, call the SEC at 202-551-8090. Reports and |
| other information about the Funds are also available in | |
| the EDGAR database on the SECs website at | |
| www.sec.gov, or you can receive copies of this | |
| information, for a fee, by electronic request at the | |
| following email address: [email protected], or by | |
| writing the Public Reference Section, Securities and | |
| Exchange Commission, Washington, DC 20549-1520. | |
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| © 2016 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | |
| U.S. Patent Nos. 6,879,964; 7,337,138; 7,720,749; 7,925,573; 8,090,646; | |
| and 8,417,623. | |
| Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor. | |
| P 3340 122016 | |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Funds |
| Prospectus |
| December 23, 2016 |
| Institutional Shares |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSPMX) |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund Institutional Shares (VMFVX) |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VMFGX) |
| This prospectus contains financial data for the Funds through the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016. |
| The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or |
| passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. |
| Contents | |||
| Vanguard Fund Summaries | Investing With Vanguard | 33 | |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | 1 | Purchasing Shares | 33 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | 6 | Converting Shares | 36 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | 11 | Redeeming Shares | 37 |
| Investing in Index Funds | 16 | Exchanging Shares | 40 |
| More on the Funds | 17 | Frequent-Trading Limitations | 41 |
| The Funds and Vanguard | 23 | Other Rules You Should Know | 43 |
| Investment Advisor | 23 | Fund and Account Updates | 46 |
| Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes | 24 | Employer-Sponsored Plans | 48 |
| Share Price | 27 | Contacting Vanguard | 49 |
| Financial Highlights | 29 | Additional Information | 50 |
| Glossary of Investment Terms | 52 | ||
Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of mid-capitalization stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.06% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.08% |
1
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $8 | $26 | $45 | $103 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 11% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P MidCap 400® Index. The Index measures the performance of mid-capitalization stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:
• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market
2
sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
• Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from mid-capitalization stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Mid-size companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Institutional Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Institutional Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund Institutional Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 12.35%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 13.48% (quarter ended March 31, 2012), and the lowest return for a quarter was –8.52% (quarter ended September 30, 2015).
3
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | ||
| Since | ||
| Inception | ||
| (Mar. 28, | ||
| 1 Year | 2011) | |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund Institutional Shares | ||
| Return Before Taxes | 2.23% | 9.64% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 2.62 | 9.32 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 1.02 | 7.59 |
| S&P MidCap 400 Index | ||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 2.18% | 9.71% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
4
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Institutional Shares is $5 million. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
5
Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of mid-capitalization value stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.05% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.03% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.08% |
6
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $8 | $26 | $45 | $103 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 26% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P MidCap 400® Value Index, which represents the value companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. The Index measures the performance of mid-capitalization value stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:
• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the
7
Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
• Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from mid-capitalization value stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Mid-size companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Institutional Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Institutional Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund Institutional Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 15.19%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 15.83% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –20.95% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
8
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Nov. 2, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | |||
| Institutional Shares | |||
| Return Before Taxes | –6.69% | 10.11% | 11.42% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | –7.07 | 9.75 | 11.05 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | –3.47 | 8.00 | 9.10 |
| S&P MidCap 400 Value Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | –6.65% | 10.19% | 11.51% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
9
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Institutional Shares is $5 million. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
10
Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of mid-capitalization growth stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.06% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.08% |
11
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $8 | $26 | $45 | $103 |
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 38% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P MidCap 400® Growth Index, which represents the growth companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. The Index measures the performance of mid-capitalization growth stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:
• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the
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Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
• Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from mid-capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Mid-size companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Institutional Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Institutional Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 9.54%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 14.07% (quarter ended March 31, 2012), and the lowest return for a quarter was –6.97% (quarter ended September 30, 2015).
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| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | ||
| Since | ||
| Inception | ||
| (Mar. 28, | ||
| 1 Year | 2011) | |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares | ||
| Return Before Taxes | 1.95% | 10.05% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 1.60 | 9.81 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 1.25 | 7.92 |
| S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index | ||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 2.02% | 10.11% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
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Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Institutional Shares is $5 million. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
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Investing in Index Funds
What Is Indexing?
Indexing is an investment strategy for tracking the performance of a specified market benchmark, or index. An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure the investment performance of a particular market. There are many types of indexes. Some represent entire marketssuch as the U.S. stock market or the U.S. bond market. Other indexes cover market segmentssuch as small-capitalization stocks or short-term bonds. The index sponsor determines the securities to include in the index, the weighting of each security in the index, and the appropriate time to make changes to the composition of the index. One cannot invest directly in an index.
An index fund holds all, or a representative sample, of the securities that make up its target index. Index funds attempt to mirror the performance of the target index, for better or worse. However, an index fund generally does not perform exactly like its target index. For example, like all mutual funds, index funds have operating expenses and transaction costs. Market indexes do not, and therefore they will usually have a slight performance advantage over funds that track them.
Index funds typically have the following characteristics:
Variety of investments. Most Vanguard index funds generally invest in the securities of a variety of companies and industries.
Relative performance consistency. Because they seek to track market benchmarks, index funds usually do not perform dramatically better or worse than their benchmarks.
Low cost. Index funds are inexpensive to run compared with actively managed funds.
They have low or no research costs and typically keep trading activityand thus brokerage commissions and other transaction coststo a minimum compared with actively managed funds.
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More on the Funds
This prospectus describes the principal risks you would face as a Fund shareholder. It is important to keep in mind one of the main axioms of investing: generally, the higher the risk of losing money, the higher the potential reward. The reverse, also, is generally true: the lower the risk, the lower the potential reward. As you consider an investment in any mutual fund, you should take into account your personal tolerance for fluctuations in the securities markets. Look for this symbol throughout the prospectus. It is used to mark detailed information about the more significant risks that you would confront as a Fund shareholder. To highlight terms and concepts important to mutual fund investors, we have provided Plain Talk® explanations along the way. Reading the prospectus will help you decide whether a Fund is the right investment for you. We suggest that you keep this prospectus for future reference.
Share Class Overview
This prospectus offers the Funds Institutional Shares, which are generally for investors who invest a minimum of $5 million. Each Fund also issues an exchange-traded class of shares (ETF Shares), which are offered through a separate prospectus.
Both share classes offered by a Fund have the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. However, different share classes have different expenses; as a result, their investment performances will differ.
Plain Talk About Costs of Investing
Costs are an important consideration in choosing a mutual fund. That is because you, as a shareholder, pay a proportionate share of the costs of operating a fund, plus any transaction costs incurred when the fund buys or sells securities. These costs can erode a substantial portion of the gross income or the capital appreciation a fund achieves. Even seemingly small differences in expenses can, over time, have a dramatic effect on a funds performance.
The following sections explain the principal investment strategies and policies that each Fund uses in pursuit of its objective. The Funds board of trustees, which oversees each Funds management, may change investment strategies or policies in the interest of shareholders without a shareholder vote, unless those strategies or policies are designated as fundamental. Note that each Funds investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder vote. Under normal circumstances, each Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in the stocks that make up its target index. A Fund may change its 80% policy only upon 60 days notice to shareholders.
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Market Exposure
Each Fund is subject to stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. Each Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, each Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
To illustrate the volatility of stock prices, the following table shows the best, worst, and average annual total returns for the U.S. stock market over various periods as measured by the S&P 500 Index, a widely used barometer of U.S. stock market activity. Total returns consist of dividend income plus change in market price. Note that the returns shown do not include the costs of buying and selling stocks or other expenses that a real-world investment portfolio would incur.
| U.S. Stock Market Returns | ||||
| (19262015) | ||||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | 20 Years | |
| Best | 54.2% | 28.6% | 19.9% | 17.8% |
| Worst | 43.1 | 12.4 | 1.4 | 3.1 |
| Average | 11.9 | 10.0 | 10.4 | 11.1 |
The table covers all of the rolling 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-year periods from 1926 through 2015. You can see, for example, that although the average annual return on common stocks for all of the 5-year periods was 10%, average annual returns for individual 5-year periods ranged from 12.4% (from 1928 through 1932) to 28.6% (from 1995 through 1999). These average annual returns reflect past performance of common stocks; you should not regard them as an indication of future performance of either the stock market as a whole or the Funds in particular.
Keep in mind that the S&P 500 Index tracks mainly large-cap stocks. Historically, mid-cap stocks (such as those held by the Funds) have been more volatile thanand at times have performed quite differently fromthe large-cap stocks of the S&P 500 Index.
Similarly, indexes that focus on growth stocks or value stocks will not necessarily perform in the same way as the broader S&P 500 Index. Both growth and value stocks have the potential at times to be more volatile than the broader markets.
Stocks of publicly traded companies and funds that invest in stocks are often classified according to market value, or market capitalization. These classifications
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typically include small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap. It is important to understand that, for both companies and stock funds, market-capitalization ranges change over time. Also, interpretations of size vary, and there are no official definitions of small-, mid-, and large-cap, even among Vanguard fund advisors.
The asset-weighted median market capitalization of each Funds stock holdings as of August 31, 2016, was:
| Asset-Weighted Median | |
| Vanguard Fund | Market Capitalization |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | $4.7 billion |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | 4.1 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | 5.3 |
Each Fund is subject to investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from the types of stocks in which the Fund invests will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Mid-size companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
Plain Talk About Growth Funds and Value Funds
Growth investing and value investing are two styles employed by stock-fund managers. Growth funds generally focus on stocks of companies believed to have above-average potential for growth in revenue, earnings, cash flow, or other similar criteria. These stocks typically have low dividend yields and above-average prices in relation to measures such as earnings and book value. Value funds typically emphasize stocks whose prices are below average in relation to those measures; these stocks often have above-average dividend yields. Value stocks also may remain undervalued by the market for long periods of time. Growth and value stocks have historically produced similar long-term returns, though each style has periods when it outperforms the other.
Security Selection
Each Fund attempts to track the investment performance of a benchmark index that measures the return of a particular market segment. The Funds use the replication method of indexing, meaning that each Fund generally holds the same stocks as its target index and in approximately the same proportions.
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Other Investment Policies and Risks
Each Fund reserves the right to substitute a different index for the index it currently tracks if the current index is discontinued, if the Funds agreement with the sponsor of its target index is terminated, or for any other reason determined in good faith by the Funds board of trustees. In any such instance, the substitute index would represent the same market segment as the current index.
Each Fund may invest in foreign securities to the extent necessary to carry out its investment strategy of holding all, or substantially all, of the stocks that make up the index it tracks. It is not expected that any Fund will invest more than 5% of its assets in foreign securities.
To track their target indexes as closely as possible, the Funds attempt to remain fully invested in stocks. To help stay fully invested and to reduce transaction costs, the Funds may invest, to a limited extent, in derivatives, including equity futures. The Funds may also use derivatives such as total return swaps to obtain exposure to a stock, a basket of stocks, or an index. Generally speaking, a derivative is a financial contract whose value is based on the value of a financial asset (such as a stock, a bond, or a currency), a physical asset (such as gold, oil, or wheat), a market index (such as the S&P 500 Index), or a reference rate (such as LIBOR). Investments in derivatives may subject the Funds to risks different from, and possibly greater than, those of investments directly in the underlying securities or assets. The Funds will not use derivatives for speculation or for the purpose of leveraging (magnifying) investment returns.
Cash Management
Each Funds daily cash balance may be invested in one or more Vanguard CMT Funds, which are very low-cost money market funds. When investing in a Vanguard CMT Fund, each Fund bears its proportionate share of the expenses of the CMT Fund in which it invests. Vanguard receives no additional revenue from Fund assets invested in a Vanguard CMT Fund.
Temporary Investment Measures
Each Fund may temporarily depart from its normal investment policies and strategies when the advisor believes that doing so is in the Funds best interest, so long as the alternative is consistent with the Funds investment objective. For instance, the Fund may invest beyond its normal limits in derivatives or exchange-traded funds that are consistent with the Funds objective when those instruments are more favorably priced or provide needed liquidity, as might be the case when the Fund receives large cash flows that it cannot prudently invest immediately.
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Frequent Trading or Market-Timing
Background. Some investors try to profit from strategies involving frequent trading of mutual fund shares, such as market-timing. For funds holding foreign securities, investors may try to take advantage of an anticipated difference between the price of the funds shares and price movements in overseas markets, a practice also known as time-zone arbitrage. Investors also may try to engage in frequent trading of funds holding investments such as small-cap stocks and high-yield bonds. As money is shifted into and out of a fund by a shareholder engaging in frequent trading, the fund incurs costs for buying and selling securities, resulting in increased brokerage and administrative costs. These costs are borne by all fund shareholders, including the long-term investors who do not generate the costs. In addition, frequent trading may interfere with an advisors ability to efficiently manage the fund.
Policies to address frequent trading. The Vanguard funds (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) do not knowingly accommodate frequent trading. The board of trustees of each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to detect and discourage frequent trading and, in some cases, to compensate the fund for the costs associated with it. These policies and procedures do not apply to Vanguard ETF® Shares because frequent trading in ETF Shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management or otherwise harm fund shareholders. Although there is no assurance that Vanguard will be able to detect or prevent frequent trading or market-timing in all circumstances, the following policies have been adopted to address these issues:
Each Vanguard fund reserves the right to reject any purchase requestincluding exchanges from other Vanguard fundswithout notice and regardless of size. For example, a purchase request could be rejected because the investor has a history of frequent trading or if Vanguard determines that such purchase may negatively affect a funds operation or performance.
Each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) generally prohibits, except as otherwise noted in the Investing With Vanguard section, an investors purchases or exchanges into a fund account for 30 calendar days after the investor has redeemed or exchanged out of that fund account.
Certain Vanguard funds charge shareholders purchase and/or redemption fees on transactions.
See the Investing With Vanguard section of this prospectus for further details on Vanguards transaction policies.
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Each Vanguard fund (other than retail and government money market funds), in determining its net asset value, will use fair-value pricing when appropriate, as described in the Share Price section. Fair-value pricing may reduce or eliminate the profitability of certain frequent-trading strategies.
Do not invest with Vanguard if you are a market-timer.
Turnover Rate
Although the Funds generally seek to invest for the long term, each Fund may sell securities regardless of how long they have been held. Generally, an index fund sells securities in response to redemption requests from shareholders of conventional (not exchange-traded) shares or to changes in the composition of its target index. Turnover rates for mid-cap and small-cap stock index funds tend to be higher than for large-cap stock index funds (although still relatively low, compared with actively managed stock funds) because the indexes they track are more likely to change as a result of companies merging, growing, or failing. The Financial Highlights section of this prospectus shows historical turnover rates for each Fund. A turnover rate of 100%, for example, would mean that a Fund had sold and replaced securities valued at 100% of its net assets within a one-year period. The average turnover rate for domestic stock funds was approximately 65%, as reported by Morningstar, Inc., on August 31, 2016.
Plain Talk About Turnover Rate
Before investing in a mutual fund, you should review its turnover rate. This gives an indication of how transaction costs, which are not included in the funds expense ratio, could affect the funds future returns. In general, the greater the volume of buying and selling by the fund, the greater the impact that brokerage commissions and other transaction costs will have on its return. Also, funds with high turnover rates may be more likely to generate capital gains, including short-term capital gains, that must be distributed to shareholders and will be taxable to shareholders investing through a taxable account.
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The Funds and Vanguard
Each Fund is a member of The Vanguard Group, a family of more than 190 mutual funds holding assets of approximately $3.5 trillion. All of the funds that are members of The Vanguard Group (other than funds of funds) share in the expenses associated with administrative services and business operations, such as personnel, office space, and equipment.
Vanguard Marketing Corporation provides marketing services to the funds. Although shareholders do not pay sales commissions or 12b-1 distribution fees, each fund (other than a fund of funds) or each share class of a fund (in the case of a fund with multiple share classes) pays its allocated share of the Vanguard funds marketing costs.
Plain Talk About Vanguards Unique Corporate Structure
The Vanguard Group is truly a mutual mutual fund company. It is owned jointly by the funds it oversees and thus indirectly by the shareholders in those funds. Most other mutual funds are operated by management companies that may be owned by one person, by a private group of individuals, or by public investors who own the management companys stock. The management fees charged by these companies include a profit component over and above the companies cost of providing services. By contrast, Vanguard provides services to its member funds on an at-cost basis, with no profit component, which helps to keep the funds expenses low.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard), P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482, which began operations in 1975, serves as advisor to the Funds through its Equity Index Group. As of August 31, 2016, Vanguard served as advisor for approximately $2.9 trillion in assets. Vanguard provides investment advisory services to the Funds on an at-cost basis, subject to the supervision and oversight of the trustees and officers of the Funds.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the advisory expenses represented an effective annual rate of 0.02% of each Funds average net assets.
For a discussion of why the board of trustees approved each Funds investment advisory arrangement, see the most recent annual report to shareholders covering the fiscal year ended August 31.
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The managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds are:
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has worked in investment management since joining Vanguard in 2006 and has co-managed the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index, and S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Funds since 2015. Education: B.S., Kings College; M.S., Saint Josephs University.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has been with Vanguard since 2006; has worked in investment management since 2008; has managed investment portfolios since 2013; and has co-managed the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index, and S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Funds since 2015. Education: B.S., Millersville University.
The Statement of Additional Information provides information about each portfolio managers compensation, other accounts under management, and ownership of shares of the Funds.
Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes
Fund Distributions
Each Fund distributes to shareholders virtually all of its net income (interest and dividends, less expenses) as well as any net short-term or long-term capital gains realized from the sale of its holdings. Income dividends for the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund generally are distributed quarterly in March, June, September, and December; income dividends for the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index and S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Funds generally are distributed annually in December. Capital gains distributions, if any, generally occur annually in December. In addition, each Fund may occasionally make a supplemental distribution at some other time during the year.
You can receive distributions of income or capital gains in cash, or you can have them automatically reinvested in more shares of the Fund. However, if you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares.
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Plain Talk About Distributions
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your portion of a funds income from interest and dividends as well as capital gains from the funds sale of investments. Income consists of both the dividends that the fund earns from any stock holdings and the interest it receives from any money market and bond investments. Capital gains are realized whenever the fund sells securities for higher prices than it paid for them. These capital gains are either short-term or long-term, depending on whether the fund held the securities for one year or less or for more than one year.
Basic Tax Points
Investors in taxable accounts should be aware of the following basic federal income tax points:
Distributions are taxable to you whether or not you reinvest these amounts in additional Fund shares.
Distributions declared in Decemberif paid to you by the end of Januaryare taxable as if received in December.
Any dividend distribution or short-term capital gains distribution that you receive is taxable to you as ordinary income. If you are an individual and meet certain holding-period requirements with respect to your Fund shares, you may be eligible for reduced tax rates on qualified dividend income, if any, distributed by the Fund.
Any distribution of net long-term capital gains is taxable to you as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in the Fund.
Capital gains distributions may vary considerably from year to year as a result of the Funds normal investment activities and cash flows.
- A sale or exchange of Fund shares is a taxable event. This means that you may have
- capital gain to report as income, or a capital loss to report as a deduction, when you
complete your tax return.
Any conversion between classes of shares of the same fund is a nontaxable event. By contrast, an exchange between classes of shares of different funds is a taxable event.
Vanguard (or your intermediary) will send you a statement each year showing the tax status of all of your distributions.
Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income takes into account distributions paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares.
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Dividend distributions and capital gains distributions that you receive, as well as your gains or losses from any sale or exchange of Fund shares, may be subject to state and local income taxes.
This prospectus provides general tax information only. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply. Please consult your tax advisor for detailed information about any tax consequences for you.
Plain Talk About Buying a Dividend
Unless you are a tax-exempt investor or investing through a tax-advantaged account (such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan), you should consider avoiding a purchase of fund shares shortly before the fund makes a distribution, because doing so can cost you money in taxes. This is known as buying a dividend. For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you receivedeven if you reinvest it in more shares. To avoid buying a dividend, check a funds distribution schedule before you invest.
General Information
Backup withholding. By law, Vanguard must withhold 28% of any taxable distributions or redemptions from your account if you do not:
- Provide your correct taxpayer identification number.
- Certify that the taxpayer identification number is correct.
- Confirm that you are not subject to backup withholding.
Similarly, Vanguard (or your intermediary) must withhold taxes from your account if the IRS instructs us to do so.
Foreign investors. Vanguard funds offered for sale in the United States (Vanguard U.S. funds), including the Funds offered in this prospectus, are not widely available outside the United States. Non-U.S. investors should be aware that U.S. withholding and estate taxes and certain U.S. tax reporting requirements may apply to any investments in Vanguard U.S. funds. Foreign investors should visit the Non-U.S. Investors page on our website at vanguard.com for information on Vanguards non-U.S. products.
Invalid addresses. If a dividend distribution or capital gains distribution check mailed to your address of record is returned as undeliverable, Vanguard will automatically reinvest the distribution and all future distributions until you provide us with a valid
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mailing address. Reinvestments will receive the net asset value calculated on the date of the reinvestment.
Share Price
Share price, also known as net asset value (NAV), is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. Each share class has its own NAV, which is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to the share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. On U.S. holidays or other days when the NYSE is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Funds do not sell or redeem shares. However, on those days the value of a Funds assets may be affected to the extent that the Fund holds securities that change in value on those days (such as foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open).
Stocks held by a Vanguard fund are valued at their market value when reliable market quotations are readily available from the principal exchange or market on which they are traded. Such securities are generally valued at their official closing price, the last reported sales price, or if there were no sales that day, the mean between the closing bid and asking prices. When a fund determines that market quotations either are not readily available or do not accurately reflect the value of a security, the security is priced at its fair value (the amount that the owner might reasonably expect to receive upon the current sale of the security).
Certain short-term debt instruments used to manage a funds cash may be valued at amortized cost when it approximates fair value. The values of any foreign securities held by a fund are converted into U.S. dollars using an exchange rate obtained from an independent third party as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The values of any mutual fund shares held by a fund are based on the NAVs of the shares. The values of any ETF shares, institutional money market fund shares, or closed-end fund shares held by a fund are based on the market value of the shares.
A fund also will use fair-value pricing if the value of a security it holds has been materially affected by events occurring before the funds pricing time but after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded. This most commonly occurs with foreign securities, which may trade on foreign exchanges that close many hours before the funds pricing time. Intervening events might be company-specific (e.g., earnings report, merger announcement) or country-specific or regional/global (e.g., natural disaster, economic or political news, act of terrorism, interest rate change). Intervening events include price movements in U.S. markets that exceed a specified threshold or that are otherwise deemed to affect the value of foreign securities.
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Fair-value pricing may be used for domestic securitiesfor example, if (1) trading in a security is halted and does not resume before the funds pricing time or a security does not trade in the course of a day and (2) the fund holds enough of the security that its price could affect the NAV.
Fair-value prices are determined by Vanguard according to procedures adopted by the board of trustees. When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by a fund to calculate the NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.
Vanguard fund share prices are published daily on our website at vanguard.com/prices.
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Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Funds financial performance for the periods shown, and certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in each table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost each period on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). This information has been obtained from the financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose reportalong with each Funds financial statementsis included in the Funds most recent annual report to shareholders. You may obtain a free copy of the latest annual or semiannual report by visiting vanguard.com or by contacting Vanguard by telephone or mail.
Plain Talk About How to Read the Financial Highlights Tables
This explanation uses the S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Funds Institutional Shares as an example. The Institutional Shares began fiscal year 2016 with a net asset value (share price) of $191.51 per share. During the year, each Institutional Share earned $3.171 from investment income (interest and dividends) and $19.869 from investments that had appreciated in value or that were sold for higher prices than the Fund paid for them.
Shareholders received $4.15 per share in the form of dividend distributions. A portion of each years distributions may come from the prior years income or capital gains.
The share price at the end of the year was $210.40, reflecting earnings of $23.04 per share and distributions of $4.15 per share. This was an increase of $18.89 per share (from $191.51 at the beginning of the year to $210.40 at the end of the year). For a shareholder who reinvested the distributions in the purchase of more shares, the total return was 12.26% for the year.
As of August 31, 2016, the Institutional Shares had approximately $848 million in net assets. For the year, the expense ratio was 0.08% ($0.80 per $1,000 of net assets), and the net investment income amounted to 1.63% of average net assets. The Fund sold and replaced securities valued at 11% of its net assets.
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| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund Institutional Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $191.51 | $194.13 | $159.20 | $130.17 | $116.52 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 3.171 | 2.794 | 2.135 | 2.3551 | 1.372 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 19.869 | (2.844) | 34.537 | 28.174 | 13.297 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 23.040 | (.050) | 36.672 | 30.529 | 14.669 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (4.150) | (2.570) | (1.742) | (1.499) | (1.019) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (4.150) | (2.570) | (1.742) | (1.499) | (1.019) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $210.40 | $191.51 | $194.13 | $159.20 | $130.17 |
| Total Return | 12.26% | 0.04% | 23.16% | 23.65% | 12.69% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $848 | $665 | $523 | $216 | $91 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.63% | 1.52% | 1.35% | 1.57% | 1.42% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 11% | 12% | 14% | 10% | 13% |
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund Institutional Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $182.92 | $193.66 | $155.83 | $125.30 | $111.20 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 3.7741 | 3.420 | 3.1911 | 2.392 | 2.124 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 20.020 | (11.127) | 36.207 | 30.364 | 13.624 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 23.794 | (7.707) | 39.398 | 32.756 | 15.748 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (3.064) | (3.033) | (1.568) | (2.226) | (1.648) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (3.064) | (3.033) | (1.568) | (2.226) | (1.648) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $203.65 | $182.92 | $193.66 | $155.83 | $125.30 |
| Total Return | 13.25% | 4.05% | 25.42% | 26.47% | 14.32% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $147 | $143 | $137 | $49 | $40 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 2.09% | 1.87% | 1.78% | 1.99% | 1.92% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 26% | 47% | 35% | 74% | 31% |
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $198.85 | $193.45 | $161.12 | $134.20 | $121.54 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 2.094 | 2.271 | 1.316 | 1.584 | .915 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 19.906 | 4.900 | 32.386 | 26.392 | 12.506 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 22.000 | 7.171 | 33.702 | 27.976 | 13.421 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (2.240) | (1.771) | (1.372) | (1.056) | (.761) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (2.240) | (1.771) | (1.372) | (1.056) | (.761) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $218.61 | $198.85 | $193.45 | $161.12 | $134.20 |
| Total Return | 11.18% | 3.72% | 20.99% | 20.97% | 11.12% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $170 | $96 | $90 | $42 | $23 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.20% | 1.20% | 0.93% | 1.20% | 0.88% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate1 | 38% | 47% | 38% | 35% | 26% |
1 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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Investing With Vanguard
This section of the prospectus explains the basics of doing business with Vanguard. Vanguard fund shares can be held directly with Vanguard or indirectly through an intermediary, such as a bank, a broker, or an investment advisor. If you hold Vanguard fund shares directly with Vanguard, you should carefully read each topic within this section that pertains to your relationship with Vanguard. If you hold Vanguard fund shares indirectly through an intermediary (including shares held through a Vanguard brokerage account), please see Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms, and also refer to your account agreement with the intermediary for information about transacting in that account. If you hold Vanguard fund shares through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, please see Employer-Sponsored Plans. Vanguard reserves the right to change the following policies without notice. Please call or check online for current information. See Contacting Vanguard.
For Vanguard fund shares held directly with Vanguard, each fund you hold in an account is a separate fund account. For example, if you hold three funds in a nonretirement account titled in your own name, two funds in a nonretirement account titled jointly with your spouse, and one fund in an individual retirement account, you have six fund accountsand this is true even if you hold the same fund in multiple accounts. Note that each reference to you in this prospectus applies to any one or more registered account owners or persons authorized to transact on your account.
Purchasing Shares
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a fund account or to add to an existing fund account.
Investment minimums may differ for certain categories of investors.
Account Minimums for Institutional Shares To open and maintain an account. $5 million.
Certain Vanguard institutional clients may meet the minimum investment amount by aggregating separate accounts within the same Fund. This aggregation policy does not apply to financial intermediaries.
Vanguard may charge additional recordkeeping fees for institutional clients whose accounts are recordkept by Vanguard. Please contact your Vanguard representative to determine whether additional recordkeeping fees apply to your account.
To add to an existing account. Generally $1.
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How to Initiate a Purchase Request
Be sure to check Exchanging Shares, Frequent-Trading Limitations, and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your purchase request.
Online. You may open certain types of accounts, request a purchase of shares, and request an exchange through our website or our mobile application if you are registered for online access.
By telephone. You may call Vanguard to begin the account registration process or request that the account-opening forms be sent to you. You may also call Vanguard to request a purchase of shares in your account or to request an exchange. See
Contacting Vanguard.
By mail. You may send Vanguard your account registration form and check to open a new fund account. To add to an existing fund account, you may send your check with an Invest-by-Mail form (from a transaction confirmation or your account statement), with a deposit slip (available online), or with a written request. You may also send a written request to Vanguard to make an exchange. For a list of Vanguard addresses, see Contacting Vanguard.
How to Pay for a Purchase
By electronic bank transfer. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund through an electronic transfer of money from a bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer service on an account, you must designate the bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the service is set up on your account, you can purchase shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Investment Plan) or upon request. Your purchase request can be initiated online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail.
By wire. Wiring instructions vary for different types of purchases. Please call Vanguard for instructions and policies on purchasing shares by wire. See Contacting Vanguard.
By check. You may make initial or additional purchases to your fund account by sending a check or by utilizing our mobile application if you are registered for online access. Also see How to Initiate a Purchase Request. Make your check payable to Vanguard and include the appropriate fund number (e.g., Vanguardxx). For a list of Fund numbers (for Funds in this prospectus), see Additional Information.
By exchange. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See
Exchanging Shares.
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Trade Date
The trade date for any purchase request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request, the manner in which you are paying, and the type of fund you are purchasing. Your purchase will be executed using the net asset value (NAV) as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading (a business day).
For purchases by check into all funds other than money market funds and for purchases by exchange, wire, or electronic bank transfer (not using an Automatic Investment Plan) into all funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the same day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day.
For purchases by check into money market funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the second business day following the day Vanguard receives the purchase request. Because money market instruments must be purchased with federal funds and it takes a money market mutual fund one business day to convert check proceeds into federal funds, the trade date for the purchase will be one business day later than for other funds.
For purchases by electronic bank transfer using an Automatic Investment Plan: Your trade date generally will be the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your designated bank account. Your bank account generally will be debited on the business day after your trade date. If the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your bank account falls on a weekend, holiday, or other nonbusiness day, your trade date generally will be the previous business day. For retirement accounts, if the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your designated bank account falls on the last business day of the year, your trade date will be the first business day of the following year. Please note that if you select the first of the month for automated withdrawals from your designated bank account, trades designated for January 1 will receive the next business days trade date.
If your purchase request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order.
For further information about purchase transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
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Other Purchase Rules You Should Know
Check purchases. All purchase checks must be written in U.S. dollars and must be drawn on a U.S. bank. Vanguard does not accept cash, travelers checks, or money orders. In addition, Vanguard may refuse starter checks and checks that are not made payable to Vanguard.
New accounts. We are required by law to obtain from you certain personal information that we will use to verify your identity. If you do not provide the information, we may not be able to open your account. If we are unable to verify your identity, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to close your account or take such other steps as we deem reasonable. Certain types of accounts may require additional documentation.
Refused or rejected purchase requests. Vanguard reserves the right to stop selling fund shares or to reject any purchase request at any time and without notice, including, but not limited to, purchases requested by exchange from another Vanguard fund. This also includes the right to reject any purchase request because the investor has a history of frequent trading or because the purchase may negatively affect a funds operation or performance.
Large purchases. Call Vanguard before attempting to invest a large dollar amount.
No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any purchase request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a purchase request.
Converting Shares
If you convert from Institutional Shares to ETF Shares, the transaction will be based on the respective NAVs of the separate share classes on the trade date of the conversion.
Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any self-directed conversion request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a conversion request.
A conversion between share classes of the same fund is a nontaxable event.
Conversions to ETF Shares
Owners of conventional shares (i.e., not exchange-traded shares) issued by a Fund may convert those shares to ETF Shares of equivalent value of the same fund. Please note that investors who own conventional shares through a 401(k) plan or other employer-sponsored retirement or benefit plan generally may not convert those shares to ETF Shares and should check with their plan sponsor or recordkeeper. ETF Shares, whether acquired through a conversion or purchased on the secondary market, cannot be converted to conventional shares. Also, ETF Shares of one fund cannot be exchanged for ETF Shares of another fund.
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ETF Shares must be held in a brokerage account. Thus, before converting conventional shares to ETF Shares, you must have an existing, or open a new, brokerage account. This account may be with Vanguard Brokerage Services® (Vanguard Brokerage) or with any other brokerage firm.
Vanguard Brokerage does not impose a fee on conversions from conventional shares to Vanguard ETF Shares. However, other brokerage firms may charge a fee to process a conversion. Vanguard reserves the right, in the future, to impose a transaction fee on conversions or to limit or terminate the conversion privilege. For additional information on converting conventional shares to ETF Shares, please contact Vanguard to obtain a prospectus for ETF Shares. See Contacting Vanguard.
Redeeming Shares
How to Initiate a Redemption Request
Be sure to check Exchanging Shares, Frequent-Trading Limitations, and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your redemption request.
Online. You may request a redemption of shares or request an exchange through our website or our mobile application if you are registered for online access.
By telephone. You may call Vanguard to request a redemption of shares or an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.
By mail. You may send a written request to Vanguard to redeem from a fund account or to make an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.
How to Receive Redemption Proceeds
By electronic bank transfer. You may have the proceeds of a fund redemption sent directly to a designated bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer service on an account, you must designate a bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the service is set up on your account, you can redeem shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Withdrawal Plan) or upon request. Your redemption request can be initiated online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail.
By wire. To receive your proceeds by wire, you may instruct Vanguard to wire your redemption proceeds ($100 minimum) to a previously designated bank account. To establish the wire redemption service, you generally must designate a bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form.
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By exchange. You may have the proceeds of a Vanguard fund redemption invested directly in shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Exchanging Shares.
By check. If you have not chosen another redemption method, Vanguard will mail you a redemption check, generally payable to all registered account owners, normally within two business days of your trade date, and generally to the address of record.
Trade Date
The trade date for any redemption request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request and the manner in which you are redeeming. Your redemption will be executed using the NAV as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the NYSE is open for trading (a business day).
For redemptions by check, exchange, or wire: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.
Note on timing of wire redemptions from money market funds: For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day before 10:45 a.m., Eastern time (2 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund; 12:30 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business the same day. For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day after those cut-off times, or on a nonbusiness day, and for all requests other than by telephone, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day.
Note on timing of wire redemptions from all other funds: For requests received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day. For requests received by Vanguard on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the second business day after Vanguard receives the request.
For redemptions by electronic bank transfer using an Automatic Withdrawal Plan: Your trade date generally will be the date you selected for withdrawal of funds (redemption of shares) from your Vanguard account. Proceeds of redeemed shares generally will be credited to your designated bank account two business days after your trade date. If the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your Vanguard
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account falls on a weekend, holiday, or other nonbusiness day, your trade date generally will be the previous business day. For retirement accounts, if the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your Vanguard account falls on the last day of the year and if that date is a holiday, your trade date will be the first business day of the following year. Please note that if you designate the first of the month for automated withdrawals, trades designated for January 1 will receive the next business days trade date.
For redemptions by electronic bank transfer not using an Automatic Withdrawal Plan: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.
If your redemption request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. If we are unable to send your redemption proceeds by wire or electronic bank transfer because the receiving institution rejects the transfer, Vanguard will make additional efforts to complete your transaction. If Vanguard is still unable to complete the transaction, we may send the proceeds of the redemption to you by check, generally payable to all registered account owners, or use your proceeds to purchase new shares of the fund from which you sold shares for the purpose of the wire or electronic bank transfer transaction. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order.
For further information about redemption transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Other Redemption Rules You Should Know
Documentation for certain accounts. Special documentation may be required to redeem from certain types of accounts, such as trust, corporate, nonprofit, or retirement accounts. Please call us before attempting to redeem from these types of accounts.
Potentially disruptive redemptions. Vanguard reserves the right to pay all or part of a redemption in kindthat is, in the form of securitiesif we reasonably believe that a cash redemption would negatively affect the funds operation or performance or that the shareholder may be engaged in market-timing or frequent trading. Under these circumstances, Vanguard also reserves the right to delay payment of the redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. By calling us before you attempt to redeem a large dollar amount, you may avoid in-kind or delayed payment of your redemption. Please see Frequent-Trading Limitations for information about Vanguards policies to limit frequent trading.
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Recently purchased shares. Although you can redeem shares at any time, proceeds may not be made available to you until the fund collects payment for your purchase. This may take up to seven calendar days for shares purchased by check or by electronic bank transfer. If you have written a check on a fund with checkwriting privileges, that check may be rejected if your fund account does not have a sufficient available balance.
Address change. If you change your address online or by telephone, there may be up to a 14-day restriction on your ability to request check redemptions online and by telephone. You can request a redemption in writing at any time. Confirmations of address changes are sent to both the old and new addresses.
Payment to a different person or address. At your request, we can make your redemption check payable, or wire your redemption proceeds, to a different person or send it to a different address. However, this generally requires the written consent of all registered account owners and may require additional documentation, such as a signature guarantee or a notarized signature. You may obtain a signature guarantee from some commercial or savings banks, credit unions, trust companies, or member firms of a U.S. stock exchange.
No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any redemption request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a redemption request.
Emergency circumstances. Vanguard funds can postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. In addition, Vanguard funds can suspend redemptions and/or postpone payments of redemption proceeds beyond seven calendar days at times when the NYSE is closed or during emergency circumstances, as determined by the SEC.
Exchanging Shares
An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Vanguard fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Vanguard fund. You can make exchange requests online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Purchasing Shares and Redeeming Shares.
If the NYSE is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m., Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order for additional information on all transaction requests.
Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request.
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Call Vanguard before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.
Please note that Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See Frequent-Trading Limitations for additional restrictions on exchanges.
Frequent-Trading Limitations
Because excessive transactions can disrupt management of a fund and increase the funds costs for all shareholders, the board of trustees of each Vanguard fund places certain limits on frequent trading in the funds. Each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) limits an investors purchases or exchanges into a fund account for 30 calendar days after the investor has redeemed or exchanged out of that fund account. ETF Shares are not subject to these frequent-trading limits.
For Vanguard Retirement Investment Program pooled plans, the limitations apply to exchanges made online or by telephone.
These frequent-trading limitations do not apply to the following:
- Purchases of shares with reinvested dividend or capital gains distributions.
- Transactions through Vanguards Automatic Investment Plan, Automatic Exchange
Service, Direct Deposit Service, Automatic Withdrawal Plan, Required Minimum Distribution Service, and Vanguard Small Business Online®.
Discretionary transactions through Vanguard Asset Management Services, Vanguard Personal Advisor Services®, and Vanguard Institutional Advisory Services®.
- Redemptions of shares to pay fund or account fees.
- Redemptions of shares to remove excess shareholder contributions to certain
types of retirement accounts (including, but not limited to, IRAs, certain Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans).
Transaction requests submitted by mail to Vanguard from shareholders who hold their accounts directly with Vanguard or through a Vanguard brokerage account. (Transaction requests submitted by fax, if otherwise permitted, are subject to the limitations.)
- Transfers and reregistrations of shares within the same fund.
- Purchases of shares by asset transfer or direct rollover.
- Conversions of shares from one share class to another in the same fund.
- Checkwriting redemptions.
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- Section 529 college savings plans.
- Certain approved institutional portfolios and asset allocation programs, as well as
trades made by funds or trusts managed by Vanguard or its affiliates that invest in other Vanguard funds. (Please note that shareholders of Vanguards funds of funds are subject to the limitations.)
For participants in employer-sponsored defined contribution plans,* the frequent-trading limitations do not apply to:
Purchases of shares with participant payroll or employer contributions or loan repayments.
- Purchases of shares with reinvested dividend or capital gains distributions.
- Distributions, loans, and in-service withdrawals from a plan.
- Redemptions of shares as part of a plan termination or at the direction of the plan.
- Transactions executed through the Vanguard Managed Account Program.
- Redemptions of shares to pay fund or account fees.
- Share or asset transfers or rollovers.
- Reregistrations of shares.
- Conversions of shares from one share class to another in the same fund.
- Exchange requests submitted by written request to Vanguard. (Exchange requests
submitted by fax, if otherwise permitted, are subject to the limitations.)
* The following Vanguard fund accounts are subject to the frequent-trading limitations: SEP-IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, certain Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans.
Accounts Held by Institutions (Other Than Defined Contribution Plans)
Vanguard will systematically monitor for frequent trading in institutional clients accounts. If we detect suspicious trading activity, we will investigate and take appropriate action, which may include applying to a clients accounts the 30-day policy previously described, prohibiting a clients purchases of fund shares, and/or revoking the clients exchange privilege.
Accounts Held by Intermediaries
When intermediaries establish accounts in Vanguard funds for the benefit of their clients, we cannot always monitor the trading activity of the individual clients. However, we review trading activity at the intermediary (omnibus) level, and if we detect suspicious activity, we will investigate and take appropriate action. If necessary, Vanguard may prohibit additional purchases of fund shares by an intermediary, including for the benefit of certain of the intermediarys clients.
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Intermediaries also may monitor their clients trading activities with respect to Vanguard funds.
For those Vanguard funds that charge purchase and/or redemption fees, intermediaries will be asked to assess these fees on client accounts and remit these fees to the funds. The application of purchase and redemption fees and frequent-trading limitations may vary among intermediaries. There are no assurances that Vanguard will successfully identify all intermediaries or that intermediaries will properly assess purchase and redemption fees or administer frequent-trading limitations. If you invest with Vanguard through an intermediary, please read that firms materials carefully to learn of any other rules or fees that may apply.
Other Rules You Should Know
Prospectus and Shareholder Report Mailings
When two or more shareholders have the same last name and address, just one summary prospectus (or prospectus) and/or shareholder report may be sent in an attempt to eliminate the unnecessary expense of duplicate mailings. You may request individual prospectuses and reports by contacting our Client Services Department in writing, by telephone, or online. See Contacting Vanguard.
Vanguard.com
Registration. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can review your account holdings; buy, sell, or exchange shares of most Vanguard funds; and perform most other transactions through our website. You must register for this service online.
Electronic delivery. Vanguard can deliver your account statements, transaction confirmations, prospectuses, certain tax forms, and shareholder reports electronically. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can consent to the electronic delivery of these documents by logging on and changing your mailing preferences under Account Maintenance. You can revoke your electronic consent at any time through our website, and we will begin to send paper copies of these documents within 30 days of receiving your revocation.
Telephone Transactions
Automatic. When we set up your account, we will automatically enable you to do business with us by telephone, unless you instruct us otherwise in writing.
Tele-Account®. To obtain fund and account information through Vanguards automated telephone service, you must first establish a Personal Identification Number (PIN) by calling Tele-Account at 800-662-6273.
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Proof of a callers authority. We reserve the right to refuse a telephone request if the caller is unable to provide the requested information or if we reasonably believe that the caller is not an individual authorized to act on the account. Before we allow a caller to act on an account, we may request the following information:
Authorization to act on the account (as the account owner or by legal documentation or other means).
- Account registration and address.
- Fund name and account number, if applicable.
- Other information relating to the caller, the account owner, or the account.
Good Order
We reserve the right to reject any transaction instructions that are not in good order. Good order generally means that your instructions:
Are provided by the person(s) authorized in accordance with Vanguards policies and procedures to access the account and request transactions.
- Include the fund name and account number.
- Include the amount of the transaction (stated in dollars, shares, or percentage).
Written instructions also must generally include:
- An original signature and date from the authorized person(s).
- Signature guarantees or notarized signatures, if required for the type of transaction.
(Call Vanguard for specific requirements.)
Any supporting documentation that may be required.
Written instructions are acceptable when a Vanguard form is not applicable. The requirements vary among types of accounts and transactions. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise the requirements for good order.
Future Trade-Date Requests
Vanguard does not accept requests to hold a purchase, conversion, redemption, or exchange transaction for a future date. All such requests will receive trade dates as previously described in Purchasing Shares, Converting Shares, Redeeming Shares, and
Exchanging Shares. Vanguard reserves the right to return future-dated purchase checks.
Accounts With More Than One Owner
If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, Vanguard generally will accept instructions from any one owner or authorized person.
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Responsibility for Fraud
Vanguard will not be responsible for any account losses because of fraud if we reasonably believe that the person transacting business on an account is authorized to do so. Please take precautions to protect yourself from fraud. Keep your account information private, and immediately review any account statements or other information that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately about any transactions or changes to your account that you believe to be unauthorized.
Uncashed Checks
Please cash your distribution or redemption checks promptly. Vanguard will not pay interest on uncashed checks. Vanguard may be required to transfer assets related to uncashed checks to a state under the states abandoned property law.
Dormant Accounts
If your account has no activity in it for a period of time, Vanguard may be required to transfer it to a state under the states abandoned property law.
Unusual Circumstances
If you experience difficulty contacting Vanguard online or by telephone, you can send us your transaction request by regular or express mail. See Contacting Vanguard for addresses.
Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms
You may purchase or sell shares of most Vanguard funds through a financial intermediary, such as a bank, a broker, or an investment advisor. Please consult your financial intermediary to determine which, if any, shares are available through that firm and to learn about other rules that may apply. Your financial intermediary can provide you with account information and any required tax forms.
Please see Frequent-Trading LimitationsAccounts Held by Intermediaries for information about the assessment of any purchase or redemption fees and the monitoring of frequent trading for accounts held by intermediaries.
Low-Balance Accounts
Each Fund reserves the right to liquidate a fund account whose balance falls below the account minimum for any reason, including market fluctuation. This liquidation policy applies to nonretirement fund accounts and accounts that are held through intermediaries. Any such liquidation will be preceded by written notice to the investor.
45
Right to Change Policies
In addition to the rights expressly stated elsewhere in this prospectus, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to (1) alter, add, or discontinue any conditions of purchase (including eligibility requirements), redemption, exchange, conversion, service, or privilege at any time; (2) accept initial purchases by telephone; (3) freeze any account and/or suspend account services if Vanguard has received reasonable notice of a dispute regarding the assets in an account, including notice of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners, or if Vanguard reasonably believes a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred; (4) temporarily freeze any account and/or suspend account services upon initial notification to Vanguard of the death of the shareholder until Vanguard receives required documentation in good order; (5) alter, impose, discontinue, or waive any purchase fee, redemption fee, account service fee, or other fees charged to a group of shareholders; and (6) redeem an account or suspend account privileges, without the owners permission to do so, in cases of threatening conduct or activity Vanguard believes to be suspicious, fraudulent, or illegal. Changes may affect any or all investors. These actions will be taken when, at the sole discretion of Vanguard management, Vanguard reasonably believes they are in the best interest of a fund.
Share Classes
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class.
Fund and Account Updates
Confirmation Statements
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) a confirmation of your trade date and the amount of your transaction when you buy, sell, exchange, or convert shares. However, we will not send confirmations reflecting only checkwriting redemptions or the reinvestment of dividend or capital gains distributions. For any month in which you had a checkwriting redemption, a Checkwriting Activity Statement will be sent to you itemizing the checkwriting redemptions for that month. Promptly review each confirmation statement that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on a confirmation statement, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.
46
Portfolio Summaries
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) quarterly portfolio summaries to help you keep track of your accounts throughout the year. If you prefer, you may request to receive monthly portfolio summaries. Each summary shows the market value of your account at the close of the statement period, as well as all distributions, purchases, redemptions, exchanges, transfers, and conversions for the current calendar quarter (or month). Promptly review each summary that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on the summary, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.
Tax Information Statements
For most accounts, Vanguard (or your intermediary) is required to provide annual tax forms to assist you in preparing your income tax returns. These forms are generally available for each calendar year early in the following year. Registered users of vanguard.com can also view certain forms through our website. Vanguard (or your intermediary) may also provide you with additional tax-related documentation. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Annual and Semiannual Reports
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) reports about Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Funds twice a year, in April and October. These reports include overviews of the financial markets and provide the following specific Fund information:
- Performance assessments and comparisons with industry benchmarks.
- Financial statements with listings of Fund holdings.
Portfolio Holdings
Please consult the Funds Statement of Additional Information or our website for a description of the policies and procedures that govern disclosure of a Funds portfolio holdings.
47
Employer-Sponsored Plans
Your plan administrator or your employee benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan and how to elect a Fund as an investment option.
If you have any questions about a Fund or Vanguard, including those about a Funds investment objective, strategies, or risks, contact Vanguard Participant Services toll-free at 800-523-1188 or visit our website at vanguard.com.
If you have questions about your account, contact your plan administrator or the organization that provides recordkeeping services for your plan.
Be sure to carefully read each topic that pertains to your transactions with Vanguard.
Vanguard reserves the right to change its policies without notice to shareholders.
Transactions
Processing times for your transaction requests may differ among recordkeepers or among transaction and funding types. Your plans recordkeeper (which may also be Vanguard) will determine the necessary processing time frames for your transaction requests prior to submission to a Fund. Consult your recordkeeper or plan administrator for more information.
If Vanguard is serving as your plan recordkeeper and if your transaction involves one or more investments with an early cut-off time for processing or another trading restriction, your entire transaction will be subject to the restriction when the trade date for your transaction is determined.
48
Contacting Vanguard Web Vanguard.com |
For the most complete source of Vanguard news For fund, account, and service information For most account transactions For literature requests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
Phone Vanguard Tele-Account® 800-662-6273 |
For automated fund and account information Toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
Investor Information 800-662-7447 (Text telephone for people with hearing impairment at 800-749-7273) Client Services 800-662-2739 (Text telephone for people with hearing impairment at 800-749-7273) Participant Services 800-523-1188 (Text telephone for people with hearing impairment at 800-749-7273) Institutional Division 888-809-8102 Financial Advisor and Intermediary Sales Support 800-997-2798 |
For fund and service information For literature requests For account information For most account transactions For information and services for participants in employer- sponsored plans For information and services for large institutional investors For information and services for financial intermediaries including financial advisors, broker-dealers, trust institutions, and insurance companies |
Financial Advisory and Intermediary Trading Support 800-669-0498 |
For account information and trading support for financial intermediaries including financial advisors, broker-dealers, trust institutions, and insurance companies |
49
Vanguard Addresses
Please be sure to use the correct address. Use of an incorrect address could delay the processing of your transaction.
| Regular Mail (Individuals) | The Vanguard Group | |||
| P.O. Box 1110 | ||||
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110 | ||||
| Regular Mail (Institutions, Intermediaries, and The Vanguard Group | ||||
| Employer-Sponsored Plan Participants) | P.O. Box 2900 | |||
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | ||||
| Registered, Express, or Overnight Mail | The Vanguard Group | |||
| 455 Devon Park Drive | ||||
| Wayne, PA 19087-1815 | ||||
| Additional Information | ||||
| Vanguard | ||||
| Inception | Newspaper | Fund | CUSIP | |
| Date | Abbreviation | Number | Number | |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | ||||
| Institutional Shares | 3/28/2011 | 400MidCapIdxInst | 1842 | 921932877 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | ||||
| Institutional Shares | 11/2/2010 | 400MCValIdxInst | 1844 | 921932836 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | ||||
| Institutional Shares | 3/28/2011 | 400MCGwthIdxInst | 1843 | 921932851 |
50
Morningstar data © 2016 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
The S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, and S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index (the Indexes) are products of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (SPDJI), and have been licensed for use by Vanguard. Standard & Poors® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC (S&P); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (Dow Jones); S&P® and S&P 500® are trademarks of S&P; and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by Vanguard. Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, S&P Dow Jones Indices). S&P Dow Jones Indices make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund particularly or the ability of the S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, and S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices only relationship to Vanguard with respect to the S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, and S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index is the licensing of the Indexes and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors. The S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, and S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index are determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to Vanguard or the Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation to take the needs of Vanguard or the owners of Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, and S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund are to be converted into cash, surrendered or redeemed, as the case may be. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund. There is no assurance that investment products based on the S&P MidCap 400 Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, and S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.
S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEXES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY VANGUARD, OWNERS OF THE VANGUARD S&P MID-CAP 400 INDEX FUND, VANGUARD S&P MID-CAP 400 VALUE INDEX FUND, AND VANGUARD S&P MID-CAP 400 GROWTH INDEX FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEXES OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND VANGUARD, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.
51
Glossary of Investment Terms
Active Management. An investment approach that seeks to exceed the average returns of a particular financial market or market segment. In selecting securities to buy and sell, active managers may rely on, among other things, research, market forecasts, quantitative models, and their own judgment and experience.
Capital Gains Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of gains realized on securities that a fund has sold at a profit, minus any realized losses.
Common Stock. A security representing ownership rights in a corporation.
Dividend Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of income from interest or dividends generated by a funds investments.
Expense Ratio. A funds total annual operating expenses expressed as a percentage of the funds average net assets. The expense ratio includes management and administrative expenses, but it does not include the transaction costs of buying and selling portfolio securities.
Inception Date. The date on which the assets of a fund (or one of its share classes) are first invested in accordance with the funds investment objective. For funds with a subscription period, the inception date is the day after that period ends. Investment performance is generally measured from the inception date.
Indexing. A low-cost investment strategy in which a mutual fund attempts to trackrather than outperforma specified market benchmark, or index.
Median Market Capitalization. An indicator of the size of companies in which a fund invests; the midpoint of market capitalization (market price x shares outstanding) of a funds stocks, weighted by the proportion of the funds assets invested in each stock. Stocks representing half of the funds assets have market capitalizations above the median, and the rest are below it.
Mutual Fund. An investment company that pools the money of many people and invests it in a variety of securities in an effort to achieve a specific objective over time.
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). A stock exchange based in New York City that is open for regular trading on business days, Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time. Net asset values (NAVs) are calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. In the rare event the NYSE experiences unanticipated trade disruptions and is unavailable at the close of the trading day, NAVs will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq (or another alternate exchange if the Nasdaq is unavailable), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time.
Securities. Stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and other investments.
52
Total Return. A percentage change, over a specified time period, in a mutual funds net asset value, assuming the reinvestment of all distributions of dividends and capital gains.
Volatility. The fluctuations in value of a mutual fund or other security. The greater a funds volatility, the wider the fluctuations in its returns.
Yield. Income (interest or dividends) earned by an investment, expressed as a percentage of the investments price.
| Institutional Division | |
| P.O. Box 2900 | |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
| Connect with Vanguard® > vanguard.com | |
| For More Information | If you are a client of Vanguards Institutional Division: |
| If you would like more information about Vanguard | The Vanguard Group |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Funds, the following | Institutional Investor Information Department |
| documents are available free upon request: | P.O. Box 2900 |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
| Annual/Semiannual Reports to Shareholders | |
| Telephone: 888-809-8102; Text telephone for people | |
| Additional information about the Funds investments is | |
| with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 | |
| available in the Funds annual and semiannual reports | |
| to shareholders. In the annual report, you will find a | If you are a current Vanguard shareholder and would |
| discussion of the market conditions and investment | like information about your account, account |
| strategies that significantly affected the Funds | transactions, and/or account statements, please call: |
| performance during their last fiscal year. | |
| Client Services Department | |
| Statement of Additional Information (SAI) | Telephone: 800-662-2739; Text telephone for people |
| The SAI provides more detailed information about the | with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 |
| Funds and is incorporated by reference into (and thus | |
| Information Provided by the Securities and | |
| legally a part of) this prospectus. | |
| Exchange Commission (SEC) | |
| To receive a free copy of the latest annual or semiannual | You can review and copy information about the Funds |
| reports or the SAI, or to request additional information | (including the SAI) at the SECs Public Reference Room |
| about the Funds or other Vanguard funds, please visit | in Washington, DC. To find out more about this public |
| vanguard.com or contact us as follows: | service, call the SEC at 202-551-8090. Reports and |
| other information about the Funds are also available in | |
| If you are an individual investor: | |
| the EDGAR database on the SECs website at | |
| The Vanguard Group | |
| www.sec.gov, or you can receive copies of this | |
| Investor Information Department | |
| information, for a fee, by electronic request at the | |
| P.O. Box 2900 | |
| following email address: [email protected], or by | |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
| writing the Public Reference Section, Securities and | |
| Telephone: 800-662-7447; Text telephone for people | |
| Exchange Commission, Washington, DC 20549-1520. | |
| with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 | |
| Funds Investment Company Act file number: 811-07043 | |
| © 2016 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | |
| Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor. | |
| I 1842 122016 | |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund |
| Prospectus |
| December 23, 2016 |
| Institutional Shares |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSPVX) |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSPGX) |
| This prospectus contains financial data for the Funds through the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016. |
| The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or |
| passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. |
| Contents | |||
| Vanguard Fund Summaries | Investing With Vanguard | 26 | |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | 1 | Purchasing Shares | 26 |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | 6 | Converting Shares | 29 |
| Investing in Index Funds | 11 | Redeeming Shares | 30 |
| More on the Funds | 12 | Exchanging Shares | 33 |
| The Funds and Vanguard | 17 | Frequent-Trading Limitations | 34 |
| Investment Advisor | 18 | Other Rules You Should Know | 36 |
| Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes | 19 | Fund and Account Updates | 39 |
| Share Price | 21 | Employer-Sponsored Plans | 41 |
| Financial Highlights | 23 | Contacting Vanguard | 42 |
| Additional Information | 43 | ||
| Glossary of Investment Terms | 45 | ||
Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of large-capitalization value stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.06% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.08% |
| Example | |
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $8 | $26 | $45 | $103 |
1
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 22% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P 500® Value Index, which represents the value companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P 500 Index. The Index measures the performance of large-capitalization value stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from large-capitalization value stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Large-cap value stocks tend to go through cycles of doing betteror worsethan other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
2
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. Because there is no calendar-year performance information for the Fund‘s Institutional Shares, the information presented in the bar chart and table reflects the performance of the ETF Shares of Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund. (ETF Shares are offered through a separate prospectus.) Performance of the Fund’s Institutional Shares would be substantially similar to that of the ETF Shares because both share classes constitute an investment in the same portfolio of securities; their returns generally should differ only to the extent that the expenses of the two share classes differ. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund’s ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund ETF Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 9.23%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 12.92% (quarter ended March 31, 2012), and the lowest return for a quarter was –16.37% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
3
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 3.22% | 10.80% | 12.98% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 3.75 | 10.32 | 12.50 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 1.38 | 8.60 | 10.45 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 3.21 | 10.81 | 12.99 |
| S&P 500 Value Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 3.13% | 10.96% | 13.15% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
4
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Institutional Shares is $5 million. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
5
Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of large-capitalization growth stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.02% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.06% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.08% |
| Example | |
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $8 | $26 | $45 | $103 |
6
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 20% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P 500® Growth Index, which represents the growth companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P 500 Index. The Index measures the performance of large-capitalization growth stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from large-capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Large-cap growth stocks tend to go through cycles of doing betteror worsethan other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
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Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. Because there is no calendar-year performance information for the Fund‘s Institutional Shares, which had no assets as of the Fund’s most recent fiscal year-end, the information presented in the bar chart and table reflects the performance of the ETF Shares of Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund. (ETF Shares are offered through a separate prospectus.) Performance of the Fund’s Institutional Shares would be substantially similar to that of the ETF Shares because both share classes constitute an investment in the same portfolio of securities; their returns generally should differ only to the extent that the expenses of the two share classes differ. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund’s ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 6.26%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 12.22% (quarter ended March 31, 2012), and the lowest return for a quarter was –11.65% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
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| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 5.39% | 13.89% | 16.43% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 5.00 | 13.52 | 16.07 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 3.37 | 11.14 | 13.35 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 5.35 | 13.89 | 16.44 |
| S&P 500 Growth Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 5.52% | 14.06% | 16.61% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
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Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Institutional Shares is $5 million. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
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Investing in Index Funds
What Is Indexing?
Indexing is an investment strategy for tracking the performance of a specified market benchmark, or index. An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure the investment performance of a particular market. There are many types of indexes. Some represent entire marketssuch as the U.S. stock market or the U.S. bond market. Other indexes cover market segmentssuch as small-capitalization stocks or short-term bonds. The index sponsor determines the securities to include in the index, the weighting of each security in the index, and the appropriate time to make changes to the composition of the index. One cannot invest directly in an index.
An index fund holds all, or a representative sample, of the securities that make up its target index. Index funds attempt to mirror the performance of the target index, for better or worse. However, an index fund generally does not perform exactly like its target index. For example, like all mutual funds, index funds have operating expenses and transaction costs. Market indexes do not, and therefore they will usually have a slight performance advantage over funds that track them.
Index funds typically have the following characteristics:
Variety of investments. Most Vanguard index funds generally invest in the securities of a variety of companies and industries.
Relative performance consistency. Because they seek to track market benchmarks, index funds usually do not perform dramatically better or worse than their benchmarks.
Low cost. Index funds are inexpensive to run compared with actively managed funds.
They have low or no research costs and typically keep trading activityand thus brokerage commissions and other transaction coststo a minimum compared with actively managed funds.
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More on the Funds
This prospectus describes the principal risks you would face as a Fund shareholder. It is important to keep in mind one of the main axioms of investing: generally, the higher the risk of losing money, the higher the potential reward. The reverse, also, is generally true: the lower the risk, the lower the potential reward. As you consider an investment in any mutual fund, you should take into account your personal tolerance for fluctuations in the securities markets. Look for this symbol throughout the prospectus. It is used to mark detailed information about the more significant risks that you would confront as a Fund shareholder. To highlight terms and concepts important to mutual fund investors, we have provided Plain Talk® explanations along the way. Reading the prospectus will help you decide whether a Fund is the right investment for you. We suggest that you keep this prospectus for future reference.
Share Class Overview
This prospectus offers the Funds Institutional Shares, which are generally for investors who invest a minimum of $5 million. Each Fund also issues an exchange-traded class of shares (ETF Shares), which are offered through a separate prospectus.
Both share classes offered by a Fund have the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. However, different share classes have different expenses; as a result, their investment performances will differ.
Plain Talk About Costs of Investing
Costs are an important consideration in choosing a mutual fund. That is because you, as a shareholder, pay a proportionate share of the costs of operating a fund, plus any transaction costs incurred when the fund buys or sells securities. These costs can erode a substantial portion of the gross income or the capital appreciation a fund achieves. Even seemingly small differences in expenses can, over time, have a dramatic effect on a funds performance.
The following sections explain the principal investment strategies and policies that each Fund uses in pursuit of its objective. The Funds board of trustees, which oversees each Funds management, may change investment strategies or policies in the interest of shareholders without a shareholder vote, unless those strategies or policies are designated as fundamental. Note that each Funds investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder vote. Under normal circumstances, each Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in the stocks that make up its target index. A Fund may change its 80% policy only upon 60 days notice to shareholders.
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Market Exposure
Each Fund is subject to stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. Each Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, each Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
To illustrate the volatility of stock prices, the following table shows the best, worst, and average annual total returns for the U.S. stock market over various periods as measured by the S&P 500 Index, a widely used barometer of U.S. stock market activity. Total returns consist of dividend income plus change in market price. Note that the returns shown do not include the costs of buying and selling stocks or other expenses that a real-world investment portfolio would incur.
| U.S. Stock Market Returns | ||||
| (19262015) | ||||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | 20 Years | |
| Best | 54.2% | 28.6% | 19.9% | 17.8% |
| Worst | 43.1 | 12.4 | 1.4 | 3.1 |
| Average | 11.9 | 10.0 | 10.4 | 11.1 |
The table covers all of the rolling 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-year periods from 1926 through 2015. You can see, for example, that although the average annual return on common stocks for all of the 5-year periods was 10%, average annual returns for individual 5-year periods ranged from 12.4% (from 1928 through 1932) to 28.6% (from 1995 through 1999). These average annual returns reflect past performance of common stocks; you should not regard them as an indication of future performance of either the stock market as a whole or the Funds in particular.
Indexes that focus on growth stocks or value stocks will not necessarily perform in the same way as the broader S&P 500 Index. Both growth and value stocks have the potential at times to be more volatile than the broader markets.
Stocks of publicly traded companies and funds that invest in stocks are often classified according to market value, or market capitalization. These classifications typically include small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap. It is important to understand that, for both companies and stock funds, market-capitalization ranges change over time. Also, interpretations of size vary, and there are no official definitions of small-, mid-, and large-cap, even among Vanguard fund advisors.
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The asset-weighted median market capitalization of each Funds stock holdings as of August 31, 2016, was:
| Asset-Weighted Median | |
| Vanguard Fund | Market Capitalization |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | $67.0 billion |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | 88.9 |
Each Fund is subject to investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from the types of stocks in which the Fund invests will trail returns from the overall stock market. Large-cap value or large-cap growth stocks tend to go through cycles of doing betteror worsethan other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.
Plain Talk About Growth Funds and Value Funds
Growth investing and value investing are two styles employed by stock-fund managers. Growth funds generally focus on stocks of companies believed to have above-average potential for growth in revenue, earnings, cash flow, or other similar criteria. These stocks typically have low dividend yields and above-average prices in relation to measures such as earnings and book value. Value funds typically emphasize stocks whose prices are below average in relation to those measures; these stocks often have above-average dividend yields. Value stocks also may remain undervalued by the market for long periods of time. Growth and value stocks have historically produced similar long-term returns, though each style has periods when it outperforms the other.
Security Selection
Each Fund attempts to track the investment performance of a benchmark index that measures the return of a particular market segment. The Funds use the replication method of indexing, meaning that each Fund generally holds the same stocks as its target index and in approximately the same proportions.
Other Investment Policies and Risks
Each Fund reserves the right to substitute a different index for the index it currently tracks if the current index is discontinued, if the Funds agreement with the sponsor of its target index is terminated, or for any other reason determined in good faith by
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the Funds board of trustees. In any such instance, the substitute index would represent the same market segment as the current index.
Each Fund may invest in foreign securities to the extent necessary to carry out its investment strategy of holding all, or substantially all, of the stocks that make up the index it tracks. It is not expected that either Fund will invest more than 5% of its assets in foreign securities.
To track their target indexes as closely as possible, the Funds attempt to remain fully invested in stocks. To help stay fully invested and to reduce transaction costs, the Funds may invest, to a limited extent, in derivatives, including equity futures. The Funds may also use derivatives such as total return swaps to obtain exposure to a stock, a basket of stocks, or an index. Generally speaking, a derivative is a financial contract whose value is based on the value of a financial asset (such as a stock, a bond, or a currency), a physical asset (such as gold, oil, or wheat), a market index (such as the S&P 500 Index), or a reference rate (such as LIBOR). Investments in derivatives may subject the Funds to risks different from, and possibly greater than, those of investments directly in the underlying securities or assets. The Funds will not use derivatives for speculation or for the purpose of leveraging (magnifying) investment returns.
Cash Management
Each Funds daily cash balance may be invested in one or more Vanguard CMT Funds, which are very low-cost money market funds. When investing in a Vanguard CMT Fund, each Fund bears its proportionate share of the at-cost expenses of the CMT Fund in which it invests. Vanguard receives no additional revenue from Fund assets invested in a Vanguard CMT Fund.
Temporary Investment Measures
Each Fund may temporarily depart from its normal investment policies and strategies when the advisor believes that doing so is in the Funds best interest, so long as the alternative is consistent with the Funds investment objective. For instance, the Fund may invest beyond its normal limits in derivatives or exchange-traded funds that are consistent with the Funds objective when those instruments are more favorably priced or provide needed liquidity, as might be the case when the Fund receives large cash flows that it cannot prudently invest immediately.
Frequent Trading or Market-Timing
Background. Some investors try to profit from strategies involving frequent trading of mutual fund shares, such as market-timing. For funds holding foreign securities, investors may try to take advantage of an anticipated difference between the price of the funds shares and price movements in overseas markets, a practice also known as
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time-zone arbitrage. Investors also may try to engage in frequent trading of funds holding investments such as small-cap stocks and high-yield bonds. As money is shifted into and out of a fund by a shareholder engaging in frequent trading, the fund incurs costs for buying and selling securities, resulting in increased brokerage and administrative costs. These costs are borne by all fund shareholders, including the long-term investors who do not generate the costs. In addition, frequent trading may interfere with an advisors ability to efficiently manage the fund.
Policies to address frequent trading. The Vanguard funds (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) do not knowingly accommodate frequent trading. The board of trustees of each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to detect and discourage frequent trading and, in some cases, to compensate the fund for the costs associated with it. These policies and procedures do not apply to Vanguard ETF® Shares because frequent trading in ETF Shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management or otherwise harm fund shareholders. Although there is no assurance that Vanguard will be able to detect or prevent frequent trading or market-timing in all circumstances, the following policies have been adopted to address these issues:
Each Vanguard fund reserves the right to reject any purchase requestincluding exchanges from other Vanguard fundswithout notice and regardless of size. For example, a purchase request could be rejected because the investor has a history of frequent trading or if Vanguard determines that such purchase may negatively affect a funds operation or performance.
Each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) generally prohibits, except as otherwise noted in the Investing With Vanguard section, an investors purchases or exchanges into a fund account for 30 calendar days after the investor has redeemed or exchanged out of that fund account.
Certain Vanguard funds charge shareholders purchase and/or redemption fees on transactions.
See the Investing With Vanguard section of this prospectus for further details on Vanguards transaction policies.
Each Vanguard fund (other than retail and government money market funds), in determining its net asset value, will use fair-value pricing when appropriate, as described in the Share Price section. Fair-value pricing may reduce or eliminate the profitability of certain frequent-trading strategies.
Do not invest with Vanguard if you are a market-timer.
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Turnover Rate
Although the Funds generally seek to invest for the long term, each Fund may sell securities regardless of how long they have been held. Generally, an index fund sells securities in response to redemption requests from shareholders of conventional (not exchange-traded) shares or to changes in the composition of its target index. Turnover rates for large-cap stock index funds tend to be low because large-cap indexes typically do not change significantly from year to year. The Financial Highlights section of this prospectus shows historical turnover rates for each Fund. A turnover rate of 100%, for example, would mean that a Fund had sold and replaced securities valued at 100% of its net assets within a one-year period. The average turnover rate for domestic stock funds was approximately 65%, as reported by Morningstar, Inc., on August 31, 2016.
Plain Talk About Turnover Rate
Before investing in a mutual fund, you should review its turnover rate. This gives an indication of how transaction costs, which are not included in the funds expense ratio, could affect the funds future returns. In general, the greater the volume of buying and selling by the fund, the greater the impact that brokerage commissions and other transaction costs will have on its return. Also, funds with high turnover rates may be more likely to generate capital gains, including short-term capital gains, that must be distributed to shareholders and will be taxable to shareholders investing through a taxable account.
The Funds and Vanguard
Each Fund is a member of The Vanguard Group, a family of more than 190 mutual funds holding assets of approximately $3.5 trillion. All of the funds that are members of The Vanguard Group (other than funds of funds) share in the expenses associated with administrative services and business operations, such as personnel, office space, and equipment.
Vanguard Marketing Corporation provides marketing services to the funds. Although shareholders do not pay sales commissions or 12b-1 distribution fees, each fund (other than a fund of funds) or each share class of a fund (in the case of a fund with multiple share classes) pays its allocated share of the Vanguard funds marketing costs.
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Plain Talk About Vanguards Unique Corporate Structure
The Vanguard Group is truly a mutual mutual fund company. It is owned jointly by the funds it oversees and thus indirectly by the shareholders in those funds. Most other mutual funds are operated by management companies that may be owned by one person, by a private group of individuals, or by public investors who own the management companys stock. The management fees charged by these companies include a profit component over and above the companies cost of providing services. By contrast, Vanguard provides services to its member funds on an at-cost basis, with no profit component, which helps to keep the funds expenses low.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard), P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482, which began operations in 1975, serves as advisor to the Funds through its Equity Index Group. As of August 31, 2016, Vanguard served as advisor for approximately $2.9 trillion in assets. Vanguard provides investment advisory services to the Funds on an at-cost basis, subject to the supervision and oversight of the trustees and officers of the Funds.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the advisory expenses represented an effective annual rate of 0.02% of each Funds average net assets.
For a discussion of why the board of trustees approved each Funds investment advisory arrangement, see the most recent annual report to shareholders covering the fiscal year ended August 31.
The managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds are:
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has been with Vanguard since 1992, has managed investment portfolios since 1997, and has co-managed the S&P 500 Value Index and S&P 500 Growth Index Funds since 2015. Education: B.S.B.A., Shippensburg University.
Scott E. Geiger, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has been with Vanguard since 2006, has worked in investment management since 2008, has managed investment portfolios since 2013, and has co-managed the S&P 500 Value Index and S&P 500 Growth Index Funds since 2015. Education: B.S., Millersville University.
The Statement of Additional Information provides information about each portfolio managers compensation, other accounts under management, and ownership of shares of the Funds.
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Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes
Fund Distributions
Each Fund distributes to shareholders virtually all of its net income (interest and dividends, less expenses) as well as any net short-term or long-term capital gains realized from the sale of its holdings. Income dividends generally are distributed quarterly in March, June, September, and December; capital gains distributions, if any, generally occur annually in December. In addition, each Fund may occasionally make a supplemental distribution at some other time during the year.
You can receive distributions of income or capital gains in cash, or you can have them automatically reinvested in more shares of the Fund. However, if you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares.
Plain Talk About Distributions
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your portion of a funds income from interest and dividends as well as capital gains from the funds sale of investments. Income consists of both the dividends that the fund earns from any stock holdings and the interest it receives from any money market and bond investments. Capital gains are realized whenever the fund sells securities for higher prices than it paid for them. These capital gains are either short-term or long-term, depending on whether the fund held the securities for one year or less or for more than one year.
Basic Tax Points
Investors in taxable accounts should be aware of the following basic federal income tax points:
Distributions are taxable to you whether or not you reinvest these amounts in additional Fund shares.
Distributions declared in Decemberif paid to you by the end of Januaryare taxable as if received in December.
Any dividend distribution or short-term capital gains distribution that you receive is taxable to you as ordinary income. If you are an individual and meet certain holding-period requirements with respect to your Fund shares, you may be eligible for reduced tax rates on qualified dividend income, if any, distributed by the Fund.
Any distribution of net long-term capital gains is taxable to you as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in the Fund.
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Capital gains distributions may vary considerably from year to year as a result of the Funds normal investment activities and cash flows.
- A sale or exchange of Fund shares is a taxable event. This means that you may have
- capital gain to report as income, or a capital loss to report as a deduction, when you
complete your tax return.
Any conversion between classes of shares of the same fund is a nontaxable event. By contrast, an exchange between classes of shares of different funds is a taxable event.
Vanguard (or your intermediary) will send you a statement each year showing the tax status of all of your distributions.
Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income takes into account distributions paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares.
Dividend distributions and capital gains distributions that you receive, as well as your gains or losses from any sale or exchange of Fund shares, may be subject to state and local income taxes.
This prospectus provides general tax information only. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply. Please consult your tax advisor for detailed information about any tax consequences for you.
Plain Talk About Buying a Dividend
Unless you are a tax-exempt investor or investing through a tax-advantaged account (such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan), you should consider avoiding a purchase of fund shares shortly before the fund makes a distribution, because doing so can cost you money in taxes. This is known as buying a dividend. For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you receivedeven if you reinvest it in more shares. To avoid buying a dividend, check a funds distribution schedule before you invest.
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General Information
Backup withholding. By law, Vanguard must withhold 28% of any taxable distributions or redemptions from your account if you do not:
- Provide your correct taxpayer identification number.
- Certify that the taxpayer identification number is correct.
- Confirm that you are not subject to backup withholding.
Similarly, Vanguard (or your intermediary) must withhold taxes from your account if the IRS instructs us to do so.
Foreign investors. Vanguard funds offered for sale in the United States (Vanguard U.S. funds), including the Funds offered in this prospectus, are not widely available outside the United States. Non-U.S. investors should be aware that U.S. withholding and estate taxes and certain U.S. tax reporting requirements may apply to any investments in Vanguard U.S. funds. Foreign investors should visit the Non-U.S. Investors page on our website at vanguard.com for information on Vanguards non-U.S. products.
Invalid addresses. If a dividend distribution or capital gains distribution check mailed to your address of record is returned as undeliverable, Vanguard will automatically reinvest the distribution and all future distributions until you provide us with a valid mailing address. Reinvestments will receive the net asset value calculated on the date of the reinvestment.
Share Price
Share price, also known as net asset value (NAV), is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. Each share class has its own NAV, which is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to the share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. On U.S. holidays or other days when the NYSE is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Funds do not sell or redeem shares. However, on those days the value of a Funds assets may be affected to the extent that the Fund holds securities that change in value on those days (such as foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open).
Stocks held by a Vanguard fund are valued at their market value when reliable market quotations are readily available from the principal exchange or market on which they are traded. Such securities are generally valued at their official closing price, the last reported sales price, or if there were no sales that day, the mean between the closing bid and asking prices. When a fund determines that market quotations either are not readily available or do not accurately reflect the value of a security, the security is priced at its fair value (the amount that the owner might reasonably expect to receive upon the current sale of the security).
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Certain short-term debt instruments used to manage a funds cash may be valued at amortized cost when it approximates fair value. The values of any foreign securities held by a fund are converted into U.S. dollars using an exchange rate obtained from an independent third party as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The values of any mutual fund shares held by a fund are based on the NAVs of the shares. The values of any ETF shares, institutional money market fund shares, or closed-end fund shares held by a fund are based on the market value of the shares.
A fund also will use fair-value pricing if the value of a security it holds has been materially affected by events occurring before the funds pricing time but after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded. This most commonly occurs with foreign securities, which may trade on foreign exchanges that close many hours before the funds pricing time. Intervening events might be company-specific (e.g., earnings report, merger announcement) or country-specific or regional/global (e.g., natural disaster, economic or political news, act of terrorism, interest rate change). Intervening events include price movements in U.S. markets that exceed a specified threshold or that are otherwise deemed to affect the value of foreign securities.
Fair-value pricing may be used for domestic securitiesfor example, if (1) trading in a security is halted and does not resume before the funds pricing time or a security does not trade in the course of a day and (2) the fund holds enough of the security that its price could affect the NAV.
Fair-value prices are determined by Vanguard according to procedures adopted by the board of trustees. When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by a fund to calculate the NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.
Vanguard fund share prices are published daily on our website at vanguard.com/prices.
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Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Funds financial performance for the periods shown, and certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in each table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost each period on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). This information has been obtained from the financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose reportalong with each Funds financial statementsis included in the Funds most recent annual report to shareholders. You may obtain a free copy of the latest annual or semiannual report by visiting vanguard.com or by contacting Vanguard by telephone or mail.
Note: This prospectus offers the Funds Institutional Shares. Information for the S&P 500 Growth Index Funds ETF Shares is shown here because the Funds Institutional Shares had no assets as of the Funds fiscal year end and therefore have no financial highlights information for the periods shown. However, both share classes invest in the same portfolio of securities and will have the same financial performance, except to the extent that their operating expenses differ.
Plain Talk About How to Read the Financial Highlights Tables
This explanation uses the S&P 500 Value Index Funds Institutional Shares as an example. The Institutional Shares began fiscal year 2016 with a net asset value (share price) of $183.75 per share. During the year, each Institutional Share earned $4.765 from investment income (interest and dividends) and $18.875 from investments that had appreciated in value or that were sold for higher prices than the Fund paid for them.
Shareholders received $4.75 per share in the form of dividend distributions. A portion of each years distributions may come from the prior years income or capital gains.
The share price at the end of the year was $202.64, reflecting earnings of $23.64 per share and distributions of $4.75 per share. This was an increase of $18.89 per share (from $183.75 at the beginning of the year to $202.64 at the end of the year). For a shareholder who reinvested the distributions in the purchase of more shares, the total return was 13.09% for the year.
As of August 31, 2016, the Institutional Shares had approximately $7 million in net assets. For the year, the expense ratio was 0.08% ($0.80 per $1,000 of net assets), and the net investment income amounted to 2.71% of average net assets. The Fund sold and replaced securities valued at 22% of its net assets.
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| S&P 500 Value Index Fund Institutional Shares | ||
| Year | March 3, | |
| Ended | 20151 to | |
| August 31, | August 31, | |
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $183.75 | $199.34 |
| Investment Operations | ||
| Net Investment Income | 4.765 | 2.352 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | ||
| on Investments | 18.875 | (15.830) |
| Total from Investment Operations | 23.640 | (13.478) |
| Distributions | ||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (4.750) | (2.112) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | — | — |
| Total Distributions | (4.750) | (2.112) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $202.64 | $183.75 |
| Total Return | 13.09% | –6.84% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $7 | $11 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.08% | 0.08%2 |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | ||
| Net Assets | 2.71% | 2.44%2 |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate3 | 22% | 23% |
| 1 | Inception. |
| 2 | Annualized. |
| 3 | Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s capital shares, including ETF Creation Units. |
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| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $99.21 | $96.99 | $77.29 | $68.43 | $58.81 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 1.565 | 1.523 | 1.257 | 1.291 | 1.135 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 9.857 | 2.193 | 19.715 | 8.848 | 9.543 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 11.422 | 3.716 | 20.972 | 10.139 | 10.678 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (1.512) | (1.496) | (1.272) | (1.279) | (1.058) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (1.512) | (1.496) | (1.272) | (1.279) | (1.058) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $109.12 | $99.21 | $96.99 | $77.29 | $68.43 |
| Total Return | 11.62% | 3.80% | 27.33% | 15.00% | 18.38% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $1,031 | $570 | $325 | $147 | $96 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% | 0.15% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.59% | 1.62% | 1.56% | 1.81% | 1.82% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate1 | 20% | 21% | 23% | 24% | 22% |
1 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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Investing With Vanguard
This section of the prospectus explains the basics of doing business with Vanguard. Vanguard fund shares can be held directly with Vanguard or indirectly through an intermediary, such as a bank, a broker, or an investment advisor. If you hold Vanguard fund shares directly with Vanguard, you should carefully read each topic within this section that pertains to your relationship with Vanguard. If you hold Vanguard fund shares indirectly through an intermediary (including shares held through a Vanguard brokerage account), please see Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms, and also refer to your account agreement with the intermediary for information about transacting in that account. If you hold Vanguard fund shares through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, please see Employer-Sponsored Plans. Vanguard reserves the right to change the following policies without notice. Please call or check online for current information. See Contacting Vanguard.
For Vanguard fund shares held directly with Vanguard, each fund you hold in an account is a separate fund account. For example, if you hold three funds in a nonretirement account titled in your own name, two funds in a nonretirement account titled jointly with your spouse, and one fund in an individual retirement account, you have six fund accountsand this is true even if you hold the same fund in multiple accounts. Note that each reference to you in this prospectus applies to any one or more registered account owners or persons authorized to transact on your account.
Purchasing Shares
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a fund account or to add to an existing fund account.
Investment minimums may differ for certain categories of investors.
Account Minimums for Institutional Shares To open and maintain an account. $5 million.
Certain Vanguard institutional clients may meet the minimum investment amount by aggregating separate accounts within the same Fund. This aggregation policy does not apply to financial intermediaries.
Vanguard may charge additional recordkeeping fees for institutional clients whose accounts are recordkept by Vanguard. Please contact your Vanguard representative to determine whether additional recordkeeping fees apply to your account.
To add to an existing account. Generally $1.
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How to Initiate a Purchase Request
Be sure to check Exchanging Shares, Frequent-Trading Limitations, and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your purchase request.
Online. You may open certain types of accounts, request a purchase of shares, and request an exchange through our website or our mobile application if you are registered for online access.
By telephone. You may call Vanguard to begin the account registration process or request that the account-opening forms be sent to you. You may also call Vanguard to request a purchase of shares in your account or to request an exchange. See
Contacting Vanguard.
By mail. You may send Vanguard your account registration form and check to open a new fund account. To add to an existing fund account, you may send your check with an Invest-by-Mail form (from a transaction confirmation or your account statement), with a deposit slip (available online), or with a written request. You may also send a written request to Vanguard to make an exchange. For a list of Vanguard addresses, see Contacting Vanguard.
How to Pay for a Purchase
By electronic bank transfer. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund through an electronic transfer of money from a bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer service on an account, you must designate the bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the service is set up on your account, you can purchase shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Investment Plan) or upon request. Your purchase request can be initiated online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail.
By wire. Wiring instructions vary for different types of purchases. Please call Vanguard for instructions and policies on purchasing shares by wire. See Contacting Vanguard.
By check. You may make initial or additional purchases to your fund account by sending a check or by utilizing our mobile application if you are registered for online access. Also see How to Initiate a Purchase Request. Make your check payable to Vanguard and include the appropriate fund number (e.g., Vanguardxx). For a list of Fund numbers (for Funds in this prospectus), see Additional Information.
By exchange. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See
Exchanging Shares.
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Trade Date
The trade date for any purchase request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request, the manner in which you are paying, and the type of fund you are purchasing. Your purchase will be executed using the net asset value (NAV) as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading (a business day).
For purchases by check into all funds other than money market funds and for purchases by exchange, wire, or electronic bank transfer (not using an Automatic Investment Plan) into all funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the same day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day.
For purchases by check into money market funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the second business day following the day Vanguard receives the purchase request. Because money market instruments must be purchased with federal funds and it takes a money market mutual fund one business day to convert check proceeds into federal funds, the trade date for the purchase will be one business day later than for other funds.
For purchases by electronic bank transfer using an Automatic Investment Plan: Your trade date generally will be the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your designated bank account. Your bank account generally will be debited on the business day after your trade date. If the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your bank account falls on a weekend, holiday, or other nonbusiness day, your trade date generally will be the previous business day. For retirement accounts, if the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your designated bank account falls on the last business day of the year, your trade date will be the first business day of the following year. Please note that if you select the first of the month for automated withdrawals from your designated bank account, trades designated for January 1 will receive the next business days trade date.
If your purchase request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order.
For further information about purchase transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
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Other Purchase Rules You Should Know
Check purchases. All purchase checks must be written in U.S. dollars and must be drawn on a U.S. bank. Vanguard does not accept cash, travelers checks, or money orders. In addition, Vanguard may refuse starter checks and checks that are not made payable to Vanguard.
New accounts. We are required by law to obtain from you certain personal information that we will use to verify your identity. If you do not provide the information, we may not be able to open your account. If we are unable to verify your identity, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to close your account or take such other steps as we deem reasonable. Certain types of accounts may require additional documentation.
Refused or rejected purchase requests. Vanguard reserves the right to stop selling fund shares or to reject any purchase request at any time and without notice, including, but not limited to, purchases requested by exchange from another Vanguard fund. This also includes the right to reject any purchase request because the investor has a history of frequent trading or because the purchase may negatively affect a funds operation or performance.
Large purchases. Call Vanguard before attempting to invest a large dollar amount.
No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any purchase request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a purchase request.
Converting Shares
If you convert from Institutional Shares to ETF Shares, the transaction will be based on the respective NAVs of the separate share classes on the trade date of the conversion.
Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any self-directed conversion request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a conversion request.
A conversion between share classes of the same fund is a nontaxable event.
Conversions to ETF Shares
Owners of conventional shares (i.e., not exchange-traded shares) issued by a Fund may convert those shares to ETF Shares of equivalent value of the same fund. Please note that investors who own conventional shares through a 401(k) plan or other employer-sponsored retirement or benefit plan generally may not convert those shares to ETF Shares and should check with their plan sponsor or recordkeeper. ETF Shares, whether acquired through a conversion or purchased on the secondary market, cannot be converted to conventional shares. Also, ETF Shares of one fund cannot be exchanged for ETF Shares of another fund.
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ETF Shares must be held in a brokerage account. Thus, before converting conventional shares to ETF Shares, you must have an existing, or open a new, brokerage account. This account may be with Vanguard Brokerage Services® (Vanguard Brokerage) or with any other brokerage firm.
Vanguard Brokerage does not impose a fee on conversions from conventional shares to Vanguard ETF Shares. However, other brokerage firms may charge a fee to process a conversion. Vanguard reserves the right, in the future, to impose a transaction fee on conversions or to limit or terminate the conversion privilege. For additional information on converting conventional shares to ETF Shares, please contact Vanguard to obtain a prospectus for ETF Shares. See Contacting Vanguard.
Redeeming Shares
How to Initiate a Redemption Request
Be sure to check Exchanging Shares, Frequent-Trading Limitations, and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your redemption request.
Online. You may request a redemption of shares or request an exchange through our website or our mobile application if you are registered for online access.
By telephone. You may call Vanguard to request a redemption of shares or an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.
By mail. You may send a written request to Vanguard to redeem from a fund account or to make an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.
How to Receive Redemption Proceeds
By electronic bank transfer. You may have the proceeds of a fund redemption sent directly to a designated bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer service on an account, you must designate a bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the service is set up on your account, you can redeem shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Withdrawal Plan) or upon request. Your redemption request can be initiated online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail.
By wire. To receive your proceeds by wire, you may instruct Vanguard to wire your redemption proceeds ($100 minimum) to a previously designated bank account. To establish the wire redemption service, you generally must designate a bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form.
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By exchange. You may have the proceeds of a Vanguard fund redemption invested directly in shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Exchanging Shares.
By check. If you have not chosen another redemption method, Vanguard will mail you a redemption check, generally payable to all registered account owners, normally within two business days of your trade date, and generally to the address of record.
Trade Date
The trade date for any redemption request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request and the manner in which you are redeeming. Your redemption will be executed using the NAV as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the NYSE is open for trading (a business day).
For redemptions by check, exchange, or wire: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.
Note on timing of wire redemptions from money market funds: For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day before 10:45 a.m., Eastern time (2 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund; 12:30 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business the same day. For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day after those cut-off times, or on a nonbusiness day, and for all requests other than by telephone, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day.
Note on timing of wire redemptions from all other funds: For requests received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day. For requests received by Vanguard on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the second business day after Vanguard receives the request.
For redemptions by electronic bank transfer using an Automatic Withdrawal Plan: Your trade date generally will be the date you selected for withdrawal of funds (redemption of shares) from your Vanguard account. Proceeds of redeemed shares generally will be credited to your designated bank account two business days after your trade date. If the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your Vanguard
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account falls on a weekend, holiday, or other nonbusiness day, your trade date generally will be the previous business day. For retirement accounts, if the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your Vanguard account falls on the last day of the year and if that date is a holiday, your trade date will be the first business day of the following year. Please note that if you designate the first of the month for automated withdrawals, trades designated for January 1 will receive the next business days trade date.
For redemptions by electronic bank transfer not using an Automatic Withdrawal Plan: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.
If your redemption request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. If we are unable to send your redemption proceeds by wire or electronic bank transfer because the receiving institution rejects the transfer, Vanguard will make additional efforts to complete your transaction. If Vanguard is still unable to complete the transaction, we may send the proceeds of the redemption to you by check, generally payable to all registered account owners, or use your proceeds to purchase new shares of the fund from which you sold shares for the purpose of the wire or electronic bank transfer transaction. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order.
For further information about redemption transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Other Redemption Rules You Should Know
Documentation for certain accounts. Special documentation may be required to redeem from certain types of accounts, such as trust, corporate, nonprofit, or retirement accounts. Please call us before attempting to redeem from these types of accounts.
Potentially disruptive redemptions. Vanguard reserves the right to pay all or part of a redemption in kindthat is, in the form of securitiesif we reasonably believe that a cash redemption would negatively affect the funds operation or performance or that the shareholder may be engaged in market-timing or frequent trading. Under these circumstances, Vanguard also reserves the right to delay payment of the redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. By calling us before you attempt to redeem a large dollar amount, you may avoid in-kind or delayed payment of your redemption. Please see Frequent-Trading Limitations for information about Vanguards policies to limit frequent trading.
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Recently purchased shares. Although you can redeem shares at any time, proceeds may not be made available to you until the fund collects payment for your purchase. This may take up to seven calendar days for shares purchased by check or by electronic bank transfer. If you have written a check on a fund with checkwriting privileges, that check may be rejected if your fund account does not have a sufficient available balance.
Address change. If you change your address online or by telephone, there may be up to a 14-day restriction on your ability to request check redemptions online and by telephone. You can request a redemption in writing at any time. Confirmations of address changes are sent to both the old and new addresses.
Payment to a different person or address. At your request, we can make your redemption check payable, or wire your redemption proceeds, to a different person or send it to a different address. However, this generally requires the written consent of all registered account owners and may require additional documentation, such as a signature guarantee or a notarized signature. You may obtain a signature guarantee from some commercial or savings banks, credit unions, trust companies, or member firms of a U.S. stock exchange.
No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any redemption request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a redemption request.
Emergency circumstances. Vanguard funds can postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. In addition, Vanguard funds can suspend redemptions and/or postpone payments of redemption proceeds beyond seven calendar days at times when the NYSE is closed or during emergency circumstances, as determined by the SEC.
Exchanging Shares
An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Vanguard fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Vanguard fund. You can make exchange requests online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Purchasing Shares and Redeeming Shares.
If the NYSE is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m., Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order for additional information on all transaction requests.
Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request.
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Call Vanguard before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.
Please note that Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See Frequent-Trading Limitations for additional restrictions on exchanges.
Frequent-Trading Limitations
Because excessive transactions can disrupt management of a fund and increase the funds costs for all shareholders, the board of trustees of each Vanguard fund places certain limits on frequent trading in the funds. Each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) limits an investors purchases or exchanges into a fund account for 30 calendar days after the investor has redeemed or exchanged out of that fund account. ETF Shares are not subject to these frequent-trading limits.
For Vanguard Retirement Investment Program pooled plans, the limitations apply to exchanges made online or by telephone.
These frequent-trading limitations do not apply to the following:
- Purchases of shares with reinvested dividend or capital gains distributions.
- Transactions through Vanguards Automatic Investment Plan, Automatic Exchange
Service, Direct Deposit Service, Automatic Withdrawal Plan, Required Minimum Distribution Service, and Vanguard Small Business Online®.
Discretionary transactions through Vanguard Asset Management Services, Vanguard Personal Advisor Services®, and Vanguard Institutional Advisory Services®.
- Redemptions of shares to pay fund or account fees.
- Redemptions of shares to remove excess shareholder contributions to certain
types of retirement accounts (including, but not limited to, IRAs, certain Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans).
Transaction requests submitted by mail to Vanguard from shareholders who hold their accounts directly with Vanguard or through a Vanguard brokerage account. (Transaction requests submitted by fax, if otherwise permitted, are subject to the limitations.)
- Transfers and reregistrations of shares within the same fund.
- Purchases of shares by asset transfer or direct rollover.
- Conversions of shares from one share class to another in the same fund.
- Checkwriting redemptions.
- Section 529 college savings plans.
- Certain approved institutional portfolios and asset allocation programs, as well as
trades made by funds or trusts managed by Vanguard or its affiliates that invest in other Vanguard funds. (Please note that shareholders of Vanguards funds of funds are subject to the limitations.)
For participants in employer-sponsored defined contribution plans,* the frequent-trading limitations do not apply to:
Purchases of shares with participant payroll or employer contributions or loan repayments.
- Purchases of shares with reinvested dividend or capital gains distributions.
- Distributions, loans, and in-service withdrawals from a plan.
- Redemptions of shares as part of a plan termination or at the direction of the plan.
- Transactions executed through the Vanguard Managed Account Program.
- Redemptions of shares to pay fund or account fees.
- Share or asset transfers or rollovers.
- Reregistrations of shares.
- Conversions of shares from one share class to another in the same fund.
- Exchange requests submitted by written request to Vanguard. (Exchange requests
submitted by fax, if otherwise permitted, are subject to the limitations.)
* The following Vanguard fund accounts are subject to the frequent-trading limitations: SEP-IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, certain Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans.
Accounts Held by Institutions (Other Than Defined Contribution Plans)
Vanguard will systematically monitor for frequent trading in institutional clients accounts. If we detect suspicious trading activity, we will investigate and take appropriate action, which may include applying to a clients accounts the 30-day policy previously described, prohibiting a clients purchases of fund shares, and/or revoking the clients exchange privilege.
Accounts Held by Intermediaries
When intermediaries establish accounts in Vanguard funds for the benefit of their clients, we cannot always monitor the trading activity of the individual clients. However, we review trading activity at the intermediary (omnibus) level, and if we detect suspicious activity, we will investigate and take appropriate action. If necessary, Vanguard may prohibit additional purchases of fund shares by an intermediary, including for the benefit of certain of the intermediarys clients.
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Intermediaries also may monitor their clients trading activities with respect to Vanguard funds.
For those Vanguard funds that charge purchase and/or redemption fees, intermediaries will be asked to assess these fees on client accounts and remit these fees to the funds. The application of purchase and redemption fees and frequent-trading limitations may vary among intermediaries. There are no assurances that Vanguard will successfully identify all intermediaries or that intermediaries will properly assess purchase and redemption fees or administer frequent-trading limitations. If you invest with Vanguard through an intermediary, please read that firms materials carefully to learn of any other rules or fees that may apply.
Other Rules You Should Know
Prospectus and Shareholder Report Mailings
When two or more shareholders have the same last name and address, just one summary prospectus (or prospectus) and/or shareholder report may be sent in an attempt to eliminate the unnecessary expense of duplicate mailings. You may request individual prospectuses and reports by contacting our Client Services Department in writing, by telephone, or online. See Contacting Vanguard.
Vanguard.com
Registration. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can review your account holdings; buy, sell, or exchange shares of most Vanguard funds; and perform most other transactions through our website. You must register for this service online.
Electronic delivery. Vanguard can deliver your account statements, transaction confirmations, prospectuses, certain tax forms, and shareholder reports electronically. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can consent to the electronic delivery of these documents by logging on and changing your mailing preferences under Account Maintenance. You can revoke your electronic consent at any time through our website, and we will begin to send paper copies of these documents within 30 days of receiving your revocation.
Telephone Transactions
Automatic. When we set up your account, we will automatically enable you to do business with us by telephone, unless you instruct us otherwise in writing.
Tele-Account®. To obtain fund and account information through Vanguards automated telephone service, you must first establish a Personal Identification Number (PIN) by calling Tele-Account at 800-662-6273.
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Proof of a callers authority. We reserve the right to refuse a telephone request if the caller is unable to provide the requested information or if we reasonably believe that the caller is not an individual authorized to act on the account. Before we allow a caller to act on an account, we may request the following information:
Authorization to act on the account (as the account owner or by legal documentation or other means).
- Account registration and address.
- Fund name and account number, if applicable.
- Other information relating to the caller, the account owner, or the account.
Good Order
We reserve the right to reject any transaction instructions that are not in good order. Good order generally means that your instructions:
Are provided by the person(s) authorized in accordance with Vanguards policies and procedures to access the account and request transactions.
- Include the fund name and account number.
- Include the amount of the transaction (stated in dollars, shares, or percentage).
Written instructions also must generally include:
- An original signature and date from the authorized person(s).
- Signature guarantees or notarized signatures, if required for the type of transaction.
(Call Vanguard for specific requirements.)
Any supporting documentation that may be required.
Written instructions are acceptable when a Vanguard form is not applicable. The requirements vary among types of accounts and transactions. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise the requirements for good order.
Future Trade-Date Requests
Vanguard does not accept requests to hold a purchase, conversion, redemption, or exchange transaction for a future date. All such requests will receive trade dates as previously described in Purchasing Shares, Converting Shares, Redeeming Shares, and
Exchanging Shares. Vanguard reserves the right to return future-dated purchase checks.
Accounts With More Than One Owner
If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, Vanguard generally will accept instructions from any one owner or authorized person.
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Responsibility for Fraud
Vanguard will not be responsible for any account losses because of fraud if we reasonably believe that the person transacting business on an account is authorized to do so. Please take precautions to protect yourself from fraud. Keep your account information private, and immediately review any account statements or other information that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately about any transactions or changes to your account that you believe to be unauthorized.
Uncashed Checks
Please cash your distribution or redemption checks promptly. Vanguard will not pay interest on uncashed checks. Vanguard may be required to transfer assets related to uncashed checks to a state under the states abandoned property law.
Dormant Accounts
If your account has no activity in it for a period of time, Vanguard may be required to transfer it to a state under the states abandoned property law.
Unusual Circumstances
If you experience difficulty contacting Vanguard online or by telephone, you can send us your transaction request by regular or express mail. See Contacting Vanguard for addresses.
Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms
You may purchase or sell shares of most Vanguard funds through a financial intermediary, such as a bank, a broker, or an investment advisor. Please consult your financial intermediary to determine which, if any, shares are available through that firm and to learn about other rules that may apply. Your financial intermediary can provide you with account information and any required tax forms.
Please see Frequent-Trading LimitationsAccounts Held by Intermediaries for information about the assessment of any purchase or redemption fees and the monitoring of frequent trading for accounts held by intermediaries.
Low-Balance Accounts
Each Fund reserves the right to liquidate a fund account whose balance falls below the account minimum for any reason, including market fluctuation. This liquidation policy applies to nonretirement fund accounts and accounts that are held through intermediaries. Any such liquidation will be preceded by written notice to the investor.
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Right to Change Policies
In addition to the rights expressly stated elsewhere in this prospectus, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to (1) alter, add, or discontinue any conditions of purchase (including eligibility requirements), redemption, exchange, conversion, service, or privilege at any time; (2) accept initial purchases by telephone; (3) freeze any account and/or suspend account services if Vanguard has received reasonable notice of a dispute regarding the assets in an account, including notice of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners, or if Vanguard reasonably believes a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred; (4) temporarily freeze any account and/or suspend account services upon initial notification to Vanguard of the death of the shareholder until Vanguard receives required documentation in good order; (5) alter, impose, discontinue, or waive any purchase fee, redemption fee, account service fee, or other fees charged to a group of shareholders; and (6) redeem an account or suspend account privileges, without the owners permission to do so, in cases of threatening conduct or activity Vanguard believes to be suspicious, fraudulent, or illegal. Changes may affect any or all investors. These actions will be taken when, at the sole discretion of Vanguard management, Vanguard reasonably believes they are in the best interest of a fund.
Share Classes
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class.
Fund and Account Updates
Confirmation Statements
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) a confirmation of your trade date and the amount of your transaction when you buy, sell, exchange, or convert shares. However, we will not send confirmations reflecting only checkwriting redemptions or the reinvestment of dividend or capital gains distributions. For any month in which you had a checkwriting redemption, a Checkwriting Activity Statement will be sent to you itemizing the checkwriting redemptions for that month. Promptly review each confirmation statement that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on a confirmation statement, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.
39
Portfolio Summaries
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) quarterly portfolio summaries to help you keep track of your accounts throughout the year. If you prefer, you may request to receive monthly portfolio summaries. Each summary shows the market value of your account at the close of the statement period, as well as all distributions, purchases, redemptions, exchanges, transfers, and conversions for the current calendar quarter (or month). Promptly review each summary that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on the summary, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.
Tax Information Statements
For most accounts, Vanguard (or your intermediary) is required to provide annual tax forms to assist you in preparing your income tax returns. These forms are generally available for each calendar year early in the following year. Registered users of vanguard.com can also view certain forms through our website. Vanguard (or your intermediary) may also provide you with additional tax-related documentation. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Annual and Semiannual Reports
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) reports about Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index and S&P 500 Growth Index Funds twice a year, in April and October. These reports include overviews of the financial markets and provide the following specific Fund information:
- Performance assessments and comparisons with industry benchmarks.
- Financial statements with listings of Fund holdings.
Portfolio Holdings
Please consult the Funds Statement of Additional Information or our website for a description of the policies and procedures that govern disclosure of a Funds portfolio holdings.
40
Employer-Sponsored Plans
Your plan administrator or your employee benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan and how to elect a Fund as an investment option.
If you have any questions about a Fund or Vanguard, including those about a Funds investment objective, strategies, or risks, contact Vanguard Participant Services toll-free at 800-523-1188 or visit our website at vanguard.com.
If you have questions about your account, contact your plan administrator or the organization that provides recordkeeping services for your plan.
Be sure to carefully read each topic that pertains to your transactions with Vanguard.
Vanguard reserves the right to change its policies without notice to shareholders.
Transactions
Processing times for your transaction requests may differ among recordkeepers or among transaction and funding types. Your plans recordkeeper (which may also be Vanguard) will determine the necessary processing time frames for your transaction requests prior to submission to the Fund. Consult your recordkeeper or plan administrator for more information.
If Vanguard is serving as your plan recordkeeper and if your transaction involves one or more investments with an early cut-off time for processing or another trading restriction, your entire transaction will be subject to the restriction when the trade date for your transaction is determined.
41
| Contacting Vanguard | |
| Web | |
| Vanguard.com | For the most complete source of Vanguard news |
| For fund, account, and service information | |
| For most account transactions | |
| For literature requests | |
| 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | |
| Phone | |
| Vanguard Tele-Account® 800-662-6273 | For automated fund and account information |
| Toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | |
| Investor Information 800-662-7447 | For fund and service information |
| (Text telephone for people with hearing | For literature requests |
| impairment at 800-749-7273) | |
| Client Services 800-662-2739 | For account information |
| (Text telephone for people with hearing | For most account transactions |
| impairment at 800-749-7273) | |
| Participant Services 800-523-1188 | For information and services for participants in employer- |
| (Text telephone for people with hearing | sponsored plans |
| impairment at 800-749-7273) | |
| Institutional Division | For information and services for large institutional investors |
| 888-809-8102 | |
| Financial Advisor and Intermediary | For information and services for financial intermediaries |
| Sales Support 800-997-2798 | including financial advisors, broker-dealers, trust institutions, |
| and insurance companies | |
| Financial Advisory and Intermediary | For account information and trading support for financial |
| Trading Support 800-669-0498 | intermediaries including financial advisors, broker-dealers, |
| trust institutions, and insurance companies | |
42
Vanguard Addresses
Please be sure to use the correct address. Use of an incorrect address could delay the processing of your transaction.
| Regular Mail (Individuals) | The Vanguard Group | |||
| P.O. Box 1110 | ||||
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110 | ||||
| Regular Mail (Institutions, Intermediaries, and The Vanguard Group | ||||
| Employer-Sponsored Plan Participants) | P.O. Box 2900 | |||
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | ||||
| Registered, Express, or Overnight Mail | The Vanguard Group | |||
| 455 Devon Park Drive | ||||
| Wayne, PA 19087-1815 | ||||
| Additional Information | ||||
| Vanguard | ||||
| Newspaper | Fund | CUSIP | ||
| Inception Date | Abbreviation | Number | Number | |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | ||||
| Institutional Shares | 3/3/2015 | 500ValIdxInst | 1840 | 921932802 |
| (ETF Shares | ||||
| 9/7/2010) | ||||
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | ||||
| Institutional Shares | | 500GwthIdxInst | 1841 | 921932604 |
| (ETF Shares | ||||
| 9/7/2010) | ||||
43
CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute.
Morningstar data © 2016 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
The S&P 500 Value Index and S&P 500 Growth Index (the Indexes) are products of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (SPDJI), and have been licensed for use by Vanguard. Standard & Poors® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC (S&P); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (Dow Jones); S&P® and S&P 500® are trademarks of S&P; and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by Vanguard. Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund and Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, S&P Dow Jones Indices). S&P Dow Jones Indices make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund and Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund and Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund particularly or the ability of the S&P 500 Value Index and S&P 500 Growth Index to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices only relationship to Vanguard with respect to the S&P 500 Value Index and S&P 500 Growth Index is the licensing of the Indexes and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors. The S&P 500 Value Index and S&P 500 Growth Index are determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to Vanguard or the Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund and Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation to take the needs of Vanguard or the owners of Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund and Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the S&P 500 Value Index and S&P 500 Growth Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund and Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund and Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund and Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund are to be converted into cash, surrendered or redeemed, as the case may be. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund and Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund. There is no assurance that investment products based on the S&P 500 Value Index and S&P 500 Growth Index will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.
S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEXES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY VANGUARD, OWNERS OF THE VANGUARD S&P 500 VALUE INDEX FUND AND VANGUARD S&P 500 GROWTH INDEX FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEXES OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND VANGUARD, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.
44
Glossary of Investment Terms
Active Management. An investment approach that seeks to exceed the average returns of a particular financial market or market segment. In selecting securities to buy and sell, active managers may rely on, among other things, research, market forecasts, quantitative models, and their own judgment and experience.
Capital Gains Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of gains realized on securities that a fund has sold at a profit, minus any realized losses.
Common Stock. A security representing ownership rights in a corporation.
Dividend Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of income from interest or dividends generated by a funds investments.
Expense Ratio. A funds total annual operating expenses expressed as a percentage of the funds average net assets. The expense ratio includes management and administrative expenses, but it does not include the transaction costs of buying and selling portfolio securities.
Inception Date. The date on which the assets of a fund (or one of its share classes) are first invested in accordance with the funds investment objective. For funds with a subscription period, the inception date is the day after that period ends. Investment performance is generally measured from the inception date.
Indexing. A low-cost investment strategy in which a mutual fund attempts to trackrather than outperforma specified market benchmark, or index.
Median Market Capitalization. An indicator of the size of companies in which a fund invests; the midpoint of market capitalization (market price x shares outstanding) of a funds stocks, weighted by the proportion of the funds assets invested in each stock. Stocks representing half of the funds assets have market capitalizations above the median, and the rest are below it.
Mutual Fund. An investment company that pools the money of many people and invests it in a variety of securities in an effort to achieve a specific objective over time.
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). A stock exchange based in New York City that is open for regular trading on business days, Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time. Net asset values (NAVs) are calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. In the rare event the NYSE experiences unanticipated trade disruptions and is unavailable at the close of the trading day, NAVs will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq (or another alternate exchange if the Nasdaq is unavailable), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time.
Securities. Stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and other investments.
45
Total Return. A percentage change, over a specified time period, in a mutual funds net asset value, assuming the reinvestment of all distributions of dividends and capital gains.
Volatility. The fluctuations in value of a mutual fund or other security. The greater a funds volatility, the wider the fluctuations in its returns.
Yield. Income (interest or dividends) earned by an investment, expressed as a percentage of the investments price.
46
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| Institutional Division | |
| P.O. Box 2900 | |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
| Connect with Vanguard® > vanguard.com | |
| For More Information | If you are a client of Vanguards Institutional Division: |
| If you would like more information about Vanguard | The Vanguard Group |
| S&P 500 Value Index and S&P 500 Growth Index | Institutional Investor Information Department |
| Funds, the following documents are available free | P.O. Box 2900 |
| upon request: | Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 |
| Telephone: 888-809-8102; Text telephone for people | |
| Annual/Semiannual Reports to Shareholders | |
| with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 | |
| Additional information about the Funds investments is | |
| available in the Funds annual and semiannual reports | If you are a current Vanguard shareholder and would |
| to shareholders. In the annual report, you will find a | like information about your account, account |
| discussion of the market conditions and investment | transactions, and/or account statements, please call: |
| strategies that significantly affected the Funds | |
| Client Services Department | |
| performance during their last fiscal year. | |
| Telephone: 800-662-2739; Text telephone for people | |
| Statement of Additional Information (SAI) | with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 |
| The SAI provides more detailed information about the | |
| Information Provided by the Securities and | |
| Funds and is incorporated by reference into (and thus | |
| Exchange Commission (SEC) | |
| legally a part of) this prospectus. | |
| You can review and copy information about the Funds | |
| To receive a free copy of the latest annual or | (including the SAI) at the SECs Public Reference Room |
| semiannual report or the SAI, or to request additional | in Washington, DC. To find out more about this public |
| information about the Funds or other Vanguard funds, | service, call the SEC at 202-551-8090. Reports and |
| please visit vanguard.com or contact us as follows: | other information about the Funds are also available in |
| the EDGAR database on the SECs website at | |
| If you are an individual investor: | |
| www.sec.gov, or you can receive copies of this | |
| The Vanguard Group | |
| information, for a fee, by electronic request at the | |
| Investor Information Department | |
| following email address: [email protected], or by | |
| P.O. Box 2900 | |
| writing the Public Reference Section, Securities and | |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
| Exchange Commission, Washington, DC 20549-1520. | |
| Telephone: 800-662-7447; Text telephone for people | |
| with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 | Funds Investment Company Act file number: 811-07043 |
| © 2016 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | |
| Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor. | |
| I 1840 122016 | |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Funds |
| Prospectus |
| December 23, 2016 |
| Institutional Shares |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSMSX) |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSMVX) |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VSGNX) |
| This prospectus contains financial data for the Funds through the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016. |
| The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or |
| passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. |
| Contents | |||
| Vanguard Fund Summaries | Investing With Vanguard | 31 | |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | 1 | Purchasing Shares | 31 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | 5 | Converting Shares | 34 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | 9 | Redeeming Shares | 35 |
| Investing in Index Funds | 14 | Exchanging Shares | 38 |
| More on the Funds | 15 | Frequent-Trading Limitations | 39 |
| The Funds and Vanguard | 21 | Other Rules You Should Know | 41 |
| Investment Advisor | 21 | Fund and Account Updates | 44 |
| Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes | 22 | Employer-Sponsored Plans | 46 |
| Share Price | 25 | Contacting Vanguard | 47 |
| Financial Highlights | 27 | Additional Information | 48 |
| Glossary of Investment Terms | 50 | ||
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of small-capitalization stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.04% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.04% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.08% |
| Example | |
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $8 | $26 | $45 | $103 |
1
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 15% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P SmallCap 600® Index. The Index measures the performance of small-capitalization stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from small-capitalization stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Small companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
2
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Institutional Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Institutional Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund Institutional Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 13.86%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 11.96% (quarter ended March 31, 2012), and the lowest return for a quarter was –9.27% (quarter ended September 30, 2015).
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | ||
| Since | ||
| Inception | ||
| (Apr. 1, | ||
| 1 Year | 2011) | |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund Institutional Shares | ||
| Return Before Taxes | –2.00% | 10.20% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | –2.35 | 9.89 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | –0.93 | 8.05 |
| S&P SmallCap 600 Index | ||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | –1.97% | 10.30% |
3
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has managed the Fund since 2013 (co-managed since 2015).
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Institutional Shares is $5 million. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
4
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of small-capitalization value stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.02% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.06% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.08% |
| Example | |
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $8 | $26 | $45 | $103 |
5
Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 42% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P SmallCap 600® Value Index, which represents the value companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. The Index measures the performance of small-capitalization value stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from small-capitalization value stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Small companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
6
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund‘s Institutional Shares in their first full calendar year. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Institutional Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund Institutional Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 16.57%.
During the period shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 3.68% (quarter ended December 31, 2015), and the lowest return for a quarter was –10.70% (quarter ended September 30, 2015).
| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | ||
| Since | ||
| Inception | ||
| (Nov. 19, | ||
| 1 Year | 2014) | |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund Institutional Shares | ||
| Return Before Taxes | –6.72% | –2.75% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | –7.04 | –3.36 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | –3.55 | –2.13 |
| S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index | ||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | –6.67% | –2.70% |
7
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has managed the Fund since 2013 (co-managed since 2015).
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Institutional Shares is $5 million. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
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Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of small-capitalization growth stocks in the United States.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.01% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.07% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | 0.08% |
| Example | |
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $8 | $26 | $45 | $103 |
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Portfolio Turnover
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or turns over its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Funds performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Funds portfolio turnover rate was 48% of the average value of its portfolio.
Principal Investment Strategies
The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the S&P SmallCap 600® Growth Index, which represents the growth companies, as determined by the index sponsor, of the S&P SmallCap 600 Index. The Index measures the performance of small-capitalization growth stocks in the United States. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Principal Risks
An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or even long periods. You should expect the Funds share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from small-capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Small companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
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Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. Because there is no calendar-year performance information for the Fund‘s Institutional Shares, which had no assets as of the Fund’s most recent fiscal year-end, the information presented in the bar chart and table reflects the performance of the ETF Shares of Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund. (ETF Shares are offered through a separate prospectus.) Performance of the Fund’s Institutional Shares would be substantially similar to that of the ETF Shares because both share classes constitute an investment in the same portfolio of securities; their returns generally should differ only to the extent that the expenses of the two share classes differ. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund’s ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 11.29%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 15.80% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –19.68% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
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| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| Since | |||
| Inception | |||
| (Sep. 7, | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 2010) | |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | |||
| Based on NAV | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 2.57% | 12.36% | 16.29% |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions | 2.27 | 12.15 | 16.08 |
| Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | 1.61 | 9.87 | 13.23 |
| Based on Market Price | |||
| Return Before Taxes | 2.57 | 12.34 | 16.29 |
| S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | 2.78% | 12.58% | 16.53% |
Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Managers
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has co-managed the Fund since 2015.
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has managed the Fund since 2013 (co-managed since 2015).
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Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Institutional Shares is $5 million. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
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Investing in Index Funds
What Is Indexing?
Indexing is an investment strategy for tracking the performance of a specified market benchmark, or index. An index is a group of securities whose overall performance is used as a standard to measure the investment performance of a particular market. There are many types of indexes. Some represent entire marketssuch as the U.S. stock market or the U.S. bond market. Other indexes cover market segmentssuch as small-capitalization stocks or short-term bonds. The index sponsor determines the securities to include in the index, the weighting of each security in the index, and the appropriate time to make changes to the composition of the index. One cannot invest directly in an index.
An index fund holds all, or a representative sample, of the securities that make up its target index. Index funds attempt to mirror the performance of the target index, for better or worse. However, an index fund generally does not perform exactly like its target index. For example, like all mutual funds, index funds have operating expenses and transaction costs. Market indexes do not, and therefore they will usually have a slight performance advantage over funds that track them.
Index funds typically have the following characteristics:
Variety of investments. Most Vanguard index funds generally invest in the securities of a variety of companies and industries.
Relative performance consistency. Because they seek to track market benchmarks, index funds usually do not perform dramatically better or worse than their benchmarks.
Low cost. Index funds are inexpensive to run compared with actively managed funds.
They have low or no research costs and typically keep trading activityand thus brokerage commissions and other transaction coststo a minimum compared with actively managed funds.
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More on the Funds
This prospectus describes the principal risks you would face as a Fund shareholder. It is important to keep in mind one of the main axioms of investing: generally, the higher the risk of losing money, the higher the potential reward. The reverse, also, is generally true: the lower the risk, the lower the potential reward. As you consider an investment in any mutual fund, you should take into account your personal tolerance for fluctuations in the securities markets. Look for this symbol throughout the prospectus. It is used to mark detailed information about the more significant risks that you would confront as a Fund shareholder. To highlight terms and concepts important to mutual fund investors, we have provided Plain Talk® explanations along the way. Reading the prospectus will help you decide whether a Fund is the right investment for you. We suggest that you keep this prospectus for future reference.
Share Class Overview
This prospectus offers the Funds Institutional Shares, which are generally for investors who invest a minimum of $5 million. Each Fund also issues an exchange-traded class of shares (ETF Shares), which are offered through a separate prospectus.
Both share classes offered by a Fund have the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. However, different share classes have different expenses; as a result, their investment performances will differ.
Plain Talk About Costs of Investing
Costs are an important consideration in choosing a mutual fund. That is because you, as a shareholder, pay a proportionate share of the costs of operating a fund, plus any transaction costs incurred when the fund buys or sells securities. These costs can erode a substantial portion of the gross income or the capital appreciation a fund achieves. Even seemingly small differences in expenses can, over time, have a dramatic effect on a funds performance.
The following sections explain the principal investment strategies and policies that each Fund uses in pursuit of its objective. The Funds board of trustees, which oversees each Funds management, may change investment strategies or policies in the interest of shareholders without a shareholder vote, unless those strategies or policies are designated as fundamental. Note that each Funds investment objective is not fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder vote. Under normal circumstances, each Fund will invest at least 80% of its assets in the stocks that make up its target index. A Fund may change its 80% policy only upon 60 days notice to shareholders.
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Market Exposure
Each Fund is subject to stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. Each Funds target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, each Funds target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.
To illustrate the volatility of stock prices, the following table shows the best, worst, and average annual total returns for the U.S. stock market over various periods as measured by the S&P 500 Index, a widely used barometer of U.S. stock market activity. Total returns consist of dividend income plus change in market price. Note that the returns shown do not include the costs of buying and selling stocks or other expenses that a real-world investment portfolio would incur.
| U.S. Stock Market Returns | ||||
| (19262015) | ||||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | 20 Years | |
| Best | 54.2% | 28.6% | 19.9% | 17.8% |
| Worst | 43.1 | 12.4 | 1.4 | 3.1 |
| Average | 11.9 | 10.0 | 10.4 | 11.1 |
The table covers all of the rolling 1-, 5-, 10-, and 20-year periods from 1926 through 2015. You can see, for example, that although the average annual return on common stocks for all of the 5-year periods was 10%, average annual returns for individual 5-year periods ranged from 12.4% (from 1928 through 1932) to 28.6% (from 1995 through 1999). These average annual returns reflect past performance of common stocks; you should not regard them as an indication of future performance of either the stock market as a whole or the Funds in particular.
Keep in mind that the S&P 500 Index tracks mainly large-cap stocks. Historically, small-cap stocks (such as those held by the Funds) have been more volatile thanand at times have performed quite differently fromthe large-cap stocks of the S&P 500 Index.
Similarly, indexes that focus on growth stocks or value stocks will not necessarily perform in the same way as the broader S&P 500 Index. Both growth and value stocks have the potential at times to be more volatile than the broader markets.
Stocks of publicly traded companies and funds that invest in stocks are often classified according to market value, or market capitalization. These classifications
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typically include small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap. It is important to understand that, for both companies and stock funds, market-capitalization ranges change over time. Also, interpretations of size vary, and there are no official definitions of small-, mid-, and large-cap, even among Vanguard fund advisors.
The asset-weighted median market capitalization of each Funds stock holdings as of August 31, 2016, was:
| Asset-Weighted Median | |
| Vanguard Fund | Market Capitalization |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | $1.5 billion |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | 1.4 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | 1.7 |
Each Fund is subject to investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from the types of stocks in which the Fund invests will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. Small companies tend to have greater stock volatility because, among other things, these companies are more sensitive to changing economic conditions.
Plain Talk About Growth Funds and Value Funds
Growth investing and value investing are two styles employed by stock-fund managers. Growth funds generally focus on stocks of companies believed to have above-average potential for growth in revenue, earnings, cash flow, or other similar criteria. These stocks typically have low dividend yields and above-average prices in relation to measures such as earnings and book value. Value funds typically emphasize stocks whose prices are below average in relation to those measures; these stocks often have above-average dividend yields. Value stocks also may remain undervalued by the market for long periods of time. Growth and value stocks have historically produced similar long-term returns, though each style has periods when it outperforms the other.
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Security Selection
Each Fund attempts to track the investment performance of a benchmark index that measures the return of a particular market segment. The Funds use the replication method of indexing, meaning that each Fund generally holds the same stocks as its target index and in approximately the same proportions.
Other Investment Policies and Risks
Each Fund reserves the right to substitute a different index for the index it currently tracks if the current index is discontinued, if the Funds agreement with the sponsor of its target index is terminated, or for any other reason determined in good faith by the Funds board of trustees. In any such instance, the substitute index would represent the same market segment as the current index.
Each Fund may invest in foreign securities to the extent necessary to carry out its investment strategy of holding all, or substantially all, of the stocks that make up the index it tracks. It is not expected that any Fund will invest more than 5% of its assets in foreign securities.
To track their target indexes as closely as possible, the Funds attempt to remain fully invested in stocks. To help stay fully invested and to reduce transaction costs, the Funds may invest, to a limited extent, in derivatives, including equity futures. The Funds may also use derivatives such as total return swaps to obtain exposure to a stock, a basket of stocks, or an index. Generally speaking, a derivative is a financial contract whose value is based on the value of a financial asset (such as a stock, a bond, or a currency), a physical asset (such as gold, oil, or wheat), a market index (such as the S&P 500 Index), or a reference rate (such as LIBOR). Investments in derivatives may subject the Funds to risks different from, and possibly greater than, those of investments directly in the underlying securities or assets. The Funds will not use derivatives for speculation or for the purpose of leveraging (magnifying) investment returns.
Cash Management
Each Funds daily cash balance may be invested in one or more Vanguard CMT Funds, which are very low-cost money market funds. When investing in a Vanguard CMT Fund, each Fund bears its proportionate share of the at-cost expenses of the CMT Fund in which it invests. Vanguard receives no additional revenue from Fund assets invested in a Vanguard CMT Fund.
Temporary Investment Measures
Each Fund may temporarily depart from its normal investment policies and strategies when the advisor believes that doing so is in the Funds best interest, so long as the alternative is consistent with the Funds investment objective. For instance, the Fund
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may invest beyond its normal limits in derivatives or exchange-traded funds that are consistent with the Funds objective when those instruments are more favorably priced or provide needed liquidity, as might be the case when the Fund receives large cash flows that it cannot prudently invest immediately.
Frequent Trading or Market-Timing
Background. Some investors try to profit from strategies involving frequent trading of mutual fund shares, such as market-timing. For funds holding foreign securities, investors may try to take advantage of an anticipated difference between the price of the funds shares and price movements in overseas markets, a practice also known as time-zone arbitrage. Investors also may try to engage in frequent trading of funds holding investments such as small-cap stocks and high-yield bonds. As money is shifted into and out of a fund by a shareholder engaging in frequent trading, the fund incurs costs for buying and selling securities, resulting in increased brokerage and administrative costs. These costs are borne by all fund shareholders, including the long-term investors who do not generate the costs. In addition, frequent trading may interfere with an advisors ability to efficiently manage the fund.
Policies to address frequent trading. The Vanguard funds (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) do not knowingly accommodate frequent trading. The board of trustees of each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to detect and discourage frequent trading and, in some cases, to compensate the fund for the costs associated with it. These policies and procedures do not apply to Vanguard ETF® Shares because frequent trading in ETF Shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management or otherwise harm fund shareholders. Although there is no assurance that Vanguard will be able to detect or prevent frequent trading or market-timing in all circumstances, the following policies have been adopted to address these issues:
Each Vanguard fund reserves the right to reject any purchase requestincluding exchanges from other Vanguard fundswithout notice and regardless of size. For example, a purchase request could be rejected because the investor has a history of frequent trading or if Vanguard determines that such purchase may negatively affect a funds operation or performance.
Each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) generally prohibits, except as otherwise noted in the Investing With Vanguard section, an investors purchases or exchanges into a fund account for 30 calendar days after the investor has redeemed or exchanged out of that fund account.
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Certain Vanguard funds charge shareholders purchase and/or redemption fees on transactions.
See the Investing With Vanguard section of this prospectus for further details on Vanguards transaction policies.
Each Vanguard fund (other than retail and government money market funds), in determining its net asset value, will use fair-value pricing when appropriate, as described in the Share Price section. Fair-value pricing may reduce or eliminate the profitability of certain frequent-trading strategies.
Do not invest with Vanguard if you are a market-timer.
Turnover Rate
Although the Funds generally seek to invest for the long term, each Fund may sell securities regardless of how long they have been held. Generally, an index fund sells securities in response to redemption requests from shareholders of conventional (not exchange-traded) shares or to changes in the composition of its target index. Turnover rates for mid-cap and small-cap stock index funds tend to be higher than for large-cap stock index funds (although still relatively low, compared with actively managed stock funds) because the indexes they track are more likely to change as a result of companies merging, growing, or failing. The Financial Highlights section of this prospectus shows historical turnover rates for each Fund. A turnover rate of 100%, for example, would mean that a Fund had sold and replaced securities valued at 100% of its net assets within a one-year period. Increased cash flow into the S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2015, resulted in higher portfolio turnover for that year. The average turnover rate for domestic stock funds was approximately 65%, as reported by Morningstar, Inc., on August 31, 2016.
Plain Talk About Turnover Rate
Before investing in a mutual fund, you should review its turnover rate. This gives an indication of how transaction costs, which are not included in the funds expense ratio, could affect the funds future returns. In general, the greater the volume of buying and selling by the fund, the greater the impact that brokerage commissions and other transaction costs will have on its return. Also, funds with high turnover rates may be more likely to generate capital gains, including short-term capital gains, that must be distributed to shareholders and will be taxable to shareholders investing through a taxable account.
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The Funds and Vanguard
Each Fund is a member of The Vanguard Group, a family of more than 190 mutual funds holding assets of approximately $3.5 trillion. All of the funds that are members of The Vanguard Group (other than funds of funds) share in the expenses associated with administrative services and business operations, such as personnel, office space, and equipment.
Vanguard Marketing Corporation provides marketing services to the funds. Although shareholders do not pay sales commissions or 12b-1 distribution fees, each fund (other than a fund of funds) or each share class of a fund (in the case of a fund with multiple share classes) pays its allocated share of the Vanguard funds marketing costs.
Plain Talk About Vanguards Unique Corporate Structure
The Vanguard Group is truly a mutual mutual fund company. It is owned jointly by the funds it oversees and thus indirectly by the shareholders in those funds. Most other mutual funds are operated by management companies that may be owned by one person, by a private group of individuals, or by public investors who own the management companys stock. The management fees charged by these companies include a profit component over and above the companies cost of providing services. By contrast, Vanguard provides services to its member funds on an at-cost basis, with no profit component, which helps to keep the funds expenses low.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard), P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482, which began operations in 1975, serves as advisor to the Funds through its Equity Index Group. As of August 31, 2016, Vanguard served as advisor for approximately $2.9 trillion in assets. Vanguard provides investment advisory services to the Funds on an at-cost basis, subject to the supervision and oversight of the trustees and officers of the Funds.
For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the advisory expenses represented an effective annual rate of each Funds average net assets as follows: for the S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, and S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, 0.02%; and for the S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund, 0.01%
For a discussion of why the board of trustees approved each Funds investment advisory arrangement, see the most recent annual report to shareholders covering the fiscal year ended August 31.
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The managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds are:
Donald M. Butler, CFA, Principal of Vanguard. He has been with Vanguard since 1992; has managed investment portfolios since 1997; and has co-managed the S&P Small-Cap 600 Index, S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index, and S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Funds since 2015. Education: B.S.B.A., Shippensburg University.
William Coleman, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has worked in investment management since joining Vanguard in 2006 and has managed the S&P Small-Cap 600 Index, S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index, and S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Funds since 2013 (co-managed since 2015). Education: B.S., Kings College; M.S., Saint Josephs University.
The Statement of Additional Information provides information about each portfolio managers compensation, other accounts under management, and ownership of shares of the Funds.
Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes
Fund Distributions
Each Fund distributes to shareholders virtually all of its net income (interest and dividends, less expenses) as well as any net short-term or long-term capital gains realized from the sale of its holdings. Income and capital gains distributions, if any, generally occur annually in December. In addition, each Fund may occasionally make a supplemental distribution at some other time during the year.
You can receive distributions of income or capital gains in cash, or you can have them automatically reinvested in more shares of the Fund. However, if you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares.
Plain Talk About Distributions
As a shareholder, you are entitled to your portion of a funds income from interest and dividends as well as capital gains from the funds sale of investments. Income consists of both the dividends that the fund earns from any stock holdings and the interest it receives from any money market and bond investments. Capital gains are realized whenever the fund sells securities for higher prices than it paid for them. These capital gains are either short-term or long-term, depending on whether the fund held the securities for one year or less or for more than one year.
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Basic Tax Points
Investors in taxable accounts should be aware of the following basic federal income tax points:
Distributions are taxable to you whether or not you reinvest these amounts in additional Fund shares.
Distributions declared in Decemberif paid to you by the end of Januaryare taxable as if received in December.
Any dividend distribution or short-term capital gains distribution that you receive is taxable to you as ordinary income. If you are an individual and meet certain holding-period requirements with respect to your Fund shares, you may be eligible for reduced tax rates on qualified dividend income, if any, distributed by the Fund.
Any distribution of net long-term capital gains is taxable to you as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in the Fund.
Capital gains distributions may vary considerably from year to year as a result of the Funds normal investment activities and cash flows.
- A sale or exchange of Fund shares is a taxable event. This means that you may have
- capital gain to report as income, or a capital loss to report as a deduction, when you
complete your tax return.
Any conversion between classes of shares of the same fund is a nontaxable event. By contrast, an exchange between classes of shares of different funds is a taxable event.
Vanguard (or your intermediary) will send you a statement each year showing the tax status of all of your distributions.
Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income takes into account distributions paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares.
Dividend distributions and capital gains distributions that you receive, as well as your gains or losses from any sale or exchange of Fund shares, may be subject to state and local income taxes.
This prospectus provides general tax information only. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply. Please consult your tax advisor for detailed information about any tax consequences for you.
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Plain Talk About Buying a Dividend
Unless you are a tax-exempt investor or investing through a tax-advantaged account (such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan), you should consider avoiding a purchase of fund shares shortly before the fund makes a distribution, because doing so can cost you money in taxes. This is known as buying a dividend. For example: On December 15, you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the fund pays a distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19 (not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 = $4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you owe tax on the $250 distribution you receivedeven if you reinvest it in more shares. To avoid buying a dividend, check a funds distribution schedule before you invest.
General Information
Backup withholding. By law, Vanguard must withhold 28% of any taxable distributions or redemptions from your account if you do not:
- Provide your correct taxpayer identification number.
- Certify that the taxpayer identification number is correct.
- Confirm that you are not subject to backup withholding.
Similarly, Vanguard (or your intermediary) must withhold taxes from your account if the IRS instructs us to do so.
Foreign investors. Vanguard funds offered for sale in the United States (Vanguard U.S. funds), including the Funds offered in this prospectus, are not widely available outside the United States. Non-U.S. investors should be aware that U.S. withholding and estate taxes and certain U.S. tax reporting requirements may apply to any investments in Vanguard U.S. funds. Foreign investors should visit the Non-U.S. Investors page on our website at vanguard.com for information on Vanguards non-U.S. products.
Invalid addresses. If a dividend distribution or capital gains distribution check mailed to your address of record is returned as undeliverable, Vanguard will automatically reinvest the distribution and all future distributions until you provide us with a valid mailing address. Reinvestments will receive the net asset value calculated on the date of the reinvestment.
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Share Price
Share price, also known as net asset value (NAV), is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. Each share class has its own NAV, which is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to the share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. On U.S. holidays or other days when the NYSE is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Funds do not sell or redeem shares. However, on those days the value of a Funds assets may be affected to the extent that the Fund holds securities that change in value on those days (such as foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open).
Stocks held by a Vanguard fund are valued at their market value when reliable market quotations are readily available from the principal exchange or market on which they are traded. Such securities are generally valued at their official closing price, the last reported sales price, or if there were no sales that day, the mean between the closing bid and asking prices. When a fund determines that market quotations either are not readily available or do not accurately reflect the value of a security, the security is priced at its fair value (the amount that the owner might reasonably expect to receive upon the current sale of the security).
Certain short-term debt instruments used to manage a funds cash may be valued at amortized cost when it approximates fair value. The values of any foreign securities held by a fund are converted into U.S. dollars using an exchange rate obtained from an independent third party as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The values of any mutual fund shares held by a fund are based on the NAVs of the shares. The values of any ETF shares, institutional money market fund shares, or closed-end fund shares held by a fund are based on the market value of the shares.
A fund also will use fair-value pricing if the value of a security it holds has been materially affected by events occurring before the funds pricing time but after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded. This most commonly occurs with foreign securities, which may trade on foreign exchanges that close many hours before the funds pricing time. Intervening events might be company-specific (e.g., earnings report, merger announcement) or country-specific or regional/global (e.g., natural disaster, economic or political news, act of terrorism, interest rate change). Intervening events include price movements in U.S. markets that exceed a specified threshold or that are otherwise deemed to affect the value of foreign securities.
Fair-value pricing may be used for domestic securitiesfor example, if (1) trading in a security is halted and does not resume before the funds pricing time or a security does not trade in the course of a day and (2) the fund holds enough of the security that its price could affect the NAV.
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Fair-value prices are determined by Vanguard according to procedures adopted by the board of trustees. When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by a fund to calculate the NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.
Vanguard fund share prices are published daily on our website at vanguard.com/prices.
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Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Funds financial performance for the periods shown, and certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in each table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost each period on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). This information has been obtained from the financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose reportalong with each Funds financial statementsis included in the Funds most recent annual report to shareholders. You may obtain a free copy of the latest annual or semiannual report by visiting vanguard.com or by contacting Vanguard by telephone or mail.
Note: This prospectus offers the Funds Institutional Shares. Information for the S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Funds ETF Shares is shown here because the Funds Institutional Shares had no assets as of the Funds fiscal year-end and therefore have no financial highlights information for the periods shown. However, both share classes invest in the same portfolio of securities and will have the same financial performance, except to the extent that their operating expenses differ.
Plain Talk About How to Read the Financial Highlights Tables
This explanation uses the S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Funds Institutional Shares as an example. The Institutional Shares began fiscal year 2016 with a net asset value (share price) of $201.83 per share. During the year, each Institutional Share earned $2.925 from investment income (interest and dividends) and $23.454 from investments that had appreciated in value or that were sold for higher prices than the Fund paid for them.
Shareholders received $2.649 per share in the form of dividend distributions. A portion of each years distributions may come from the prior years income or capital gains.
The share price at the end of the year was $225.56, reflecting earnings of $26.379 per share and distributions of $2.649 per share. This was an increase of $23.73 per share (from $201.83 at the beginning of the year to $225.56 at the end of the year). For a shareholder who reinvested the distributions in the purchase of more shares, the total return was 13.22% for the year.
As of August 31, 2016, the Institutional Shares had approximately $331 million in net assets. For the year, the expense ratio was 0.08% ($0.80 per $1,000 of net assets), and the net investment income amounted to 1.43% of average net assets. The Fund sold and replaced securities valued at 15% of its net assets.
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| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund Institutional Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $201.83 | $200.56 | $170.71 | $136.79 | $118.12 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 2.9251 | 2.545 | 2.049 | 2.131 | 1.558 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 23.454 | 1.019 | 29.565 | 33.883 | 18.126 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 26.379 | 3.564 | 31.614 | 36.014 | 19.684 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (2.649) | (2.294) | (1.764) | (2.094) | (1.014) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (2.649) | (2.294) | (1.764) | (2.094) | (1.014) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $225.56 | $201.83 | $200.56 | $170.71 | $136.79 |
| Total Return | 13.22% | 1.77% | 18.57% | 26.65% | 16.75% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $331 | $238 | $179 | $152 | $101 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.43% | 1.34% | 1.17% | 1.55% | 1.35% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 15% | 11% | 16% | 12% | 12% |
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund Institutional Shares | ||
| Year | Nov. 19, | |
| Ended | 20141 to | |
| August 31, | Aug. 31, | |
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $198.02 | $206.40 |
| Investment Operations | ||
| Net Investment Income | 3.057 | 2.201 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | ||
| on Investments | 26.649 | (7.820) |
| Total from Investment Operations | 29.706 | (5.619) |
| Distributions | ||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (3.986) | (2.761) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | — | — |
| Total Distributions | (3.986) | (2.761) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $223.74 | $198.02 |
| Total Return | 15.28% | –2.79% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | ||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $35 | $15 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.08% | 0.08%2 |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | ||
| Net Assets | 1.61% | 1.55%2 |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate3 | 42% | 43% |
| 1 | Inception. |
| 2 | Annualized. |
| 3 | Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Fund’s capital shares, including ETF Creation Units. |
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| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund ETF Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $106.99 | $101.36 | $87.79 | $70.70 | $61.18 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | 1.180 | 1.043 | .6681 | .822 | .5311 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | 10.685 | 5.345 | 13.432 | 17.083 | 9.326 |
| Total from Investment Operations | 11.865 | 6.388 | 14.100 | 17.905 | 9.857 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (1.605) | (.758) | (.530) | (.815) | (.337) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | | | |
| Total Distributions | (1.605) | (.758) | (.530) | (.815) | (.337) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $117.25 | $106.99 | $101.36 | $87.79 | $70.70 |
| Total Return | 11.24% | 6.32% | 16.07% | 25.59% | 16.17% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $132 | $75 | $61 | $22 | $14 |
| Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% | 0.20% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 1.15% | 0.98% | 0.66% | 1.03% | 0.83% |
| Portfolio Turnover Rate2 | 48% | 63% | 44% | 39% | 45% |
1 Calculated based on average shares outstanding.
2 Excludes the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind purchases or redemptions of the Funds capital shares, including ETF Creation Units.
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Investing With Vanguard
This section of the prospectus explains the basics of doing business with Vanguard. Vanguard fund shares can be held directly with Vanguard or indirectly through an intermediary, such as a bank, a broker, or an investment advisor. If you hold Vanguard fund shares directly with Vanguard, you should carefully read each topic within this section that pertains to your relationship with Vanguard. If you hold Vanguard fund shares indirectly through an intermediary (including shares held through a Vanguard brokerage account), please see Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms, and also refer to your account agreement with the intermediary for information about transacting in that account. If you hold Vanguard fund shares through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, please see Employer-Sponsored Plans. Vanguard reserves the right to change the following policies without notice. Please call or check online for current information. See Contacting Vanguard.
For Vanguard fund shares held directly with Vanguard, each fund you hold in an account is a separate fund account. For example, if you hold three funds in a nonretirement account titled in your own name, two funds in a nonretirement account titled jointly with your spouse, and one fund in an individual retirement account, you have six fund accountsand this is true even if you hold the same fund in multiple accounts. Note that each reference to you in this prospectus applies to any one or more registered account owners or persons authorized to transact on your account.
Purchasing Shares
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a fund account or to add to an existing fund account.
Investment minimums may differ for certain categories of investors.
Account Minimums for Institutional Shares To open and maintain an account. $5 million.
Certain Vanguard institutional clients may meet the minimum investment amount by aggregating separate accounts within the same Fund. This aggregation policy does not apply to financial intermediaries.
Vanguard may charge additional recordkeeping fees for institutional clients whose accounts are recordkept by Vanguard. Please contact your Vanguard representative to determine whether additional recordkeeping fees apply to your account.
To add to an existing account. Generally $1.
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How to Initiate a Purchase Request
Be sure to check Exchanging Shares, Frequent-Trading Limitations, and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your purchase request.
Online. You may open certain types of accounts, request a purchase of shares, and request an exchange through our website or our mobile application if you are registered for online access.
By telephone. You may call Vanguard to begin the account registration process or request that the account-opening forms be sent to you. You may also call Vanguard to request a purchase of shares in your account or to request an exchange. See
Contacting Vanguard.
By mail. You may send Vanguard your account registration form and check to open a new fund account. To add to an existing fund account, you may send your check with an Invest-by-Mail form (from a transaction confirmation or your account statement), with a deposit slip (available online), or with a written request. You may also send a written request to Vanguard to make an exchange. For a list of Vanguard addresses, see Contacting Vanguard.
How to Pay for a Purchase
By electronic bank transfer. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund through an electronic transfer of money from a bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer service on an account, you must designate the bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the service is set up on your account, you can purchase shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Investment Plan) or upon request. Your purchase request can be initiated online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail.
By wire. Wiring instructions vary for different types of purchases. Please call Vanguard for instructions and policies on purchasing shares by wire. See Contacting Vanguard.
By check. You may make initial or additional purchases to your fund account by sending a check or by utilizing our mobile application if you are registered for online access. Also see How to Initiate a Purchase Request. Make your check payable to Vanguard and include the appropriate fund number (e.g., Vanguardxx). For a list of Fund numbers (for Funds in this prospectus), see Additional Information.
By exchange. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See
Exchanging Shares.
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Trade Date
The trade date for any purchase request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request, the manner in which you are paying, and the type of fund you are purchasing. Your purchase will be executed using the net asset value (NAV) as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading (a business day).
For purchases by check into all funds other than money market funds and for purchases by exchange, wire, or electronic bank transfer (not using an Automatic Investment Plan) into all funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the same day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day.
For purchases by check into money market funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the second business day following the day Vanguard receives the purchase request. Because money market instruments must be purchased with federal funds and it takes a money market mutual fund one business day to convert check proceeds into federal funds, the trade date for the purchase will be one business day later than for other funds.
For purchases by electronic bank transfer using an Automatic Investment Plan: Your trade date generally will be the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your designated bank account. Your bank account generally will be debited on the business day after your trade date. If the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your bank account falls on a weekend, holiday, or other nonbusiness day, your trade date generally will be the previous business day. For retirement accounts, if the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your designated bank account falls on the last business day of the year, your trade date will be the first business day of the following year. Please note that if you select the first of the month for automated withdrawals from your designated bank account, trades designated for January 1 will receive the next business days trade date.
If your purchase request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order.
For further information about purchase transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
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Other Purchase Rules You Should Know
Check purchases. All purchase checks must be written in U.S. dollars and must be drawn on a U.S. bank. Vanguard does not accept cash, travelers checks, or money orders. In addition, Vanguard may refuse starter checks and checks that are not made payable to Vanguard.
New accounts. We are required by law to obtain from you certain personal information that we will use to verify your identity. If you do not provide the information, we may not be able to open your account. If we are unable to verify your identity, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to close your account or take such other steps as we deem reasonable. Certain types of accounts may require additional documentation.
Refused or rejected purchase requests. Vanguard reserves the right to stop selling fund shares or to reject any purchase request at any time and without notice, including, but not limited to, purchases requested by exchange from another Vanguard fund. This also includes the right to reject any purchase request because the investor has a history of frequent trading or because the purchase may negatively affect a funds operation or performance.
Large purchases. Call Vanguard before attempting to invest a large dollar amount.
No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any purchase request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a purchase request.
Converting Shares
If you convert from Institutional Shares to ETF Shares, the transaction will be based on the respective NAVs of the separate share classes on the trade date of the conversion.
Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any self-directed conversion request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a conversion request.
A conversion between share classes of the same fund is a nontaxable event.
Conversions to ETF Shares
Owners of conventional shares (i.e., not exchange-traded shares) issued by a Fund may convert those shares to ETF Shares of equivalent value of the same fund. Please note that investors who own conventional shares through a 401(k) plan or other employer-sponsored retirement or benefit plan generally may not convert those shares to ETF Shares and should check with their plan sponsor or recordkeeper. ETF Shares, whether acquired through a conversion or purchased on the secondary market, cannot be converted to conventional shares. Also, ETF Shares of one fund cannot be exchanged for ETF Shares of another fund.
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ETF Shares must be held in a brokerage account. Thus, before converting conventional shares to ETF Shares, you must have an existing, or open a new, brokerage account. This account may be with Vanguard Brokerage Services® (Vanguard Brokerage) or with any other brokerage firm.
Vanguard Brokerage does not impose a fee on conversions from conventional shares to Vanguard ETF Shares. However, other brokerage firms may charge a fee to process a conversion. Vanguard reserves the right, in the future, to impose a transaction fee on conversions or to limit or terminate the conversion privilege. For additional information on converting conventional shares to ETF Shares, please contact Vanguard to obtain a prospectus for ETF Shares. See Contacting Vanguard.
Redeeming Shares
How to Initiate a Redemption Request
Be sure to check Exchanging Shares, Frequent-Trading Limitations, and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your redemption request.
Online. You may request a redemption of shares or request an exchange through our website or our mobile application if you are registered for online access.
By telephone. You may call Vanguard to request a redemption of shares or an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.
By mail. You may send a written request to Vanguard to redeem from a fund account or to make an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.
How to Receive Redemption Proceeds
By electronic bank transfer. You may have the proceeds of a fund redemption sent directly to a designated bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer service on an account, you must designate a bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the service is set up on your account, you can redeem shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Withdrawal Plan) or upon request. Your redemption request can be initiated online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail.
By wire. To receive your proceeds by wire, you may instruct Vanguard to wire your redemption proceeds ($100 minimum) to a previously designated bank account. To establish the wire redemption service, you generally must designate a bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form.
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By exchange. You may have the proceeds of a Vanguard fund redemption invested directly in shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Exchanging Shares.
By check. If you have not chosen another redemption method, Vanguard will mail you a redemption check, generally payable to all registered account owners, normally within two business days of your trade date, and generally to the address of record.
Trade Date
The trade date for any redemption request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request and the manner in which you are redeeming. Your redemption will be executed using the NAV as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the NYSE is open for trading (a business day).
For redemptions by check, exchange, or wire: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.
Note on timing of wire redemptions from money market funds: For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day before 10:45 a.m., Eastern time (2 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund; 12:30 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business the same day. For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day after those cut-off times, or on a nonbusiness day, and for all requests other than by telephone, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day.
Note on timing of wire redemptions from all other funds: For requests received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day. For requests received by Vanguard on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the second business day after Vanguard receives the request.
For redemptions by electronic bank transfer using an Automatic Withdrawal Plan: Your trade date generally will be the date you selected for withdrawal of funds (redemption of shares) from your Vanguard account. Proceeds of redeemed shares generally will be credited to your designated bank account two business days after your trade date. If the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your Vanguard
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account falls on a weekend, holiday, or other nonbusiness day, your trade date generally will be the previous business day. For retirement accounts, if the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your Vanguard account falls on the last day of the year and if that date is a holiday, your trade date will be the first business day of the following year. Please note that if you designate the first of the month for automated withdrawals, trades designated for January 1 will receive the next business days trade date.
For redemptions by electronic bank transfer not using an Automatic Withdrawal Plan: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.
If your redemption request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. If we are unable to send your redemption proceeds by wire or electronic bank transfer because the receiving institution rejects the transfer, Vanguard will make additional efforts to complete your transaction. If Vanguard is still unable to complete the transaction, we may send the proceeds of the redemption to you by check, generally payable to all registered account owners, or use your proceeds to purchase new shares of the fund from which you sold shares for the purpose of the wire or electronic bank transfer transaction. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order.
For further information about redemption transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Other Redemption Rules You Should Know
Documentation for certain accounts. Special documentation may be required to redeem from certain types of accounts, such as trust, corporate, nonprofit, or retirement accounts. Please call us before attempting to redeem from these types of accounts.
Potentially disruptive redemptions. Vanguard reserves the right to pay all or part of a redemption in kindthat is, in the form of securitiesif we reasonably believe that a cash redemption would negatively affect the funds operation or performance or that the shareholder may be engaged in market-timing or frequent trading. Under these circumstances, Vanguard also reserves the right to delay payment of the redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. By calling us before you attempt to redeem a large dollar amount, you may avoid in-kind or delayed payment of your redemption. Please see Frequent-Trading Limitations for information about Vanguards policies to limit frequent trading.
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Recently purchased shares. Although you can redeem shares at any time, proceeds may not be made available to you until the fund collects payment for your purchase. This may take up to seven calendar days for shares purchased by check or by electronic bank transfer. If you have written a check on a fund with checkwriting privileges, that check may be rejected if your fund account does not have a sufficient available balance.
Address change. If you change your address online or by telephone, there may be up to a 14-day restriction on your ability to request check redemptions online and by telephone. You can request a redemption in writing at any time. Confirmations of address changes are sent to both the old and new addresses.
Payment to a different person or address. At your request, we can make your redemption check payable, or wire your redemption proceeds, to a different person or send it to a different address. However, this generally requires the written consent of all registered account owners and may require additional documentation, such as a signature guarantee or a notarized signature. You may obtain a signature guarantee from some commercial or savings banks, credit unions, trust companies, or member firms of a U.S. stock exchange.
No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any redemption request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a redemption request.
Emergency circumstances. Vanguard funds can postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. In addition, Vanguard funds can suspend redemptions and/or postpone payments of redemption proceeds beyond seven calendar days at times when the NYSE is closed or during emergency circumstances, as determined by the SEC.
Exchanging Shares
An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Vanguard fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Vanguard fund. You can make exchange requests online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Purchasing Shares and Redeeming Shares.
If the NYSE is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m., Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order for additional information on all transaction requests.
Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request.
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Call Vanguard before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.
Please note that Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See Frequent-Trading Limitations for additional restrictions on exchanges.
Frequent-Trading Limitations
Because excessive transactions can disrupt management of a fund and increase the funds costs for all shareholders, the board of trustees of each Vanguard fund places certain limits on frequent trading in the funds. Each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) limits an investors purchases or exchanges into a fund account for 30 calendar days after the investor has redeemed or exchanged out of that fund account. ETF Shares are not subject to these frequent-trading limits.
For Vanguard Retirement Investment Program pooled plans, the limitations apply to exchanges made online or by telephone.
These frequent-trading limitations do not apply to the following:
- Purchases of shares with reinvested dividend or capital gains distributions.
- Transactions through Vanguards Automatic Investment Plan, Automatic Exchange
Service, Direct Deposit Service, Automatic Withdrawal Plan, Required Minimum Distribution Service, and Vanguard Small Business Online®.
Discretionary transactions through Vanguard Asset Management Services, Vanguard Personal Advisor Services®, and Vanguard Institutional Advisory Services®.
- Redemptions of shares to pay fund or account fees.
- Redemptions of shares to remove excess shareholder contributions to certain
types of retirement accounts (including, but not limited to, IRAs, certain Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans).
Transaction requests submitted by mail to Vanguard from shareholders who hold their accounts directly with Vanguard or through a Vanguard brokerage account. (Transaction requests submitted by fax, if otherwise permitted, are subject to the limitations.)
- Transfers and reregistrations of shares within the same fund.
- Purchases of shares by asset transfer or direct rollover.
- Conversions of shares from one share class to another in the same fund.
- Checkwriting redemptions.
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- Section 529 college savings plans.
- Certain approved institutional portfolios and asset allocation programs, as well as
trades made by funds or trusts managed by Vanguard or its affiliates that invest in other Vanguard funds. (Please note that shareholders of Vanguards funds of funds are subject to the limitations.)
For participants in employer-sponsored defined contribution plans,* the frequent-trading limitations do not apply to:
Purchases of shares with participant payroll or employer contributions or loan repayments.
- Purchases of shares with reinvested dividend or capital gains distributions.
- Distributions, loans, and in-service withdrawals from a plan.
- Redemptions of shares as part of a plan termination or at the direction of the plan.
- Transactions executed through the Vanguard Managed Account Program.
- Redemptions of shares to pay fund or account fees.
- Share or asset transfers or rollovers.
- Reregistrations of shares.
- Conversions of shares from one share class to another in the same fund.
- Exchange requests submitted by written request to Vanguard. (Exchange requests
submitted by fax, if otherwise permitted, are subject to the limitations.)
* The following Vanguard fund accounts are subject to the frequent-trading limitations: SEP-IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, certain Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans.
Accounts Held by Institutions (Other Than Defined Contribution Plans)
Vanguard will systematically monitor for frequent trading in institutional clients accounts. If we detect suspicious trading activity, we will investigate and take appropriate action, which may include applying to a clients accounts the 30-day policy previously described, prohibiting a clients purchases of fund shares, and/or revoking the clients exchange privilege.
Accounts Held by Intermediaries
When intermediaries establish accounts in Vanguard funds for the benefit of their clients, we cannot always monitor the trading activity of the individual clients. However, we review trading activity at the intermediary (omnibus) level, and if we detect suspicious activity, we will investigate and take appropriate action. If necessary, Vanguard may prohibit additional purchases of fund shares by an intermediary, including for the benefit of certain of the intermediarys clients.
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Intermediaries also may monitor their clients trading activities with respect to Vanguard funds.
For those Vanguard funds that charge purchase and/or redemption fees, intermediaries will be asked to assess these fees on client accounts and remit these fees to the funds. The application of purchase and redemption fees and frequent-trading limitations may vary among intermediaries. There are no assurances that Vanguard will successfully identify all intermediaries or that intermediaries will properly assess purchase and redemption fees or administer frequent-trading limitations. If you invest with Vanguard through an intermediary, please read that firms materials carefully to learn of any other rules or fees that may apply.
Other Rules You Should Know
Prospectus and Shareholder Report Mailings
When two or more shareholders have the same last name and address, just one summary prospectus (or prospectus) and/or shareholder report may be sent in an attempt to eliminate the unnecessary expense of duplicate mailings. You may request individual prospectuses and reports by contacting our Client Services Department in writing, by telephone, or online. See Contacting Vanguard.
Vanguard.com
Registration. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can review your account holdings; buy, sell, or exchange shares of most Vanguard funds; and perform most other transactions through our website. You must register for this service online.
Electronic delivery. Vanguard can deliver your account statements, transaction confirmations, prospectuses, certain tax forms, and shareholder reports electronically. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can consent to the electronic delivery of these documents by logging on and changing your mailing preferences under Account Maintenance. You can revoke your electronic consent at any time through our website, and we will begin to send paper copies of these documents within 30 days of receiving your revocation.
Telephone Transactions
Automatic. When we set up your account, we will automatically enable you to do business with us by telephone, unless you instruct us otherwise in writing.
Tele-Account®. To obtain fund and account information through Vanguards automated telephone service, you must first establish a Personal Identification Number (PIN) by calling Tele-Account at 800-662-6273.
41
Proof of a callers authority. We reserve the right to refuse a telephone request if the caller is unable to provide the requested information or if we reasonably believe that the caller is not an individual authorized to act on the account. Before we allow a caller to act on an account, we may request the following information:
Authorization to act on the account (as the account owner or by legal documentation or other means).
- Account registration and address.
- Fund name and account number, if applicable.
- Other information relating to the caller, the account owner, or the account.
Good Order
We reserve the right to reject any transaction instructions that are not in good order. Good order generally means that your instructions:
Are provided by the person(s) authorized in accordance with Vanguards policies and procedures to access the account and request transactions.
- Include the fund name and account number.
- Include the amount of the transaction (stated in dollars, shares, or percentage).
Written instructions also must generally include:
- An original signature and date from the authorized person(s).
- Signature guarantees or notarized signatures, if required for the type of transaction.
(Call Vanguard for specific requirements.)
Any supporting documentation that may be required.
Written instructions are acceptable when a Vanguard form is not applicable. The requirements vary among types of accounts and transactions. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise the requirements for good order.
Future Trade-Date Requests
Vanguard does not accept requests to hold a purchase, conversion, redemption, or exchange transaction for a future date. All such requests will receive trade dates as previously described in Purchasing Shares, Converting Shares, Redeeming Shares, and
Exchanging Shares. Vanguard reserves the right to return future-dated purchase checks.
Accounts With More Than One Owner
If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, Vanguard generally will accept instructions from any one owner or authorized person.
42
Responsibility for Fraud
Vanguard will not be responsible for any account losses because of fraud if we reasonably believe that the person transacting business on an account is authorized to do so. Please take precautions to protect yourself from fraud. Keep your account information private, and immediately review any account statements or other information that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately about any transactions or changes to your account that you believe to be unauthorized.
Uncashed Checks
Please cash your distribution or redemption checks promptly. Vanguard will not pay interest on uncashed checks. Vanguard may be required to transfer assets related to uncashed checks to a state under the states abandoned property law.
Dormant Accounts
If your account has no activity in it for a period of time, Vanguard may be required to transfer it to a state under the states abandoned property law.
Unusual Circumstances
If you experience difficulty contacting Vanguard online or by telephone, you can send us your transaction request by regular or express mail. See Contacting Vanguard for addresses.
Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms
You may purchase or sell shares of most Vanguard funds through a financial intermediary, such as a bank, a broker, or an investment advisor. Please consult your financial intermediary to determine which, if any, shares are available through that firm and to learn about other rules that may apply. Your financial intermediary can provide you with account information and any required tax forms.
Please see Frequent-Trading LimitationsAccounts Held by Intermediaries for information about the assessment of any purchase or redemption fees and the monitoring of frequent trading for accounts held by intermediaries.
Low-Balance Accounts
Each Fund reserves the right to liquidate a fund account whose balance falls below the account minimum for any reason, including market fluctuation. This liquidation policy applies to nonretirement fund accounts and accounts that are held through intermediaries. Any such liquidation will be preceded by written notice to the investor.
43
Right to Change Policies
In addition to the rights expressly stated elsewhere in this prospectus, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to (1) alter, add, or discontinue any conditions of purchase (including eligibility requirements), redemption, exchange, conversion, service, or privilege at any time; (2) accept initial purchases by telephone; (3) freeze any account and/or suspend account services if Vanguard has received reasonable notice of a dispute regarding the assets in an account, including notice of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners, or if Vanguard reasonably believes a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred; (4) temporarily freeze any account and/or suspend account services upon initial notification to Vanguard of the death of the shareholder until Vanguard receives required documentation in good order; (5) alter, impose, discontinue, or waive any purchase fee, redemption fee, account service fee, or other fees charged to a group of shareholders; and (6) redeem an account or suspend account privileges, without the owners permission to do so, in cases of threatening conduct or activity Vanguard believes to be suspicious, fraudulent, or illegal. Changes may affect any or all investors. These actions will be taken when, at the sole discretion of Vanguard management, Vanguard reasonably believes they are in the best interest of a fund.
Share Classes
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class.
Fund and Account Updates
Confirmation Statements
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) a confirmation of your trade date and the amount of your transaction when you buy, sell, exchange, or convert shares. However, we will not send confirmations reflecting only checkwriting redemptions or the reinvestment of dividend or capital gains distributions. For any month in which you had a checkwriting redemption, a Checkwriting Activity Statement will be sent to you itemizing the checkwriting redemptions for that month. Promptly review each confirmation statement that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on a confirmation statement, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.
44
Portfolio Summaries
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) quarterly portfolio summaries to help you keep track of your accounts throughout the year. If you prefer, you may request to receive monthly portfolio summaries. Each summary shows the market value of your account at the close of the statement period, as well as all distributions, purchases, redemptions, exchanges, transfers, and conversions for the current calendar quarter (or month). Promptly review each summary that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on the summary, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.
Tax Information Statements
For most accounts, Vanguard (or your intermediary) is required to provide annual tax forms to assist you in preparing your income tax returns. These forms are generally available for each calendar year early in the following year. Registered users of vanguard.com can also view certain forms through our website. Vanguard (or your intermediary) may also provide you with additional tax-related documentation. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Annual and Semiannual Reports
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) reports about Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Funds twice a year, in April and October. These reports include overviews of the financial markets and provide the following specific Fund information:
- Performance assessments and comparisons with industry benchmarks.
- Financial statements with listings of Fund holdings.
Portfolio Holdings
Please consult the Funds Statement of Additional Information or our website for a description of the policies and procedures that govern disclosure of a Funds portfolio holdings.
45
Employer-Sponsored Plans
Your plan administrator or your employee benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan and how to elect a Fund as an investment option.
If you have any questions about a Fund or Vanguard, including those about a Funds investment objective, strategies, or risks, contact Vanguard Participant Services toll-free at 800-523-1188 or visit our website at vanguard.com.
If you have questions about your account, contact your plan administrator or the organization that provides recordkeeping services for your plan.
Be sure to carefully read each topic that pertains to your transactions with Vanguard.
Vanguard reserves the right to change its policies without notice to shareholders.
Transactions
Processing times for your transaction requests may differ among recordkeepers or among transaction and funding types. Your plans recordkeeper (which may also be Vanguard) will determine the necessary processing time frames for your transaction requests prior to submission to a Fund. Consult your recordkeeper or plan administrator for more information.
If Vanguard is serving as your plan recordkeeper and if your transaction involves one or more investments with an early cut-off time for processing or another trading restriction, your entire transaction will be subject to the restriction when the trade date for your transaction is determined.
46
| Contacting Vanguard | |
| Web | |
| Vanguard.com | For the most complete source of Vanguard news |
| For fund, account, and service information | |
| For most account transactions | |
| For literature requests | |
| 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | |
| Phone | |
| Vanguard Tele-Account® 800-662-6273 | For automated fund and account information |
| Toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | |
| Investor Information 800-662-7447 | For fund and service information |
| (Text telephone for people with hearing | For literature requests |
| impairment at 800-749-7273) | |
| Client Services 800-662-2739 | For account information |
| (Text telephone for people with hearing | For most account transactions |
| impairment at 800-749-7273) | |
| Participant Services 800-523-1188 | For information and services for participants in employer- |
| (Text telephone for people with hearing | sponsored plans |
| impairment at 800-749-7273) | |
| Institutional Division | For information and services for large institutional investors |
| 888-809-8102 | |
| Financial Advisor and Intermediary | For information and services for financial intermediaries |
| Sales Support 800-997-2798 | including financial advisors, broker-dealers, trust institutions, |
| and insurance companies | |
| Financial Advisory and Intermediary | For account information and trading support for financial |
| Trading Support 800-669-0498 | intermediaries including financial advisors, broker-dealers, |
| trust institutions, and insurance companies | |
47
Vanguard Addresses
Please be sure to use the correct address. Use of an incorrect address could delay the processing of your transaction.
| Regular Mail (Individuals) | The Vanguard Group | |||
| P.O. Box 1110 | ||||
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110 | ||||
| Regular Mail (Institutions, Intermediaries, and The Vanguard Group | ||||
| Employer-Sponsored Plan Participants) | P.O. Box 2900 | |||
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | ||||
| Registered, Express, or Overnight Mail | The Vanguard Group | |||
| 455 Devon Park Drive | ||||
| Wayne, PA 19087-1815 | ||||
| Additional Information | ||||
| Vanguard | ||||
| Newspaper | Fund | CUSIP | ||
| Inception Date | Abbreviation | Number | Number | |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | ||||
| Institutional Shares | 4/1/2011 | 600SmlCapIdxInst | 1845 | 921932810 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | ||||
| Institutional Shares | 11/19/2014 | 600SCValIdxInst | 1846 | 921932760 |
| (ETF Shares | ||||
| 9/7/2010) | ||||
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | ||||
| Institutional Shares | | 600SCGwthIdxInst | 1847 | 921932786 |
| (ETF Shares | ||||
| 9/7/2010) | ||||
48
CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute.
Morningstar data © 2016 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The information contained herein: (1) is proprietary to Morningstar and/or its content providers; (2) may not be copied or distributed; and (3) is not warranted to be accurate, complete or timely. Neither Morningstar nor its content providers are responsible for any damages or losses arising from any use of this information. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
The S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index (the Indexes) are products of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (SPDJI), and have been licensed for use by Vanguard. Standard & Poors® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC (S&P); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (Dow Jones); S&P® and S&P 500® are trademarks of S&P; and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by Vanguard. Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, or any of their respective affiliates (collectively, S&P Dow Jones Indices). S&P Dow Jones Indices make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund particularly or the ability of the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index to track general market performance. S&P Dow Jones Indices only relationship to Vanguard with respect to the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index is the licensing of the Indexes and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of S&P Dow Jones Indices and/or its licensors. The S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index are determined, composed and calculated by S&P Dow Jones Indices without regard to Vanguard or the Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation to take the needs of Vanguard or the owners of Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index. S&P Dow Jones Indices are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund are to be converted into cash, surrendered or redeemed, as the case may be. S&P Dow Jones Indices have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund. There is no assurance that investment products based on the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index will accurately track index performance or provide positive investment returns. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC is not an investment advisor. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by S&P Dow Jones Indices to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice.
S&P DOW JONES INDICES DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ADEQUACY, ACCURACY, TIMELINESS AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE INDEXES OR ANY DATA RELATED THERETO OR ANY COMMUNICATION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ORAL OR WRITTEN COMMUNICATION (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS) WITH RESPECT THERETO. S&P DOW JONES INDICES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO ANY DAMAGES OR LIABILITY FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR DELAYS THEREIN. S&P DOW JONES INDICES MAKE NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE OR AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY VANGUARD, OWNERS OF THE VANGUARD S&P SMALL-CAP 600 INDEX FUND, VANGUARD S&P SMALL-CAP 600 VALUE INDEX FUND, AND VANGUARD S&P SMALL-CAP 600 GROWTH INDEX FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE INDEXES OR WITH RESPECT TO ANY DATA RELATED THERETO. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT WHATSOEVER SHALL S&P DOW JONES INDICES BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS, TRADING LOSSES, LOST TIME OR GOODWILL, EVEN IF THEY HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR OTHERWISE. THERE ARE NO THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES OF ANY AGREEMENTS OR ARRANGEMENTS BETWEEN S&P DOW JONES INDICES AND VANGUARD, OTHER THAN THE LICENSORS OF S&P DOW JONES INDICES.
49
Glossary of Investment Terms
Active Management. An investment approach that seeks to exceed the average returns of a particular financial market or market segment. In selecting securities to buy and sell, active managers may rely on, among other things, research, market forecasts, quantitative models, and their own judgment and experience.
Capital Gains Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of gains realized on securities that a fund has sold at a profit, minus any realized losses.
Common Stock. A security representing ownership rights in a corporation.
Dividend Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of income from interest or dividends generated by a funds investments.
Expense Ratio. A funds total annual operating expenses expressed as a percentage of the funds average net assets. The expense ratio includes management and administrative expenses, but it does not include the transaction costs of buying and selling portfolio securities.
Inception Date. The date on which the assets of a fund (or one of its share classes) are first invested in accordance with the funds investment objective. For funds with a subscription period, the inception date is the day after that period ends. Investment performance is generally measured from the inception date.
Indexing. A low-cost investment strategy in which a mutual fund attempts to trackrather than outperforma specified market benchmark, or index.
Median Market Capitalization. An indicator of the size of companies in which a fund invests; the midpoint of market capitalization (market price x shares outstanding) of a funds stocks, weighted by the proportion of the funds assets invested in each stock. Stocks representing half of the funds assets have market capitalizations above the median, and the rest are below it.
Mutual Fund. An investment company that pools the money of many people and invests it in a variety of securities in an effort to achieve a specific objective over time.
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). A stock exchange based in New York City that is open for regular trading on business days, Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time. Net asset values (NAVs) are calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. In the rare event the NYSE experiences unanticipated trade disruptions and is unavailable at the close of the trading day, NAVs will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq (or another alternate exchange if the Nasdaq is unavailable), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time.
Securities. Stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and other investments.
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Total Return. A percentage change, over a specified time period, in a mutual funds net asset value, assuming the reinvestment of all distributions of dividends and capital gains.
Volatility. The fluctuations in value of a mutual fund or other security. The greater a funds volatility, the wider the fluctuations in its returns.
Yield. Income (interest or dividends) earned by an investment, expressed as a percentage of the investments price.
51
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| Institutional Division | |
| P.O. Box 2900 | |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
| Connect with Vanguard® > vanguard.com | |
| For More Information | If you are a client of Vanguards Institutional Division: |
| If you would like more information about Vanguard | The Vanguard Group |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Funds, the following | Institutional Investor Information Department |
| documents are available free upon request: | P.O. Box 2900 |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
| Annual/Semiannual Reports to Shareholders | |
| Telephone: 888-809-8102; Text telephone for people | |
| Additional information about the Funds investments is | |
| with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 | |
| available in the Funds annual and semiannual reports | |
| to shareholders. In the annual report, you will find a | If you are a current Vanguard shareholder and would |
| discussion of the market conditions and investment | like information about your account, account |
| strategies that significantly affected the Funds | transactions, and/or account statements, please call: |
| performance during their last fiscal year. | |
| Client Services Department | |
| Statement of Additional Information (SAI) | Telephone: 800-662-2739; Text telephone for people |
| The SAI provides more detailed information about the | with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 |
| Funds and is incorporated by reference into (and thus | |
| Information Provided by the Securities and | |
| legally a part of) this prospectus. | |
| Exchange Commission (SEC) | |
| To receive a free copy of the latest annual or | You can review and copy information about the Funds |
| semiannual report or the SAI, or to request additional | (including the SAI) at the SECs Public Reference Room |
| information about the Funds or other Vanguard funds, | in Washington, DC. To find out more about this public |
| please visit vanguard.com or contact us as follows: | service, call the SEC at 202-551-8090. Reports and |
| other information about the Funds are also available in | |
| If you are an individual investor: | |
| the EDGAR database on the SECs website at | |
| The Vanguard Group | |
| www.sec.gov, or you can receive copies of this | |
| Investor Information Department | |
| information, for a fee, by electronic request at the | |
| P.O. Box 2900 | |
| following email address: [email protected], or by | |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
| writing the Public Reference Section, Securities and | |
| Telephone: 800-662-7447; Text telephone for people | |
| Exchange Commission, Washington, DC 20549-1520. | |
| with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 | |
| Funds Investment Company Act file number: 811-07043 | |
| © 2016 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | |
| Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor. | |
| I 1845 122016 | |
| Vanguard Money Market Funds |
| Prospectus |
| December 23, 2016 |
| Investor Shares |
| Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund Investor Shares (VMMXX) |
| Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund Investor Shares (VMFXX) |
| Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund Investor Shares (VUSXX) |
| This prospectus contains financial data for the Funds through the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016. |
| The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or |
| passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense. |
| Contents | |||
| Vanguard Fund Summaries | Investing With Vanguard | 34 | |
| Prime Money Market Fund | 1 | Purchasing Shares | 34 |
| Federal Money Market Fund | 6 | Converting Shares | 37 |
| Treasury Money Market Fund | 11 | Redeeming Shares | 38 |
| Investing in Money Market Funds | 15 | Exchanging Shares | 42 |
| More on the Funds | 18 | Other Rules You Should Know | 43 |
| The Funds and Vanguard | 25 | Fund and Account Updates | 47 |
| Investment Advisor | 25 | Employer-Sponsored Plans | 49 |
| Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes | 26 | Contacting Vanguard | 50 |
| Share Price | 28 | Additional Information | 51 |
| Financial Highlights | 30 | Glossary of Investment Terms | 52 |
Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide current income while maintaining liquidity and a stable share price of $1.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000) | $20/year |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.13% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.03% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1 | 0.16% |
1 Vanguard and the Fund's board have voluntarily agreed to temporarily limit certain net operating expenses in excess of the Fund's daily yield so as to maintain a zero or positive yield for the Fund. Vanguard and the Fund's board may terminate the temporary expense limitation at any time.
1
Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $16 | $52 | $90 | $205 |
Principal Investment Policies
The Fund invests primarily in high-quality, short-term money market instruments, including certificates of deposit, banker’s acceptances, commercial paper, Eurodollar and Yankee obligations, and other money market securities. To be considered high quality, a security must be determined by Vanguard to present minimal credit risk based in part on a consideration of maturity, portfolio diversification, portfolio liquidity, and credit quality. The Fund invests more than 25% of its assets in securities issued by companies in the financial services industry. The Fund maintains a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less.
Principal Risks
The Fund is designed for investors with a low tolerance for risk; however, the Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:
• Income risk, which is the chance that the Fund’s income will decline because of falling interest rates. Because the Fund’s income is based on short-term interest rates—which can fluctuate significantly over short periods—income risk is expected to be high.
• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.
2
Credit risk, which is the chance that the issuer of a security will fail to pay interest or principal in a timely manner or that negative perceptions of the issuers ability to make such payments will cause the price of that security to decline. Credit risk should be very low for the Fund because it invests primarily in securities that are considered to be of high quality.
Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that there will be overall problems affecting a particular industry. Because the Fund invests more than 25% of its assets in securities issued by companies in the financial services industry, the Funds performance depends to a greater extent on the overall condition of that industry and is more susceptible to events affecting that industry.
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. The Fund may impose a fee upon sale of your shares or may temporarily suspend your ability to sell shares if the Funds liquidity falls below required minimums because of market conditions or other factors. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Funds sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Funds Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Investor Shares compare with those of a relevant market index and a comparative benchmark, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Returns for the Money Market Funds Average are derived from data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company. Keep in mind that the Funds past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
3
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund Investor Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 0.33%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 1.29% (quarter ended December 31, 2006), and the lowest return for a quarter was 0.00% (quarter ended March 31, 2014).
Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund Investor Shares | 0.05% | 0.03% | 1.34% |
| Comparative Benchmarks | |||
| Citigroup 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses) | 0.03% | 0.04% | 1.16% |
| Money Market Funds Average | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.07 |
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Manager
David R. Glocke, Principal of Vanguard and head of Vanguard’s Taxable Money Market Funds. He has managed the Fund since 2003.
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Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). When your trade is processed depends on the day and time Vanguard receives your request in good order and the manner in which it is submitted. Generally, trades placed after the close of business are processed during the next business day. The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Investor Shares is $3,000. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. The Fund is only available for purchase within accounts beneficially owned by natural persons. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
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Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide current income while maintaining liquidity and a stable share price of $1.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000) | $20/year |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.08% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.03% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1 | 0.11% |
1 Vanguard and the Fund's board have voluntarily agreed to temporarily limit certain net operating expenses in excess of the Fund's daily yield so as to maintain a zero or positive yield for the Fund. Vanguard and the Fund's board may terminate the temporary expense limitation at any time.
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Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $11 | $35 | $62 | $141 |
Principal Investment Policies
The Fund invests primarily in high-quality, short-term money market instruments. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s assets are invested in securities issued by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities. Although these securities are high-quality, most of the securities held by the Fund are neither guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury nor supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. To be considered high quality, a security must be determined by Vanguard to present minimal credit risk based in part on a consideration of maturity, portfolio diversification, portfolio liquidity, and credit quality. The Fund maintains a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less.
Under the new money market reforms, government money market funds are required to invest at least 99.5% of their total assets in cash, government securities, and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized solely by government securities or cash (collectively, government securities). The Fund generally invests 100% of its assets in government securities and therefore will satisfy the 99.5% requirement for designation as a government money market fund.
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Principal Risks
The Fund is designed for investors with a low tolerance for risk; however, the Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Funds performance:
Income risk, which is the chance that the Funds income will decline because of falling interest rates. Because the Funds income is based on short-term interest rateswhich can fluctuate significantly over short periodsincome risk is expected to be high.
Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.
Credit risk, which is the chance that the issuer of a security will fail to pay interest or principal in a timely manner or that negative perceptions of the issuers ability to make such payments will cause the price of that security to decline. Credit risk should be very low for the Fund because it invests primarily in securities that are considered to be of high quality.
You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Funds sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of a relevant market index and a comparative benchmark, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Returns for the U.S. Government Money Market Funds Average are derived from data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company. Keep in mind that the Funds past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
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Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund Investor Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 0.22%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 1.28% (quarter ended December 31, 2006), and the lowest return for a quarter was 0.00% (quarter ended March 31, 2014).
Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund Investor Shares | 0.04% | 0.02% | 1.27% |
| Comparative Benchmarks | |||
| Citigroup 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index | |||
| (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses) | 0.03% | 0.04% | 1.16% |
| U.S. Government Money Market Funds Average | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.03 |
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Manager
John C. Lanius, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has managed the Fund since 2007.
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Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). When your trade is processed depends on the day and time Vanguard receives your request in good order and the manner in which it is submitted. Generally, trades placed after the close of business are processed during the next business day. The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Investor Shares is $3,000. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. Institutional, financial intermediary, and Vanguard retail managed clients should contact Vanguard for information on special eligibility rules that may apply to them regarding Investor Shares. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
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Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund
Investment Objective
The Fund seeks to provide current income while maintaining liquidity and a stable share price of $1.
Fees and Expenses
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
| Shareholder Fees | |
| (Fees paid directly from your investment) | |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | None |
| Purchase Fee | None |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | None |
| Redemption Fee | None |
| Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000) | $20/year |
| Annual Fund Operating Expenses | |
| (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment) | |
| Management Fees | 0.07% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | None |
| Other Expenses | 0.02% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses1 | 0.09% |
1 Vanguard and the Fund's board have voluntarily agreed to temporarily limit certain net operating expenses in excess of the Fund's daily yield so as to maintain a zero or positive yield for the Fund. Vanguard and the Fund's board may terminate the temporary expense limitation at any time.
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Example
The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you invested $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
| 1 Year | 3 Years | 5 Years | 10 Years |
| $9 | $29 | $51 | $115 |
Principal Investment Policies
The Fund invests solely in high-quality, short-term money market securities whose interest and principal payments are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s assets will be invested in U.S. Treasury securities; the remainder of the assets may be invested in securities issued by U.S. governmental agencies. The Fund maintains a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less.
Under the new money market reforms, government money market funds are required to invest at least 99.5% of their total assets in cash, government securities, and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized solely by government securities or cash (collectively, government securities). The Fund generally invests 100% of its assets in government securities and therefore will satisfy the 99.5% requirement for designation as a government money market fund.
Principal Risks
The Fund is designed for investors with a low tolerance for risk; however, the Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:
• Income risk, which is the chance that the Fund’s income will decline because of falling interest rates. Because the Fund’s income is based on short-term interest rates—which can fluctuate significantly over short periods—income risk is expected to be high.
• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.
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You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor has no legal obligation to provide financial support to the Fund, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time.
Annual Total Returns
The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of a relevant market index and a comparative benchmark, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Returns for the iMoneyNet Money Fund Report‘s 100% Treasury Funds Average are derived from data provided by iMoneyNet, Inc.; returns for the U.S. Treasury Money Market Funds Average are derived from data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund Investor Shares1
1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on September 30, 2016, was 0.18%.
During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 1.25% (quarter ended December 31, 2006), and the lowest return for a quarter was 0.00% (quarter ended March 31, 2015).
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| Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2015 | |||
| 1 Year | 5 Years | 10 Years | |
| Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund Investor Shares | 0.02% | 0.02% | 1.17% |
| Comparative Benchmarks | |||
| iMoneyNet Money Fund Report's 100 percent Treasury Funds | |||
| Average | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.90% |
| U.S. Treasury Money Market Funds Average | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.92 |
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)
Portfolio Manager
David R. Glocke, Principal of Vanguard and head of Vanguards Taxable Money Market Funds. He has managed the Fund since 1997.
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). When your trade is processed depends on the day and time Vanguard receives your request in good order and the manner in which it is submitted. Generally, trades placed after the close of business are processed during the next business day. The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Investor Shares is $3,000. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. Institutional, financial intermediary, and Vanguard retail managed clients should contact Vanguard for information on special eligibility rules that may apply to them regarding Investor Shares. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan.
Tax Information
The Funds distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.
Payments to Financial Intermediaries
The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.
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Investing in Money Market Funds
What is Money Market Reform?
In July 2014, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) implemented a number of regulatory changes designed to enhance the stability and resilience of all money market funds. The reforms have created three categories of money market funds:
Retail money market funds, which may maintain a stable net asset value (NAV) but are subject to liquidity fees and redemption gates.
Government money market funds, which may maintain a stable NAV but are not required to implement liquidity fees and redemption gates.
Institutional money market funds, which are required to have a floating NAV and are subject to liquidity fees and redemption gates.
The boards of trustees of Vanguard Money Market Reserves and Vanguard Admiral Funds® (collectively, the Boards), in accordance with the best interest of the shareholders, approved a number of changes in response to the SECs 2014 amendments to the rules governing money market funds. The changesincluding the Boards ability to implement liquidity fees and redemption gates if Vanguard Prime Money Market Funds weekly liquid assets fall below established thresholdsbecame effective on October 14, 2016. As part of these changes, information regarding each Funds weekly liquid assets for the prior six months (by day, as of the close of business) is available on each Funds Portfolio page at vanguard.com.
How Does This Affect Vanguard Money Market Funds?
The money market fund reforms impact money market funds differently depending on the types of investors permitted to invest in the fund and the types of securities in which the fund may invest.
Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund
Vanguard has designated Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund as a retail money market fund.
Retail money market funds are defined as prime or tax-exempt money market funds that have policies and procedures reasonably designed to limit all beneficial owners of such money market funds to natural persons. Retail money market funds are permitted to continue to maintain a stable NAV through the use of amortized cost accounting. If a retail money market funds weekly assets fall below a certain threshold, retail money market funds are subject to fees and gates.
There are two types of liquidity fees: discretionary liquidity fees and default liquidity fees.
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Discretionary liquidity fee. The Fund may impose a liquidity fee of up to 2% on all redemptions in the event that the Funds weekly liquid assets fall below 30% of its total assets if the Board determines that it is in the best interest of the Fund. Once the Fund has restored its weekly liquidity assets to 30% of total assets, any liquidity fee must be suspended.
Default liquidity fee. The Fund is required to impose a liquidity fee of 1% on all redemptions in the event that the Funds weekly liquid assets fall below 10% of its total assets unless the Funds Board determines that (1) the fee is not in the best interest of the Fund or (2) a lesser/higher fee (up to 2%) is in the best interest of the Fund.
In addition to, or in lieu of, the liquidity fee, the Fund is permitted to implement temporarily a redemption gate (i.e., suspend redemptions) if the Funds weekly liquid assets fall below 30% of its total assets. The gate could remain in effect for no longer than 10 days in any 90-day period. Once the Fund has restored its weekly liquidity assets to 30% of total assets, the gate must be lifted.
If you redeem shares when the Fund has imposed a liquidity fee, then the amount you receive for your redemption will be reduced by the amount of the liquidity fee and will generally cause you to recognize a loss for tax purposes equal to the amount of that fee. Once the Fund imposes a redemption gate, then unprocessed orders to redeem will be canceled and the Fund will not accept redemption orders until the gate is no longer in effect. If you still wish to redeem once the gate is lifted, you will need to submit a new redemption request to the Fund or your financial intermediary.
Notices regarding liquidity fees or redemption gates will be filed with the SEC on Form N-CR. In addition, announcements will also be made in supplements to the Funds prospectus and on the Funds website.
Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund and Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund
Vanguard has designated Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund and Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund as government money market funds.
Under the new money market reforms, government money market funds are required to invest at least 99.5% of their total assets in cash, government securities, and/or repurchase agreements that are collateralized solely by government securities or cash (collectively, government securities). Both Funds generally invest 100% of their assets in government securities and therefore will satisfy the 99.5% requirement for designation as a government money market fund.
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Government money market funds can also maintain a stable $1.00 NAV through the use of amortized cost accounting and may, but are not required to, implement liquidity fees and redemption gates. Both Funds will continue to use amortized cost to transact at a stable $1.00 NAV.
The Boards have determined that the Vanguard government money market funds will not voluntarily implement the new liquidity fees or redemption gates.
Each Fund is subject to money market fund reform regulatory risk, which is the chance that 2014 SEC reforms will affect the Funds investment strategy, fees and expenses, portfolio, share liquidity, and return potential as a result of the implemented rules.
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More on the Funds
This prospectus describes the principal risks you would face as a Fund shareholder. It is important to keep in mind one of the main axioms of investing: generally, the higher the risk of losing money, the higher the potential reward. The reverse, also, is generally true: the lower the risk, the lower the potential reward. As you consider an investment in any mutual fund, you should take into account your personal tolerance for fluctuations in the securities markets. Look for this symbol throughout the prospectus. It is used to mark detailed information about the more significant risks that you would confront as a Fund shareholder. To highlight terms and concepts important to mutual fund investors, we have provided Plain Talk® explanations along the way. Reading the prospectus will help you decide whether a Fund is the right investment for you. We suggest that you keep this prospectus for future reference.
Share Class Overview
This prospectus offers the Funds Investor Shares. A separate prospectus offers the AdmiralTM Shares of Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund. Admiral Shares are generally for investors who invest a minimum of $5 million.
Both share classes offered by the Prime Money Market Fund have the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. However, different share classes have different expenses; as a result, their investment performances will differ.
Plain Talk About Costs of Investing
Costs are an important consideration in choosing a mutual fund. That is because you, as a shareholder, pay a proportionate share of the costs of operating a fund, plus any transaction costs incurred when the fund buys or sells securities. These costs can erode a substantial portion of the gross income or the capital appreciation a fund achieves. Even seemingly small differences in expenses can, over time, have a dramatic effect on a funds performance.
The following sections explain the investment policies that each Fund uses in pursuit of its objective. The Funds board of trustees, which oversees each Funds management, may change investment policies in the interest of shareholders without a shareholder vote, unless those policies are designated as fundamental. The Federal Money Market Fund and the Treasury Money Market Fund each generally invest 100% of their assets in government securities and therefore will satisfy the 99.5% requirement for designation as a government money market fund. The Federal Money Market Funds policy and the Treasury Money Market Funds policy of investing at least 99.5% of assets in government securities may be changed only upon 60 days notice to shareholders. The Federal Money Market Funds policy of investing at least 80% of its assets in securities issued by the U.S. government and its agencies and
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instrumentalities and the Treasury Money Market Funds policy of investing at least 80% of its assets in U.S. Treasury securities also may be changed only upon 60 days notice to shareholders.
Market Exposure
Each Funds primary policy is to invest in very high-quality money market instruments. Also known as cash equivalent investments, these instruments are considered short-term (i.e., they usually mature in 397 days or less). Each Fund maintains a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund invests more than 25% of its assets in securities issued by companies in the financial services industry.
Plain Talk About Money Market Instruments
The term money market instruments refers to a variety of short-term, liquid investments, usually with maturities of 397 days or less. Some common types are U.S. Treasury bills and notes, which are securities issued by the U.S. government; commercial paper, which is a promissory note issued by a large company or a financial firm; bankers acceptances, which are credit instruments guaranteed by banks; and negotiable certificates of deposit, which are promissory notes issued by banks in large denominations. Money market securities can pay fixed, variable, or floating rates of interest.
Each Fund is subject to income risk, which is the chance that the Funds income will decline because of falling interest rates. A funds income declines when interest rates fall because the fund then must invest new cash flow and cash from maturing instruments in lower-yielding instruments. Because each Funds income is based on short-term interest rateswhich can fluctuate significantly over short periodsincome risk is expected to be high.
A low interest rate environment could adversely affect each Funds return. Low interest rates could prevent the Fund from providing a positive yield and/or make it difficult to maintain a stable share price of $1.
Security Selection
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard), advisor to the Funds, selects high-quality money market instruments. Each Fund generally focuses on securities of a particular class of issuer (the U.S. government, U.S. governmental agencies, or nongovernmental issuers).
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Each Fund is subject to manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.
Plain Talk About Credit Quality
A money market instruments credit quality is an assessment of the issuers ability to pay interest and, ultimately, to repay the principal. The lower the credit quality, the greater the chancein Vanguards opinionthat the issuer will default, or fail to meet its payment obligations. Direct U.S. Treasury obligations, along with other securities backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, generally are determined to have the highest credit quality. All things being equal, money market instruments with greater credit risk offer higher yields.
The Prime Money Market Fund invests in high-quality commercial paper, U.S. Treasury and agency securities, certificates of deposit, bankers acceptances, and other money market securities. To be considered high quality, Vanguard determines the security presents minimal credit risk based in part on a consideration of maturity, portfolio diversification, portfolio liquidity, and credit quality. The Prime Money Market Fund also invests in short-term corporate, state, and municipal obligations that are considered high quality, as well as in securities that are considered suitable for the Federal Money Market Fund as described in this prospectus.
The Prime Money Market Fund is subject to industry concentration risk, which is the chance that the Funds performance will be significantly affected, for better or for worse, by developments in the financial services industry.
More than 25% of the Funds assets are invested in instruments issued by companies in the financial services industry, such as U.S. and foreign banks, insurance companies, real estate-related companies (i.e., companies having at least 50% of their assets, revenues, or net income related to, or derived from, the real estate industry), securities firms, leasing companies, and other companies principally engaged in providing financial services to consumers and industry. These investments include, among others, bank obligations, high-quality asset-backed securities, and securities issued by the automobile finance industry. Because of this concentration, changes in economic, regulatory, and political conditions that affect financial services companies could have a significant effect on the Fund. These conditions include changes in interest rates and defaults in payments by borrowers.
The Fund may also invest in Eurodollar and Yankee obligations, which include certificates of deposit issued in U.S. dollars by foreign banks and foreign branches of
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U.S. banks. Eurodollar and Yankee obligations have the same risks as U.S. money market instruments, such as income risk and credit risk. Additional risks of Eurodollar and Yankee obligations include the chance that a foreign government will not let U.S. dollar-denominated assets leave the country, the chance that the banks that issue Eurodollar obligations will not be subject to the same regulations as U.S. banks, and the chance that adverse political or economic developments will affect investments in a foreign country. Before the Funds advisor selects a Eurodollar or Yankee obligation, however, any foreign issuer undergoes the same credit-quality analysis and tests of financial strength as those for the issuers of domestic securities.
The Federal Money Market Fund invests primarily in securities issued by U.S. governmental agencies and instrumentalities whose interest and principal payments are neither guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury nor backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. These agencies and instrumentalities include, among others, the Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. The Fund also may invest in securities issued by U.S. governmental agencies and instrumentalities whose interest and principal payments are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, such as those issued by the U.S. Treasury and the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA).
The Treasury Money Market Fund invests solely in securities whose interest and principal payments are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. At least 80% of the Funds assets will be invested in U.S. Treasury securities. The remainder of the Funds assets may include securities issued by U.S. governmental agencies such as the GNMA, the Small Business Administration, and the Federal Financing Bank.
The market values of U.S. government and agency securities and U.S. Treasury securities are subject to fluctuation and the expectation that the U.S. Treasury will be able to honor its obligations.
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Plain Talk About U.S. Government-Sponsored Entities
A variety of U.S. government-sponsored entities (GSEs), such as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), and the Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs), issue debt and mortgage-backed securities. Although GSEs may be chartered or sponsored by acts of Congress, they are not funded by congressional appropriations. In September of 2008, the U.S. Treasury placed FNMA and FHLMC under conservatorship and appointed the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to manage their daily operations. In addition, the U.S. Treasury entered into purchase agreements with FNMA and FHLMC to provide them with capital in exchange for senior preferred stock. Generally, their securities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury and are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. In most cases, these securities are supported only by the credit of the GSE, standing alone. In some cases, a GSEs securities may be supported by the ability of the GSE to borrow from the U.S. Treasury or may be supported by the U.S. government in some other way. Securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA), however, are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
Each Fund is subject, to a limited extent, to credit risk, which is the chance that the issuer of a security will fail to pay interest or principal in a timely manner or that negative perceptions of the issuers ability to make such payments will cause the price of that security to decline.
The three Funds differ mainly in terms of credit risk. Overall, each Funds investments are in securities considered to be of high credit quality.
In relative terms, the Treasury Money Market Fund, which invests in securities backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, offers the lowest credit riskand generally the lowest yieldof the three Funds.
Because many of the securities included in the Federal Money Market Fund are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, the potential credit risk and yield for the Fund are somewhat higher than for the Treasury Money Market Fund.
Although the credit quality of the securities it invests in is very high, the Prime Money Market Fund faces more risk because it invests in money market securities issued by private companies. It is possible that one or more of these companies may experience financial difficulties and, as a result, may fail to pay interest to the Fund or to return the Funds principal when repayment is due. Therefore, the Prime Money Market Fund presents the highest credit riskand generally offers the highest yieldof the three Funds.
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Under certain circumstances, the exposure to a single issuer could cause the Prime Money Market Fund or the Federal Money Market Fund to fail to maintain a share price of $1.
Although each Fund invests in high-quality money market instruments, the three Funds are not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other agency of the U.S. government.
The Prime Money Market and Federal Money Market Funds each reserve the right to invest in repurchase agreements, which are subject to specific risks.
Plain Talk About Repurchase Agreements
Repurchase agreements are contracts in which a bank or securities dealer sells government securities and agrees to repurchase the securities on a specific date (normally the next business day) at a specific price.
Repurchase agreements carry several risks. For instance, if the seller is unable to repurchase the securities as promised, a Fund may experience a loss when trying to sell the securities to another buyer. Also, if the seller becomes insolvent, a bankruptcy court may determine that the securities do not belong to the Fund and order that the securities be used to pay off the sellers debts. The Funds advisor believes that these risks can be controlled through careful security and counterparty selection and monitoring.
Each Fund reserves the right to invest, to a limited extent, in adjustable-rate securities, which are a type of derivative.
An adjustable-rate securitys interest rate, as the name implies, is not set; instead, it fluctuates periodically. Generally, the securitys yield is based on a U.S. dollar-based interest-rate benchmark such as the federal funds rate, the 90-day U.S. Treasury bill rate, or the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR). Adjustable-rate securities reset their yields on a periodic basis (e.g., daily, weekly, or quarterly) or upon a change in the benchmark interest rate. These yields are closely correlated to changes in money market interest rates.
The Funds will not use derivatives for speculation or for the purpose of leveraging (magnifying) investment returns.
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Plain Talk About Derivatives
A derivative is a financial contract whose value is based on the value of a financial asset (such as a stock, a bond, or a currency), a money market benchmark (such as U.S. Treasury bill rates or the federal funds effective rate), a physical asset (such as gold, oil, or wheat), a market index (such as the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index), or a reference rate (such as LIBOR).
In addition, the Prime Money Market and Federal Money Market Funds may each invest up to 5% of its net assets in illiquid securities. These are securities that a Fund may not be able to sell within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the price at which they are valued.
Plain Talk About Weighted Average Maturity and Weighted Average Life
A money market fund will maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity (WAM) of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life (WAL) of 120 days or less. For purposes of calculating a funds WAM, the maturity of certain longer-term adjustable-rate securities held in the portfolio will generally be the period remaining until the next interest rate adjustment. When calculating its WAL, the maturity for these adjustable-rate securities will generally be the final maturity datethe date on which principal is expected to be returned in full. Maintaining a WAL of 120 days or less limits a funds ability to invest in longer-term adjustable-rate securities, which are generally more sensitive to changes in interest rates, particularly in volatile markets.
Cash Management
Each Funds daily cash balance may be invested in one or more Vanguard CMT Funds, which are very low-cost money market funds. When investing in a Vanguard CMT Fund, each Fund bears its proportionate share of the expenses of the CMT Fund in which it invests. Vanguard receives no additional revenue from Fund assets invested in a Vanguard CMT Fund.
Temporary Investment Measures
Each Fund may temporarily depart from its normal investment policies and strategiesfor instance, by allocating substantial assets to cash equivalent investmentsin response to adverse or unusual market, economic, political, or other conditions. In doing so, each Fund may succeed in avoiding losses but may otherwise fail to achieve its investment objective.
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Frequent Trading or Market-Timing
Vanguard anticipates that shareholders will purchase and sell shares of money market funds frequently because these funds are designed to offer investors a liquid investment. For this reason, the board of trustees of each Fund has determined that it is not necessary to adopt policies and procedures designed to detect and deter frequent trading and market-timing in the money market fund shares. For information on frequent-trading limits of other Vanguard funds, please see the appropriate funds prospectus.
The Funds and Vanguard
Each Fund is a member of The Vanguard Group, a family of more than 190 mutual funds holding assets of approximately $3.5 trillion. All of the funds that are members of The Vanguard Group (other than funds of funds) share in the expenses associated with administrative services and business operations, such as personnel, office space, and equipment.
Vanguard Marketing Corporation provides marketing services to the funds. Although shareholders do not pay sales commissions or 12b-1 distribution fees, each fund (other than a fund of funds) or each share class of a fund (in the case of a fund with multiple share classes) pays its allocated share of the Vanguard funds marketing costs.
Plain Talk About Vanguards Unique Corporate Structure
The Vanguard Group is truly a mutual mutual fund company. It is owned jointly by the funds it oversees and thus indirectly by the shareholders in those funds. Most other mutual funds are operated by management companies that may be owned by one person, by a private group of individuals, or by public investors who own the management companys stock. The management fees charged by these companies include a profit component over and above the companies cost of providing services. By contrast, Vanguard provides services to its member funds on an at-cost basis, with no profit component, which helps to keep the funds expenses low.
Investment Advisor
The Vanguard Group, Inc., P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482, which began operations in 1975, serves as advisor to the Funds through its Fixed Income Group. As of August 31, 2016, Vanguard served as advisor for approximately $2.9 trillion in assets. Vanguard provides investment advisory services to the Funds on an at-cost basis, subject to the supervision and oversight of the trustees and officers of the Funds.
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For the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, the advisory expenses represented an effective annual rate of less than 0.01% of each Funds average net assets.
For a discussion of why the board of trustees approved each Funds investment advisory arrangement, see the most recent annual report to shareholders covering the fiscal year ended August 31.
The managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Funds are:
David R. Glocke, Principal of Vanguard and head of Vanguards Taxable Money Market Funds. He has worked in investment management since 1991; has managed investment portfolios for Vanguard, including the Treasury Money Market Fund, since 1997; and has managed the Prime Money Market Fund since 2003. Education: B.S., University of Wisconsin.
John C. Lanius, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has been with Vanguard since 1996, has worked in investment management since 1997, has managed investment portfolios since 2004, and has managed the Federal Money Market Fund since 2007. Education: B.A., Middlebury College.
The Statement of Additional Information provides information about each portfolio managers compensation, other accounts under management, and ownership of shares of the Funds.
Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes
Fund Distributions
Each Fund distributes to shareholders virtually all of its net income (interest less expenses). Each Fund may also realize capital gains from the sale of its holdings and distribute these gains (net of losses) to shareholders as capital gains distributions. As a money market fund, the Funds distributions are expected to consist primarily of income dividends. The Funds income dividends generally are declared daily and distributed monthly. In addition, each Fund may occasionally make a supplemental distribution at some other time during the year.
You can receive distributions of income or capital gains in cash, or you can have them automatically reinvested in more shares of the Fund. However, if you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares.
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Basic Tax Points
Investors in taxable accounts should be aware of the following basic federal income tax points:
Distributions are taxable to you whether or not you reinvest these amounts in additional Fund shares.
Distributions declared in Decemberif paid to you by the end of Januaryare taxable as if received in December.
Any income dividend distribution or short-term capital gains distribution that you receive is taxable to you as ordinary income.
Any distribution of net long-term capital gains is taxable to you as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in the Fund. Because of the short-term nature of each Funds holdings, the Fund generally does not expect to make distributions of net long-term capital gains.
Any conversion between classes of shares of the same fund is a nontaxable event. By contrast, an exchange between classes of shares of different funds is a taxable event.
Vanguard (or your intermediary) will send you a statement each year showing the tax status of all of your distributions.
Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on net investment income. Net investment income takes into account distributions paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares.
Income dividends and capital gains distributions that you receive may be subject to state and local income taxes. Depending on your states rules, however, any dividends attributable to interest earned on direct obligations of the U.S. government may be exempt from state and local taxes. Vanguard will notify you each year how much, if any, of your dividends may qualify for this exemption.
This prospectus provides general tax information only. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply. Please consult your tax advisor for detailed information about any tax consequences for you.
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General Information
Backup withholding. By law, Vanguard must withhold 28% of any taxable distributions or redemptions from your account if you do not:
- Provide your correct taxpayer identification number.
- Certify that the taxpayer identification number is correct.
- Confirm that you are not subject to backup withholding.
Similarly, Vanguard (or your intermediary) must withhold taxes from your account if the IRS instructs us to do so.
Foreign investors. Vanguard funds offered for sale in the United States (Vanguard U.S. funds), including the Funds offered in this prospectus, are not widely available outside the United States. Non-U.S. investors should be aware that U.S. withholding and estate taxes and certain U.S. tax reporting requirements may apply to any investments in Vanguard U.S. funds. Foreign investors should visit the Non-U.S. Investors page on our website at vanguard.com for information on Vanguards non-U.S. products.
Invalid addresses. If an income dividend distribution or capital gains distribution check mailed to your address of record is returned as undeliverable, Vanguard will automatically reinvest the distribution and all future distributions until you provide us with a valid mailing address. Reinvestments will receive the net asset value calculated on the date of the reinvestment.
Share Price
Share price, also known as net asset value (NAV), is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. The NAV per share for the Federal Money Market and Treasury Money Market Funds is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, of each Fund by the number of Fund shares outstanding. Each share class of the Prime Money Market Fund has its own NAV, which is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to the share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. On U.S. holidays or other days when the NYSE is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Funds do not sell or redeem shares. However, on those days the value of a Funds assets may be affected to the extent that the Fund holds securities that change in value on those days (such as foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open).
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The instruments held by a Vanguard retail or government money market fund are valued on the basis of amortized cost. The values of any mutual fund shares held by a fund are based on the NAVs of the shares. The values of any ETF shares, institutional money market fund shares, or closed-end fund shares held by a fund are based on the market value of the shares.
Although the stable share price is not guaranteed, the NAV of Vanguard retail and government money market funds is expected to remain at $1 per share. Instruments are purchased and managed with that goal in mind.
Vanguard money market fund yields are available on our website at vanguard.com/prices.
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Financial Highlights
The following financial highlights tables are intended to help you understand each Funds financial performance for the periods shown, and certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in each table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost each period on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). This information has been obtained from the financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose reportalong with each Funds financial statementsis included in the Funds most recent annual report to shareholders. You may obtain a free copy of the latest annual or semiannual report by visiting vanguard.com or by contacting Vanguard by telephone or mail.
Plain Talk About How to Read the Financial Highlights Tables
This explanation uses the Prime Money Market Funds Investor Shares as an example. The Investor Shares began fiscal year 2016 with a net asset value (share price) of $1.00 per share. During the year, each Investor Share earned $0.0032 from investment income (interest). Shareholders received $0.0032 per share in the form of dividend distributions.
The earnings ($0.0032 per share) minus the distributions ($0.0032 per share) resulted in a share price of $1.00 at the end of the year. For a shareholder who reinvested the distributions in the purchase of more shares, the total return was 0.32% for the year.
As of August 31, 2016, the Investor Shares had approximately $100 billion in net assets. For the year, the expense ratio was 0.16% ($1.60 per $1,000 of net assets), and the net investment income amounted to 0.32% of average net assets.
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| Prime Money Market Fund Investor Shares | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | .0032 | .0002 | .0001 | .0002 | .0004 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | | | | | |
| Total from Investment Operations | .0032 | .0002 | .0001 | .0002 | .0004 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (.0032) | (.0002) | (.0001) | (.0002) | (.0004) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | (.0000)1 | | |
| Total Distributions | (.0032) | (.0002) | (.0001) | (.0002) | (.0004) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Total Return2 | 0.32% | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.02% | 0.04% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $100,210 $105,820 | $101,910 $102,160 | $90,212 | ||
| Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets | 0.16%3 | 0.15%3 | 0.14%3 | 0.16%3 | 0.16% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 0.32% | 0.02% | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.04% |
1 Distribution was less than $0.0001 per share.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown.
3 The ratio of total expenses to average net assets before an expense reduction was 0.16% for 2016, 0.16% for 2015, 0.16% for 2014, and 0.17% for 2013. For additional information, see Note B in the Notes to Financial Statements section of the Funds current annual report to shareholders dated August 31, 2016.
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| Federal Money Market Fund | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | .0022 | .0001 | .0001 | .0001 | .0001 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | | | | | |
| Total from Investment Operations | .0022 | .0001 | .0001 | .0001 | .0001 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (.0022) | (.0001) | (.0001) | (.0001) | (.0001) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | (.0000)1 | | |
| Total Distributions | (.0022) | (.0001) | (.0001) | (.0001) | (.0001) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Total Return2 | 0.23% | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $38,804 | $3,325 | $3,108 | $3,522 | $4,103 |
| Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets3 | 0.11% | 0.10% | 0.09% | 0.13% | 0.12% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 0.27% | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.01% |
1 Distribution was less than $0.0001 per share.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown.
3 The ratio of total expenses to average net assets before an expense reduction was 0.11% for 2016, 0.11% for 2015, 0.11% for 2014, 0.14% for 2013, and 0.16% for 2012. For additional information, see Note B in the Notes to Financial Statements section of the Funds current annual report to shareholders dated August 31, 2016.
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| Treasury Money Market Fund | |||||
| Year Ended August 31, | |||||
| For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 |
| Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Investment Operations | |||||
| Net Investment Income | .0017 | .0001 | .0001 | .0002 | .0001 |
| Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) | |||||
| on Investments | | | | | |
| Total from Investment Operations | .0017 | .0001 | .0001 | .0002 | .0001 |
| Distributions | |||||
| Dividends from Net Investment Income | (.0017) | (.0001) | (.0001) | (.0002) | (.0001) |
| Distributions from Realized Capital Gains | | | (.0000)1 | | |
| Total Distributions | (.0017) | (.0001) | (.0001) | (.0002) | (.0001) |
| Net Asset Value, End of Period | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
| Total Return2 | 0.17% | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.01% |
| Ratios/Supplemental Data | |||||
| Net Assets, End of Period (Millions) | $12,803 | $9,388 | $10,365 | $11,660 | $13,354 |
| Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets3 | 0.09% | 0.04% | 0.05% | 0.08% | 0.05% |
| Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average | |||||
| Net Assets | 0.18% | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.02% | 0.01% |
1 Distributions from realized capital gains were less than $0.0001 per share.
2 Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown.
3 The ratio of total expenses to average net assets before an expense reduction was 0.09% for 2016, 0.09% for 2015, 0.09% for 2014, 0.09% for 2013, and 0.10% for 2012. For additional information, see Note B in the Notes to Financial Statements section of the Funds current annual report to shareholders dated August 31, 2016.
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Investing With Vanguard
This section of the prospectus explains the basics of doing business with Vanguard. Vanguard fund shares can be held directly with Vanguard or indirectly through an intermediary, such as a bank, a broker, or an investment advisor. If you hold Vanguard fund shares directly with Vanguard, you should carefully read each topic within this section that pertains to your relationship with Vanguard. If you hold Vanguard fund shares indirectly through an intermediary (including shares held through a Vanguard brokerage account), please see Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms, and also refer to your account agreement with the intermediary for information about transacting in that account. If you hold Vanguard fund shares through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, please see Employer-Sponsored Plans. Vanguard reserves the right to change the following policies without notice. Please call or check online for current information. See Contacting Vanguard.
For Vanguard fund shares held directly with Vanguard, each fund you hold in an account is a separate fund account. For example, if you hold three funds in a nonretirement account titled in your own name, two funds in a nonretirement account titled jointly with your spouse, and one fund in an individual retirement account, you have six fund accountsand this is true even if you hold the same fund in multiple accounts. Note that each reference to you in this prospectus applies to any one or more registered account owners or persons authorized to transact on your account.
Purchasing Shares
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a fund account or to add to an existing fund account.
Investment minimums may differ for certain categories of investors.
Account Minimums for Investor Shares
To open and maintain an account. For the Prime Money Market and Federal Money Market Funds$3,000. For the Treasury Money Market Fund$50,000. For the Federal Money Market Fund and the Treasury Money Market Fund, institutional, financial intermediary, and Vanguard retail managed clients should contact Vanguard for information on special eligibility rules that may apply to them regarding Investor Shares.
To add to an existing account. Generally $1.
How to Initiate a Purchase Request
Be sure to check Exchanging Shares and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your purchase request.
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Online. You may open certain types of accounts, request a purchase of shares, and request an exchange through our website or our mobile application if you are registered for online access.
By telephone. You may call Vanguard to begin the account registration process or request that the account-opening forms be sent to you. You may also call Vanguard to request a purchase of shares in your account or to request an exchange. See
Contacting Vanguard.
By mail. You may send Vanguard your account registration form and check to open a new fund account. To add to an existing fund account, you may send your check with an Invest-by-Mail form (from a transaction confirmation or your account statement), with a deposit slip (available online), or with a written request. You may also send a written request to Vanguard to make an exchange. For a list of Vanguard addresses, see Contacting Vanguard.
How to Pay for a Purchase
By electronic bank transfer. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund through an electronic transfer of money from a bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer service on an account, you must designate the bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the service is set up on your account, you can purchase shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Investment Plan) or upon request. Your purchase request can be initiated online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail.
By wire. Wiring instructions vary for different types of purchases. Please call Vanguard for instructions and policies on purchasing shares by wire. See Contacting Vanguard.
By check. You may make initial or additional purchases to your fund account by sending a check or by utilizing our mobile application if you are registered for online access. Also see How to Initiate a Purchase Request. Make your check payable to Vanguard and include the appropriate fund number (e.g., Vanguardxx). For a list of Fund numbers (for Funds in this prospectus), see Additional Information.
By exchange. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See
Exchanging Shares.
Trade Date
The trade date for any purchase request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request, the manner in which you are paying, and the type of fund you are purchasing. Your purchase will be executed using the net
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asset value (NAV) as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open for trading (a business day).
For purchases by check into all funds other than money market funds and for purchases by exchange, wire, or electronic bank transfer (not using an Automatic Investment Plan) into all funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the same day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day.
For purchases by check into money market funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the second business day following the day Vanguard receives the purchase request. Because money market instruments must be purchased with federal funds and it takes a money market mutual fund one business day to convert check proceeds into federal funds, the trade date for the purchase will be one business day later than for other funds.
For purchases by electronic bank transfer using an Automatic Investment Plan: Your trade date generally will be the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your designated bank account. Your bank account generally will be debited on the business day after your trade date. If the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your bank account falls on a weekend, holiday, or other nonbusiness day, your trade date generally will be the previous business day. For retirement accounts, if the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your designated bank account falls on the last business day of the year, your trade date will be the first business day of the following year. Please note that if you select the first of the month for automated withdrawals from your designated bank account, trades designated for January 1 will receive the next business days trade date.
If your purchase request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order.
For further information about purchase transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
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Earning Dividends
You generally begin earning dividends on the business day following your trade date. When buying money market fund shares through a federal funds wire on a business day, however, you generally can begin earning dividends immediately by making a purchase request by telephone to Vanguard before 10:45 a.m., Eastern time (2 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund; 12:30 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund).
Other Purchase Rules You Should Know
Check purchases. All purchase checks must be written in U.S. dollars and must be drawn on a U.S. bank. Vanguard does not accept cash, travelers checks, or money orders. In addition, Vanguard may refuse starter checks and checks that are not made payable to Vanguard.
New accounts. We are required by law to obtain from you certain personal information that we will use to verify your identity. If you do not provide the information, we may not be able to open your account. If we are unable to verify your identity, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to close your account or take such other steps as we deem reasonable. Certain types of accounts may require additional documentation.
Refused or rejected purchase requests. Vanguard reserves the right to stop selling fund shares or to reject any purchase request at any time and without notice, including, but not limited to, purchases requested by exchange from another Vanguard fund. This also includes the right to reject any purchase request because the investor has a history of frequent trading or because the purchase may negatively affect a funds operation or performance.
Large purchases. Call Vanguard before attempting to invest a large dollar amount.
No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any purchase request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a purchase request.
Converting Shares
When a conversion occurs, you receive shares of one class in place of shares of another class of the same fund. At the time of conversion, the dollar value of the new shares you receive equals the dollar value of the old shares that were converted. In other words, the conversion has no effect on the value of your investment in the fund at the time of the conversion. However, the number of shares you own after the conversion may be greater than or less than the number of shares you owned before the conversion, depending on the NAVs of the two share classes.
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Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any self-directed conversion request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a conversion request.
A conversion between share classes of the same fund is a nontaxable event.
Trade Date
The trade date for any conversion request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request. Your conversion will be executed using the NAVs of the different share classes on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the NYSE is open for trading (a business day).
For a conversion request received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. For a conversion request received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day. See Other Rules You Should Know.
Conversions From Investor Shares to Admiral Shares
Self-directed conversions. If your account balance in the Fund is at least $5 million, you may ask Vanguard to convert your Investor Shares to Admiral Shares of the same Fund (if available). You may request a conversion through our website (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Contacting Vanguard.
Automatic conversions. Vanguard conducts periodic reviews of account balances and may, if your account balance in the Fund exceeds $5 million, automatically convert your Investor Shares to Admiral Shares. You will be notified before an automatic conversion occurs and will have an opportunity to instruct Vanguard not to effect the conversion.
Mandatory Conversions to Investor Shares
If an account no longer meets the balance requirements for Admiral Shares, Vanguard may automatically convert the shares in the account to Investor Shares. A decline in the account balance because of market movement may result in such a conversion. Vanguard will notify the investor in writing before any mandatory conversion occurs.
Redeeming Shares
How to Initiate a Redemption Request
Be sure to check Exchanging Shares and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your redemption request.
Online. You may request a redemption of shares or request an exchange through our website or our mobile application if you are registered for online access.
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By telephone. You may call Vanguard to request a redemption of shares or an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.
By mail. You may send a written request to Vanguard to redeem from a fund account or to make an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.
By writing a check. If you have established the checkwriting service on your account, you can redeem shares by writing a check for $250 or more.
How to Receive Redemption Proceeds
By electronic bank transfer. You may have the proceeds of a fund redemption sent directly to a designated bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer service on an account, you must designate a bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the service is set up on your account, you can redeem shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Withdrawal Plan) or upon request. Your redemption request can be initiated online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail.
By wire. To receive your proceeds by wire, you may instruct Vanguard to wire your redemption proceeds ($100 minimum) to a previously designated bank account. To establish the wire redemption service, you generally must designate a bank account online, complete a special form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form.
By exchange. You may have the proceeds of a Vanguard fund redemption invested directly in shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Exchanging Shares.
By check. If you have not chosen another redemption method, Vanguard will mail you a redemption check, generally payable to all registered account owners, normally within two business days of your trade date, and generally to the address of record.
Trade Date
The trade date for any redemption request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request and the manner in which you are redeeming. Your redemption will be executed using the NAV as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the NYSE is open for trading (a business day).
For redemptions by check, exchange, or wire: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.
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Note on timing of wire redemptions from money market funds: For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day before 10:45 a.m., Eastern time (2 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund; 12:30 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business the same day. For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day after those cut-off times, or on a nonbusiness day, and for all requests other than by telephone, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day.
Note on timing of wire redemptions from all other funds: For requests received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day. For requests received by Vanguard on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the second business day after Vanguard receives the request.
For redemptions by electronic bank transfer using an Automatic Withdrawal Plan: Your trade date generally will be the date you selected for withdrawal of funds (redemption of shares) from your Vanguard account. Proceeds of redeemed shares generally will be credited to your designated bank account two business days after your trade date. If the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your Vanguard account falls on a weekend, holiday, or other nonbusiness day, your trade date generally will be the previous business day. For retirement accounts, if the date you selected for withdrawal of funds from your Vanguard account falls on the last day of the year and if that date is a holiday, your trade date will be the first business day of the following year. Please note that if you designate the first of the month for automated withdrawals, trades designated for January 1 will receive the next business days trade date.
For redemptions by electronic bank transfer not using an Automatic Withdrawal Plan: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.
If your redemption request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. If we are unable to send your redemption proceeds by wire or electronic bank transfer because the receiving institution rejects the transfer, Vanguard will make additional efforts to complete your transaction. If Vanguard is still unable to complete the transaction, we may send the proceeds of the redemption to you by check, generally payable to all registered account owners, or use your proceeds to purchase new shares of the fund
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from which you sold shares for the purpose of the wire or electronic bank transfer transaction. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order.
For further information about redemption transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Earning Dividends
You generally will continue earning dividends until the first business day following your trade date. Generally, there are two exceptions to this rule: (1) If you redeem shares by writing a check against your account, the shares will stop earning dividends on the day that your check posts to your account; and (2) For money market funds, if you redeem shares with a same-day wire request before 10:45 a.m., Eastern time, on a business day (2 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund; 12:30 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund), the shares will stop earning dividends that same day.
Other Redemption Rules You Should Know
Documentation for certain accounts. Special documentation may be required to redeem from certain types of accounts, such as trust, corporate, nonprofit, or retirement accounts. Please call us before attempting to redeem from these types of accounts.
Potentially disruptive redemptions. Vanguard reserves the right to pay all or part of a redemption in kindthat is, in the form of securitiesif we reasonably believe that a cash redemption would negatively affect the funds operation or performance or that the shareholder may be engaged in market-timing or frequent trading. Under these circumstances, Vanguard also reserves the right to delay payment of the redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. By calling us before you attempt to redeem a large dollar amount, you may avoid in-kind or delayed payment of your redemption.
Recently purchased shares. Although you can redeem shares at any time, proceeds may not be made available to you until the fund collects payment for your purchase. This may take up to seven calendar days for shares purchased by check or by electronic bank transfer. If you have written a check on a fund with checkwriting privileges, that check may be rejected if your fund account does not have a sufficient available balance.
Share certificates. Share certificates are no longer issued for Vanguard funds. Shares currently held in certificates cannot be redeemed, exchanged, converted, or transferred (reregistered) until you return the certificates (unsigned) to Vanguard by registered mail. For the correct address, see Contacting Vanguard.
Address change. If you change your address online or by telephone, there may be up to a 14-day restriction on your ability to request check redemptions online and by
41
telephone. You can request a redemption in writing at any time. Confirmations of address changes are sent to both the old and new addresses.
Payment to a different person or address. At your request, we can make your redemption check payable, or wire your redemption proceeds, to a different person or send it to a different address. However, this generally requires the written consent of all registered account owners and may require additional documentation, such as a signature guarantee or a notarized signature. You may obtain a signature guarantee from some commercial or savings banks, credit unions, trust companies, or member firms of a U.S. stock exchange.
No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any redemption request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a redemption request.
Emergency circumstances. Vanguard funds can postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. In addition, Vanguard funds can suspend redemptions and/or postpone payments of redemption proceeds beyond seven calendar days at times when the NYSE is closed or during emergency circumstances, as determined by the SEC. In connection with a determination by the board of trustees, in accordance with Rule 22e-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, a money market fund may suspend redemptions and postpone payment of redemption proceeds in order to facilitate an orderly liquidation of the fund. In addition, in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, the board of trustees of a retail or institutional money market fund may implement liquidity fees and redemption gates if a retail or institutional money market funds weekly liquid assets fall below established thresholds.
Exchanging Shares
An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Vanguard fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Vanguard fund. You can make exchange requests online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Purchasing Shares and Redeeming Shares.
If the NYSE is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m., Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See Other Rules You Should KnowGood Order for additional information on all transaction requests.
Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request.
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Call Vanguard before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.
Please note that Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason.
Other Rules You Should Know
Prospectus and Shareholder Report Mailings
When two or more shareholders have the same last name and address, just one summary prospectus (or prospectus) and/or shareholder report may be sent in an attempt to eliminate the unnecessary expense of duplicate mailings. You may request individual prospectuses and reports by contacting our Client Services Department in writing, by telephone, or online. See Contacting Vanguard.
Vanguard.com
Registration. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can review your account holdings; buy, sell, or exchange shares of most Vanguard funds; and perform most other transactions through our website. You must register for this service online.
Electronic delivery. Vanguard can deliver your account statements, transaction confirmations, prospectuses, certain tax forms, and shareholder reports electronically. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can consent to the electronic delivery of these documents by logging on and changing your mailing preferences under Account Maintenance. You can revoke your electronic consent at any time through our website, and we will begin to send paper copies of these documents within 30 days of receiving your revocation.
Telephone Transactions
Automatic. When we set up your account, we will automatically enable you to do business with us by telephone, unless you instruct us otherwise in writing.
Tele-Account®. To obtain fund and account information through Vanguards automated telephone service, you must first establish a Personal Identification Number (PIN) by calling Tele-Account at 800-662-6273.
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Proof of a callers authority. We reserve the right to refuse a telephone request if the caller is unable to provide the requested information or if we reasonably believe that the caller is not an individual authorized to act on the account. Before we allow a caller to act on an account, we may request the following information:
Authorization to act on the account (as the account owner or by legal documentation or other means).
- Account registration and address.
- Fund name and account number, if applicable.
- Other information relating to the caller, the account owner, or the account.
Good Order
We reserve the right to reject any transaction instructions that are not in good order. Good order generally means that your instructions:
Are provided by the person(s) authorized in accordance with Vanguards policies and procedures to access the account and request transactions.
- Include the fund name and account number.
- Include the amount of the transaction (stated in dollars, shares, or percentage).
Written instructions also must generally include:
- An original signature and date from the authorized person(s).
- Signature guarantees or notarized signatures, if required for the type of transaction.
(Call Vanguard for specific requirements.)
Any supporting documentation that may be required. For Prime Money Market Fund, documentation may be required to confirm beneficial owner is a natural person.
Written instructions are acceptable when a Vanguard form is not applicable. The requirements vary among types of accounts and transactions. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise the requirements for good order.
Future Trade-Date Requests
Vanguard does not accept requests to hold a purchase, conversion, redemption, or exchange transaction for a future date. All such requests will receive trade dates as previously described in Purchasing Shares, Converting Shares, Redeeming Shares, and
Exchanging Shares. Vanguard reserves the right to return future-dated purchase checks.
Accounts With More Than One Owner
If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, Vanguard generally will accept instructions from any one owner or authorized person.
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Responsibility for Fraud
Vanguard will not be responsible for any account losses because of fraud if we reasonably believe that the person transacting business on an account is authorized to do so. Please take precautions to protect yourself from fraud. Keep your account information private, and immediately review any account statements or other information that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately about any transactions or changes to your account that you believe to be unauthorized.
Uncashed Checks
Please cash your distribution or redemption checks promptly. Vanguard will not pay interest on uncashed checks. Vanguard may be required to transfer assets related to uncashed checks to a state under the states abandoned property law.
Dormant Accounts
If your account has no activity in it for a period of time, Vanguard may be required to transfer it to a state under the states abandoned property law.
Unusual Circumstances
If you experience difficulty contacting Vanguard online or by telephone, you can send us your transaction request by regular or express mail. See Contacting Vanguard for addresses.
Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms
You may purchase or sell shares of most Vanguard funds through a financial intermediary, such as a bank, a broker, or an investment advisor. Please consult your financial intermediary to determine which, if any, shares are available through that firm and to learn about other rules that may apply. Your financial intermediary can provide you with account information and any required tax forms. Your financial intermediary will be responsible for taking reasonable actions to assist the retail or institutional money market fund to impose, lift, or modify liquidity fees or redemption gates.
Account Service Fee
Vanguard charges a $20 account service fee on fund accounts that have a balance below $10,000 for any reason, including market fluctuation. The account service fee applies to both retirement and nonretirement fund accounts and will be assessed on fund accounts in all Vanguard funds, regardless of the account minimum. The fee, which will be collected by redeeming fund shares in the amount of $20, will be deducted from a fund account only once per calendar year.
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If you register on vanguard.com and elect to receive electronic delivery of statements, reports, and other materials for all of your fund accounts, the account service fee for balances below $10,000 will not be charged, so long as that election remains in effect.
The account service fee also does not apply to the following:
Money market sweep accounts owned in connection with a Vanguard Brokerage Services® account.
- Accounts held through intermediaries.
- Accounts held by institutional clients.
- Accounts held by Voyager, Voyager Select, Flagship, and Flagship Select clients.
Eligibility is based on total household assets held at Vanguard, with a minimum of $50,000 to qualify for Vanguard Voyager Services®, $500,000 for Vanguard Voyager Select Services®, $1 million for Vanguard Flagship Services®, and $5 million for Vanguard Flagship Select Services. Vanguard determines eligibility by aggregating assets of all qualifying accounts held by the investor and immediate family members who reside at the same address. Aggregate assets include investments in Vanguard mutual funds, Vanguard ETFs®, certain annuities through Vanguard, the Vanguard 529 Plan, and certain small-business accounts. Assets in employer-sponsored retirement plans for which Vanguard provides recordkeeping services may be included in determining eligibility if the investor also has a personal account holding Vanguard mutual funds. Note that assets held in a Vanguard Brokerage Services account (other than Vanguard funds, including Vanguard ETFs) are not included when determining a households eligibility.
Participant accounts in employer-sponsored defined contribution plans.* Please consult your enrollment materials for the rules that apply to your account.
- Section 529 college savings plans.
- The following Vanguard fund accounts have alternative fee structures: SIMPLE IRAs,
certain Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts, Vanguard Retirement Investment Program pooled plans, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans.
Low-Balance Accounts
Each Fund reserves the right to liquidate a fund account whose balance falls below the account minimum for any reason, including market fluctuation. This liquidation policy applies to nonretirement fund accounts and accounts that are held through intermediaries. Any such liquidation will be preceded by written notice to the investor.
Right to Change Policies
In addition to the rights expressly stated elsewhere in this prospectus, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to (1) alter, add, or discontinue any conditions of
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purchase (including eligibility requirements), redemption, exchange, conversion, service, or privilege at any time; (2) accept initial purchases by telephone; (3) freeze any account and/or suspend account services if Vanguard has received reasonable notice of a dispute regarding the assets in an account, including notice of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners, or if Vanguard reasonably believes a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred; (4) temporarily freeze any account and/or suspend account services upon initial notification to Vanguard of the death of the shareholder until Vanguard receives required documentation in good order; (5) alter, impose, discontinue, or waive any purchase fee, redemption fee, account service fee, or other fees charged to a group of shareholders; and (6) redeem an account or suspend account privileges, without the owners permission to do so, in cases of threatening conduct or activity Vanguard believes to be suspicious, fraudulent, or illegal. Changes may affect any or all investors. These actions will be taken when, at the sole discretion of Vanguard management, Vanguard reasonably believes they are in the best interest of a fund.
Share Classes
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class.
Fund and Account Updates
Confirmation Statements
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) a confirmation of your trade date and the amount of your transaction when you buy, sell, exchange, or convert shares. However, we will not send confirmations reflecting only checkwriting redemptions or the reinvestment of dividend or capital gains distributions. For any month in which you had a checkwriting redemption, a Checkwriting Activity Statement will be sent to you itemizing the checkwriting redemptions for that month. Promptly review each confirmation statement that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on a confirmation statement, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.
Portfolio Summaries
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) quarterly portfolio summaries to help you keep track of your accounts throughout the year. If you prefer, you may request to receive monthly portfolio summaries. Each summary shows the market value of your account at the close of the statement period, as well as all distributions, purchases, redemptions, exchanges, transfers, and conversions for the
47
current calendar quarter (or month). Promptly review each summary that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on the summary, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.
Tax Information Statements
For most accounts, Vanguard (or your intermediary) is required to provide annual tax forms to assist you in preparing your income tax returns. These forms are generally available for each calendar year early in the following year. Registered users of vanguard.com can also view certain forms through our website. Vanguard (or your intermediary) may also provide you with additional tax-related documentation. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.
Annual and Semiannual Reports
We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) reports about Vanguard Money Market Funds twice a year, in April and October. These reports include overviews of the financial markets and provide the following specific Fund information:
- Performance assessments and comparisons with industry benchmarks.
- Reports from the advisor.
- Financial statements with listings of Fund holdings.
Portfolio Holdings
Please consult the Funds Statement of Additional Information or our website for a description of the policies and procedures that govern disclosure of a Funds portfolio holdings.
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Employer-Sponsored Plans
Your plan administrator or your employee benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan and how to elect a Fund as an investment option.
If you have any questions about a Fund or Vanguard, including those about a Funds investment objective, strategies, or risks, contact Vanguard Participant Services toll-free at 800-523-1188 or visit our website at vanguard.com.
If you have questions about your account, contact your plan administrator or the organization that provides recordkeeping services for your plan.
Be sure to carefully read each topic that pertains to your transactions with Vanguard.
Vanguard reserves the right to change its policies without notice to shareholders.
Transactions
Processing times for your transaction requests may differ among recordkeepers or among transaction and funding types. Your plans recordkeeper (which may also be Vanguard) will determine the necessary processing time frames for your transaction requests prior to submission to the Fund. Consult your recordkeeper or plan administrator for more information.
If Vanguard is serving as your plan recordkeeper and if your transaction involves one or more investments with an early cut-off time for processing or another trading restriction, your entire transaction will be subject to the restriction when the trade date for your transaction is determined.
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Contacting Vanguard Web Vanguard.com |
For the most complete source of Vanguard news For fund, account, and service information For most account transactions For literature requests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
Phone Vanguard Tele-Account® 800-662-6273 |
For automated fund and account information Toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week |
Investor Information 800-662-7447 (Text telephone for people with hearing impairment at 800-749-7273) Client Services 800-662-2739 (Text telephone for people with hearing impairment at 800-749-7273) Participant Services 800-523-1188 (Text telephone for people with hearing impairment at 800-749-7273) Institutional Division 888-809-8102 Financial Advisor and Intermediary Sales Support 800-997-2798 |
For fund and service information For literature requests For account information For most account transactions For information and services for participants in employer- sponsored plans For information and services for large institutional investors For information and services for financial intermediaries including financial advisors, broker-dealers, trust institutions, and insurance companies |
Financial Advisory and Intermediary Trading Support 800-669-0498 |
For account information and trading support for financial intermediaries including financial advisors, broker-dealers, trust institutions, and insurance companies |
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Vanguard Addresses
Please be sure to use the correct address. Use of an incorrect address could delay the processing of your transaction.
| Regular Mail (Individuals) | The Vanguard Group | ||||
| P.O. Box 1110 | |||||
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110 | |||||
| Regular Mail (Institutions, Intermediaries, and The Vanguard Group | |||||
| Employer-Sponsored Plan Participants) | P.O. Box 2900 | ||||
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |||||
| Registered, Express, or Overnight Mail | The Vanguard Group | ||||
| 455 Devon Park Drive | |||||
| Wayne, PA 19087-1815 | |||||
| Additional Information | |||||
| Inception | Newspaper | Vanguard | CUSIP | ||
| Date | Abbreviation | Fund Number | Number | ||
| Prime Money Market Fund | |||||
| Investor Shares | 6/4/1975 | VangPr | 30 | 922906201 | |
| Federal Money Market Fund | |||||
| Investor Shares | 7/13/1981 | VangFdl | 33 | 922906300 | |
| Treasury Money Market Fund | |||||
| Investor Shares | 12/14/1992 | VangUST | 11 | 921932109 | |
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Glossary of Investment Terms
Capital Gains Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of gains realized on securities that a fund has sold at a profit, minus any realized losses.
Cash Equivalent Investments. Cash deposits, short-term bank deposits, and money market instruments that include U.S. Treasury bills and notes, bank certificates of deposit (CDs), repurchase agreements, commercial paper, and bankers acceptances.
Citigroup 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index. An index that measures performance of short-term U.S. government debt securities.
Dividend Distribution. Payment to mutual fund shareholders of income from interest or dividends generated by a funds investments.
Expense Ratio. A funds total annual operating expenses expressed as a percentage of the funds average net assets. The expense ratio includes management and administrative expenses, but it does not include the transaction costs of buying and selling portfolio securities.
Inception Date. The date on which the assets of a fund (or one of its share classes) are first invested in accordance with the funds investment objective. For funds with a subscription period, the inception date is the day after that period ends. Investment performance is generally measured from the inception date.
Money Market Instruments. Short-term, liquid investments (usually with a maturity of 397 days or less) that include U.S. Treasury bills and notes, bank certificates of deposit (CDs), repurchase agreements, commercial paper, and bankers acceptances.
Mutual Fund. An investment company that pools the money of many people and invests it in a variety of securities in an effort to achieve a specific objective over time.
New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). A stock exchange based in New York City that is open for regular trading on business days, Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time. Net asset values (NAVs) are calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. In the rare event the NYSE experiences unanticipated trade disruptions and is unavailable at the close of the trading day, NAVs will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq (or another alternate exchange if the Nasdaq is unavailable), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time.
Principal. The face value of a debt instrument or the amount of money put into an investment.
Securities. Stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and other investments.
Stable Net Asset Value (NAV). A share price that maintains a consistent value (e.g., $1.00 or $100.00) using special pricing and valuation conventions.
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Total Return. A percentage change, over a specified time period, in a mutual funds net asset value, assuming the reinvestment of all distributions of dividends and capital gains.
Volatility. The fluctuations in value of a mutual fund or other security. The greater a funds volatility, the wider the fluctuations in its returns.
Yield. Income (interest or dividends) earned by an investment, expressed as a percentage of the investments price.
| P.O. Box 2600 | |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2600 | |
| Connect with Vanguard® > vanguard.com | |
| For More Information | If you are a participant in an employer-sponsored plan: |
| If you would like more information about Vanguard | The Vanguard Group |
| Money Market Funds, the following documents are | Participant Services |
| available free upon request: | P.O. Box 2900 |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2900 | |
| Annual/Semiannual Reports to Shareholders | Telephone: 800-523-1188; Text telephone for people |
| Additional information about the Funds investments is | with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 |
| available in the Funds annual and semiannual reports | |
| If you are a current Vanguard shareholder and would | |
| to shareholders. In the annual report, you will find a | |
| like information about your account, account | |
| discussion of the market conditions and investment | |
| transactions, and/or account statements, please call: | |
| policies that significantly affected the Funds | |
| performance during their last fiscal year. | Client Services Department |
| Telephone: 800-662-2739; Text telephone for people | |
| Statement of Additional Information (SAI) | with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 |
| The SAI provides more detailed information about | |
| Information Provided by the Securities and | |
| the Funds and is incorporated by reference into (and | |
| Exchange Commission (SEC) | |
| thus legally a part of) this prospectus. | |
| You can review and copy information about the Funds | |
| To receive a free copy of the latest annual or semiannual | (including the SAI) at the SECs Public Reference Room |
| report or the SAI, or to request additional information | in Washington, DC. To find out more about this public |
| about the Funds or other Vanguard funds, please visit | service, call the SEC at 202-551-8090. Reports and |
| vanguard.com or contact us as follows: | other information about the Funds are also available in |
| the EDGAR database on the SECs website at | |
| If you are an individual investor: | www.sec.gov, or you can receive copies of this |
| The Vanguard Group | information, for a fee, by electronic request at the |
| Investor Information Department | following email address: [email protected], or by |
| P.O. Box 2600 | writing the Public Reference Section, Securities and |
| Valley Forge, PA 19482-2600 | Exchange Commission, Washington, DC 20549-1520. |
| Telephone: 800-662-7447; Text telephone for people | |
| Funds Investment Company Act file number: Prime | |
| with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273 | |
| Money Market and Federal Money Market Funds: 811- | |
| 02554; Treasury Money Market Fund: 811-07043 | |
| © 2016 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | |
| Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor. | |
| P 030 122016 | |
PART B
VANGUARD ADMIRAL FUNDS®
Vanguard® S&P 500 Growth Index Fund, Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund (collectively, the Vanguard S&P Index Funds)
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
December 23, 2016
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus but should be read in conjunction with a Funds current prospectus (dated December 23, 2016). To obtain, without charge, a prospectus or the most recent Annual Report to Shareholders, which contains the Funds financial statements as hereby incorporated by reference, please contact The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard).
Phone: Investor Information Department at 800-662-7447 Online: vanguard.com
| TABLE OF CONTENTS | |
| Description of the Trust | B-1 |
| Fundamental Policies | B-3 |
| Investment Strategies, Risks, and Nonfundamental Policies | B-4 |
| Share Price | B-20 |
| Purchase and Redemption of Shares | B-21 |
| Management of the Funds | B-22 |
| Investment Advisory Services | B-39 |
| Portfolio Transactions | B-41 |
| Proxy Voting Guidelines | B-42 |
| Information About the ETF Share Class | B-48 |
| Financial Statements | B-56 |
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST
Vanguard Admiral Funds (the Trust) currently offers the following funds and share classes (identified by ticker symbol):
| Share Classes1 | |||
| Fund2 | Investor | Institutional | ETF |
| Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund 3 | VUSXX | | |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | | VSPGX | VOOG |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund | | VSPVX | VOOV |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | | VSPMX | IVOO |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | | VMFGX | IVOG |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | | VMFVX | IVOV |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | | VSMSX | VIOO |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | | VSGNX | VIOG |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | | VSMVX | VIOV |
| 1 Individually, a class; collectively, the classes. | |||
| 2 Individually, a Fund; collectively, the Funds. | |||
| 3 Formerly known as Vanguard Admiral Treasury Money Market Fund. |
B-1
This Statement of Additional Information relates only to the Vanguard S&P Index Funds. A separate Statement of Additional Information (dated December 23, 2016) relates to Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund and can be obtained free of charge by contacting Vanguard (800-662-7447). The Trust has the ability to offer additional funds or classes of shares. There is no limit on the number of full and fractional shares that may be issued for a single fund or class of shares.
Organization
The Trust was organized as a Maryland corporation in 1992 and was reorganized as a Delaware statutory trust in 1998. The Trust is registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act) as an open-end management investment company. All Funds within the Trust are classified as diversified within the meaning of the 1940 Act.
Service Providers
Custodian. JPMorgan Chase Bank, 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-2070, serves as the Funds custodian. The custodian is responsible for maintaining the Funds assets, keeping all necessary accounts and records of Fund assets, and appointing any foreign sub-custodians or foreign securities depositories.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, Suite 1800, 2001 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7042, serves as the Funds independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm audits the Funds annual financial statements and provides other related services.
Transfer and Dividend-Paying Agent. The Funds transfer agent and dividend-paying agent is Vanguard, P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482.
Characteristics of the Funds Shares
Restrictions on Holding or Disposing of Shares. There are no restrictions on the right of shareholders to retain or dispose of a Funds shares, other than those described in the Funds current prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information. Each Fund or class may be terminated by reorganization into another mutual fund or class or by liquidation and distribution of the assets of the Fund or class. Unless terminated by reorganization or liquidation, each Fund and share class will continue indefinitely.
Shareholder Liability. The Trust is organized under Delaware law, which provides that shareholders of a statutory trust are entitled to the same limitations of personal liability as shareholders of a corporation organized under Delaware law. This means that a shareholder of a Fund generally will not be personally liable for payment of the Funds debts. Some state courts, however, may not apply Delaware law on this point. We believe that the possibility of such a situation arising is remote.
Dividend Rights. The shareholders of each class of a Fund are entitled to receive any dividends or other distributions declared by the Fund for each such class. No shares of a Fund have priority or preference over any other shares of the Fund with respect to distributions. Distributions will be made from the assets of the Fund and will be paid ratably to all shareholders of a particular class according to the number of shares of the class held by shareholders on the record date. The amount of dividends per share may vary between separate share classes of the Fund based upon differences in the net asset values of the different classes and differences in the way that expenses are allocated between share classes pursuant to a multiple class plan approved by the Funds board of trustees.
Voting Rights. Shareholders are entitled to vote on a matter if (1) the matter concerns an amendment to the Declaration of Trust that would adversely affect to a material degree the rights and preferences of the shares of a Fund or any class; (2) the trustees determine that it is necessary or desirable to obtain a shareholder vote; (3) a merger or consolidation, share conversion, share exchange, or sale of assets is proposed and a shareholder vote is required by the 1940 Act to approve the transaction; or (4) a shareholder vote is required under the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires a shareholder vote under various circumstances, including to elect or remove trustees upon the written request of shareholders representing 10% or more of a Funds net assets, to change any fundamental policy of a Fund (please see Fundamental Policies), and to enter into certain merger transactions. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, shareholders of a Fund receive one vote for each dollar of net asset value owned on the record date and a fractional vote for each fractional
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dollar of net asset value owned on the record date. However, only the shares of the Fund or class affected by a particular matter are entitled to vote on that matter. In addition, each class has exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that relates solely to that class, and each class has separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of another. Voting rights are noncumulative and cannot be modified without a majority vote by the shareholders.
Liquidation Rights. In the event that a Fund is liquidated, shareholders will be entitled to receive a pro rata share of the Funds net assets. In the event that a class of shares is liquidated, shareholders of that class will be entitled to receive a pro rata share of the Funds net assets that are allocated to that class. Shareholders may receive cash, securities, or a combination of the two.
Preemptive Rights. There are no preemptive rights associated with the Funds shares.
Conversion Rights. Fund shareholders may convert their shares into another class of shares of the same Fund upon the satisfaction of any then-applicable eligibility requirements as described in the Funds current prospectus. ETF Shares cannot be converted into conventional shares of a fund. For additional information about the conversion rights applicable to ETF Shares, please see Information About the ETF Share Class.
Redemption Provisions. Each Funds redemption provisions are described in its current prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information.
Sinking Fund Provisions. The Funds have no sinking fund provisions.
Calls or Assessment. Each Funds shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
Tax Status of the Funds
Each Fund expects to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the IRC). This special tax status means that the Fund will not be liable for federal tax on income and capital gains distributed to shareholders. In order to preserve its tax status, each Fund must comply with certain requirements. If a Fund fails to meet these requirements in any taxable year, the Fund will, in some cases, be able to cure such failure, including by paying a fund-level tax, paying interest, making additional distributions, or disposing of certain assets. If the Fund is ineligible to or otherwise does not cure such failure for any year, it will be subject to tax on its taxable income at corporate rates, and all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. In addition, a Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make substantial distributions before regaining its tax status as a regulated investment company.
Dividends received and distributed by each Fund on shares of stock of domestic corporations and certain foreign corporations generally may be eligible to be reported by the Fund, and treated by individual shareholders, as qualified dividend income taxed at long-term capital gain rates instead of at higher ordinary income tax rates. Individuals must satisfy holding period and other requirements in order to be eligible for such treatment. Capital gains distributed by the Funds are not eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income.
Dividends received and distributed by each Fund on shares of stock of domestic corporations may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction applicable to corporate shareholders. Corporations must satisfy certain requirements in order to claim the deduction. Capital gains distributed by the Funds are not eligible for the dividends-received deduction.
Each Fund may declare a capital gain dividend consisting of the excess (if any) of net realized long-term capital gains over net realized short-term capital losses. Net capital gains for a fiscal year are computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforwards of the Fund. For Fund fiscal years beginning on or after December 22, 2010, capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely and retain their character as either short-term or long-term. Under prior law, net capital losses could be carried forward for eight tax years and were treated as short-term capital losses. A Fund is required to use capital losses arising in fiscal years beginning on or after December 22, 2010, before using capital losses arising in fiscal years beginning prior to December 22, 2010.
FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES
Each Fund is subject to the following fundamental investment policies, which cannot be changed in any material way without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Funds shares. For these purposes, a majority of shares means
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shares representing the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the Funds net assets voted, so long as shares representing more than 50% of the Funds net assets are present or represented by proxy or (2) more than 50% of the Funds net assets.
Borrowing. Each Fund may borrow money only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Commodities. Each Fund may invest in commodities only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Industry Concentration. Each Fund will not concentrate its investments in the securities of issuers whose principal business activities are in the same industry, except as may be necessary to approximate the composition of its target index.
Loans. Each Fund may make loans to another person only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Real Estate. Each Fund may not invest directly in real estate unless it is acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments (1) issued by companies that invest, deal, or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or (2) backed or secured by real estate or interests in real estate.
Senior Securities. Each Fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Underwriting. Each Fund may not act as an underwriter of another issuers securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 (the 1933 Act), in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
Compliance with the fundamental policies previously described is generally measured at the time the securities are purchased. Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act (as is the case with borrowing), if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time the investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market value of assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction. All fundamental policies must comply with applicable regulatory requirements. For more details, see Investment Strategies, Risks, and Nonfundamental Policies.
None of these policies prevents the Funds from having an ownership interest in Vanguard. As a part owner of Vanguard, each Fund may own securities issued by Vanguard, make loans to Vanguard, and contribute to Vanguards costs or other financial requirements. See Management of the Funds for more information.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, RISKS, AND NONFUNDAMENTAL POLICIES
Some of the investment strategies and policies described on the following pages and in each Funds prospectus set forth percentage limitations on a Funds investment in, or holdings of, certain securities or other assets. Unless otherwise required by law, compliance with these strategies and policies will be determined immediately after the acquisition of such securities or assets by the Fund. Subsequent changes in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with the Funds investment strategies and policies.
The following investment strategies, risks, and policies supplement each Funds investment strategies, risks, and policies set forth in the prospectus. With respect to the different investments discussed as follows, a Fund may acquire such investments to the extent consistent with its investment strategies and policies.
Borrowing. A funds ability to borrow money is limited by its investment policies and limitations; by the 1940 Act; and by applicable exemptions, no-action letters, interpretations, and other pronouncements issued from time to time by the SEC and its staff or any other regulatory authority with jurisdiction. Under the 1940 Act, a fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the funds total assets made for temporary or emergency purposes. Any borrowings for temporary purposes in excess of 5% of the funds total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or for other reasons, a fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days (excluding Sundays and holidays) to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.
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Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of a funds portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased with the proceeds of such borrowing. A fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
The SEC takes the position that transactions that have a leveraging effect on the capital structure of a fund or are economically equivalent to borrowing can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing by the fund for purposes of the 1940 Act. These transactions can include entering into reverse repurchase agreements; engaging in mortgage-dollar-roll transactions; selling securities short (other than short sales against-the-box); buying and selling certain derivatives (such as futures contracts); selling (or writing) put and call options; engaging in sale-buybacks; entering into firm-commitment and standby-commitment agreements; engaging in when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward-commitment transactions; and participating in other similar trading practices. (Additional discussion about a number of these transactions can be found on the following pages.) A borrowing transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund maintains an offsetting financial position; segregates liquid assets (with such liquidity determined by the advisor in accordance with procedures established by the board of trustees) equal (as determined on a daily mark-to-market basis) in value to the funds potential economic exposure under the borrowing transaction; or otherwise covers the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC guidance (collectively, covers the transaction). A fund may have to buy or sell a security at a disadvantageous time or price in order to cover a borrowing transaction. In addition, segregated assets may not be available to satisfy redemptions or to fulfill other obligations.
Common Stock. Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. Common stock typically entitles the owner to vote on the election of directors and other important matters, as well as to receive dividends on such stock. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds, other debt holders, and owners of preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock.
Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are hybrid securities that combine the investment characteristics of bonds and common stocks. Convertible securities typically consist of debt securities or preferred stock that may be converted (on a voluntary or mandatory basis) within a specified period of time (normally for the entire life of the security) into a certain amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer at a predetermined price. Convertible securities also include debt securities with warrants or common stock attached and derivatives combining the features of debt securities and equity securities. Other convertible securities with features and risks not specifically referred to herein may become available in the future. Convertible securities involve risks similar to those of both fixed income and equity securities. In a corporations capital structure, convertible securities are senior to common stock but are usually subordinated to senior debt obligations of the issuer.
The market value of a convertible security is a function of its investment value and its conversion value. A securitys investment value represents the value of the security without its conversion feature (i.e., a nonconvertible debt security). The investment value may be determined by reference to its credit quality and the current value of its yield to maturity or probable call date. At any given time, investment value is dependent upon such factors as the general level of interest rates, the yield of similar nonconvertible securities, the financial strength of the issuer, and the seniority of the security in the issuers capital structure. A securitys conversion value is determined by multiplying the number of shares the holder is entitled to receive upon conversion or exchange by the current price of the underlying security. If the conversion value of a convertible security is significantly below its investment value, the convertible security will trade like nonconvertible debt or preferred stock and its market value will not be influenced greatly by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. In that circumstance, the convertible security takes on the characteristics of a bond, and its price moves in the opposite direction from interest rates. Conversely, if the conversion value of a convertible security is near or above its investment value, the market value of the convertible security will be more heavily influenced by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. In that case, the convertible securitys price may be as volatile as that of common stock. Because both interest rates and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security generally is not as sensitive to interest rates as a similar debt security, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying equity security. Convertible securities are often rated below investment grade or are not rated, and they are generally subject to a high degree of credit risk.
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Although all markets are prone to change over time, the generally high rate at which convertible securities are retired (through mandatory or scheduled conversions by issuers or through voluntary redemptions by holders) and replaced with newly issued convertible securities may cause the convertible securities market to change more rapidly than other markets. For example, a concentration of available convertible securities in a few economic sectors could elevate the sensitivity of the convertible securities market to the volatility of the equity markets and to the specific risks of those sectors. Moreover, convertible securities with innovative structures, such as mandatory-conversion securities and equity-linked securities, have increased the sensitivity of the convertible securities market to the volatility of the equity markets and to the special risks of those innovations, which may include risks different from, and possibly greater than, those associated with traditional convertible securities. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price set in the governing instrument of the convertible security. If a convertible security held by a fund is subject to such redemption option and is called for redemption, the fund must allow the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell the security to a third party.
Cybersecurity Risks. The increased use of technology to conduct business could subject a fund and its third-party service providers (including, but not limited to, investment advisors and custodians) to risks associated with cybersecurity. In general, a cybersecurity incident can occur as a result of a deliberate attack designed to gain unauthorized access to digital systems. If the attack is successful, an unauthorized person or persons could misappropriate assets or sensitive information, corrupt data, or cause operational disruption. A cybersecurity incident could also occur unintentionally if, for example, an authorized person inadvertently released proprietary or confidential information. Vanguard has developed robust technological safeguards and business continuity plans to prevent, or reduce the impact of, potential cybersecurity incidents. Additionally, Vanguard has a process for assessing the information security and/or cybersecurity programs implemented by a funds third-party service providers, which helps minimize the risk of potential incidents. Despite these measures, a cybersecurity incident still has the potential to disrupt business operations, which could negatively impact a fund and/or its shareholders. Some examples of negative impacts that could occur as a result of a cybersecurity incident include, but are not limited to, the following: a fund may be unable to calculate its net asset value (NAV), a funds shareholders may be unable to transact business, a fund may be unable to process transactions on behalf of its shareholders, or a fund may be unable to safeguard its data or the personal information of its shareholders.
Depositary Receipts. Depositary receipts (also sold as participatory notes) are securities that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities that have been deposited with a depository. Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored and include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), European Depositary Receipts (EDRs), and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs). For ADRs, the depository is typically a U.S. financial institution, and the underlying securities are issued by a foreign issuer. For other depositary receipts, the depository may be a foreign or a U.S. entity, and the underlying securities may have a foreign or a U.S. issuer. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities. Generally, ADRs are issued in registered form, denominated in U.S. dollars, and designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. Other depositary receipts, such as GDRs and EDRs, may be issued in bearer form and denominated in other currencies, and they are generally designed for use in securities markets outside the United States. Although the two types of depositary receipt facilities (sponsored and unsponsored) are similar, there are differences regarding a holders rights and obligations and the practices of market participants.
A depository may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by (or acquiescence of) the underlying issuer; typically, however, the depository requests a letter of nonobjection from the underlying issuer prior to establishing the facility. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the facility. The depository usually charges fees upon the deposit and withdrawal of the underlying securities, the conversion of dividends into U.S. dollars or other currency, the disposition of noncash distributions, and the performance of other services. The depository of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the underlying issuer or to pass through voting rights to depositary receipt holders with respect to the underlying securities.
Sponsored depositary receipt facilities are created in generally the same manner as unsponsored facilities, except that sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depository and the underlying issuer through a deposit agreement. The deposit agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities of the underlying issuer, the depository, and the depositary receipt holders. With sponsored facilities, the underlying issuer typically bears some of the costs of the depositary receipts (such as dividend payment fees of the depository), although most sponsored depositary receipt holders may bear costs such as deposit and withdrawal fees. Depositories of most sponsored depositary receipts agree
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to distribute notices of shareholder meetings, voting instructions, and other shareholder communications and information to the depositary receipt holders at the underlying issuers request.
For purposes of a funds investment policies, investments in depositary receipts will be deemed to be investments in the underlying securities. Thus, a depositary receipt representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock. Depositary receipts do not eliminate all of the risks associated with directly investing in the securities of foreign issuers.
Derivatives. A derivative is a financial instrument that has a value based onor derived fromthe values of other assets, reference rates, or indexes. Derivatives may relate to a wide variety of underlying references, such as commodities, stocks, bonds, interest rates, currency exchange rates, and related indexes. Derivatives include futures contracts and options on futures contracts, certain forward-commitment transactions, options on securities, caps, floors, collars, swap agreements, and certain other financial instruments. Some derivatives, such as futures contracts and certain options, are traded on U.S. commodity and securities exchanges, while other derivatives, such as swap agreements, may be privately negotiated and entered into in the over-the-counter market (OTC Derivatives) or may be cleared through a clearinghouse (Cleared Derivatives) and traded on an exchange or swap execution facility. As a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act), certain swap agreements, such as certain standardized credit default and interest rate swap agreements, must be cleared through a clearinghouse and traded on an exchange or swap execution facility. This could result in an increase in the overall costs of such transactions. While the intent of derivatives regulatory reform is to mitigate risks associated with derivatives markets, the new regulations could, among other things, increase liquidity and decrease pricing for more standardized products while decreasing liquidity and increasing pricing for less standardized products. The risks associated with the use of derivatives are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities or assets on which the derivatives are based.
Derivatives are used by some investors for speculative purposes. Derivatives also may be used for a variety of purposes that do not constitute speculation, such as hedging, managing risk, seeking to stay fully invested, seeking to reduce transaction costs, seeking to simulate an investment in equity or debt securities or other investments, and seeking to add value by using derivatives to more efficiently implement portfolio positions when derivatives are favorably priced relative to equity or debt securities or other investments. There is no assurance that any derivatives strategy used by a funds advisor will succeed. The other parties to the funds OTC Derivatives contracts (usually referred to as counterparties) will not be considered the issuers thereof for purposes of certain provisions of the 1940 Act and the IRC, although such OTC Derivatives may qualify as securities or investments under such laws. The funds advisors, however, will monitor and adjust, as appropriate, the funds credit risk exposure to OTC Derivative counterparties.
Derivative products are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of a derivative requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the derivative itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the derivative under all possible market conditions.
When the fund enters into a Cleared Derivative, an initial margin deposit with a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) is required. Initial margin deposits are typically calculated as an amount equal to the volatility in market value of a Cleared Derivative over a fixed period. If the value of the funds Cleared Derivatives declines, the fund will be required to make additional variation margin payments to the FCM to settle the change in value. If the value of the funds Cleared Derivatives increases, the FCM will be required to make additional variation margin payments to the fund to settle the change in value. This process is known as marking-to-market and is calculated on a daily basis.
For OTC Derivatives, the fund is subject to the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty or the failure of the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract. Additionally, the use of credit derivatives can result in losses if a funds advisor does not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer on which the credit derivative is based.
Derivatives may be subject to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular derivative is difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with certain OTC Derivatives), it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price.
Derivatives may be subject to pricing or basis risk, which exists when a particular derivative becomes extraordinarily expensive relative to historical prices or the prices of corresponding cash market instruments. Under certain market
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conditions, it may not be economically feasible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position in time to avoid a loss or take advantage of an opportunity.
Because certain derivatives have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. A derivative transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
Like most other investments, derivative instruments are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to a funds interest. A fund bears the risk that its advisor will incorrectly forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other financial or economic factors in establishing derivative positions for the fund. If the advisor attempts to use a derivative as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the derivative will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Many derivatives (in particular, OTC Derivatives) are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a fund.
Exchange-Traded Funds. A fund may purchase shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including ETF Shares issued by other Vanguard funds. Typically, a fund would purchase ETF shares for the same reason it would purchase (and as an alternative to purchasing) futures contracts: to obtain exposure to all or a portion of the stock or bond market. ETF shares enjoy several advantages over futures. Depending on the market, the holding period, and other factors, ETF shares can be less costly and more tax-efficient than futures. In addition, ETF shares can be purchased for smaller sums, offer exposure to market sectors and styles for which there is no suitable or liquid futures contract, and do not involve leverage.
An investment in an ETF generally presents the same principal risks as an investment in a conventional fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. The price of an ETF can fluctuate within a wide range, and a fund could lose money investing in an ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down. In addition, ETFs are subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional funds: (1) the market price of an ETFs shares may trade at a discount or a premium to their net asset value; (2) an active trading market for an ETFs shares may not develop or be maintained; and (3) trading of an ETFs shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of an ETFs shares may also be halted if the shares are delisted from the exchange without first being listed on another exchange or if the listing exchanges officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.
Most ETFs are investment companies. Therefore, a funds purchases of ETF shares generally are subject to the limitations on, and the risks of, a funds investments in other investment companies, which are described under the heading Other Investment Companies.
Vanguard ETF®* Shares are exchange-traded shares that represent an interest in an investment portfolio held by Vanguard funds. A funds investments in Vanguard ETF Shares are also generally subject to the descriptions, limitations, and risks described under the heading Other Investment Companies, except as provided by an exemption granted by the SEC that permits registered investment companies to invest in a Vanguard fund that issues ETF Shares beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, subject to certain terms and conditions.
* U.S. Patent Nos. 6,879,964; 7,337,138; 7,720,749; 7,925,573; 8,090,646; and 8,417,623.
Foreign Securities. Typically, foreign securities are considered to be equity or debt securities issued by entities organized, domiciled, or with a principal executive office outside the United States, such as foreign corporations and governments. Securities issued by certain companies organized outside the United States may not be deemed to be foreign securities if the companys principal operations are conducted from the United States or when the companys equity securities trade principally on a U.S. stock exchange. Foreign securities may trade in U.S. or foreign securities markets. A fund may make foreign investments either directly by purchasing foreign securities or indirectly by purchasing
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depositary receipts or depositary shares of similar instruments (depositary receipts) for foreign securities. Direct investments in foreign securities may be made either on foreign securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter (OTC) markets. Investing in foreign securities involves certain special risk considerations that are not typically associated with investing in securities of U.S. companies or governments.
Because foreign issuers are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those applicable to U.S. issuers, there may be less publicly available information about certain foreign issuers than about U.S. issuers. Evidence of securities ownership may be uncertain in many foreign countries. As a result, there are multiple risks that could result in a loss to the fund, including, but not limited to, the risk that a funds trade details could be incorrectly or fraudulently entered at the time of the transaction. Securities of foreign issuers are generally more volatile and less liquid than securities of comparable U.S. issuers, and foreign investments may be effected through structures that may be complex or confusing. In certain countries, there is less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the United States. The risk that securities traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by government authorities, is also heightened. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political or social instability, war, terrorism, nationalization, limitations on the removal of funds or other assets, or diplomatic developments that could affect U.S. investments in those countries. Additionally, economic or other sanctions imposed on the United States by a foreign country, or imposed on a foreign country or issuer by the United States, could impair a funds ability to buy, sell, hold, receive, deliver, or otherwise transact in certain investment securities. Sanctions could also affect the value and/or liquidity of a foreign security.
Although an advisor will endeavor to achieve the most favorable execution costs for a funds portfolio transactions in foreign securities under the circumstances, commissions and other transaction costs are generally higher than those on U.S. securities. In addition, it is expected that the custodian arrangement expenses for a fund that invests primarily in foreign securities will be somewhat greater than the expenses for a fund that invests primarily in domestic securities. Additionally, bankruptcy laws vary by jurisdiction and cash deposits may be subject to a custodians creditors. Certain foreign governments levy withholding or other taxes against dividend and interest income from, capital gains on the sale of, or transactions in foreign securities. Although in some countries a portion of these taxes is recoverable by the fund, the nonrecovered portion of foreign withholding taxes will reduce the income received from such securities.
The value of the foreign securities held by a fund that are not U.S. dollar-denominated may be significantly affected by changes in currency exchange rates. The U.S. dollar value of a foreign security generally decreases when the value of the U.S. dollar rises against the foreign currency in which the security is denominated, and it tends to increase when the value of the U.S. dollar falls against such currency (as discussed under the heading Foreign SecuritiesForeign Currency Transactions, a fund may attempt to hedge its currency risks). In addition, the value of fund assets may be affected by losses and other expenses incurred in converting between various currencies in order to purchase and sell foreign securities, as well as by currency restrictions, exchange control regulation, currency devaluations, and political and economic developments.
Foreign SecuritiesForeign Currency Transactions. The value in U.S. dollars of a funds non-dollar-denominated foreign securities may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations, and the fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. To seek to minimize the impact of such factors on net asset values, a fund may engage in foreign currency transactions in connection with its investments in foreign securities. A fund will enter into foreign currency transactions only to attempt to hedge the currency risk associated with investing in foreign securities. Although such transactions tend to minimize the risk of loss that would result from a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they also may limit any potential gain that might result should the value of such currency increase.
Currency exchange transactions may be conducted either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market or through forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies. A forward currency contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are entered into with large commercial banks or other currency traders who are participants in the interbank market. Currency exchange transactions also may be effected through the use of swap agreements or other derivatives.
Currency exchange transactions may be considered borrowings. A currency exchange transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and
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therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale of foreign currency involved in underlying security transactions, a fund may be able to protect itself against part or all of the possible loss between trade and settlement dates for that purchase or sale resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and such foreign currency. This practice is sometimes referred to as transaction hedging. In addition, when the advisor reasonably believes that a particular foreign currency may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, a fund may enter into a forward contract to sell an amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of its portfolio securities denominated in such foreign currency. This practice is sometimes referred to as portfolio hedging. Similarly, when the advisor reasonably believes that the U.S. dollar may suffer a substantial decline against a foreign currency, a fund may enter into a forward contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed dollar amount.
A fund may also attempt to hedge its foreign currency exchange rate risk by engaging in currency futures, options, and cross-hedge transactions. In cross-hedge transactions, a fund holding securities denominated in one foreign currency will enter into a forward currency contract to buy or sell a different foreign currency (one that the advisor reasonably believes generally tracks the currency being hedged with regard to price movements). The advisor may select the tracking (or substitute) currency rather than the currency in which the security is denominated for various reasons, including in order to take advantage of pricing or other opportunities presented by the tracking currency or to take advantage of a more liquid or more efficient market for the tracking currency. Such cross-hedges are expected to help protect a fund against an increase or decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar against certain foreign currencies.
A fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies, so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these assets are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.
The forecasting of currency market movement is extremely difficult, and whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a forward currency contract. Accordingly, a fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if its advisors predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave a fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because forward currency contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that a fund will have flexibility to roll over a forward currency contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.
Foreign SecuritiesForeign Investment Companies. Some of the countries in which a fund may invest may not permit, or may place economic restrictions on, direct investment by outside investors. Fund investments in such countries may be permitted only through foreign government-approved or authorized investment vehicles, which may include other investment companies. Such investments may be made through registered or unregistered closed-end investment companies that invest in foreign securities. Investing through such vehicles may involve layered fees or expenses and may also be subject to the limitations on, and the risks of, a funds investments in other investment companies, which are described under the heading Other Investment Companies.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. Futures contracts and options on futures contracts are derivatives. A futures contract is a standardized agreement between two parties to buy or sell at a specific time in the future a specific quantity of a commodity at a specific price. The commodity may consist of an asset, a reference rate, or an index. A security futures contract relates to the sale of a specific quantity of shares of a single equity security or a narrow-based securities index. The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying commodity. The buyer of a futures contract enters into an agreement to purchase the underlying commodity on the settlement date and is said to be long the contract. The seller of a futures contract enters into an agreement to sell the underlying commodity on the settlement date and is said to be short the contract. The price at which a futures contract is entered into is established either in the electronic marketplace or by open outcry on the floor of an exchange between exchange members acting as traders or brokers. Open futures contracts can be liquidated or closed out by physical delivery
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of the underlying commodity or payment of the cash settlement amount on the settlement date, depending on the terms of the particular contract. Some financial futures contracts (such as security futures) provide for physical settlement at maturity. Other financial futures contracts (such as those relating to interest rates, foreign currencies, and broad-based securities indexes) generally provide for cash settlement at maturity. In the case of cash-settled futures contracts, the cash settlement amount is equal to the difference between the final settlement or market price for the relevant commodity on the last trading day of the contract and the price for the relevant commodity agreed upon at the outset of the contract. Most futures contracts, however, are not held until maturity but instead are offset before the settlement date through the establishment of an opposite and equal futures position.
The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is not required to deliver or pay for the underlying commodity unless the contract is held until the settlement date. However, both the purchaser and seller are required to deposit initial margin with a futures commission merchant (FCM) when the futures contract is entered into. Initial margin deposits are typically calculated as an amount equal to the volatility in market value of a contract over a fixed period. If the value of the funds position declines, the fund will be required to make additional variation margin payments to the FCM to settle the change in value. If the value of the funds position increases, the FCM will be required to make additional variation margin payments to the fund to settle the change in value. This process is known as marking-to-market and is calculated on a daily basis. A futures transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
An option on a futures contract (or futures option) conveys the right, but not the obligation, to purchase (in the case of a call option) or sell (in the case of a put option) a specific futures contract at a specific price (called the exercise or strike price) any time before the option expires. The seller of an option is called an option writer. The purchase price of an option is called the premium. The potential loss to an option buyer is limited to the amount of the premium plus transaction costs. This will be the case, for example, if the option is held and not exercised prior to its expiration date. Generally, an option writer sells options with the goal of obtaining the premium paid by the option buyer. If an option sold by an option writer expires without being exercised, the writer retains the full amount of the premium. The option writer, however, has unlimited economic risk because its potential loss, except to the extent offset by the premium received when the option was written, is equal to the amount the option is in-the-money at the expiration date. A call option is in-the-money if the value of the underlying futures contract exceeds the exercise price of the option. A put option is in-the-money if the exercise price of the option exceeds the value of the underlying futures contract. Generally, any profit realized by an option buyer represents a loss for the option writer.
A fund that takes the position of a writer of a futures option is required to deposit and maintain initial and variation margin with respect to the option, as previously described in the case of futures contracts. A futures option transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
Each Fund intends to comply with Rule 4.5 under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), under which a mutual fund may be excluded from the definition of the term Commodity Pool Operator (CPO) if the fund meets certain conditions such as limiting its investments in certain CEA-regulated instruments (e.g., futures, options, or swaps) and complying with certain marketing restrictions. Accordingly, Vanguard is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO with respect to the Fund under the CEA. A Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options that are traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or that are quoted on an automated quotation system.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures ContractsRisks. The risk of loss in trading futures contracts and in writing futures options can be substantial because of the low margin deposits required, the extremely high degree of leverage involved in futures and options pricing, and the potential high volatility of the futures markets. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures position may result in immediate and substantial loss (or gain) for the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase, 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. A 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit if the contract were closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract, and the writing of a futures option, may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the position. In the
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event of adverse price movements, a fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments to maintain its required margin. In such situations, if the fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet daily margin requirements (and segregation requirements, if applicable) at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, on the settlement date, a fund may be required to make delivery of the instruments underlying the futures positions it holds.
A fund could suffer losses if it is unable to close out a futures contract or a futures option because of an illiquid secondary market. Futures contracts and futures options may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market for such products. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures product at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close a futures or option position. Moreover, most futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous days settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of future positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses. The inability to close futures and options positions also could have an adverse impact on the ability to hedge a portfolio investment or to establish a substitute for a portfolio investment.
| U.S. | Treasury futures are generally not subject to such daily limits. |
| A | fund bears the risk that its advisor will incorrectly predict future market trends. If the advisor attempts to use a futures |
contract or a futures option as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the futures position will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving futures products can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments.
A fund could lose margin payments it has deposited with its FCM if, for example, the FCM breaches its agreement with the fund or becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy. In that event, the fund may be entitled to return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount received by the FCMs other customers, potentially resulting in losses to the fund.
Interfund Borrowing and Lending. The SEC has granted an exemption permitting registered open-end Vanguard funds to participate in Vanguards interfund lending program. This program allows the Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes. The program is subject to a number of conditions, including, among other things, the requirements that (1) no fund may borrow or lend money through the program unless it receives a more favorable interest rate than is typically available from a bank for a comparable transaction, (2) no fund may lend money if the loan would cause its aggregate outstanding loans through the program to exceed 15% of its net assets at the time of the loan, and (3) a funds interfund loans to any one fund shall not exceed 5% of the lending funds net assets. In addition, a Vanguard fund may participate in the program only if and to the extent that such participation is consistent with the funds investment objective and investment policies. The boards of trustees of the Vanguard funds are responsible for overseeing the interfund lending program. Any delay in repayment to a lending fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs.
Investing for Control. Each Vanguard fund invests in securities and other instruments for the sole purpose of achieving a specific investment objective. As such, a Vanguard fund does not seek to acquire, individually or collectively with any other Vanguard fund, enough of a companys outstanding voting stock to have control over management decisions. A Vanguard fund does not invest for the purpose of controlling a companys management.
Options. An option is a derivative. An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for the payment of a premium, the right, but not the obligation, to buy from (in the case of a call option) or sell to (in the case of a put option) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price prior to the expiration date of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price (in the case of a call option) or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security (in the case of a put option). The writer of an option on an index has the obligation upon exercise of the option to pay an amount equal to the cash value
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of the index minus the exercise price, multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. The multiplier for an index option determines the size of the investment position the option represents. Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size, and strike price, the terms of over-the-counter (OTC) options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract. Although this type of arrangement allows the purchaser or writer greater flexibility to tailor an option to its needs, OTC options generally involve greater credit risk than exchange-traded options, which are guaranteed by the clearing organization of the exchanges where they are traded.
The buyer (or holder) of an option is said to be long the option, while the seller (or writer) of an option is said to be short the option. A call option grants to the holder the right to buy (and obligates the writer to sell) the underlying security at the strike price, which is the predetermined price at which the option may be exercised. A put option grants to the holder the right to sell (and obligates the writer to buy) the underlying security at the strike price. The purchase price of an option is called the premium. The potential loss to an option buyer is limited to the amount of the premium plus transaction costs. This will be the case if the option is held and not exercised prior to its expiration date. Generally, an option writer sells options with the goal of obtaining the premium paid by the option buyer, but that person could also seek to profit from an anticipated rise or decline in option prices. If an option sold by an option writer expires without being exercised, the writer retains the full amount of the premium. The option writer, however, has unlimited economic risk because its potential loss, except to the extent offset by the premium received when the option was written, is equal to the amount the option is in-the-money at the expiration date. A call option is in-the-money if the value of the underlying position exceeds the exercise price of the option. A put option is in-the-money if the exercise price of the option exceeds the value of the underlying position. Generally, any profit realized by an option buyer represents a loss for the option writer. The writing of an option will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
If a trading market, in particular options, were to become unavailable, investors in those options (such as the funds) would be unable to close out their positions until trading resumes, and they may be faced with substantial losses if the value of the underlying instrument moves adversely during that time. Even if the market were to remain available, there may be times when options prices will not maintain their customary or anticipated relationships to the prices of the underlying instruments and related instruments. Lack of investor interest, changes in volatility, or other factors or conditions might adversely affect the liquidity, efficiency, continuity, or even the orderliness of the market for particular options.
A fund bears the risk that its advisor will not accurately predict future market trends. If the advisor attempts to use an option as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the option will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment, which could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving options can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Many options, in particular OTC options, are complex and often valued based on subjective factors. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a fund.
OTC Swap Agreements. An over-the-counter (OTC) swap agreement, which is a type of derivative, is an agreement between two parties (counterparties) to exchange payments at specified dates (periodic payment dates) on the basis of a specified amount (notional amount) with the payments calculated with reference to a specified asset, reference rate, or index.
Examples of OTC swap agreements include, but are not limited to, interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, equity swaps, commodity swaps, foreign currency swaps, index swaps, excess return swaps, and total return swaps. Most OTC swap agreements provide that when the periodic payment dates for both parties are the same, payments are netted, and only the net amount is paid to the counterparty entitled to receive the net payment. Consequently, a funds current obligations (or rights) under an OTC swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement, based on the relative values of the positions held by each counterparty. OTC swap agreements allow for a wide variety of transactions. For example, fixed rate payments may be exchanged for floating rate payments; U.S. dollar-denominated payments may be exchanged for payments denominated in a different currency; and payments tied to the price of one asset, reference rate, or index may be exchanged for payments tied to the price of another asset, reference rate, or index.
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An OTC option on an OTC swap agreement, also called a swaption, is an option that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a swap on a future date in exchange for paying a market-based premium. A receiver swaption gives the owner the right to receive the total return of a specified asset, reference rate, or index. A payer swaption gives the owner the right to pay the total return of a specified asset, reference rate, or index. Swaptions also include options that allow an existing swap to be terminated or extended by one of the counterparties.
The use of OTC swap agreements by a fund entails certain risks, which may be different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities and other investments that are the referenced asset for the swap agreement. OTC swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of an OTC swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions.
OTC swap agreements may be subject to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular swap is difficult to purchase or sell. If an OTC swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with many OTC swaps), it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses. In addition, OTC swap transactions may be subject to a funds limitation on investments in illiquid securities.
OTC swap agreements may be subject to pricing risk, which exists when a particular swap becomes extraordinarily expensive or inexpensive relative to historical prices or the prices of corresponding cash market instruments. Under certain market conditions, it may not be economically feasible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position in time to avoid a loss or take advantage of an opportunity or to realize the intrinsic value of the OTC swap agreement.
Because certain OTC swap agreements have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. Certain OTC swaps have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. A leveraged OTC swap transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
Like most other investments, OTC swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to a funds interest. A fund bears the risk that its advisor will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing OTC swap positions for the fund. If the advisor attempts to use an OTC swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the OTC swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving OTC swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Many OTC swaps are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a fund.
The use of an OTC swap agreement also involves the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty or the failure of the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the agreement. Additionally, the use of credit default swaps can result in losses if a funds advisor does not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer on which the credit swap is based.
The market for OTC swaps and swaptions is a relatively new market. It is possible that developments in the market could adversely affect a fund, including its ability to terminate existing OTC swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements. As previously noted under the heading Derivatives, under the Dodd-Frank Act, certain swaps that may be used by a fund may be cleared through a clearinghouse and traded on an exchange or swap execution facility.
Other Investment Companies. A fund may invest in other investment companies to the extent permitted by applicable law or SEC exemption. Under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, a fund generally may invest up to 10% of its assets in shares of investment companies and up to 5% of its assets in any one investment company, as long as no investment represents more than 3% of the voting stock of an acquired investment company. In addition, no funds for which Vanguard acts as an advisor may, in the aggregate, own more than 10% of the voting stock of a closed-end investment
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company. The 1940 Act and related rules provide certain exemptions from these restrictions, for example, funds that invest in other funds within the same group of investment companies. If a fund invests in other investment companies, shareholders will bear not only their proportionate share of the funds expenses (including operating expenses and the fees of the advisor), but they also may indirectly bear the similar expenses of the underlying investment companies. Certain investment companies, such as business development companies (BDCs), are more akin to operating companies and, as such, their expenses are not direct expenses paid by fund shareholders and are not used to calculate the funds net asset value. SEC rules nevertheless require that any expenses incurred by a BDC be included in a funds expense ratio as Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense ratio of a fund that holds a BDC will thus overstate what the fund actually spends on portfolio management, administrative services, and other shareholder services by an amount equal to these Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are not included in a funds financial statements, which provide a clearer picture of a funds actual operating expenses. Shareholders would also be exposed to the risks associated not only with the investments of the fund but also with the portfolio investments of the underlying investment companies. Certain types of investment companies, such as closed-end investment companies, issue a fixed number of shares that typically trade on a stock exchange or over-the-counter at a premium or discount to their net asset value. Others are continuously offered at net asset value but also may be traded on the secondary market.
Preferred Stock. Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. Preferred stock normally pays dividends at a specified rate and has precedence over common stock in the event the issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy. However, in the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock. Preferred stock, unlike common stock, often has a stated dividend rate payable from the corporations earnings. Preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or noncumulative, participating, or auction rate. Cumulative dividend provisions require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends can be paid to the issuers common stock. Participating preferred stock may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of such stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions allowing the stock to be called or redeemed, which can limit the benefit of a decline in interest rates. Preferred stock is subject to many of the risks to which common stock and debt securities are subject. In addition, preferred stock may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than common stock or debt securities because preferred stock may trade with less frequency and in more limited volume.
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). An equity REIT owns real estate properties directly and generates income from rental and lease payments. Equity REITs also have the potential to generate capital gains as properties are sold at a profit. A mortgage REIT makes construction, development, and long-term mortgage loans to commercial real estate developers and earns interest income on these loans. A hybrid REIT holds both properties and mortgages. To avoid taxation at the corporate level, REITs must distribute most of their earnings to shareholders.
Investments in REITs are subject to many of the same risks as direct investments in real estate. In general, real estate values can be affected by a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, supply and demand for properties, general or local economic conditions, and the strength of specific industries that rent properties. Ultimately, a REITs performance depends on the types and locations of the properties it owns and on how well the REIT manages its properties. For example, rental income could decline because of extended vacancies, increased competition from nearby properties, tenants failure to pay rent, regulatory limitations on rents, fluctuations in rental income, variations in market rental rates, or incompetent management. Property values could decrease because of overbuilding in the area, environmental liabilities, uninsured damages caused by natural disasters, a general decline in the neighborhood, losses because of casualty or condemnation, increases in property taxes, or changes in zoning laws.
The value of a REIT may also be affected by changes in interest rates. Rising interest rates generally increase the cost of financing for real estate projects, which could cause the value of an equity REIT to decline. During periods of declining interest rates, mortgagors may elect to prepay mortgages held by mortgage REITs, which could lower or diminish the yield on the REIT. REITs are also subject to heavy cash-flow dependency, default by borrowers, and changes in tax and regulatory requirements. In addition, a REIT may fail to qualify for tax-exempt status under the IRC and/or fail to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act.
Repurchase Agreements. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which a fund acquires a debt security (generally a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a bankers acceptance, or a certificate of deposit) from a bank, a broker, or a dealer and simultaneously agrees to resell such security to the seller at an agreed-
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upon price and date (normally, the next business day). Because the security purchased constitutes collateral for the repurchase obligation, a repurchase agreement may be considered a loan that is collateralized by the security purchased. The resale price reflects an agreed-upon interest rate effective for the period the instrument is held by a fund and is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying instrument. In these transactions, the securities acquired by a fund (including accrued interest earned thereon) must have a total value in excess of the value of the repurchase agreement and be held by a custodian bank until repurchased. In addition, the investment advisor will monitor a funds repurchase agreement transactions generally and will evaluate the creditworthiness of any bank, broker, or dealer party to a repurchase agreement relating to a fund. The aggregate amount of any such agreements is not limited, except to the extent required by law.
The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. One risk is the sellers ability to pay the agreed-upon repurchase price on the repurchase date. If the seller defaults, the fund may incur costs in disposing of the collateral, which would reduce the amount realized thereon. If the seller seeks relief under the bankruptcy laws, the disposition of the collateral may be delayed or limited. For example, if the other party to the agreement becomes insolvent and subject to liquidation or reorganization under the bankruptcy or other laws, a court may determine that the underlying security is collateral for a loan by the fund not within its control, and therefore the realization by the fund on such collateral may be automatically stayed. Finally, it is possible that the fund may not be able to substantiate its interest in the underlying security and may be deemed an unsecured creditor of the other party to the agreement.
Restricted and Illiquid Securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be sold or disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the price at which they are valued. The SEC generally limits aggregate holdings of illiquid securities by a mutual fund to 15% of its net assets (5% for money market funds). A fund may experience difficulty valuing and selling illiquid securities and, in some cases, may be unable to value or sell certain illiquid securities for an indefinite period of time. Illiquid securities may include a wide variety of investments, such as (1) repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days (unless the agreements have demand/redemption features), (2) OTC options contracts and certain other derivatives (including certain swap agreements), (3) fixed time deposits that are not subject to prepayment or do not provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits), (4) certain loan interests and other direct debt instruments, (5) certain municipal lease obligations, (6) private equity investments, (7) commercial paper issued pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, and (8) securities whose disposition is restricted under the federal securities laws. Illiquid securities include restricted, privately placed securities that, under the federal securities laws, generally may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers. If a substantial market develops for a restricted security held by a fund, it may be treated as a liquid security, in accordance with procedures and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. This generally includes securities that are unregistered, that can be sold to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, or that are exempt from registration under the 1933 Act, such as commercial paper. Although a funds advisor monitors the liquidity of restricted securities, the board of trustees oversees and retains ultimate responsibility for the advisors liquidity determinations. Several factors that the trustees consider in monitoring these decisions include the valuation of a security; the availability of qualified institutional buyers, brokers, and dealers that trade in the security; and the availability of information about the securitys issuer.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements. In a reverse repurchase agreement, a fund sells a security to another party, such as a bank or broker-dealer, in return for cash and agrees to repurchase that security at an agreed-upon price and time. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the fund continues to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the fund that it is obligated to repurchase. In addition to the risk of such a loss, fees charged to the fund may exceed the return the fund earns from investing the proceeds received from the reverse repurchase agreement transaction. A reverse repurchase agreement may be considered a borrowing transaction for purposes of the 1940 Act. A reverse repurchase agreement transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing. A fund will enter into reverse repurchase agreements only with parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the advisor. If the buyer in a reverse repurchase agreement becomes insolvent or files for bankruptcy, a funds use of proceeds from the sale may be restricted while the other party or its trustee or receiver determines if it will honor the funds right to repurchase the
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securities. If the fund is unable to recover the securities it sold in a reverse repurchase agreement, it would realize a loss equal to the difference between the value of the securities and the payment it received for them.
Securities Lending. A fund may lend its investment securities to qualified institutional investors (typically brokers, dealers, banks, or other financial institutions) who may need to borrow securities in order to complete certain transactions, such as covering short sales, avoiding failures to deliver securities, or completing arbitrage operations. By lending its investment securities, a fund attempts to increase its net investment income through the receipt of interest on the securities lent. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities lent that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the fund. If the borrower defaults on its obligation to return the securities lent because of insolvency or other reasons, a fund could experience delays and costs in recovering the securities lent or in gaining access to the collateral. These delays and costs could be greater for foreign securities. If a fund is not able to recover the securities lent, the fund may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement investment in the market. The value of the collateral could decrease below the value of the replacement investment by the time the replacement investment is purchased. Cash received as collateral through loan transactions may be invested in other eligible securities. Investing this cash subjects that investment to market appreciation or depreciation. Currently, Vanguard funds that lend securities invest the cash collateral received in one or more Vanguard CMT Funds, which are very low-cost money market funds.
The terms and the structure of the loan arrangements, as well as the aggregate amount of securities loans, must be consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules or interpretations of the SEC thereunder. These provisions limit the amount of securities a fund may lend to 33 1/3% of the funds total assets and require that (1) the borrower pledge and maintain with the fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government having at all times not less than 100% of the value of the securities lent; (2) the borrower add to such collateral whenever the price of the securities lent rises (i.e., the borrower marks to market on a daily basis); (3) the loan be made subject to termination by the fund at any time; and (4) the fund receives reasonable interest on the loan (which may include the funds investing any cash collateral in interest-bearing short-term investments), any distribution on the lent securities, and any increase in their market value. Loan arrangements made by each fund will comply with all other applicable regulatory requirements, including the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, which presently require the borrower, after notice, to redeliver the securities within the normal settlement time of three business days. The advisor will consider the creditworthiness of the borrower, among other things, in making decisions with respect to the lending of securities, subject to oversight by the board of trustees. At the present time, the SEC does not object if an investment company pays reasonable negotiated fees in connection with lent securities, so long as such fees are set forth in a written contract and approved by the investment companys trustees. In addition, voting rights pass with the lent securities, but if a fund has knowledge that a material event will occur affecting securities on loan, and in respect to which the holder of the securities will be entitled to vote or consent, the lender must be entitled to call the loaned securities in time to vote or consent. A fund bears the risk that there may be a delay in the return of the securities, which may impair the funds ability to vote on such a matter.
Pursuant to Vanguards securities lending policy, Vanguards fixed income and money market funds are not permitted to, and do not, lend their investment securities.
Tax MattersFederal Tax Discussion. Discussion herein of U.S. federal income tax matters summarizes some of the important, generally applicable U.S. federal tax considerations relevant to investment in a fund based on the IRC, U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authority. These authorities are subject to change by legislative, administrative, or judicial action, possibly with retroactive effect. A shareholder should consult his or her tax professional for information regarding the particular situation and the possible application of U.S. federal, state, local, foreign, and other taxes.
Tax MattersFederal Tax Treatment of Derivatives, Hedging, and Related Transactions. A funds transactions in derivative instruments (including, but not limited to, options, futures, forward contracts, and swap agreements), as well as any of the funds hedging, short sale, securities loan, or similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules that accelerate income to the fund, defer losses to the fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the funds securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains, or convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing, and character of distributions to shareholders.
Because these and other tax rules applicable to these types of transactions are in some cases uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these rules (which determination or
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guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether a fund has made sufficient distributions, and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements, to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid a fund-level tax.
Tax MattersFederal Tax Treatment of Futures Contracts. For federal income tax purposes, a fund generally must recognize, as of the end of each taxable year, any net unrealized gains and losses on certain futures contracts, as well as any gains and losses actually realized during the year. In these cases, any gain or loss recognized with respect to a futures contract is considered to be 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, without regard to the holding period of the contract. Gains and losses on certain other futures contracts (primarily non-U.S. futures contracts) are not recognized until the contracts are closed and are treated as long-term or short-term, depending on the holding period of the contract. Sales of futures contracts that are intended to hedge against a change in the value of securities held by a fund may affect the holding period of such securities and, consequently, the nature of the gain or loss on such securities upon disposition. A fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on one position, such as futures contracts, to the extent of any unrecognized gains on a related offsetting position held by the fund.
A fund will distribute to shareholders annually any net capital gains that have been recognized for federal income tax purposes on futures transactions. Such distributions will be combined with distributions of capital gains realized on the funds other investments, and shareholders will be advised on the nature of the distributions.
Tax MattersFederal Tax Treatment of Non-U.S. Currency Transactions. Special rules generally govern the federal income tax treatment of a funds transactions in the following: non-U.S. currencies; non-U.S. currency-denominated debt obligations; and certain non-U.S. currency options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments. Accordingly, if a fund engages in these types of transactions, it may have ordinary income or loss to the extent such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the non-U.S. currency concerned. Such ordinary income could accelerate fund distributions to shareholders and increase the distributions taxed to shareholders as ordinary income. Any ordinary loss so created will generally reduce ordinary income distributions and, in some cases, could require the recharacterization of prior ordinary income distributions. Net ordinary losses cannot be carried forward by the fund to offset income or gains realized in subsequent taxable years.
Any gain or loss attributable to the non-U.S. currency component of a transaction engaged in by a fund that is not subject to these special currency rules (such as foreign equity investments other than certain preferred stocks) will generally be treated as a capital gain or loss and will not be segregated from the gain or loss on the underlying transaction.
To the extent a fund engages in non-U.S. currency hedging, the fund may elect or be required to apply other rules that could affect the character, timing, or amount of the funds gains and losses. For more information, see Tax MattersFederal Tax Treatment of Derivatives, Hedging, and Related Transactions.
Tax MattersForeign Tax Credit. Foreign governments may withhold taxes on dividends and interest paid with respect to foreign securities held by a fund. Foreign governments may also impose taxes on other payments or gains with respect to foreign securities. If, at the close of its fiscal year, more than 50% of a funds total assets are invested in securities of foreign issuers, the fund may elect to pass through to shareholders the ability to deduct or, if they meet certain holding period requirements, take a credit for foreign taxes paid by the fund. Similarly, if at the close of each quarter of a funds taxable year, at least 50% of its total assets consist of interests in other regulated investment companies, the fund is permitted to elect to pass through to its shareholders the foreign income taxes paid by the fund in connection with foreign securities held directly by the fund or held by a regulated investment company in which the fund invests that has elected to pass through such taxes to shareholders.
Tax MattersPassive Foreign Investment Companies. Each Fund may invest in passive foreign investment companies (PFICs). A foreign company is generally a PFIC if 75% or more of its gross income is passive or if 50% or more of its assets produce passive income. Capital gains on the sale of an interest in a PFIC will be deemed ordinary income regardless of how long the Fund held it. Also, the Fund may be subject to corporate income tax and an interest charge on certain dividends and capital gains earned in respect to PFIC interests, whether or not such amounts are distributed to shareholders. To avoid such tax and interest, a Fund may elect to mark to market its PFIC interests, that is, to treat such interests as sold on the last day of the Funds fiscal year, and to recognize any unrealized gains (or losses, to the extent of previously recognized gains) as ordinary income each year. Distributions from the Fund that are attributable to income or gains earned in respect to PFIC interests are characterized as ordinary income.
Tax MattersReal Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits. If a fund invests directly or indirectly, including through a REIT or other pass-through entity, in residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs) or equity interests in taxable mortgage pools (TMPs), a portion of the funds income that is attributable to a residual interest in a
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REMIC or an equity interest in a TMP (such portion referred to in the IRC as an excess inclusion) will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in all eventsincluding potentially at the fund levelunder a notice issued by the IRS in October 2006 and U.S. Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a registered investment company will be allocated to shareholders of the registered investment company in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related interest directly. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (1) cannot be offset by net operation losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions); (2) will constitute unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan, or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on UBTI, thereby potentially requiring such an entity, which otherwise might not be required, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income; and (3) in the case of a non-U.S. investor, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. A shareholder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such inclusions notwithstanding any exemption from such income tax otherwise available under the IRC. As a result, a fund investing in such interests may not be suitable for charitable remainder trusts. See Tax MattersTax-Exempt Investors.
Tax MattersTax Considerations for Non-U.S. Investors. U.S. withholding and estate taxes and certain U.S. tax reporting requirements may apply to any investments made by non-U.S. investors in Vanguard funds. Temporary tax legislation provided relief from certain U.S. withholding taxes for certain properly reported distributions of qualifying interest income or short-term capital gain made by a fund to its non-U.S. investors, provided the investors furnished valid tax documentation (i.e., Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form W-8) certifying as to their non-U.S. status. This temporary exemption expired for taxable years of a fund beginning after 2014. In December 2015, Congress voted to reinstate retroactively the exemption for taxable years of a fund beginning after 2014 and made the exemption permanent for all future years. Because the relief was reinstated retroactively, investors may be able to reclaim the
| U.S. | tax withheld on properly reported qualifying distributions in 2015 directly from the IRS. |
| A | fund is permitted, but is not required, to report any of its distributions as eligible for such relief, and some |
distributions (e.g., distributions of interest a fund receives from non-U.S. issuers) are not eligible for this relief. For some funds, Vanguard has chosen to report qualifying distributions and apply the withholding exemption to those distributions when made to non-U.S. shareholders who invest directly with Vanguard. For other funds, Vanguard may choose not to apply the withholding exemption to qualifying fund distributions made to direct shareholders, but may provide the reporting to such shareholders. In these cases, a shareholder may be able to reclaim such withholding tax directly from the IRS.
If shareholders hold fund shares (including ETF shares) through a broker or intermediary, their broker or intermediary may apply this relief to properly reported qualifying distributions made to shareholders with respect to those shares. If a shareholders broker or intermediary instead collects withholding tax where the fund has provided the proper reporting, the shareholder may be able to reclaim such withholding tax from the IRS. Please consult your broker or intermediary regarding the application of these rules.
This relief does not apply to any withholding required under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which generally requires a fund to obtain information sufficient to identify the status of each of its shareholders. If a shareholder fails to provide this information or otherwise fails to comply with FATCA, a fund may be required to withhold under FATCA at a rate of 30% with respect to that shareholder on fund distributions and on the proceeds of the sale, the redemption, or the exchange of fund shares. Please consult your tax advisor for more information about these rules.
Please be aware that the U.S. tax information contained in this Statement of Additional Information is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax penalties.
Tax MattersTax-Exempt Investors. Income of a fund that would be UBTI if earned directly by a tax-exempt entity will not generally be attributed as UBTI to a tax-exempt shareholder of the fund. Notwithstanding this blocking effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in a fund if shares in the fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).
A tax-exempt shareholder may also recognize UBTI if a fund recognizes excess inclusion income derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. See Tax MattersReal Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits.
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In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts that invest in a fund that invests directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. Charitable remainder trusts and other tax-exempt investors are urged to consult their tax advisors concerning the consequences of investing in a fund.
Time Deposits. Time deposits are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers of money market instruments, most notably credit risk (and, to a lesser extent, income risk, market risk, and liquidity risk). Additionally, time deposits of foreign branches of U.S. banks and foreign branches of foreign banks may be subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital, in the form of U.S. dollars, from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments, the extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions, the imposition of foreign withholding taxes, and expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers. However, time deposits of such issuers will undergo the same type of credit analysis as domestic issuers in which a Vanguard fund invests and will have at least the same financial strength as the domestic issuers approved for the fund.
Warrants. Warrants are instruments that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy an equity security at a specific price for a specific period of time. Changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The price of a warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security, and a warrant may offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well as capital loss. Warrants do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying security and do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuing company. A warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. These factors can make warrants more speculative than other types of investments.
When-Issued, Delayed-Delivery, and Forward-Commitment Transactions. When-issued, delayed-delivery, and forward-commitment transactions involve a commitment to purchase or sell specific securities at a predetermined price or yield in which payment and delivery take place after the customary settlement period for that type of security. Typically, no interest accrues to the purchaser until the security is delivered. When purchasing securities pursuant to one of these transactions, payment for the securities is not required until the delivery date. However, the purchaser assumes the rights and risks of ownership, including the risks of price and yield fluctuations and the risk that the security will not be issued as anticipated. When a fund has sold a security pursuant to one of these transactions, the fund does not participate in further gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a delayed-delivery transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or suffer a loss. A fund may renegotiate a when-issued or forward-commitment transaction and may sell the underlying securities before delivery, which may result in capital gains or losses for the fund. When-issued, delayed-delivery, and forward-commitment transactions will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by the fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
SHARE PRICE
Multiple-class funds do not have a single share price. Rather, each class has a share price, called its net asset value, or NAV, that is calculated each business day as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the Exchange), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. NAV per share is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to the share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. On U.S. holidays or other days when the Exchange is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Funds do not sell or redeem shares. However, on those days the value of a Funds assets may be affected to the extent that the Fund holds securities that change in value on those days (such as foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open).
The Exchange typically observes the following holidays: New Years Day; Martin Luther King, Jr., Day; Presidents Day (Washingtons Birthday); Good Friday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day; and Christmas Day. Although each Fund expects the same holidays to be observed in the future, the Exchange may modify its holiday schedule or hours of operation at any time.
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PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
Purchase of Shares (Other than ETF Shares)
The purchase price of shares of each Fund is the NAV per share next determined after the purchase request is received in good order, as defined in the Funds prospectus.
Exchange of Securities for Shares of a Fund. Shares of a Fund may be purchased in kind (i.e., in exchange for securities, rather than for cash) at the discretion of the Funds portfolio manager. Such securities must not be restricted as to transfer and must have a value that is readily ascertainable. Securities accepted by the Fund will be valued, as set forth in the Funds prospectus, as of the time of the next determination of NAV after such acceptance. All dividend, subscription, or other rights that are reflected in the market price of accepted securities at the time of valuation become the property of the Fund and must be delivered to the Fund by the investor upon receipt from the issuer. A gain or loss for federal income tax purposes, depending upon the cost of the securities tendered, would be realized by the investor upon the exchange. Investors interested in purchasing fund shares in kind should contact Vanguard.
Redemption of Shares (Other than ETF Shares)
The redemption price of shares of each Fund is the NAV per share next determined after the redemption request is received in good order, as defined in the Funds prospectus.
Each Fund can postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. In addition, each Fund can suspend redemptions and/or postpone payments of redemption proceeds beyond seven calendar days (1) during any period that the Exchange is closed or trading on the Exchange is restricted as determined by the SEC; (2) during any period when an emergency exists, as defined by the SEC, as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of securities it owns or to fairly determine the value of its assets; or (3) for such other periods as the SEC may permit.
The Trust has filed a notice of election with the SEC to pay in cash all redemptions requested by any shareholder of record limited in amount during any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets of a Fund at the beginning of such period.
If Vanguard determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of a Fund to make payment wholly or partly in cash, the Fund may pay the redemption price in whole or in part by a distribution in kind of readily marketable securities held by the Fund in lieu of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. Investors may incur brokerage charges on the sale of such securities received in payment of redemptions.
The Funds do not charge redemption fees. Shares redeemed may be worth more or less than what was paid for them, depending on the market value of the securities held by the Funds.
Right to Change Policies
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to (1) alter, add, or discontinue any conditions of purchase (including eligibility requirements), redemption, exchange, conversion, service, or privilege at any time; (2) accept initial purchases by telephone; (3) freeze any account and/or suspend account services if Vanguard has received reasonable notice of a dispute regarding the assets in an account, including notice of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners, or if Vanguard reasonably believes a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred; (4) temporarily freeze any account and/or suspend account services upon initial notification to Vanguard of the death of the shareholder until Vanguard receives required documentation in good order; (5) alter, impose, discontinue, or waive any purchase fee, redemption fee, account service fee, or other fees charged to a group of shareholders; and (6) redeem an account or suspend account privileges, without the owners permission to do so, in cases of threatening conduct or activity Vanguard believes to be suspicious, fraudulent, or illegal. Changes may affect any or all investors. These actions will be taken when, at the sole discretion of Vanguard management, Vanguard reasonably believes they are in the best interest of a fund.
Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms
Each Fund has authorized certain agents to accept on its behalf purchase and redemption orders, and those agents are authorized to designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Funds behalf
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(collectively, Authorized Agents). The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an Authorized Agent accepts the order in accordance with the Fund’s instructions. In most instances, a customer order that is properly transmitted to an Authorized Agent will be priced at the NAV per share next determined after the order is received by the Authorized Agent.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Vanguard
Each Fund is part of the Vanguard group of investment companies, which consists of more than 190 funds. Each fund is a series of a Delaware statutory trust, and through the trusts’ jointly owned subsidiary, Vanguard, the funds obtain at cost virtually all of their corporate management, administrative, and distribution services. Vanguard also provides investment advisory services on an at-cost basis to several of the Vanguard funds.
Vanguard employs a supporting staff of management and administrative personnel needed to provide the requisite services to the funds and also furnishes the funds with necessary office space, furnishings, and equipment. Each fund pays its share of Vanguard’s total expenses, which are allocated among the funds under methods approved by the board of trustees of each fund. In addition, each fund bears its own direct expenses, such as legal, auditing, and custodial fees.
The funds’ officers are also employees of Vanguard.
Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation (VMC), the funds, and the funds’ advisors have adopted codes of ethics designed to prevent employees who may have access to nonpublic information about the trading activities of the funds (access persons) from profiting from that information. The codes of ethics permit access persons to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be held by a fund, but place substantive and procedural restrictions on the trading activities of access persons. For example, the codes of ethics require that access persons receive advance approval for most securities trades to ensure that there is no conflict with the trading activities of the funds.
Vanguard was established and operates under an Amended and Restated Funds’ Service Agreement. The Amended and Restated Funds’ Service Agreement provides that each Vanguard fund may be called upon to invest up to 0.40% of its net assets in Vanguard. The amounts that each fund has invested are adjusted from time to time in order to maintain the proportionate relationship between each fund’s relative net assets and its contribution to Vanguard’s capital.
As of August 31, 2016, each Fund had contributed capital to Vanguard as follows:
| Capital | Percentage of | Percent of | |
| Contribution | Fund’s Average | Vanguard’s | |
| Vanguard Fund | to Vanguard | Net Assets | Capitalization |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | $ 76,000 | 0.01% | 0.03% |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | 37,000 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | 98,000 | 0.01 | 0.04 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | 52,000 | 0.01 | 0.02 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | 44,000 | 0.01 | 0.02 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | 50,000 | 0.01 | 0.02 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | 10,000 | 0.01 | Less than 0.01 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | 12,000 | 0.01 | Less than 0.01 |
Management. Corporate management and administrative services include (1) executive staff, (2) accounting and financial, (3) legal and regulatory, (4) shareholder account maintenance, (5) monitoring and control of custodian relationships, (6) shareholder reporting, and (7) review and evaluation of advisory and other services provided to the funds by third parties.
Distribution. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, 400 Devon Park Drive A39, Wayne, PA 19087, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vanguard, is the principal underwriter for the funds and in that capacity performs and finances marketing, promotional, and distribution activities (collectively, marketing and distribution activities) that are primarily intended to result in the sale of the funds’ shares. VMC offers shares of each fund for sale on a continuous basis and will use all
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reasonable efforts in connection with the distribution of shares of the funds. VMC performs marketing and distribution activities at cost in accordance with the conditions of a 1981 SEC exemptive order that permits the Vanguard funds to internalize and jointly finance the marketing, promotion, and distribution of their shares. The funds trustees review and approve the marketing and distribution expenses incurred by the funds, including the nature and cost of the activities and the desirability of each funds continued participation in the joint arrangement.
To ensure that each funds participation in the joint arrangement falls within a reasonable range of fairness, each fund contributes to VMCs marketing and distribution expenses in accordance with an SEC-approved formula. Under that formula, one half of the marketing and distribution expenses are allocated among the funds based upon their relative net assets. The remaining half of those expenses are allocated among the funds based upon each funds sales for the preceding 24 months relative to the total sales of the funds as a group, provided, however, that no funds aggregate quarterly rate of contribution for marketing and distribution expenses shall exceed 125% of the average marketing and distribution expense rate for Vanguard and that no fund shall incur annual marketing and distribution expenses in excess of 0.20% of its average month-end net assets. Each funds contribution to these marketing and distribution expenses helps to maintain and enhance the attractiveness and viability of the Vanguard complex as a whole, which benefits all of the funds and their shareholders.
VMCs principal marketing and distribution expenses are for advertising, promotional materials, and marketing personnel. Other marketing and distribution activities of an administrative nature that VMC undertakes on behalf of the funds may include, but are not limited to:
- Conducting or publishing Vanguard-generated research and analysis concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy.
- Providing views, opinions, advice, or commentary concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy.
- Providing analytical, statistical, performance, or other information concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy.
- Providing administrative services in connection with investments in the funds or other investments, including, but not limited to, shareholder services, recordkeeping services, and educational services.
- Providing products or services that assist investors or financial service providers (as defined below) in the investment decision-making process.
- Providing promotional discounts, commission-free trading, fee waivers, and other benefits to clients of Vanguard Brokerage Services® who maintain qualifying investments in the funds.
- Sponsoring, jointly sponsoring, financially supporting, or participating in conferences, programs, seminars, presentations, meetings, or other events involving fund shareholders, financial service providers, or others concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy, such as industry conferences, prospecting trips, due diligence visits, training or education meetings, and sales presentations.
VMC performs most marketing and distribution activities itself. Some activities may be conducted by third parties pursuant to shared marketing arrangements under which VMC agrees to share the costs and performance of marketing and distribution activities in concert with a financial service provider. Financial service providers include, but are not limited to, investment advisors, broker-dealers, financial planners, financial consultants, banks, and insurance companies. Under these cost- and performance-sharing arrangements, VMC may pay or reimburse a financial service provider (or a third party it retains) for marketing and distribution activities that VMC would otherwise perform. VMCs cost- and performance-sharing arrangements may be established in connection with Vanguard investment products or services offered or provided to or through the financial service providers. VMCs arrangements for shared marketing and distribution activities may vary among financial service providers, and its payments or reimbursements to financial service providers in connection with shared marketing and distribution activities may be significant. VMC participates in an offshore arrangement established with a third party to provide marketing, promotional, and other services to qualifying Vanguard funds that are distributed in certain foreign countries on a private-placement basis to government-sponsored and other institutional investors. In exchange for such services, the third party receives an annual base (fixed) fee and may also receive discretionary fees or performance adjustments.
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In connection with its marketing and distribution activities, VMC may give financial service providers (or their representatives) (1) promotional items of nominal value that display Vanguards logo, such as golf balls, shirts, towels, pens, and mouse pads; (2) gifts that do not exceed $100 per person annually and are not preconditioned on achievement of a sales target; (3) an occasional meal, a ticket to a sporting event or the theater, or comparable entertainment that is neither so frequent nor so extensive as to raise any question of propriety and is not preconditioned on achievement of a sales target; and (4) reasonable travel and lodging accommodations to facilitate participation in marketing and distribution activities.
VMC, as a matter of policy, does not pay asset-based fees, sales-based fees, or account-based fees to financial service providers in connection with its marketing and distribution activities for the Vanguard funds. VMC policy also prohibits marketing and distribution activities that are intended, designed, or likely to compromise suitability determinations by, or the fulfillment of any fiduciary duties or other obligations that apply to, financial service providers. Nonetheless, VMCs marketing and distribution activities are primarily intended to result in the sale of the funds shares, and as such, its activities, including shared marketing and distribution activities, may influence participating financial service providers (or their representatives) to recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class. In addition, Vanguard or any of its subsidiaries may retain a financial service provider to provide consulting or other services, and that financial service provider also may provide services to investors. Investors should consider the possibility that any of these activities or relationships may influence a financial service providers (or its representatives) decision to recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class. Each financial service provider should consider its suitability determinations, fiduciary duties, and other legal obligations (or those of its representatives) in connection with any decision to consider, recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class.
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The following table describes the expenses of Vanguard and VMC that are incurred by the Funds on an at-cost basis. Amounts captioned Management and Administrative Expenses include a Funds allocated share of expenses associated with the management, administrative, and transfer agency services Vanguard provides to the funds. Amounts captioned Marketing and Distribution Expenses include a Funds allocated share of expenses associated with the marketing and distribution activities that VMC conducts on behalf of the Vanguard funds.
As is the case with all mutual funds, transaction costs incurred by the Funds for buying and selling securities are not reflected in the table. Annual Shared Fund Operating Expenses are based on expenses incurred in the fiscal years ended August 31, 2014, 2015, and 2016, and are presented as a percentage of each Funds average month-end net assets.
| Annual Shared Fund Operating Expenses | |||
| (Shared Expenses Deducted From Fund Assets) | |||
| Vanguard Fund | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.10% | 0.12% | 0.13% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.09% | 0.11% | 0.12% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.07% | 0.08% | 0.09% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.13% | 0.14% | 0.15% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.06% | 0.09% | 0.12% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.05% | 0.07% | 0.07% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.02 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.11% | 0.12% | 0.12% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.12% | 0.12% | 0.10% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.01 |
Officers and Trustees
Each Vanguard fund is governed by the board of trustees of its trust and a single set of officers. Consistent with the boards corporate governance principles, the trustees believe that their primary responsibility is oversight of the management of each fund for the benefit of its shareholders, not day-to-day management. The trustees set broad policies for the funds; select investment advisors; monitor fund operations, regulatory compliance, performance, and costs; nominate and select new trustees; and elect fund officers. Vanguard manages the day-to-day operations of the funds under the direction of the board of trustees.
The trustees play an active role, as a full board and at the committee level, in overseeing risk management for the funds. The trustees delegate the day-to-day risk management of the funds to various groups, including portfolio review, investment management, risk management, compliance, legal, fund accounting, and fund financial services. These
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groups provide the trustees with regular reports regarding investment, valuation, liquidity, and compliance, as well as the risks associated with each. The trustees also oversee risk management for the funds through regular interactions with the funds internal and external auditors.
The full board participates in the funds risk oversight, in part, through the Vanguard funds compliance program, which covers the following broad areas of compliance: investment and other operations; recordkeeping; valuation and pricing; communications and disclosure; reporting and accounting; oversight of service providers; fund governance; and codes of ethics, insider trading controls, and protection of nonpublic information. The program seeks to identify and assess risk through various methods, including through regular interdisciplinary communications between compliance professionals and business personnel who participate on a daily basis in risk management on behalf of the funds. The funds chief compliance officer regularly provides reports to the board in writing and in person.
The audit committee of the board, which is composed of Rajiv L. Gupta, JoAnn Heffernan Heisen, F. Joseph Loughrey, Mark Loughridge, and Peter F. Volanakis, each of whom is an independent trustee, oversees management of financial risks and controls. The audit committee serves as the channel of communication between the independent auditors of the funds and the board with respect to financial statements and financial-reporting processes, systems of internal control, and the audit process. Vanguards head of internal audit reports directly to the audit committee and provides reports to the committee in writing and in person on a regular basis. Although the audit committee is responsible for overseeing the management of financial risks, the entire board is regularly informed of these risks through committee reports.
All of the trustees bring to each funds board a wealth of executive leadership experience derived from their service as executives (in many cases chief executive officers), board members, and leaders of diverse public operating companies, academic institutions, and other organizations. In determining whether an individual is qualified to serve as a trustee of the funds, the board considers a wide variety of information about the trustee, and multiple factors contribute to the boards decision. Each trustee is determined to have the experience, skills, and attributes necessary to serve the funds and their shareholders because each trustee demonstrates an exceptional ability to consider complex business and financial matters, evaluate the relative importance and priority of issues, make decisions, and contribute effectively to the deliberations of the board. The board also considers the individual experience of each trustee and determines that the trustees professional experience, education, and background contribute to the diversity of perspectives on the board. The business acumen, experience, and objective thinking of the trustees are considered invaluable assets for Vanguard management and, ultimately, the Vanguard funds shareholders. The specific roles and experience of each board member that factor into this determination are presented on the following pages. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482.
| Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
| Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
| Position(s) | Funds Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
| Name, Year of Birth | Held With Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
| Interested Trustee1 | ||||
| F. William McNabb III | Chairman of the | July 2009 | Mr. McNabb has served as Chairman of the Board of | 198 |
| (1957) | Board, Chief | Vanguard and of each of the investment companies | ||
| Executive Officer, | served by Vanguard, since January 2010; Trustee of | |||
| and President | each of the investment companies served by | |||
| Vanguard, since 2009; Director of Vanguard since | ||||
| 2008; and Chief Executive Officer and President of | ||||
| Vanguard and of each of the investment companies | ||||
| served by Vanguard, since 2008. Mr. McNabb also | ||||
| serves as a Director of Vanguard Marketing | ||||
| Corporation. Mr. McNabb served as a Managing | ||||
| Director of Vanguard from 1995 to 2008. |
1 Mr. McNabb is considered an interested person, as defined in the 1940 Act, because he is an officer of the Trust.
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| Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
| Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
| Position(s) | Funds Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
| Name, Year of Birth | Held With Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
| Independent Trustees | ||||
| Emerson U. Fullwood | Trustee | January 2008 | Mr. Fullwood is the former Executive Chief Staff and | 198 |
| (1948) | Marketing Officer for North America and Corporate | |||
| Vice President (retired 2008) of Xerox Corporation | ||||
| (document management products and services). | ||||
| Previous positions held at Xerox by Mr. Fullwood include | ||||
| President of the Worldwide Channels Group, President | ||||
| of Latin America, Executive Chief Staff Officer of | ||||
| Developing Markets, and President of Worldwide | ||||
| Customer Services. Mr. Fullwood is the Executive in | ||||
| Residence and 20092010 Distinguished Minett | ||||
| Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. | ||||
| Mr. Fullwood serves as Lead Director of SPX FLOW, Inc. | ||||
| (multi-industry manufacturing) and also serves as a | ||||
| Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center, | ||||
| Monroe Community College Foundation, the United | ||||
| Way of Rochester, North Carolina A&T University, and | ||||
| Roberts Wesleyan College. | ||||
| Rajiv L. Gupta | Trustee | December 2001 | Mr. Gupta is the former Chairman and Chief Executive | 198 |
| (1945) | Officer (retired 2009) and President (20062008) of | |||
| Rohm and Haas Co. (chemicals). Mr. Gupta serves as a | ||||
| Director of Tyco International PLC (diversified | ||||
| manufacturing and services), HP Inc. (printer and | ||||
| personal computer manufacturing), and Delphi | ||||
| Automotive PLC (automotive components) and as | ||||
| Senior Advisor at New Mountain Capital. | ||||
| Amy Gutmann | Trustee | June 2006 | Dr. Gutmann has served as the President of the | 198 |
| (1949) | University of Pennsylvania since 2004. She is the | |||
| Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of | ||||
| Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences, and | ||||
| Professor of Communication, Annenberg School for | ||||
| Communication, with secondary faculty appointments | ||||
| in the Department of Philosophy, School of Arts and | ||||
| Sciences, and at the Graduate School of Education, | ||||
| University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Gutmann also serves | ||||
| as a Trustee of the National Constitution Center. | ||||
| Dr. Gutmann is Chair of the Presidential Commission | ||||
| for the Study of Bioethical Issues. | ||||
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | Trustee | July 1998 | Ms. Heisen is the former Corporate Vice President | 198 |
| (1950) | and Chief Global Diversity Officer (retired 2008) | |||
| and a former member of the Executive Committee | ||||
| (19972008) of Johnson & Johnson (pharmaceuticals/ | ||||
| medical devices/consumer products). Ms. Heisen | ||||
| served as Vice President and Chief Information Officer | ||||
| of Johnson & Johnson from 1997 to 2005. Ms. Heisen | ||||
| serves as a Director of Skytop Lodge Corporation | ||||
| (hotels) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and | ||||
| as a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for | ||||
| Womens Leadership at Rutgers University. | ||||
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| Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
| Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
| Position(s) | Funds Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
| Name, Year of Birth | Held With Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | Trustee | October 2009 | Mr. Loughrey is the former President and Chief | 198 |
| (1949) | Operating Officer (retired 2009) and Vice Chairman of | |||
| the Board (20082009) of Cummins Inc. (industrial | ||||
| machinery). Mr. Loughrey serves as Chairman of the | ||||
| Board of Hillenbrand, Inc. (specialized consumer | ||||
| services) and of Oxfam America; as a Director of | ||||
| SKF AB (industrial machinery), Hyster-Yale Materials | ||||
| Handling, Inc. (forklift trucks), the Lumina Foundation | ||||
| for Education, and the V Foundation for Cancer | ||||
| Research; and as a member of the Advisory Council for | ||||
| the College of Arts and Letters and of the Advisory | ||||
| Board to the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, | ||||
| both at the University of Notre Dame. | ||||
| Mark Loughridge | Lead Independent | March 2012 | Mr. Loughridge is the former Senior Vice President and | 198 |
| (1953) | Trustee | Chief Financial Officer (retired 2013) at IBM | ||
| (information technology services). Mr. Loughridge also | ||||
| served as a fiduciary member of IBMs Retirement Plan | ||||
| Committee (20042013). Previous positions held by Mr. | ||||
| Loughridge at IBM include Senior Vice President and | ||||
| General Manager of Global Financing (20022004), | ||||
| Vice President and Controller (19982002), and a | ||||
| variety of management roles. Mr. Loughridge serves as | ||||
| a Director of The Dow Chemical Company and as a | ||||
| member of the Council on Chicago Booth. | ||||
| Scott C. Malpass | Trustee | March 2012 | Mr. Malpass has served as Chief Investment Officer | 198 |
| (1962) | since 1989 and Vice President since 1996 at the | |||
| University of Notre Dame. Mr. Malpass serves as an | ||||
| Assistant Professor of Finance at the Mendoza College | ||||
| of Business at the University of Notre Dame and is a | ||||
| member of the Notre Dame 403(b) Investment | ||||
| Committee. Mr. Malpass also serves on the boards of | ||||
| TIFF Advisory Services, Inc., and Catholic Investment | ||||
| Services, Inc. (investment advisors); as a member of | ||||
| the board of advisors for Spruceview Capital Partners; | ||||
| and as a member of the investment advisory | ||||
| committee of Major League Baseball. | ||||
| André F. Perold | Trustee | December 2004 | Dr. Perold is the George Gund Professor of Finance | 198 |
| (1952) | and Banking, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School | |||
| (retired 2011). Dr. Perold serves as Chief Investment | ||||
| Officer and Managing Partner of HighVista Strategies | ||||
| LLC (private investment firm). Dr. Perold also serves as | ||||
| a Director of Rand Merchant Bank and as an Overseer | ||||
| of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. | ||||
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| Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
| Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
| Position(s) | Funds Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
| Name, Year of Birth | Held With Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
| Peter F. Volanakis | Trustee | July 2009 | Mr. Volanakis is the retired President and Chief | 198 |
| (1955) | Operating Officer (retired 2010) of Corning | |||
| Incorporated (communications equipment) and a | ||||
| former Director of Corning Incorporated (20002010) | ||||
| and of Dow Corning (20012010). Mr. Volanakis served | ||||
| as a Director of SPX Corporation (multi-industry | ||||
| manufacturing) in 2012 and as an Overseer of the | ||||
| Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at | ||||
| Dartmouth College from 2001 to 2013. Mr. Volanakis | ||||
| serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Colby- | ||||
| Sawyer College and also serves as a member of the | ||||
| Advisory Board of the Norris Cotton Cancer Center. | ||||
| Executive Officers | ||||
| Glenn Booraem | Treasurer | July 2010 | Mr. Booraem, a Principal of Vanguard, has served as | 198 |
| (1967) | Treasurer of each of the investment companies served | |||
| by Vanguard, since May 2015. Mr. Booraem served as | ||||
| Controller of each of the investment companies served | ||||
| by Vanguard, from 2010 to 2015, and as Assistant | ||||
| Controller of each of the investment companies served | ||||
| by Vanguard, from 2001 to 2010. | ||||
| Thomas J. Higgins | Chief Financial | September 2008 | Mr. Higgins, a Principal of Vanguard, has served as Chief | 198 |
| (1957) | Officer | Financial Officer of each of the investment companies | ||
| served by Vanguard, since 2008. Mr. Higgins served as | ||||
| Treasurer of each of the investment companies served | ||||
| by Vanguard, from 1998 to 2008. | ||||
| Peter Mahoney | Controller | May 2015 | Mr. Mahoney, head of Global Fund Accounting at | 198 |
| (1974) | Vanguard, has served as Controller of each of the | |||
| investment companies served by Vanguard, since | ||||
| May 2015. Mr. Mahoney served as head of International | ||||
| Fund Services at Vanguard from 2008 to 2014. | ||||
| Anne E. Robinson | Secretary | September 2016 | Ms. Robinson has served as General Counsel of | 198 |
| (1970) | Vanguard since September 2016; Secretary of | |||
| Vanguard and of each of the investment companies | ||||
| served by Vanguard, since September 2016; Director | ||||
| and Senior Vice President of Vanguard Marketing | ||||
| Corporation since September 2016; and a Managing | ||||
| Director of Vanguard since August 2016. Ms. Robinson | ||||
| served as Managing Director and General Counsel of | ||||
| Global Cards and Consumer Services at Citigroup from | ||||
| 2014 to 2016. She served as counsel at American | ||||
| Express from 2003 to 2014. | ||||
All but one of the trustees are independent. The independent trustees designate a lead independent trustee. The lead independent trustee is a spokesperson and principal point of contact for the independent trustees and is responsible for coordinating the activities of the independent trustees, including calling regular executive sessions of the independent trustees; developing the agenda of each meeting together with the chairman; and chairing the meetings of the independent trustees. The lead independent trustee also chairs the meetings of the audit, compensation, and nominating committees. The board also has two investment committees, which consist of independent trustees and the sole interested trustee.
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The independent trustees appoint the chairman of the board. The roles of chairman of the board and chief executive officer currently are held by the same person; as a result, the chairman of the board is an interested trustee. The independent trustees generally believe that the Vanguard funds chief executive officer is best qualified to serve as chairman and that fund shareholders benefit from this leadership structure through accountability and strong day-to-day leadership.
Board Committees: The Trusts board has the following committees:
- Audit Committee: This committee oversees the accounting and financial reporting policies, the systems of internal controls, and the independent audits of each fund. The following independent trustees serve as members of the committee: Mr. Gupta, Ms. Heisen, Mr. Loughrey, Mr. Loughridge, and Mr. Volanakis. The committee held five meetings during the Funds fiscal year ended August 31, 2016.
- Compensation Committee: This committee oversees the compensation programs established by each fund for the benefit of its trustees. All independent trustees serve as members of the committee. The committee held three meetings during the Funds fiscal year ended August 31, 2016.
- Investment Committees: These committees assist the board in its oversight of investment advisors to the funds and in the review and evaluation of materials relating to the boards consideration of investment advisory agreements with the funds. Each trustee serves on one of two investment committees. Each investment committee held five meetings during the Funds fiscal year ended August 31, 2016.
- Nominating Committee: This committee nominates candidates for election to the board of trustees of each fund. The committee also has the authority to recommend the removal of any trustee. All independent trustees serve as members of the committee. The committee held two meetings during the Funds fiscal year ended August 31, 2016.
The Nominating Committee will consider shareholder recommendations for trustee nominees. Shareholders may send recommendations to Mr. Loughridge, chairman of the committee.
Trustee Compensation
The same individuals serve as trustees of all Vanguard funds and each fund pays a proportionate share of the trustees compensation. The funds also employ their officers on a shared basis; however, officers are compensated by Vanguard, not the funds.
Independent Trustees. The funds compensate their independent trustees (i.e., the ones who are not also officers of the funds) in three ways:
- The independent trustees receive an annual fee for their service to the funds, which is subject to reduction based on absences from scheduled board meetings.
- The independent trustees are reimbursed for the travel and other expenses that they incur in attending board meetings.
- Upon retirement (after attaining age 65 and completing five years of service), the independent trustees who began their service prior to January 1, 2001, receive a retirement benefit under a separate account arrangement. As of January 1, 2001, the opening balance of each eligible trustees separate account was generally equal to the net present value of the benefits he or she had accrued under the trustees former retirement plan. Each eligible trustees separate account will be credited annually with interest at a rate of 7.5% until the trustee receives his or her final distribution. Those independent trustees who began their service on or after January 1, 2001, are not eligible to participate in the plan.
Interested Trustee. Mr. McNabb serves as trustee but is not paid in this capacity. He is, however, paid in his role as an officer of Vanguard.
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Compensation Table. The following table provides compensation details for each of the trustees. We list the amounts paid as compensation and accrued as retirement benefits by the Funds for each trustee. In addition, the table shows the total amount of benefits that we expect each trustee to receive from all Vanguard funds upon retirement and the total amount of compensation paid to each trustee by all Vanguard funds.
| VANGUARD ADMIRAL FUNDS | ||||
| TRUSTEES’ COMPENSATION TABLE | ||||
| Pension or Retirement | Accrued Annual | Total Compensation | ||
| Aggregate | Benefits Accrued | Retirement | From All Vanguard | |
| Compensation | as Part of the Funds’ | Benefit at | Funds Paid | |
| Trustee | From the Funds1 | Expenses1 | January 1, 20162 | to Trustees3 |
| F. William McNabb III | — | — | — | — |
| Emerson U. Fullwood | $824 | — | — | $230,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | 870 | — | — | 223,500 |
| Amy Gutmann | 824 | — | — | 230,000 |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | 870 | $20 | $ 6,985 | 230,000 |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | 870 | — | — | 230,000 |
| Mark Loughridge | 979 | — | — | 260,000 |
| Scott C. Malpass | 824 | — | — | 223,500 |
| André F. Perold | 870 | — | — | 230,000 |
| Peter F. Volanakis | 870 | — | — | 230,000 |
| 1 | The amounts shown in this column are based on the Trust‘s fiscal year ended August 31, 2016. Each Fund within the Trust is responsible for a proportionate share of these amounts. |
| 2 | Each trustee is eligible to receive retirement benefits only after completing at least 5 years (60 consecutive months) of service as a trustee for the Vanguard funds. The annual retirement benefit will be paid in monthly installments, beginning with the month following the trustee’s retirement from service, and will cease after 10 years of payments (120 monthly installments). Trustees who began their service on or after January 1, 2001, are not eligible to participate in the retirement benefit plan. |
| 3 | The amounts reported in this column reflect the total compensation paid to each trustee for his or her service as trustee of 194 Vanguard funds for the 2015 calendar year. |
Ownership of Fund Shares
All trustees allocate their investments among the various Vanguard funds based on their own investment needs. The following table shows each trustee’s ownership of shares of each Fund and of all Vanguard funds served by the trustee as of December 31, 2015.
| Aggregate Dollar | |||
| Dollar Range of | Range of Vanguard | ||
| Fund Shares | Fund Shares | ||
| Vanguard Fund | Trustee | Owned by Trustee | Owned by Trustee |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | — | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | — | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | — | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | — | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | — | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | — | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | — | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | — | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | — | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | — | Over $100,000 |
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| Aggregate Dollar | |||
| Dollar Range of | Range of Vanguard | ||
| Fund Shares | Fund Shares | ||
| Vanguard Fund | Trustee | Owned by Trustee | Owned by Trustee |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | | Over $100,000 | |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | | Over $100,000 | |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | | Over $100,000 | |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | | Over $100,000 | |
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| Aggregate Dollar | |||
| Dollar Range of | Range of Vanguard | ||
| Fund Shares | Fund Shares | ||
| Vanguard Fund | Trustee | Owned by Trustee | Owned by Trustee |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | | Over $100,000 | |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | | Over $100,000 | |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | | Over $100,000 | |
As of November 30, 2016, the trustees and officers of the funds owned, in the aggregate, less than 1% of each class of each funds outstanding shares.
As of November 30, 2016, the following owned of record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each class: Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index FundInstitutional Shares: Harvest Foundation of the Piedmont, Martinsville, VA (100%); Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index FundInstitutional Shares: National Financial Services LLC, Jersey City, NJ (18.60%), Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Co., Inc., Covington, KY (14.66%), Principal Life Insurance Company, Des Moines, IA (9.32%), Voya Institutional Trust Co. FBO Core Market Solutions, Braintree, MA (6.63%); Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index FundInstitutional Shares: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc., Jacksonville, FL (46.00%), Mori & Co FBO FID ERISA, Kansas City, MO (32.02%), Charles Schwab & Co., Inc., San Francisco, CA (9.22%), ICMA Retirement Corporation Inc., Washington, DC (8.50%); Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index FundInstitutional Shares: Mori & Co. FBO FID ERISA, Kansas City, MO (41.63%), SEI Private Trust Company, Oaks, PA (27.79%), BMO Harris Bank NA FBO Arvest Bank-Trust Division, Bartlesville, OK (13.59%), National Financial Services LLC, Jersey City, NJ (6.93%), Charles
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Schwab & Co. Inc., San Francisco, CA (5.17%); Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund—Institutional Shares: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc., Jacksonville, FL (34.31%), Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Co., Inc., Covington, KY (15.33%), TIAA-CREF Trust Company, St. Louis, MO (6.84%), Wells Fargo Bank NA, Charlotte, NC (6.80%), Wells Fargo Bank NA FBO BPA-CGS Decommissioning Trust Fund, Minneapolis, MN (6.11%), PIMS/Prudential Retirement TTEE/CUST The City of Seattle VO SDHR-Deferred Comp, Seattle, WA (5.86%); Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund—Institutional Shares: TD Ameritrade Trust Company, Denver, CO (99.04%).
Although the Funds do not have information concerning the beneficial ownership of shares held in the names of Depository Trust Company (DTC) participants, as of November 30, 2016, the name and percentage ownership of each DTC participant that owned of record 5% or more of the outstanding ETF Shares of a Fund were as follows:
Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund—ETF Shares: National Financial Services LLC (18.00%), Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (11.50%), LPL Financial Corporation (10.85%), Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith (9.91%), Vanguard Marketing Corporation (9.33%), TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. (6.16%), Morgan Stanley DW Inc. (5.30%); Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund—ETF Shares: Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith (17.34%), LPL Financial Corporation (16.48%), National Financial Services LLC (12.95%), Charles Schwab & Co. Inc. (12.45%), Morgan Stanley DW Inc. (5.22%), UBS Financial Services LLC (5.22%); Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund—ETF Shares: Vanguard Marketing Corporation (20.65%), National Financial Services LLC (9.89%), Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (7.27%), Morgan Stanley DW Inc. (5.40%); Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund—ETF Shares: Vanguard Marketing Corporation (50.84%), Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (15.88%), National Financial Services LLC (8.94%); Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund—ETF Shares: Vanguard Marketing Corporation (58.37%), Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (13.54%), National Financial Services LLC (9.85%); Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund—ETF Shares: National Financial Services LLC (14.04%), Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (11.81%), Vanguard Marketing Corporation (10.09%), First Clearing, LLC (9.04%), Morgan Stanley DW Inc. (5.69%), Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith (5.15%), UBS Financial Services LLC (5.12%), TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. (5.09%); Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund—ETF Shares: Vanguard Marketing Corporation (14.78%), Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (14.06%), Raymond, James & Associates, Inc. (10.49%), TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. (9.86%), Pershing LLC (9.82%), National Financial Services LLC (8.94%); Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund—ETF Shares: Vanguard Marketing Corporation (26.84%), Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (14.66%), National Financial Services LLC (12.54%), TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc. (6.61%), Pershing LLC (6.55%), UBS Financial Services LLC (6.51%).
A shareholder who owns more than 25% of a Fund’s voting shares may be considered a controlling person. As of November 30, 2016, Vanguard Marketing Corporation owned 38.4% of the voting shares of Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund, and 46.3% of Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures
Introduction
Vanguard and the boards of trustees of the Vanguard funds (Boards) have adopted Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures (Policies and Procedures) to govern the disclosure of the portfolio holdings of each Vanguard fund. Vanguard and the Boards considered each of the circumstances under which Vanguard fund portfolio holdings may be disclosed to different categories of persons under the Policies and Procedures. Vanguard and the Boards also considered actual and potential material conflicts that could arise in such circumstances between the interests of Vanguard fund shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the fund’s investment advisor, distributor, or any affiliated person of the fund, its investment advisor, or its distributor, on the other. After giving due consideration to such matters and after the exercise of their fiduciary duties and reasonable business judgment, Vanguard and the Boards determined that the Vanguard funds have a legitimate business purpose for disclosing portfolio holdings to the persons described in each of the circumstances set forth in the Policies and Procedures and that the Policies and Procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that disclosure of portfolio holdings and information about portfolio holdings is in the best interests of fund shareholders and appropriately addresses the potential for material conflicts of interest.
The Boards exercise continuing oversight of the disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings by (1) overseeing the implementation and enforcement of the Policies and Procedures, the Code of Ethics, and the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information (collectively, the portfolio holdings governing policies) by the chief compliance officer of Vanguard and the Vanguard funds; (2) considering reports and recommendations by the chief compliance officer concerning any material compliance matters (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule
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206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940) that may arise in connection with any portfolio holdings governing policies; and (3) considering whether to approve or ratify any amendment to any portfolio holdings governing policies. Vanguard and the Boards reserve the right to amend the Policies and Procedures at any time and from time to time without prior notice at their sole discretion. For purposes of the Policies and Procedures, the term portfolio holdings means the equity and debt securities (e.g., stocks and bonds) held by a Vanguard fund and does not mean the cash investments, derivatives, and other investment positions (collectively, other investment positions) held by the fund.
Online Disclosure of Ten Largest Stock Holdings
Each actively managed Vanguard fund generally will seek to disclose the funds ten largest stock portfolio holdings and the percentage of the funds total assets that each of these holdings represents as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter (quarter-end ten largest stock holdings with weightings) online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 15 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. Each Vanguard index fund generally will seek to disclose the funds ten largest stock portfolio holdings and the percentage of the funds total assets that each of these holdings represents as of the end of the most recent month (month-end ten largest stock holdings with weightings) online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 15 calendar days after the end of the month. In addition, Vanguard funds generally will seek to disclose the funds ten largest stock portfolio holdings and the aggregate percentage of the funds total assets (and, for balanced funds, the aggregate percentage of the funds equity securities) that these holdings represent as of the end of the most recent month (month-end ten largest stock holdings) online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 10 business days after the end of the month. Together, the quarter-end and month-end ten largest stock holdings are referred to as the ten largest stock holdings. Online disclosure of the ten largest stock holdings is made to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries, third-party service providers, rating and ranking organizations, affiliated persons of a Vanguard fund, and all other persons.
Online Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings
Each actively managed Vanguard fund, unless otherwise stated, generally will seek to disclose the funds complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. In accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, each of the Vanguard money market funds will disclose the funds complete portfolio holdings as of the last business day of the prior month online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, no later than the fifth business day of the current month. The complete portfolio holdings information for money market funds will remain available online for at least six months after the initial posting. Vanguard Market Neutral Fund and Vanguard Alternative Strategies Fund generally will seek to disclose the Funds complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the Funds Portfolio & Management page, 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. Each Vanguard index fund generally will seek to disclose the funds complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent month online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 15 calendar days after the end of the month. Online disclosure of complete portfolio holdings is made to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries, third-party service providers, rating and ranking organizations, affiliated persons of a Vanguard fund, and all other persons. Vanguards Portfolio Review Department will review complete portfolio holdings before disclosure is made and, except with respect to the complete portfolio holdings of the Vanguard money market funds, may withhold any portion of the funds complete portfolio holdings from disclosure when deemed to be in the best interests of the fund after consultation with a Vanguard funds investment advisor.
Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings to Service Providers Subject to Confidentiality and Trading Restrictions
Vanguard, for legitimate business purposes, may disclose Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings at times it deems necessary and appropriate to rating and ranking organizations; financial printers; proxy voting service providers; pricing information vendors; issuers of guaranteed investment contracts for stable value portfolios; third parties that deliver analytical, statistical, or consulting services; and other third parties that provide services (collectively, Service Providers) to Vanguard, Vanguard subsidiaries, and/or the Vanguard funds. Disclosure of complete portfolio holdings to a Service Provider is conditioned on the Service Provider being subject to a written agreement imposing a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information.
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The frequency with which complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed to a Service Provider, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the Service Provider, is determined based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure to a Service Provider varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings by Vanguard to a Service Provider must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal in Vanguards Portfolio Review or Legal Department. Any disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings to a Service Provider as previously described may also include a list of the other investment positions that make up the fund, such as cash investments and derivatives.
Currently, Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings are disclosed to the following Service Providers as part of ongoing arrangements that serve legitimate business purposes: Abel/Noser Corporation; Advisor Software, Inc.; Alcom Printing Group Inc.; Apple Press, L.C.; Bloomberg L.P.; Brilliant Graphics, Inc.; Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.; Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.; Canon Business Process Services; FactSet Research Systems Inc.; Innovation Printing & Communications; Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc.; Intelligencer Printing Company; Investment Technology Group, Inc.; Lipper, Inc.; Markit WSO Corporation; McMunn Associates Inc.; Reuters America Inc.; R.R. Donnelley, Inc.; State Street Bank and Trust Company; Trade Informatics LLC; Triune Color Corporation; and Tursack Printing Inc.
Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings to Vanguard Affiliates and Certain Fiduciaries Subject to Confidentiality and Trading Restrictions
Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed between and among the following persons (collectively, Affiliates and Fiduciaries) for legitimate business purposes within the scope of their official duties and responsibilities, subject to such persons continuing legal duty of confidentiality and legal duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information, as such duties are imposed under the Code of Ethics, the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information, by agreement, or under applicable laws, rules, and regulations: (1) persons who are subject to the Code of Ethics or the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information; (2) an investment advisor, distributor, administrator, transfer agent, or custodian to a Vanguard fund; (3) an accounting firm, an auditing firm, or outside legal counsel retained by Vanguard, a Vanguard subsidiary, or a Vanguard fund; (4) an investment advisor to whom complete portfolio holdings are disclosed for due diligence purposes when the advisor is in merger or acquisition talks with a Vanguard funds current advisor; and (5) a newly hired investment advisor or sub-advisor to whom complete portfolio holdings are disclosed prior to the time it commences its duties.
The frequency with which complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed between and among Affiliates and Fiduciaries, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed between and among the Affiliates and Fiduciaries, is determined by such Affiliates and Fiduciaries based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure between and among Affiliates and Fiduciaries varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Any disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings to any Affiliates and Fiduciaries as previously described may also include a list of the other investment positions that make up the fund, such as cash investments and derivatives. Disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, or a Vanguard fund to Affiliates and Fiduciaries must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
Currently, Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings are disclosed to the following Affiliates and Fiduciaries as part of ongoing arrangements that serve legitimate business purposes: Vanguard and each investment advisor, custodian, and independent registered public accounting firm identified in each funds Statement of Additional Information.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings to Broker-Dealers in the Normal Course of Managing a Funds Assets
An investment advisor, administrator, or custodian for a Vanguard fund may, for legitimate business purposes within the scope of its official duties and responsibilities, disclose portfolio holdings (whether partial portfolio holdings or complete portfolio holdings) and other investment positions that make up the fund to one or more broker-dealers during the course of, or in connection with, normal day-to-day securities and derivatives transactions with or through such broker-dealers subject to the broker-dealers legal obligation not to use or disclose material nonpublic information concerning the funds
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portfolio holdings, other investment positions, securities transactions, or derivatives transactions without the consent of the fund or its agents. The Vanguard funds have not given their consent to any such use or disclosure and no person or agent of Vanguard is authorized to give such consent except as approved in writing by the Boards of the Vanguard funds. Disclosure of portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard to broker-dealers must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
Disclosure of Nonmaterial Information
The Policies and Procedures permit Vanguard fund officers, Vanguard fund portfolio managers, and other Vanguard representatives (collectively, Approved Vanguard Representatives) to disclose any views, opinions, judgments, advice, or commentary, or any analytical, statistical, performance, or other information, in connection with or relating to a Vanguard fund or its portfolio holdings and/or other investment positions (collectively, commentary and analysis) or any changes in the portfolio holdings of a Vanguard fund that occurred after the end of the most recent calendar quarter (recent portfolio changes) to any person if (1) such disclosure serves a legitimate business purpose, (2) such disclosure does not effectively result in the disclosure of the complete portfolio holdings of any Vanguard fund (which can be disclosed only in accordance with the Policies and Procedures), and (3) such information does not constitute material nonpublic information. Disclosure of commentary and analysis or recent portfolio changes by Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, or a Vanguard fund must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
An Approved Vanguard Representative must make a good faith determination whether the information constitutes material nonpublic information, which involves an assessment of the particular facts and circumstances. Vanguard believes that in most cases recent portfolio changes that involve a few or even several securities in a diversified portfolio or commentary and analysis would be immaterial and would not convey any advantage to a recipient in making an investment decision concerning a Vanguard fund. Nonexclusive examples of commentary and analysis about a Vanguard fund include (1) the allocation of the funds portfolio holdings and other investment positions among various asset classes, sectors, industries, and countries; (2) the characteristics of the stock and bond components of the funds portfolio holdings and other investment positions; (3) the attribution of fund returns by asset class, sector, industry, and country; and (4) the volatility characteristics of the fund. Approved Vanguard Representatives may, at their sole discretion, deny any request for information made by any person, and may do so for any reason or for no reason. Approved Vanguard Representatives include, for purposes of the Policies and Procedures, persons employed by or associated with Vanguard or a subsidiary of Vanguard who have been authorized by Vanguards Portfolio Review Department to disclose recent portfolio changes and/or commentary and analysis in accordance with the Policies and Procedures.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings in Accordance with SEC Exemptive Orders
Vanguards Fund Financial Services unit may disclose to the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC), Authorized Participants, and other market makers the daily portfolio composition files (PCFs) that identify a basket of specified securities that may overlap with the actual or expected portfolio holdings of the Vanguard funds that offer a class of shares known as Vanguard ETF Shares (ETF Funds), in accordance with the terms and conditions of related exemptive orders (Vanguard ETF Exemptive Orders) issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission, as described in this section.
Unlike the conventional classes of shares issued by ETF Funds, the ETF Shares are listed for trading on a national securities exchange. Each ETF Fund issues and redeems ETF Shares in large blocks, known as Creation Units. To purchase or redeem a Creation Unit, an investor must be an Authorized Participant or the investor must purchase or redeem through a broker-dealer that is an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant is a participant in the Depository Trust Company (DTC) that has executed a Participant Agreement with Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Each ETF Fund issues Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio deposit consisting of a basket of specified securities (Deposit Securities) and a cash payment (Balancing Amount). Each ETF Fund also redeems Creation Units in kind; an investor who tenders a Creation Unit will receive, as redemption proceeds, a basket of specified securities together with a Balancing Amount.
In connection with the creation and redemption process, and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Vanguard ETF Exemptive Orders, Vanguard makes available to the NSCC (a clearing agency registered with the SEC and affiliated with the DTC), for dissemination to NSCC participants on each business day prior to the opening of trading on the listing exchange, a PCF containing a list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security for each ETF Fund. In addition, the listing exchange disseminates (1) continuously throughout the trading day, through the
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facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, the market value of an ETF Share; and (2) every 15 seconds throughout the trading day, a calculation of the estimated NAV of an ETF Share (expected to be accurate to within a few basis points). Comparing these two figures allows an investor to determine whether, and to what extent, ETF Shares are selling at a premium or at a discount to NAV. ETF Shares are listed on the exchange and traded on the secondary market in the same manner as other equity securities. The price of ETF Shares trading on the secondary market is based on a current bid/offer market.
In addition to making PCFs available to the NSCC, as previously described, Vanguards Fund Financial Services unit may disclose the PCF for any ETF Fund to any person, or online at vanguard.com to all categories of persons, if (1) such disclosure serves a legitimate business purpose and (2) such disclosure does not constitute material nonpublic information. Vanguards Fund Financial Services unit must make a good faith determination whether the PCF for any ETF Fund constitutes material nonpublic information, which involves an assessment of the particular facts and circumstances. Vanguard believes that in most cases the PCF for any ETF Fund would be immaterial and would not convey any advantage to the recipient in making an investment decision concerning the ETF Fund, if sufficient time has passed between the date of the PCF and the date on which the PCF is disclosed. Vanguards Fund Financial Services unit may, at its sole discretion, determine whether to deny any request for the PCF for any ETF Fund made by any person, and may do so for any reason or for no reason. Disclosure of a PCF must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal in Vanguards Fund Financial Services unit.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings Related Information to the Issuer of a Security for Legitimate Business Purposes
Vanguard, at its sole discretion, may disclose portfolio holdings information concerning a security held by one or more Vanguard funds to the issuer of such security if the issuer presents, to the satisfaction of Vanguards Fund Financial Services unit, convincing evidence that the issuer has a legitimate business purpose for such information. Disclosure of this information to an issuer is conditioned on the issuer being subject to a written agreement imposing a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information. The frequency with which portfolio holdings information concerning a security may be disclosed to the issuer of such security, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the issuer, is determined based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure to an issuer cannot be determined in advance of a specific request and will vary based upon the particular facts and circumstances and the legitimate business purposes, but in unusual situations could be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Disclosure of portfolio holdings information concerning a security held by one or more Vanguard funds to the issuer of such security must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal in Vanguards Portfolio Review or Legal Department.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings as Required by Applicable Law
Vanguard fund portfolio holdings (whether partial portfolio holdings or complete portfolio holdings) and other investment positions that make up a fund shall be disclosed to any person as required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Examples of such required disclosure include, but are not limited to, disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings (1) in a filing or submission with the SEC or another regulatory body, (2) in connection with seeking recovery on defaulted bonds in a federal bankruptcy case, (3) in connection with a lawsuit, or (4) as required by court order. Disclosure of portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, or a Vanguard fund as required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
Prohibitions on Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
No person is authorized to disclose Vanguard fund portfolio holdings or other investment positions (whether online at vanguard.com, in writing, by fax, by e-mail, orally, or by other means) except in accordance with the Policies and Procedures. In addition, no person is authorized to make disclosure pursuant to the Policies and Procedures if such disclosure is otherwise unlawful under the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act). Furthermore, Vanguards management, at its sole discretion, may determine not to disclose portfolio holdings or other investment positions that make up a Vanguard fund to any person who would otherwise be
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eligible to receive such information under the Policies and Procedures, or may determine to make such disclosures publicly as provided by the Policies and Procedures.
Prohibitions on Receipt of Compensation or Other Consideration
The Policies and Procedures prohibit a Vanguard fund, its investment advisor, and any other person or entity from paying or receiving any compensation or other consideration of any type for the purpose of obtaining disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings or other investment positions. “Consideration” includes any agreement to maintain assets in the fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the investment advisor or by any affiliated person of the investment advisor.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
The Funds receive all investment advisory services from Vanguard, through its Equity Index Group. These services are provided on an at-cost basis by an experienced investment advisory staff employed directly by Vanguard. The compensation and other expenses of the advisory staff are allocated among the funds utilizing these services.
During the fiscal years ended August 31, 2014, 2015, and 2016, the Funds incurred the following approximate investment advisory expenses:
| Vanguard Fund | 20141 | 20152 | 2016 |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | $ 34,000 | $ 81,000 | $ 131,000 |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | 24,000 | 45,000 | 62,000 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | 107,000 | 166,000 | 197,000 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | 52,000 | 77,000 | 96,000 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | 20,000 | 44,000 | 60,000 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | 50,000 | 70,000 | 89,000 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | — | — | 14,000 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | — | 7,000 | 21,000 |
| 1 | During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2014, the S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index and S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Funds did not incur expenses for investment advisory services. |
| 2 | During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2015, the S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index did not incur expenses for investment advisory services. |
1. Other Accounts Managed
Donald M. Butler and William Coleman co-manage Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund; as of August 31, 2016, the Funds collectively held assets of $966 million. As of August 31, 2016, Mr. Butler also co-managed all or a portion of 13 other registered investment companies with total assets of $619 billion and 2 other pooled investment vehicles with total assets of $13.1 billion (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance). As of August 31, 2016, Mr. Coleman also co-managed all or a portion of 48 other registered investment companies with total assets of $511 billion, managed 1 other pooled investment vehicle with total assets of $5.4 billion, and managed 1 other account with total assets of $4.5 billion (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance).
William Coleman and Scott E. Geiger co-manage Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, and Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund; as of August 31, 2016, the Funds collectively held assets of $2.6 billion. As of August 31, 2016, Mr. Coleman also co-managed all or a portion of 48 other registered investment companies with total assets of $509 billion, managed 1 other pooled investment vehicle with total assets of $5.4 billion, and managed 1 other account with total assets of $4.5 billion (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance). As of August 31, 2016, Mr. Geiger also co-managed 16 other registered investment companies with total assets of $556 billion (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance).
Donald M. Butler and Scott E. Geiger co-manage Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund and Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund; as of August 31, 2016, the Funds collectively held assets of $1.5 billion. As of August 31, 2016, Mr. Butler also co-managed 14 other registered investment companies with total assets of $619 billion and 2 other pooled
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investment vehicles with total assets of $13.1 billion (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance). As of August 31, 2016, Mr. Geiger also co-managed 17 other registered investment companies with total assets of $557 billion (none of which had advisory fees based on account performance).
2. Material Conflicts of Interest
At Vanguard, individual portfolio managers may manage multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition to mutual funds, these accounts may include separate accounts, collective trusts, and offshore funds. Managing multiple funds or accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest including, for example, conflicts among investment strategies and conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities. Vanguard manages potential conflicts between funds or accounts through allocation policies and procedures, internal review processes, and oversight by trustees and independent third parties. Vanguard has developed trade allocation procedures and controls to ensure that no one client, regardless of type, is intentionally favored at the expense of another. Allocation policies are designed to address potential conflicts in situations where two or more funds or accounts participate in investment decisions involving the same securities.
3. Description of Compensation
All Vanguard portfolio managers are Vanguard employees. This section describes the compensation of the Vanguard employees who manage Vanguard mutual funds. As of August 31, 2016, a Vanguard portfolio managers compensation generally consists of base salary, bonus, and payments under Vanguards long-term incentive compensation program. In addition, portfolio managers are eligible for the standard retirement benefits and health and welfare benefits available to all Vanguard employees. Also, certain portfolio managers may be eligible for additional retirement benefits under several supplemental retirement plans that Vanguard adopted in the 1980s to restore dollar-for-dollar the benefits of management employees that had been cut back solely as a result of tax law changes. These plans are structured to provide the same retirement benefits as the standard retirement plans.
In the case of portfolio managers responsible for managing multiple Vanguard funds or accounts, the method used to determine their compensation is the same for all funds and investment accounts. A portfolio managers base salary is determined by the managers experience and performance in the role, taking into account the ongoing compensation benchmark analyses performed by Vanguards Human Resources Department. A portfolio managers base salary is generally a fixed amount that may change as a result of an annual review, upon assumption of new duties, or in response to a market adjustment of the position.
A portfolio managers bonus is determined by a number of factors. One factor is gross, pre-tax performance of the fund relative to expectations for how the fund should have performed, given the funds investment objective, policies, strategies, and limitations, and the market environment during the measurement period. This performance factor is not based on the amount of assets held in the funds portfolio. For each Fund, the performance factor depends on how closely the portfolio manager tracks the Funds benchmark index over a one-year period. Additional factors include the portfolio managers contributions to the investment management functions within the sub-asset class, contributions to the development of other investment professionals and supporting staff, and overall contributions to strategic planning and decisions for the investment group. The target bonus is expressed as a percentage of base salary. The actual bonus paid may be more or less than the target bonus, based on how well the manager satisfies the objectives previously described. The bonus is paid on an annual basis.
Under the long-term incentive compensation program, all full-time employees receive a payment from Vanguards long-term incentive compensation plan based on their years of service, job level, and if applicable, management responsibilities. Each year, Vanguards independent directors determine the amount of the long-term incentive compensation award for that year based on the investment performance of the Vanguard funds relative to competitors and Vanguards operating efficiencies in providing services to the Vanguard funds.
4. Ownership of Securities
Vanguard employees, including portfolio managers, allocate their investments among the various Vanguard funds or collective investment trusts that may invest in Vanguard funds based on their own individual investment needs and goals. Vanguard employees, as a group, invest a sizeable portion of their personal assets in Vanguard funds. As of August 31, 2016, Vanguard employees collectively invested more than $5.1 billion in Vanguard funds or collective
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investment trusts that may invest in Vanguard funds. F. William McNabb III, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Vanguard and the Vanguard funds, invests substantially all of his personal financial assets in Vanguard funds.
As of August 31, 2016, the named portfolio managers did not own any shares of the above-named Funds that they manage.
Duration and Termination of Investment Advisory Agreement
Vanguard provides at-cost investment advisory services to the Funds pursuant to the terms of the Fifth Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement. This agreement will continue in full force and effect until terminated or amended by mutual agreement of the Vanguard funds and Vanguard.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
The advisor decides which securities to buy and sell on behalf of a Fund and then selects the brokers or dealers that will execute the trades on an agency basis or the dealers with whom the trades will be effected on a principal basis. For each trade, the advisor must select a broker-dealer that it believes will provide best execution. Best execution does not necessarily mean paying the lowest spread or commission rate available. In seeking best execution, the SEC has said that an advisor should consider the full range of a broker-dealers services. The factors considered by the advisor in seeking best execution include, but are not limited to, the broker-dealers execution capability, clearance and settlement services, commission rate, trading expertise, willingness and ability to commit capital, ability to provide anonymity, financial responsibility, reputation and integrity, responsiveness, access to underwritten offerings and secondary markets, and access to company management, as well as the value of any research provided by the broker-dealer. In assessing which broker-dealer can provide best execution for a particular trade, the advisor also may consider the timing and size of the order and available liquidity and current market conditions. Subject to applicable legal requirements, the advisor may select a broker based partly on brokerage or research services provided to the advisor and its clients, including the Funds. The advisor may cause a Fund to pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if the advisor determines in good faith that the amount of the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of services provided. The advisor also may receive brokerage or research services from broker-dealers that are provided at no charge in recognition of the volume of trades directed to the broker. To the extent research services or products may be a factor in selecting brokers, services and products may include written research reports analyzing performance or securities, discussions with research analysts, meetings with corporate executives to obtain oral reports on company performance, market data, and other products and services that will assist the advisor in its investment decision-making process. The research services provided by brokers through which a Fund effects securities transactions may be used by the advisor in servicing all of its accounts, and some of the services may not be used by the advisor in connection with the Fund.
During the fiscal years ended August 31, 2014, 2015, and 2016, the Funds paid the following approximate amounts in brokerage commissions:
| Vanguard Fund | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund1,2 | $ 3,000 | $ 5,000 | $8,000 |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund1 | 2,000 | 3,000 | 4,000 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund1,2 | 19,000 | 27,000 | 50,000 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund1 | 7,000 | 21,000 | 17,000 |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund1 | 5,000 | 13,000 | 11,000 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund1 | 10,000 | 17,000 | 17,000 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund1 | 2,000 | 7,000 | 7,000 |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund1,3 | 3,000 | 11,000 | 7,000 |
1 The increase in brokerage commissions paid by the Fund during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2015, was due to increased trading volume as a result of incoming cash flows.
2 The increase in brokerage commissions paid by the Fund during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, was due to increased trading volume as a result of incoming cash flows.
3 The change in brokerage commissions paid by the Fund during the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, was due to changes in trading volume and cash flow.
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Some securities that are considered for investment by a Fund may also be appropriate for other Vanguard funds or for other clients served by the advisor. If such securities are compatible with the investment policies of a Fund and one or more of the advisor’s other clients and are considered for purchase or sale at or about the same time, then transactions in such securities may be aggregated by the advisor, and the purchased securities or sale proceeds may be allocated among the participating Vanguard funds and the other participating clients of the advisor in a manner deemed equitable by the advisor. Although there may be no specified formula for allocating such transactions, the allocation methods used, and the results of such allocations, will be subject to periodic review by the Funds‘ board of trustees.
The ability of Vanguard and external advisors to purchase or dispose of investments in regulated industries, certain derivatives markets, certain international markets, and certain issuers that limit ownership by a single shareholder or group of related shareholders, or to exercise rights on behalf of a Fund, may be restricted or impaired because of limitations on the aggregate level of investment unless regulatory or corporate consents or ownership waivers are obtained. As a result, Vanguard and external advisors on behalf of a Fund may be required to limit purchases, sell existing investments, or otherwise restrict or limit the exercise of shareholder rights by the Fund, including voting rights. If a Fund is required to limit its investment in a particular issuer, the Fund may seek to obtain economic exposure to that issuer through alternative means, such as through a derivative, which may be more costly than owning securities of the issuer directly.
As of August 31, 2016, each Fund held securities of its “regular brokers or dealers,” as that term is defined in Rule 10b-1 of the 1940 Act, as follows:
| Vanguard Fund | Regular Broker or Dealer (or Parent) | Aggregate Holdings |
| S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | Morgan Stanley | $2,473,000 |
| S&P 500 Value Index Fund | Goldman, Sachs & Co. | $3,469,000 |
| J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. | 13,078,000 | |
| Morgan Stanley | 1,360,000 | |
| Wells Fargo Securities, LLC | 12,436,000 | |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | — | — |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | — | — |
| S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | — | — |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | — | — |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | — | — |
| S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | — | — |
PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
The Board of Trustees (the Board) of each Vanguard fund has adopted proxy voting procedures and guidelines to govern proxy voting by the fund. The Board has delegated responsibility for monitoring proxy voting activities to the Proxy Oversight Committee (the Committee), made up of senior officers of Vanguard and subject to the operating procedures and guidelines described below. The Committee reports directly to the Board. Vanguard is subject to these procedures and guidelines to the extent that they call for Vanguard to administer the voting process and implement the resulting voting decisions, and for these purposes the guidelines have also been approved by the Board of Directors of Vanguard.
The overarching objective in voting is simple: to support proposals and director nominees that maximize the value of a fund’s investments—and those of fund shareholders—over the long term. Although the goal is simple, the proposals the funds receive are varied and frequently complex. As such, the guidelines adopted by the Board provide a rigorous framework for assessing each proposal. Under the guidelines, each proposal must be evaluated on its merits, based on the particular facts and circumstances as presented.
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For ease of reference, the procedures and guidelines often refer to all funds. However, our processes and practices seek to ensure that proxy voting decisions are suitable for individual funds. For most proxy proposals, particularly those involving corporate governance, the evaluation will result in the same position being taken across all of the funds and the funds voting as a block. In some cases, however, a fund may vote differently, depending upon the nature and objective of the fund, the composition of its portfolio, and other factors.
The guidelines do not permit the Board to delegate voting responsibility to a third party that does not serve as a fiduciary for the funds. Because many factors bear on each decision, the guidelines incorporate factors the Committee should consider in each voting decision. A fund may refrain from voting some or all of its shares or vote in a particular way if doing so would be in the funds and its shareholders best interests. These circumstances may arise, for example, if the expected cost of voting exceeds the expected benefits of voting, if exercising the vote would result in the imposition of trading or other restrictions, or if a fund (or all Vanguard funds in the aggregate) were to own more than the permissible maximum percentage of a companys stock (as determined by the companys governing documents or by applicable law, regulation, or regulatory agreement).
In evaluating proxy proposals, we consider information from many sources, including, but not limited to, the investment advisor for the fund, the management or shareholders of a company presenting a proposal, and independent proxy research services. We will give substantial weight to the recommendations of the companys board, absent guidelines or other specific facts that would support a vote against management. In all cases, however, the ultimate decision rests with the members of the Committee, who are accountable to the funds Board.
While serving as a framework, the following guidelines cannot contemplate all possible proposals with which a fund may be presented. In the absence of a specific guideline for a particular proposal (e.g., in the case of a transactional issue or contested proxy), the Committee will evaluate the issue and cast the funds vote in a manner that, in the Committees view, will maximize the value of the funds investment, subject to the individual circumstances of the fund.
| I. | The Board of Directors |
| A. | Election of directors |
Good governance starts with a majority-independent board, whose key committees are made up entirely of independent directors. As such, companies should attest to the independence of directors who serve on the Compensation, Nominating, and Audit committees. In any instance in which a director is not categorically independent, the basis for the independence determination should be clearly explained in the proxy statement.
Although the funds will generally support the boards nominees, the following factors will be taken into account in determining each funds vote:
Factors For Approval Nominated slate results in board made up of a majority of independent directors. All members of Audit, Nominating, and Compensation committees are independent of management. |
Factors Against Approval Nominated slate results in board made up of a majority of non-independent directors. Audit, Nominating, and/or Compensation committees include non-independent members. Incumbent board member failed to attend at least 75% of meetings in the previous year. Actions of committee(s) on which nominee serves are inconsistent with other guidelines (e.g., excessive equity grants, substantial non-audit fees, lack of board independence). Actions of committee(s) on which nominee serves demonstrate serious failures of governance (e.g., unilaterally acting to significantly reduce shareholder rights, failure to respond to previous vote results for directors and shareholder proposals). |
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B. Contested director elections
In the case of contested board elections, we will evaluate the nominees qualifications, the performance of the incumbent board, and the rationale behind the dissidents campaign, to determine the outcome that we believe will maximize shareholder value.
C. Classified boards
The funds will generally support proposals to declassify existing boards (whether proposed by management or shareholders), and will block efforts by companies to adopt classified board structures in which only part of the board is elected each year.
D. Proxy access
We believe that long-term investors may benefit from having proxy access, or the opportunity to place director nominees on a companys proxy ballot. In our view, this improves shareholders ability to participate in director elections while potentially enhancing boards accountability and responsiveness to shareholders.
That said, we also believe that proxy access provisions should be appropriately limited to avoid abuse by investors who lack a meaningful long-term interest in the company. As such, we generally believe that a shareholder or group of shareholders representing 3% of a companys outstanding shares held for at least three years should be able to nominate directors for up to 20% of the seats on the board.
We will review proposals regarding proxy access case by case. The funds will be most likely to support access provisions with the terms described above, but they may support different thresholds based on a companys other governance provisions, as well as other relevant factors.
II. Approval of Independent Auditors
The relationship between the company and its auditors should be limited primarily to the audit, although it may include certain closely related activities that do not, in the aggregate, raise any appearance of impaired independence. The funds will generally support managements recommendation for the ratification of the auditor, except in instances in which audit and audit-related fees make up less than 50% of the total fees paid by the company to the audit firm. We will evaluate on a case-by-case basis instances in which the audit firm has a substantial non-audit relationship with the company (regardless of its size relative to the audit fee) to determine whether independence has been compromised.
| III. | Compensation Issues |
| A. | Stock-based compensation plans |
Appropriately designed stock-based compensation plans, administered by an independent committee of the board and approved by shareholders, can be an effective way to align the interests of long-term shareholders with the interests of management, employees, and directors. The funds oppose plans that substantially dilute their ownership interest in the company, provide participants with excessive awards, or have inherently objectionable structural features.
An independent compensation committee should have significant latitude to deliver varied compensation to motivate the companys employees. However, we will evaluate compensation proposals in the context of several factors (a companys industry, market capitalization, competitors for talent, etc.) to determine whether a particular plan or proposal balances the perspectives of employees and the companys other shareholders. We will evaluate each proposal on a case-by-case basis, taking all material facts and circumstances into account.
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The following factors will be among those considered in evaluating these proposals:
Factors For Approval
Company requires senior executives to hold a minimum amount
of company stock (frequently expressed as a multiple of salary).
Company requires stock acquired through equity awards to be
held for a certain period of time.
Compensation program includes performance-vesting awards,
indexed options, or other performance-linked grants.
Concentration of equity grants to senior executives is limited
(indicating that the plan is very broad-based).
Stock-based compensation is clearly used as a substitute for
cash in delivering market-competitive total pay.
B. Bonus plans
Factors Against Approval
Total potential dilution (including all stock-based plans) exceeds 15% of
shares outstanding.
Annual equity grants have exceeded 2% of shares outstanding.
Plan permits repricing or replacement of options without
shareholder approval.
Plan provides for the issuance of reload options.
Plan contains automatic share replenishment (evergreen) feature.
Bonus plans, which must be periodically submitted for shareholder approval to qualify for deductibility under Section 162(m) of the IRC, should have clearly defined performance criteria and maximum awards expressed in dollars. Bonus plans with awards that are excessive, in both absolute terms and relative to a comparative group, generally will not be supported.
C. Employee stock purchase plans
The funds will generally support the use of employee stock purchase plans to increase company stock ownership by employees, provided that shares purchased under the plan are acquired for no less than 85% of their market value and that shares reserved under the plan amount to less than 5% of the outstanding shares.
D. Advisory votes on executive compensation (Say on Pay)
In addition to proposals on specific equity or bonus plans, the funds are required to cast advisory votes approving many companies overall executive compensation plans (so-called Say on Pay votes). In evaluating these proposals, we consider a number of factors, including the amount of compensation that is at risk, the amount of equity-based compensation that is linked to the companys performance, and the level of compensation as compared to industry peers. The funds will generally support pay programs that demonstrate effective linkage between pay and performance over time and that provide compensation opportunities that are competitive relative to industry peers. On the other hand, pay programs in which significant compensation is guaranteed or insufficiently linked to performance will be less likely to earn our support.
E. Executive severance agreements (golden parachutes)
Although executives incentives for continued employment should be more significant than severance benefits, there are instancesparticularly in the event of a change in controlin which severance arrangements may be appropriate. Severance benefits payable upon a change of control AND an executives termination (so-called double trigger plans) are generally acceptable to the extent that benefits paid do not exceed three times salary and bonus. Arrangements in which the benefits exceed three times salary and bonus should be justified and submitted for shareholder approval. We do not generally support guaranteed severance absent a change in control or arrangements that do not require the termination of the executive (so-called single trigger plans).
IV. Corporate Structure and Shareholder Rights
The exercise of shareholder rights, in proportion to economic ownership, is a fundamental privilege of stock ownership that should not be unnecessarily limited. Such limits may be placed on shareholders ability to act by corporate charter or by-law provisions, or by the adoption of certain takeover provisions. In general, the market for corporate control should be allowed to function without undue interference from these artificial barriers.
The funds positions on a number of the most commonly presented issues in this area are as follows:
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| A. | Shareholder rights plans (poison pills) |
| A | companys adoption of a so-called poison pill effectively limits a potential acquirers ability to buy a controlling interest |
without the approval of the targets board of directors. Such a plan, in conjunction with other takeover defenses, may serve to entrench incumbent management and directors. However, in other cases, a poison pill may force a suitor to negotiate with the board and result in the payment of a higher acquisition premium.
In general, shareholders should be afforded the opportunity to approve shareholder rights plans within a year of their adoption. This provides the board with the ability to put a poison pill in place for legitimate defensive purposes, subject to subsequent approval by shareholders. In evaluating the approval of proposed shareholder rights plans, we will consider the following factors:
Factors For Approval
Plan is relatively short-term (3-5 years).
Plan requires shareholder approval for renewal.
Plan incorporates review by a committee of independent
directors at least every three years (so-called TIDE provisions).
Ownership trigger is reasonable (15-20%).
Highly independent, non-classified board.
Plan includes permitted-bid/qualified-offer feature (chewable
pill) that mandates a shareholder vote in certain situations.
B. Increase in authorized shares
Factors Against Approval
Plan is long term (>5 years).
Renewal of plan is automatic or does not require shareholder approval.
Board with limited independence.
Ownership trigger is less than 15%.
Classified board.
The funds are supportive of companies seeking to increase authorized share amounts that do not potentially expose shareholders to excessive dilution. We will generally approve increases of up to 50% of the current share authorization, but will also consider a companys specific circumstances and market practices.
C. Cumulative voting
The funds are generally opposed to cumulative voting under the premise that it allows shareholders a voice in director elections that is disproportionate to their economic investment in the corporation.
D. Supermajority vote requirements
The funds support shareholders ability to approve or reject matters presented for a vote based on a simple majority. Accordingly, the funds will support proposals to remove supermajority requirements and oppose proposals to impose them.
E. Right to call meetings and act by written consent
The funds support shareholders right to call special meetings of the board (for good cause and with ample representation) and to act by written consent. The funds will generally vote for proposals to grant these rights to shareholders and against proposals to abridge them.
F. Confidential voting
The integrity of the voting process is enhanced substantially when shareholders (both institutions and individuals) can vote without fear of coercion or retribution based on their votes. As such, the funds support proposals to provide confidential voting.
G. Dual classes of stock
We are opposed to dual class capitalization structures that provide disparate voting rights to different groups of shareholders with similar economic investments. We will oppose the creation of separate classes with different voting rights and will support the dissolution of such classes.
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V. Corporate and Social Policy Issues
Proposals in this category, initiated primarily by shareholders, typically request that the company disclose or amend certain business practices. The Board generally believes that these are ordinary business matters that are primarily the responsibility of management and should be evaluated and approved solely by the corporations board of directors. Often, proposals may address concerns with which the Board philosophically agrees, but absent a compelling economic impact on shareholder value (e.g., proposals to require expensing of stock options), the funds will typically abstain from voting on these proposals. This reflects the belief that regardless of our philosophical perspective on the issue, these decisions should be the province of company management unless they have a significant, tangible impact on the value of a funds investment and management is not responsive to the matter.
VI. Voting in Foreign Markets
Corporate governance standards, disclosure requirements, and voting mechanics vary greatly among the markets outside the United States in which the funds may invest. Each funds votes will be used, where applicable, to advocate for improvements in governance and disclosure by each funds portfolio companies. We will evaluate issues presented to shareholders for each funds foreign holdings in the context with the guidelines described above, as well as local market standards and best practices. The funds will cast their votes in a manner believed to be philosophically consistent with these guidelines, while taking into account differing practices by market. In addition, there may be instances in which the funds elect not to vote, as described below.
Many foreign markets require that securities be blocked or reregistered to vote at a companys meeting. Absent an issue of compelling economic importance, we will generally not subject the fund to the loss of liquidity imposed by these requirements.
The costs of voting (e.g., custodian fees, vote agency fees) in foreign markets may be substantially higher than for U.S. holdings. As such, the fund may limit its voting on foreign holdings in instances in which the issues presented are unlikely to have a material impact on shareholder value.
VII. Voting Shares of a Company that has an Ownership Limitation
Certain companies have provisions in their governing documents that restrict stock ownership in excess of a specified limit. Typically, these ownership restrictions are included in the governing documents of real estate investment trusts, but may be included in other companies governing documents.
A companys governing documents normally allow the company to grant a waiver of these ownership limits, which would allow a fund (or all Vanguard-advised funds) to exceed the stated ownership limit. Sometimes a company will grant a waiver without restriction. From time to time, a company may grant a waiver only if a fund (or funds) agrees to not vote the companys shares in excess of the normal specified limit. In such a circumstance, a fund may refrain from voting shares if owning the shares beyond the companys specified limit is in the best interests of the fund and its shareholders.
In addition, applicable law may require prior regulatory approval to permit ownership of certain regulated issuers voting securities above certain limits or may impose other restrictions on owners of more than a certain percentage of a regulated issuers voting shares. The Board has authorized the funds to vote shares above these limits in the same proportion as votes cast by the issuers entire shareholder base (i.e., mirror vote) or to refrain from voting excess shares if mirror voting is not practicable. For example, rules administered by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the FRB) generally require that a person seeking to own more than 10% of a bank regulated by the FRB seek prior approval. Vanguard has obtained regulatory approval that allows Vanguard funds to own up to 15% of a class of a banks outstanding voting shares without seeking prior regulatory approval, provided the funds shares in excess of 10% are mirror voted or not voted at all.
These ownership limits may be applied at the individual fund level, across all Vanguard-advised funds, or across all Vanguard funds, regardless of whether they are advised by Vanguard.
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VIII. Voting on a Funds Holdings of Other Vanguard Funds
Certain Vanguard funds (owner funds) may, from time to time, own shares of other Vanguard funds (underlying funds). If an underlying fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders, votes for and against such matters on behalf of the owner funds will be cast in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders in the underlying fund.
IX. The Proxy Voting Group
The Board has delegated the day-to-day operations of the funds proxy voting process to the Proxy Voting Group, which the Committee oversees. Although most votes will be determined, subject to the individual circumstances of each fund, by reference to the guidelines as separately adopted by each of the funds, there may be circumstances when the Proxy Voting Group will refer proxy issues to the Committee for consideration. In addition, at any time, the Board has the authority to vote proxies, when, at the Boards or the Committees discretion, such action is warranted.
The Proxy Voting Group performs the following functions: (1) managing and conducting due diligence of proxy voting vendors; (2) reconciling share positions; (3) analyzing proxy proposals using factors described in the guidelines; (4) determining and addressing potential or actual conflicts of interest that may be presented by a particular proxy; and (5) voting proxies. The Proxy Voting Group also prepares periodic and special reports to the Board, and any proposed amendments to the procedures and guidelines.
X. The Proxy Oversight Committee
The Board, including a majority of the independent trustees, appoints the members of the Committee who are senior officers of Vanguard.
The Committee does not include anyone whose primary duties include external client relationship management or sales. This clear separation between the proxy voting and client relationship functions is intended to eliminate any potential conflict of interest in the proxy voting process. In the unlikely event that a member of the Committee believes he or she might have a conflict of interest regarding a proxy vote, that member must recuse himself or herself from the committee meeting at which the matter is addressed, and not participate in the voting decision.
The Committee works with the Proxy Voting Group to provide reports and other guidance to the Board regarding proxy voting by the funds. The Committee has an obligation to conduct its meetings and exercise its decision-making authority subject to the fiduciary standards of good faith, fairness, and Vanguards Code of Ethics. The Committee shall authorize proxy votes that the Committee determines, at its sole discretion, to be in the best interests of each funds shareholders. In determining how to apply the guidelines to a particular factual situation, the Committee may not take into account any interest that would conflict with the interest of fund shareholders in maximizing the value of their investments.
The Board may review these procedures and guidelines and modify them from time to time. A summary of the procedures and guidelines is available on Vanguards website at vanguard.com.
You may obtain a free copy of a report that details how the funds voted the proxies relating to the portfolio securities held by the funds for the prior 12-month period ended June 30 by logging on to Vanguards website at vanguard.com or the SECs website at www.sec.gov.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE ETF SHARE CLASS
Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index, Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index, and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Funds (collectively, the ETF Funds) offer and issue an exchange-traded class of shares called ETF Shares. Each ETF Fund issues and redeems ETF Shares in large blocks, known as Creation Units. For the Funds, the number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit is 25,000.
To purchase or redeem a Creation Unit, you must be an Authorized Participant or you must transact through a broker that is an Authorized Participant. An Authorized Participant is a participant in the Depository Trust Company (DTC) that has executed a Participant Agreement with Vanguard Marketing Corporation, the Funds distributor (the Distributor). For a current list of Authorized Participants, contact the Distributor.
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Investors that are not Authorized Participants must hold ETF Shares in a brokerage account. As with any stock traded on an exchange through a broker, purchases and sales of ETF Shares will be subject to usual and customary brokerage commissions.
Each ETF Fund issues Creation Units in kind in exchange for a basket of securities that are part ofor soon to be part ofits target index (Deposit Securities). Each ETF Fund also redeems Creation Units in kind; an investor who tenders a Creation Unit will receive, as redemption proceeds, a basket of securities that are part of the Funds portfolio holdings (Redemption Securities). As part of any creation or redemption transaction, the investor will either pay or receive some cash in addition to the securities, as described more fully on the following pages. Each ETF Fund reserves the right to issue Creation Units for cash, rather than in kind.
Exchange Listing and Trading
The ETF Shares have been approved for listing on a national securities exchange and will trade on the exchange at market prices that may differ from net asset value (NAV). There can be no assurance that, in the future, ETF Shares will continue to meet all of the exchanges listing requirements. The exchange may, but is not required to, delist a Funds ETF Shares if (1) following the initial 12-month period beginning upon the commencement of trading, there are fewer than 50 beneficial owners of the ETF Shares for 30 or more consecutive trading days; (2) the value of the target index tracked by the ETF Fund is no longer calculated or available; or (3) such other event shall occur or condition exist that, in the opinion of the exchange, makes further dealings on the exchange inadvisable. The exchange will also delist a Funds ETF Shares upon termination of the ETF Share class.
The exchange disseminates, through the facilities of the Consolidated Tape Association, an updated indicative optimized portfolio value (IOPV) for each ETF Fund as calculated by an information provider. The ETF Funds are not involved with or responsible for the calculation or dissemination of the IOPVs, and they make no warranty as to the accuracy of the IOPVs. An IOPV for a Funds ETF Shares is disseminated every 15 seconds during regular exchange trading hours. An IOPV has a securities value component and a cash component. The securities values included in an IOPV are based on the real-time market prices of the Deposit Securities for a Funds ETF Shares. The IOPV is designed as an estimate of an ETF Funds NAV at a particular point in time, but it is only an estimate and should not be viewed as the actual NAV, which is calculated once each day.
Conversions and Exchanges
Owners of conventional shares (i.e., not exchange-traded shares) issued by an ETF Fund may convert those shares to ETF Shares of equivalent value of the same Fund. Please note that investors who own conventional shares through a 401(k) plan or other employer-sponsored retirement or benefit plan generally may not convert those shares to ETF Shares and should check with their plan sponsor or recordkeeper. ETF Shares, whether acquired through a conversion or purchased on the secondary market, cannot be converted to conventional shares. Also, ETF Shares of one fund cannot be exchanged for ETF Shares of another fund.
Investors that are not Authorized Participants must hold ETF Shares in a brokerage account. Thus, before converting conventional shares to ETF Shares, an investor must have an existing, or open a new, brokerage account. This account may be with Vanguard Brokerage Services® (Vanguard Brokerage) or with any other brokerage firm. To initiate a conversion of conventional shares to ETF Shares, an investor must contact his or her broker.
Vanguard Brokerage does not impose a fee on conversions from Vanguard conventional shares to Vanguard ETF Shares. However, other brokerage firms may charge a fee to process a conversion. Vanguard reserves the right, in the future, to impose a transaction fee on conversions or to limit or terminate the conversion privilege.
Converting conventional shares to ETF Shares is generally accomplished as follows. First, after the broker notifies Vanguard of an investors request to convert, Vanguard will transfer conventional shares from the investors account with Vanguard to the brokers omnibus account with Vanguard (an account maintained by the broker on behalf of all its customers who hold conventional Vanguard fund shares through the broker). After the transfer, Vanguards records will reflect the broker, not the investor, as the owner of the shares. Next, the broker will instruct Vanguard to convert the appropriate number or dollar amount of conventional shares in its omnibus account to ETF Shares of equivalent value, based on the respective NAVs of the two share classes. The ETF Funds transfer agent will reflect ownership of all ETF Shares in the name of the DTC. The DTC will keep track of which ETF Shares belong to the broker, and the broker, in turn, will keep track of which ETF Shares belong to its customers.
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Because the DTC is unable to handle fractional shares, only whole shares can be converted. For example, if the investor owned 300.250 conventional shares, and this was equivalent in value to 90.750 ETF Shares, the DTC account would receive 90 ETF Shares. Conventional shares with a value equal to 0.750 ETF Shares (in this example, that would be 2.481 conventional shares) would remain in the brokers omnibus account with Vanguard. The broker then could either (1) take certain internal actions necessary to credit the investors account with 0.750 ETF Shares or (2) redeem the 2.481 conventional shares for cash at NAV and deliver that cash to the investors account. If the broker chose to redeem the conventional shares, the investor would realize a gain or loss on the redemption that must be reported on his or her tax return (unless the shares are held in an IRA or other tax-deferred account). An investor should consult his or her broker for information on how the broker will handle the conversion process, including whether the broker will impose a fee to process a conversion.
The conversion process works differently for investors who opt to hold ETF Shares through an account at Vanguard Brokerage. Investors who convert their conventional shares to ETF Shares through Vanguard Brokerage will have all conventional shares for which they request conversion converted to the equivalent dollar value of ETF Shares. Because no fractional shares will have to be sold, the transaction will not be taxable.
Here are some important points to keep in mind when converting conventional shares of an ETF Fund to ETF Shares:
- The conversion process can take anywhere from several days to several weeks, depending on the broker. Vanguard generally will process conversion requests either on the day they are received or on the next business day. Vanguard imposes conversion blackout windows around the dates when an ETF Fund declares dividends. This is necessary to prevent a shareholder from collecting a dividend from both the conventional share class currently held and also from the ETF share class to which the shares will be converted.
- During the conversion process, an investor will remain fully invested in the Funds conventional shares, and the investment will increase or decrease in value in tandem with the NAV of those shares.
- The conversion transaction is nontaxable except, if applicable, to the very limited extent previously described.
- During the conversion process, an investor will be able to liquidate all or part of an investment by instructing Vanguard or the broker (depending on whether the shares are held in the investors account or the brokers omnibus account) to redeem the conventional shares. After the conversion process is complete, an investor will be able to liquidate all or part of an investment by instructing the broker to sell the ETF Shares.
Book Entry Only System
ETF Shares issued by the Funds are registered in the name of the DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and are deposited with, or on behalf of, the DTC. The DTC is a limited-purpose trust company that was created to hold securities of its participants (DTC Participants) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of transactions among them through electronic book-entry changes in their accounts, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations. The DTC is a subsidiary of the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC), which is owned by certain participants of the DTCCs subsidiaries, including the DTC. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers, and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (Indirect Participants).
Beneficial ownership of ETF Shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants, and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in ETF Shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as Beneficial Owners) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by the DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from, or through, the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of ETF Shares. The laws of some jurisdictions may require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of such securities. Such laws may impair the ability of certain investors to acquire beneficial interests in ETF Shares.
Each ETF Fund recognizes the DTC or its nominee as the record owner of all ETF Shares for all purposes. Beneficial Owners of ETF Shares are not entitled to have ETF Shares registered in their names and will not receive or be entitled to physical delivery of share certificates. Each Beneficial Owner must rely on the procedures of the DTC and any DTC Participant and/or Indirect Participant through which such Beneficial Owner holds its interests to exercise any rights of a holder of ETF Shares.
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Conveyance of all notices, statements, and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. The DTC will make available to each ETF Fund, upon request and for a fee, a listing of the ETF Shares of the Fund held by each DTC Participant. The ETF Fund shall obtain from each DTC Participant the number of Beneficial Owners holding ETF Shares, directly or indirectly, through the DTC Participant. The ETF Fund shall provide each DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement, or other communication, in form, in number, and at such place as the DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that these communications may be transmitted by the DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to the Beneficial Owners. In addition, the ETF Fund shall pay to each DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
Share distributions shall be made to the DTC or its nominee as the registered holder of all ETF Shares. The DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall immediately credit the DTC Participants accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in ETF Shares of the appropriate Fund as shown on the records of the DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of ETF Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a street name, and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.
The ETF Funds have no responsibility or liability for any aspects of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners; for payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such ETF Shares; for maintenance, supervision, or review of any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests; or for any other aspect of the relationship between the DTC and DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.
The DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to ETF Shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the ETF Funds and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the ETF Funds shall take action either to find a replacement for the DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost or, if such replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of ETF Shares, unless the ETF Funds make other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the exchange.
Purchase and Issuance of ETF Shares in Creation Units
Except for conversions to ETF Shares from conventional shares, the ETF Funds issue and sell ETF Shares only in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at their NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form on any business day. The ETF Funds do not issue fractional Creation Units.
A business day is any day on which the NYSE is open for business. As of the date of this Statement of Additional Information, the NYSE observes the following U.S. holidays: New Years Day; Martin Luther King, Jr., Day; Presidents Day (Washingtons Birthday); Good Friday; Memorial Day (observed); Independence Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day; and Christmas Day.
Fund Deposit. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit from an ETF Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (Deposit Securities) and an amount of cash (Cash Component) consisting of a purchase balancing amount and a transaction fee (both described in the following paragraphs). Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the fund deposit.
The purchase balancing amount is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of a Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Securities (Deposit Amount). It ensures that the NAV of a fund deposit (not including the transaction fee) is identical to the NAV of the Creation Unit it is used to purchase. If the purchase balancing amount is a positive number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit exceeds the market value of the Deposit Securities), then that amount will be paid by the purchaser to an ETF Fund in cash. If the purchase balancing amount is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the Deposit Securities), then that amount will be paid by an ETF Fund to the purchaser in cash (except as offset by the transaction fee).
Vanguard, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (NSCC), makes available after the close of each business day a list of the names and the number of shares of each Deposit Security to be included in the next business days fund deposit for each ETF Fund (subject to possible amendment or correction). Each ETF Fund reserves the right to accept a nonconforming fund deposit.
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The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities required for a fund deposit may change from one day to another to reflect rebalancing adjustments and corporate actions or to respond to adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities of the relevant target index.
In addition, each ETF Fund reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cashreferred to as cash in lieuto be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. This might occur, for example, if a Deposit Security is not available in sufficient quantity for delivery, is not eligible for transfer through the applicable clearance and settlement system, or is not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor for which an Authorized Participant is acting. Trading costs incurred by the ETF Fund in connection with the purchase of Deposit Securities with cash-in-lieu amounts will be an expense of the ETF Fund. However, Vanguard may adjust the transaction fee to protect existing shareholders from this expense.
All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility, and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the appropriate ETF Fund, and the ETF Funds determination shall be final and binding.
Procedures for Purchasing Creation Units. An Authorized Participant may place an order to purchase Creation Units from an ETF Fund either (1) through the Continuous Net Settlement (CNS) clearing processes of the NSCC as such processes have been enhanced to effect purchases of Creation Units, such processes being referred to herein as the Clearing Process, or (2) outside the Clearing Process. To purchase through the Clearing Process, an Authorized Participant must be a member of the NSCC that is eligible to use the CNS system. Purchases of Creation Units cleared through the Clearing Process will be subject to a lower transaction fee than those cleared outside the Clearing Process.
To initiate a purchase order for a Creation Unit (either through the Clearing Process or outside the Clearing Process) an Authorized Participant must submit an order in proper form to the Distributor and such order must be received by the Distributor prior to the closing time of regular trading on the NYSE (Closing Time) (ordinarily 4 p.m., Eastern time) to receive that days NAV. The date on which an order to purchase (or redeem) Creation Units is placed is referred to as the transmittal date. Authorized Participants must transmit orders using a transmission method acceptable to the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement.
Purchase orders effected outside the Clearing Process are likely to require transmittal by the Authorized Participant earlier on the transmittal date than orders effected using the Clearing Process. Those persons placing orders outside the Clearing Process should ascertain the deadlines applicable to the DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effectuating such transfer of Deposit Securities and Cash Component.
Neither the Trust, the ETF Funds, the Distributor, nor any affiliated party will be liable to an investor who is unable to submit a purchase order by Closing Time, even if the problem is the responsibility of one of those parties (e.g., the Distributors phone or email systems were not operating properly).
If you are not an Authorized Participant, you must place your purchase order in an acceptable form with an Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant may request that you make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order (e.g., to provide for payments of cash when required).
Placement of Purchase Orders Using the Clearing Process. For purchase orders placed through the Clearing Process, the Participant Agreement authorizes the Distributor to transmit through the transfer agent or index receipt agent to the NSCC, on behalf of an Authorized Participant, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the Authorized Participants purchase order. Pursuant to such trade instructions to the NSCC, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite Deposit Securities and the Cash Component to the appropriate ETF Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor.
An order to purchase Creation Units through the Clearing Process is deemed received on the transmittal date if (1) such order is received by the ETF Funds designated agent before Closing Time on such transmittal date and (2) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Such order will be effected based on the NAV of the ETF Fund next determined on that day. An order to purchase Creation Units through the Clearing Process made in proper form but received after Closing Time on the transmittal date will be deemed received on the next business day immediately following the transmittal date and will be effected at the NAV next determined on that day. The Deposit Securities and the Cash Component will be transferred by the third NSCC business day following the date on which the purchase request is deemed received.
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Placement of Purchase Orders Outside the Clearing Process. An Authorized Participant that wishes to place an order to purchase Creation Units outside the Clearing Process must state that it is not using the Clearing Process and that the purchase instead will be effected through a transfer of securities and cash directly through the DTC. An order to purchase Creation Units outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the ETF Funds designated agent on the transmittal date if (1) such order is received by the Distributor before Closing Time on such transmittal date and (2) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.
If a fund deposit is incomplete on the third business day after the trade date (the trade date, known as T, is the date on which the trade actually takes place; three business days after the trade date is known as T+3) because of the failed delivery of one or more of the Deposit Securities, an ETF Fund shall be entitled to cancel the purchase order. Alternatively, the ETF Fund may issue Creation Units in reliance on the Authorized Participants undertaking to deliver the missing Deposit Securities at a later date. Such undertaking shall be secured by the delivery and maintenance of cash collateral in an amount determined by the ETF Fund in accordance with the terms of the Participant Agreement.
Rejection of Purchase Orders. Each ETF Fund reserves the absolute right to reject a purchase order. By way of example, and not limitation, an ETF Fund will reject a purchase order if:
- The order is not in proper form.
- The Deposit Securities delivered are not the same (in name or amount) as the published basket.
- Acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the ETF Fund.
- Acceptance of the fund deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful.
- Acceptance of the fund deposit would otherwise, at the discretion of the ETF Fund or Vanguard, have an adverse effect on the Fund or any of its shareholders.
- Circumstances outside the control of the ETF Fund, the Trust, the transfer agent, the custodian, the Distributor, and Vanguard make it for all practical purposes impossible to process the order. Examples include, but are not limited to, natural disasters, public service disruptions, or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions, and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy, and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the aforementioned parties as well as the DTC, the NSCC, the Federal Reserve, or any other participant in the purchase process; and similar extraordinary events.
If the purchase order is rejected, the Distributor shall notify the Authorized Participant that submitted the order. The ETF Funds, the Trust, the transfer agent, the custodian, the Distributor, and Vanguard are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of a fund deposit, nor shall any of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.
Transaction Fee on Purchases of Creation Units. Each ETF Fund may impose a transaction fee (payable to the Fund) to compensate the Fund for costs associated with the issuance of Creation Units. The amount of the fee, which may be changed by Vanguard from time to time at its sole discretion, is made available daily to Authorized Participants, market makers, and other interested parties through Vanguards proprietary portal system. An additional charge may be imposed for purchases of Creation Units effected outside the Clearing Process. When an ETF Fund permits (or requires) a purchaser to substitute cash in lieu of depositing one or more Deposit Securities, the purchaser may be assessed an additional charge on the cash-in-lieu portion of the investment. The amount of this charge will be disclosed to investors before they place their orders. The amount will be determined by the ETF Fund at its sole discretion but will not be more than the Funds good faith estimate of the costs it will incur investing the cash in lieu, which may include, if applicable, market-impact costs. The maximum transaction fee on purchases of Creation Units, including any additional charges as described, shall be 2% of the value of the Creation Units.
Redemption of ETF Shares in Creation Units
To be eligible to place a redemption order, you must be an Authorized Participant. Investors that are not Authorized Participants must make appropriate arrangements with an Authorized Participant in order to redeem a Creation Unit.
ETF Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of ETF Shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly
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of a Creation Unit. Redemption requests received on a business day in good order will receive the NAV next determined after the request is made.
Unless cash redemptions are available or specified for an ETF Fund, an investor tendering a Creation Unit generally will receive redemption proceeds consisting of (1) a basket of Redemption Securities; plus (2) a redemption balancing amount in cash equal to the difference between (x) the NAV of the Creation Unit being redeemed, as next determined after receipt of a request in proper form, and (y) the value of the Redemption Securities; less (3) a transaction fee. If the Redemption Securities have a value greater than the NAV of a Creation Unit, the redeeming investor will pay the redemption balancing amount in cash to the ETF Fund rather than receive such amount from the Fund.
Vanguard, through the NSCC, makes available after the close of each business day a list of the names and the number of shares of each Redemption Security to be included in the next business days redemption basket for each ETF Fund (subject to possible amendment or correction). The basket of Redemption Securities provided to an investor redeeming a Creation Unit may not be identical to the basket of Deposit Securities required of an investor purchasing a Creation Unit. If an ETF Fund and a redeeming investor mutually agree, the Fund may provide the investor with a basket of Redemption Securities that differs from the composition of the redemption basket published through the NSCC.
Each ETF Fund reserves the right to deliver cash in lieu of any Redemption Security for the same reason it might accept cash in lieu of a Deposit Security, as previously discussed, or if the ETF Fund could not lawfully deliver the security or could not do so without first registering such security under federal or state law.
Neither the Trust, the ETF Funds, the Distributor, nor any affiliated party will be liable to an investor who is unable to submit a redemption order by Closing Time, even if the problem is the responsibility of one of those parties (e.g., the Distributors phone or email systems were not operating properly).
Transaction Fee on Redemptions of Creation Units. Each ETF Fund may impose a transaction fee (payable to the Fund) to compensate the Fund for costs associated with the redemption of Creation Units. The amount of the fee, which may be changed by Vanguard from time to time at its sole discretion, is made available daily to Authorized Participants, market makers, and other interested parties through Vanguards proprietary portal system. An additional charge may be imposed for redemptions of Creation Units effected outside the Clearing Process. When an ETF Fund permits (or requires) a redeeming investor to receive cash in lieu of one or more Redemption Securities, the investor will be assessed an additional charge on the cash-in-lieu portion of the redemption. The amount of this charge will be disclosed to investors before they place their orders. The amount will vary as determined by the ETF Fund at its sole discretion but will not be more than the Funds good faith estimate of the costs it will incur by selling portfolio securities to raise the necessary cash, which may include, if applicable, market-impact costs. The maximum transaction fee on redemptions of Creation Units, including any additional charges as described, shall be 2% of the value of the Creation Units.
Placement of Redemption Orders Using the Clearing Process. An Authorized Participant may place an order to redeem Creation Units of an ETF Fund either (1) through the CNS clearing processes of the NSCC as such processes have been enhanced to effect redemptions of Creation Units, such processes being referred to herein as the Clearing Process, or (2) outside the Clearing Process. To redeem through the Clearing Process, an Authorized Participant must be a member of the NSCC that is eligible to use the CNS system. Redemptions of Creation Units cleared through the Clearing Process will be subject to a lower transaction fee than those cleared outside the Clearing Process.
An order to redeem Creation Units through the Clearing Process is deemed received on the transmittal date if (1) such order is received by the ETF Funds designated agent before Closing Time on such transmittal date and (2) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Such order will be effected based on the NAV of an ETF Fund next determined on that day. An order to redeem Creation Units through the Clearing Process made in proper form but received by an ETF Fund after Closing Time on the transmittal date will be deemed received on the next business day immediately following the transmittal date and will be effected at the NAV next determined on that day. The Redemption Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount will be transferred by the third NSCC business day following the date on which the redemption request is deemed received.
Placement of Redemption Orders Outside the Clearing Process. An Authorized Participant that wishes to place an order to redeem a Creation Unit outside the Clearing Process must state that it is not using the Clearing Process and that the redemption instead will be effected through a transfer of ETF Shares directly through the DTC. An order to redeem a Creation Unit of an ETF Fund outside the Clearing Process is deemed received on the transmittal date if (1)
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such order is received by the ETF Funds designated agent before Closing Time on such transmittal date and (2) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.
If a redemption order in proper form is submitted to the transfer agent by an Authorized Participant prior to Closing Time on the transmittal date, then the value of the Redemption Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount will be determined by the ETF Fund on such transmittal date.
After the transfer agent has deemed an order for redemption outside the Clearing Process received, the transfer agent will initiate procedures to transfer the Redemption Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to the Authorized Participant on behalf of the redeeming Beneficial Owner by the third business day following the transmittal date on which such redemption order is deemed received by the transfer agent.
If on T+3 an Authorized Participant has failed to deliver all of the Vanguard ETF Shares it is seeking to redeem, the ETF Fund shall be entitled to cancel the redemption order. Alternatively, the ETF Fund may deliver to the Authorized Participant the full complement of Redemption Securities and cash in reliance on the Authorized Participants undertaking to deliver the missing ETF Shares at a later date. Such undertaking shall be secured by the Authorized Participants delivery and maintenance of cash collateral in accordance with collateral procedures that are part of the Participant Agreement. In all cases the ETF Fund shall be entitled to charge the Authorized Participant for any costs (including investment losses, attorneys fees, and interest) incurred by the ETF Fund as a result of the late delivery or failure to deliver.
Each ETF Fund reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to require or permit a redeeming investor to receive the redemption proceeds in cash. In such cases, the investor would receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its ETF Shares based on the NAV of those shares next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a transaction fee, including a charge for cash redemptions, as previously discussed).
If an Authorized Participant, or a redeeming investor acting through an Authorized Participant, is subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the basket of Redemption Securities, such investor may be paid an equivalent amount of cash in lieu of the security. In addition, each ETF Fund reserves the right to redeem Creation Units partially for cash to the extent that the Fund could not lawfully deliver one or more Redemption Securities or could not do so without first registering such securities under federal or state law.
Suspension of Redemption Rights. The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to an ETF Fund (1) for any period during which the NYSE or listing exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (2) for any period during which trading on the NYSE or listing exchange is suspended or restricted, (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the Funds portfolio securities or determination of its NAV is not reasonably practicable, or (4) in such other circumstances as the SEC permits.
Precautionary Notes
A precautionary note to retail investors: The DTC or its nominee will be the registered owner of all outstanding ETF Shares. Your ownership of ETF Shares will be shown on the records of the DTC and the DTC Participant broker through which you hold the shares. Vanguard will not have any record of your ownership. Your account information will be maintained by your broker, which will provide you with account statements, confirmations of your purchases and sales of ETF Shares, and tax information. Your broker also will be responsible for distributing income and capital gains distributions and for ensuring that you receive shareholder reports and other communications from the fund whose ETF Shares you own. You will receive other services (e.g., dividend reinvestment and average cost information) only if your broker offers these services.
A precautionary note to purchasers of Creation Units: You should be aware of certain legal risks unique to investors purchasing Creation Units directly from the issuing fund.
Because new ETF Shares may be issued on an ongoing basis, a distribution of ETF Shares could be occurring at any time. Certain activities that you perform as a dealer could, depending on the circumstances, result in your being deemed a participant in the distribution in a manner that could render you a statutory underwriter and subject you to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the Securities Act of 1933 (the 1933 Act). For example, you could be deemed a statutory underwriter if you purchase Creation Units from the issuing fund, break them down into the constituent ETF Shares, and sell those shares directly to customers or if you choose to couple the creation of a supply of new ETF Shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for ETF Shares. Whether
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a person is an underwriter depends upon all of the facts and circumstances pertaining to that persons activities, and the examples mentioned here should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could cause you to be deemed an underwriter.
Dealers who are not underwriters but are participating in a distribution (as opposed to engaging in ordinary secondary-market transactions), and thus dealing with ETF Shares as part of an unsold allotment within the meaning of Section 4(3)(C) of the 1933 Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(3) of the 1933 Act.
A precautionary note to shareholders redeeming Creation Units: An Authorized Participant that is not a qualified institutional buyer as defined in Rule 144A under the 1933 Act will not be able to receive, as part of the redemption basket, restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A.
A precautionary note to investment companies: Vanguard ETF Shares are issued by registered investment companies, and therefore the acquisition of such shares by other investment companies is subject to the restrictions of Section 12(d)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940. Vanguard has obtained an SEC exemptive order that allows registered investment companies to invest in the issuing funds beyond the limits of Section 12(d)(1), subject to certain terms and conditions, including the requirement to enter into a participation agreement with Vanguard.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Each Funds Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, appearing in the Funds 2016 Annual Reports to Shareholders, and the reports thereon of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, also appearing therein, are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information. For a more complete discussion of each Funds performance, please see the Funds Annual and Semiannual Reports to Shareholders, which may be obtained without charge.
The S&P 500® Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P MidCap 400® Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index, S&P SmallCap 600® Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index are products of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (SPDJI), and have been licensed for use by Vanguard. Standard & Poors® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC (S&P); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (Dow Jones); S&P® and S&P 500® are trademarks of S&P; and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by Vanguard. Vanguards S&P 500 Value Index Fund, S&P 500 Growth Index Fund, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund, S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund, and S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P, or their respective affiliates and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of the S&P 500® Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P MidCap 400® Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index, S&P SmallCap 600® Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index.
SAI 3340 122016
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PART B
VANGUARD® MONEY MARKET RESERVES
VANGUARD ADMIRAL FUNDS®
(individually, a Trust; collectively, the Trusts)
VANGUARD PRIME MONEY MARKET FUND, VANGUARD FEDERAL MONEY MARKET FUND, VANGUARD TREASURY MONEY MARKET FUND (the Funds)
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
December 23, 2016
This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus but should be read in conjunction with a Funds current prospectus (dated December 23, 2016). To obtain, without charge, a prospectus or the most recent Annual Report to Shareholders, which contains the Funds financial statements as hereby incorporated by reference, please contact The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard).
Phone: Investor Information Department at 800-662-7447 Online: vanguard.com
| TABLE OF CONTENTS | |
| Description of the Trusts | B-1 |
| Fundamental Policies | B-3 |
| Investment Strategies, Risks, and Nonfundamental Policies | B-4 |
| Share Price | B-16 |
| Purchase and Redemption of Shares | B-17 |
| Management of the Funds | B-18 |
| Investment Advisory Services | B-32 |
| Portfolio Transactions | B-34 |
| Proxy Voting Guidelines | B-35 |
| Financial Statements | B-41 |
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUSTS
The Trusts currently offer the following funds and share classes (identified by ticker symbol):
| Share Classes1 | ||||
| Fund2 | Investor | Admiral | Institutional | ETF |
| Vanguard Money Market Reserves | ||||
| Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund | VMMXX | VMRXX* | | |
| Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund | VMFXX | | | |
| Vanguard Admiral Funds | ||||
| Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund3 | VUSXX | | | |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | | | VSPGX | VOOG |
| Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund | | | VSPVX | VOOV |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund | | | VSPMX | IVOO |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund | | | VMFGX | IVOG |
| Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund | | | VMFVX | IVOV |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund | | | VSMSX | VIOO |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund | | | VSGNX | VIOG |
| Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund | | | VSMVX | VIOV |
| 1 Individually, a class; collectively, the classes. | ||||
| 2 Individually, a Fund; collectively, the Funds. | ||||
| 3 Formerly known as Vanguard Admiral Treasury Money Market Fund. | ||||
| *Formerly known as the Funds Institutional Shares. | ||||
B-1
For the Vanguard Admiral Funds Trust, this Statement of Additional Information relates only to Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund. A separate Statement of Additional Information (dated December 23, 2016) relates to the other Funds in the Vanguard Admiral Funds Trust and can be obtained free of charge by contacting Vanguard (800-662-7447).
Each Trust has the ability to offer additional funds or classes of shares. There is no limit on the number of full and fractional shares that may be issued for a single fund or class of shares.
Throughout this document, any references to class apply only to the extent a Fund issues multiple classes.
Organization
Vanguard Money Market Reserves was organized as Whitehall Money Market Trust in 1974 and was reorganized as a Maryland corporation in 1985. It was then reorganized as a Delaware statutory trust in 1998. Prior to its reorganization as a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust was known as Vanguard Money Market Reserves, Inc. Vanguard Admiral Funds was organized as a Maryland corporation in 1992 and was reorganized as a Delaware statutory trust in 1998. Each Trust is registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act) as an open-end management investment company. All Funds within the Trusts are classified as diversified within the meaning of the 1940 Act.
Service Providers
Custodian. Bank of New York Mellon, One Wall Street, New York, NY 10286, serves as the Funds custodian. The custodian is responsible for maintaining the Funds assets, keeping all necessary accounts and records of Fund assets, and appointing any foreign subcustodians or foreign securities depositories.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, Suite 1800, 2001 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7042, serves as the Funds independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm audits the Funds annual financial statements and provides other related services.
Transfer and Dividend-Paying Agent. The Funds transfer agent and dividend-paying agent is Vanguard, P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482.
Characteristics of the Funds Shares
Restrictions on Holding or Disposing of Shares. There are no restrictions on the right of shareholders to retain or dispose of a Funds shares, other than those described in the Funds current prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information. Each Fund or class may be terminated by reorganization into another mutual fund or class or by liquidation and distribution of the assets of the Fund or class. Unless terminated by reorganization or liquidation, each Fund and share class will continue indefinitely.
Shareholder Liability. Each Trust is organized under Delaware law, which provides that shareholders of a statutory trust are entitled to the same limitations of personal liability as shareholders of a corporation organized under Delaware law. This means that a shareholder of a Fund generally will not be personally liable for payment of the Funds debts. Some state courts, however, may not apply Delaware law on this point. We believe that the possibility of such a situation arising is remote.
Dividend Rights. The shareholders of each class of a Fund are entitled to receive any dividends or other distributions declared by the Fund for each such class. No shares of a Fund have priority or preference over any other shares of the Fund with respect to distributions. Distributions will be made from the assets of the Fund and will be paid ratably to all shareholders of a particular class according to the number of shares of the class held by shareholders on the record date. The amount of dividends per share may vary between separate share classes of the Fund based upon differences in the net asset values of the different classes and differences in the way that expenses are allocated between share classes pursuant to a multiple class plan approved by the Funds board of trustees.
Voting Rights. Shareholders are entitled to vote on a matter if (1) the matter concerns an amendment to the Declaration of Trust that would adversely affect to a material degree the rights and preferences of the shares of a Fund or any class; (2) the trustees determine that it is necessary or desirable to obtain a shareholder vote; (3) a merger or consolidation, share conversion, share exchange, or sale of assets is proposed and a shareholder vote is required by the 1940 Act to
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approve the transaction; or (4) a shareholder vote is required under the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires a shareholder vote under various circumstances, including to elect or remove trustees upon the written request of shareholders representing 10% or more of a Funds net assets, to change any fundamental policy of a Fund (please see Fundamental Policies), and to enter into certain merger transactions. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, shareholders of a Fund receive one vote for each dollar of net asset value owned on the record date and a fractional vote for each fractional dollar of net asset value owned on the record date. However, only the shares of the Fund or class affected by a particular matter are entitled to vote on that matter. In addition, each class has exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that relates solely to that class, and each class has separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of another. Voting rights are noncumulative and cannot be modified without a majority vote by the shareholders.
Liquidation Rights. In the event that a Fund is liquidated, shareholders will be entitled to receive a pro rata share of the Funds net assets. In the event that a class of shares is liquidated, shareholders of that class will be entitled to receive a pro rata share of the Funds net assets that are allocated to that class. Shareholders may receive cash, securities, or a combination of the two.
Preemptive Rights. There are no preemptive rights associated with the Funds shares.
Conversion Rights. Shareholders of the Prime Money Market Fund may convert their shares into another class of shares of the same Fund upon the satisfaction of any then-applicable eligibility requirements as described in the Funds current prospectus. There are no conversion rights associated with the Federal Money Market and Treasury Money Market Funds.
Redemption Provisions. Each Funds redemption provisions are described in its current prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information.
Sinking Fund Provisions. The Funds have no sinking fund provisions.
Calls or Assessment. Each Funds shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.
Tax Status of the Funds
Each Fund expects to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the IRC). This special tax status means that the Fund will not be liable for federal tax on income and capital gains distributed to shareholders. In order to preserve its tax status, each Fund must comply with certain requirements. If a Fund fails to meet these requirements in any taxable year, the Fund will, in some cases, be able to cure such failure, including by paying a fund-level tax, paying interest, making additional distributions, or disposing of certain assets. If the Fund is ineligible to or otherwise does not cure such failure for any year, it will be subject to tax on its taxable income at corporate rates, and all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. In addition, a Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make substantial distributions before regaining its tax status as a regulated investment company.
Each Fund may declare a capital gain dividend consisting of the excess (if any) of net realized long-term capital gains over net realized short-term capital losses. Net capital gains for a fiscal year are computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforwards of the Fund. For Fund fiscal years beginning on or after December 22, 2010, capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely and retain their character as either short-term or long-term. Under prior law, net capital losses could be carried forward for eight tax years and were treated as short-term capital losses. A Fund is required to use capital losses arising in fiscal years beginning on or after December 22, 2010, before using capital losses arising in fiscal years beginning prior to December 22, 2010.
FUNDAMENTAL POLICIES
Each Fund is subject to the following fundamental investment policies, which cannot be changed in any material way without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Funds shares. For these purposes, a majority of shares means shares representing the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the Funds net assets voted, so long as shares representing more than 50% of the Funds net assets are present or represented by proxy or (2) more than 50% of the Funds net assets.
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Borrowing. Each Fund may borrow money only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Commodities. Each Fund may invest in commodities only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Diversification. Each Fund may not purchase securities of any issuer if, as a result, more than 5% of the Funds total assets would be invested in that issuers securities. This limitation does not apply to obligations of the United States government or its agencies or instrumentalities. A Fund may, however, invest in a single issuer as permitted by the SEC (which currently permits a money market fund to invest up to 25% of its total assets in the highest-quality securities of a single issuer for a period of up to three business days). Additionally, Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund may not purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer.
Industry Concentration. Each Fund (other than Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund) will not concentrate its investments in the securities of issuers whose principal business activities are in the same industry, except that each Fund reserves the right to concentrate its investments in government securities, as defined in the 1940 Act, and certificates of deposit and bankers acceptances issued by domestic banks (which may include U.S. branches of non-U.S. banks).
Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund will concentrate its assets in the securities of issuers whose principal business activities are in the financial services industry. For the purposes of this policy, the financial services industry is deemed to include the group of industries within the financial services sector. In addition, the Fund reserves the right to concentrate its investments in government securities, as defined in the 1940 Act.
Investment Objective. The investment objective of each Fund may not be materially changed without a shareholder vote.
Loans. Each Fund may make loans to another person only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Real Estate. Each Fund may not invest directly in real estate unless it is acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments (1) issued by companies that invest, deal, or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or (2) backed or secured by real estate or interests in real estate.
Senior Securities. Each Fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.
Underwriting. Each Fund may not act as an underwriter of another issuers securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 (the 1933 Act), in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.
Compliance with the fundamental policies previously described is generally measured at the time the securities are purchased. Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act (as is the case with borrowing), if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time the investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market value of assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction. All fundamental policies must comply with applicable regulatory requirements. For more details, see Investment Strategies, Risks, and Nonfundamental Policies.
None of these policies prevents the Funds from having an ownership interest in Vanguard. As a part owner of Vanguard, each Fund may own securities issued by Vanguard, make loans to Vanguard, and contribute to Vanguards costs or other financial requirements. See Management of the Funds for more information.
INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, RISKS, AND NONFUNDAMENTAL POLICIES
Some of the investment strategies and policies described on the following pages and in each Funds prospectus set forth percentage limitations on a Funds investment in, or holdings of, certain securities or other assets. Unless otherwise required by law, compliance with these strategies and policies will be determined immediately after the acquisition of such securities or assets by the Fund. Subsequent changes in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with the Funds investment strategies and policies.
The following investment strategies, risks, and policies supplement each Funds investment strategies, risks, and policies set forth in the prospectus. With respect to the different investments discussed as follows, a Fund may acquire such investments to the extent consistent with its investment strategies and policies.
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Borrowing. A funds ability to borrow money is limited by its investment policies and limitations; by the 1940 Act; and by applicable exemptions, no-action letters, interpretations, and other pronouncements issued from time to time by the SEC and its staff or any other regulatory authority with jurisdiction. Under the 1940 Act, a fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the funds total assets made for temporary or emergency purposes. Any borrowings for temporary purposes in excess of 5% of the funds total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or for other reasons, a fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days (excluding Sundays and holidays) to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.
Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of a funds portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased with the proceeds of such borrowing. A fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
The SEC takes the position that transactions that have a leveraging effect on the capital structure of a fund or are economically equivalent to borrowing can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing by the fund for purposes of the 1940 Act. These transactions can include entering into reverse repurchase agreements; engaging in mortgage-dollar-roll transactions; selling securities short (other than short sales against-the-box); buying and selling certain derivatives (such as futures contracts); selling (or writing) put and call options; engaging in sale-buybacks; entering into firm-commitment and standby-commitment agreements; engaging in when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward-commitment transactions; and participating in other similar trading practices. (Additional discussion about a number of these transactions can be found on the following pages.) A borrowing transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund maintains an offsetting financial position; segregates liquid assets (with such liquidity determined by the advisor in accordance with procedures established by the board of trustees) equal (as determined on a daily mark-to-market basis) in value to the funds potential economic exposure under the borrowing transaction; or otherwise covers the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC guidance (collectively, covers the transaction). A fund may have to buy or sell a security at a disadvantageous time or price in order to cover a borrowing transaction. In addition, segregated assets may not be available to satisfy redemptions or to fulfill other obligations.
Cybersecurity Risks. The increased use of technology to conduct business could subject a fund and its third-party service providers (including, but not limited to, investment advisors and custodians) to risks associated with cybersecurity. In general, a cybersecurity incident can occur as a result of a deliberate attack designed to gain unauthorized access to digital systems. If the attack is successful, an unauthorized person or persons could misappropriate assets or sensitive information, corrupt data, or cause operational disruption. A cybersecurity incident could also occur unintentionally if, for example, an authorized person inadvertently released proprietary or confidential information. Vanguard has developed robust technological safeguards and business continuity plans to prevent, or reduce the impact of, potential cybersecurity incidents. Additionally, Vanguard has a process for assessing the information security and/or cybersecurity programs implemented by a funds third-party service providers, which helps minimize the risk of potential incidents. Despite these measures, a cybersecurity incident still has the potential to disrupt business operations, which could negatively impact a fund and/or its shareholders. Some examples of negative impacts that could occur as a result of a cybersecurity incident include, but are not limited to, the following: a fund may be unable to calculate its net asset value (NAV), a funds shareholders may be unable to transact business, a fund may be unable to process transactions on behalf of its shareholders, or a fund may be unable to safeguard its data or the personal information of its shareholders.
Debt Securities. A debt security, sometimes called a fixed income security, consists of a certificate or other evidence of a debt (secured or unsecured) on which the issuing company or governmental body promises to pay the holder thereof a fixed, variable, or floating rate of interest for a specified length of time and to repay the debt on the specified maturity date. Some debt securities, such as zero-coupon bonds, do not make regular interest payments but are issued at a discount to their principal or maturity value. Debt securities include a variety of fixed income obligations, including, but not limited to, corporate bonds, government securities, municipal securities, convertible securities, mortgage-backed
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securities, and asset-backed securities. Debt securities include investment-grade securities, non-investment-grade securities, and unrated securities. Debt securities are subject to a variety of risks, such as interest rate risk, income risk, call risk, prepayment risk, extension risk, inflation risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, and (in the case of foreign securities) country risk and currency risk. The reorganization of an issuer under the federal bankruptcy laws may result in the issuers debt securities being cancelled without repayment, repaid only in part, or repaid in part or in whole through an exchange thereof for any combination of cash, debt securities, convertible securities, equity securities, or other instruments or rights in respect to the same issuer or a related entity.
Debt SecuritiesCommercial Paper. Commercial paper refers to short-term, unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations to finance short-term credit needs. It is usually sold on a discount basis and has a maturity at the time of issuance not exceeding 9 months. High-quality commercial paper typically has the following characteristics: (1) liquidity ratios are adequate to meet cash requirements; (2) long-term senior debt is also high credit quality; (3) the issuer has access to at least two additional channels of borrowing; (4) basic earnings and cash flow have an upward trend with allowance made for unusual circumstances; (5) typically, the issuers industry is well established and the issuer has a strong position within the industry; and (6) the reliability and quality of management are unquestioned. In assessing the credit quality of commercial paper issuers, the following factors may be considered: (1) evaluation of the management of the issuer, (2) economic evaluation of the issuers industry or industries and the appraisal of speculative-type risks that may be inherent in certain areas, (3) evaluation of the issuers products in relation to competition and customer acceptance, (4) liquidity, (5) amount and quality of long-term debt, (6) trend of earnings over a period of ten years, (7) financial strength of a parent company and the relationships that exist with the issuer, and (8) recognition by the management of obligations that may be present or may arise as a result of public-interest questions and preparations to meet such obligations. The short-term nature of a commercial paper investment makes it less susceptible to interest rate risk than longer-term fixed income securities because interest rate risk typically increases as maturity lengths increase. Additionally, an issuer may expect to repay commercial paper obligations at maturity from the proceeds of the issuance of new commercial paper. As a result, investment in commercial paper is subject to the risk the issuer cannot issue enough new commercial paper to satisfy its outstanding commercial paper payment obligations, also known as rollover risk. Commercial paper may suffer from reduced liquidity due to certain circumstances, in particular, during stressed markets. In addition, as with all fixed income securities, an issuer may default on its commercial paper obligation.
Variable-amount master-demand notes are demand obligations that permit the investment of fluctuating amounts at varying market rates of interest pursuant to an arrangement between the issuer and a commercial bank acting as agent for the payees of such notes, whereby both parties have the right to vary the amount of the outstanding indebtedness on the notes. Because variable-amount master-demand notes are direct lending arrangements between a lender and a borrower, it is not generally contemplated that such instruments will be traded, and there is no secondary market for these notes, although they are redeemable (and thus immediately repayable by the borrower) at face value, plus accrued interest, at any time. In connection with a funds investment in variable-amount master-demand notes, Vanguards investment management staff will monitor, on an ongoing basis, the earning power, cash flow, and other liquidity ratios of the issuer, along with the borrowers ability to pay principal and interest on demand.
Debt SecuritiesU.S. Government Securities. The term U.S. government securities refers to a variety of debt securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury, by various agencies of the U.S. government, or by various instrumentalities that have been established or sponsored by the U.S. government. The term also refers to repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities.
U.S. Treasury securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, meaning that the U.S. government is required to repay the principal in the event of default. Other types of securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies and U.S. government-sponsored instrumentalities may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The U.S. government, however, does not guarantee the market price of any U.S. government securities. In the case of securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the obligation for ultimate repayment and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment.
Some of the U.S. government agencies that issue or guarantee securities include the Government National Mortgage Association, the Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Federal Housing Administration, the Maritime Administration, the Small Business Administration, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. An instrumentality of the U.S.
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government is a government agency organized under federal charter with government supervision. Instrumentalities issuing or guaranteeing securities include, among others, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Banks, and the Federal National Mortgage Association.
Debt SecuritiesVariable and Floating Rate Securities. Variable and floating rate securities are debt securities that provide for periodic adjustments in the interest rate paid on the security. Variable rate securities provide for a specified periodic adjustment in the interest rate, while floating rate securities have interest rates that change whenever there is a change in a designated benchmark rate or the issuers credit quality. There is a risk that the current interest rate on variable and floating rate securities may not accurately reflect current market interest rates or adequately compensate the holder for the current creditworthiness of the issuer. Some variable or floating rate securities are structured with liquidity features such as (1) put options or tender options that permit holders (sometimes subject to conditions) to demand payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest from the issuers or certain financial intermediaries or (2) auction-rate features, remarketing provisions, or other maturity-shortening devices designed to enable the issuer to refinance or redeem outstanding debt securities (market-dependent liquidity features). Variable or floating rate securities that include market-dependent liquidity features may have greater liquidity risk than other securities. The greater liquidity risk may exist, for example, because of the failure of a market-dependent liquidity feature to operate as intended (as a result of the issuers declining creditworthiness, adverse market conditions, or other factors) or the inability or unwillingness of a participating broker-dealer to make a secondary market for such securities. As a result, variable or floating rate securities that include market-dependent liquidity features may lose value, and the holders of such securities may be required to retain them until the later of the repurchase date, the resale date, or the date of maturity. Such liquidity risk may be heightened for certain types of variable rate securities called extendible municipal securities, in which the holder of a security is required to retain the investment for the length of the remarketing period (the time frame in which a remarketing agent seeks a new buyer for the security). Extendible municipal securities typically have extended remarketing periods of up to 13 months after a tender date. A demand instrument with a demand notice exceeding seven days may be considered illiquid if there is no secondary market for such security. Extendible municipal securities that have been extended into a longer remarketing period may also be considered illiquid.
Derivatives. A derivative is a financial instrument that has a value based onor derived fromthe values of other assets, reference rates, or indexes. Derivatives may relate to a wide variety of underlying references, such as commodities, stocks, bonds, interest rates, currency exchange rates, and related indexes. Derivatives include futures contracts and options on futures contracts, certain forward-commitment transactions, options on securities, caps, floors, collars, swap agreements, and certain other financial instruments. Some derivatives, such as futures contracts and certain options, are traded on U.S. commodity and securities exchanges, while other derivatives, such as swap agreements, may be privately negotiated and entered into in the over-the-counter market (OTC Derivatives) or may be cleared through a clearinghouse (Cleared Derivatives) and traded on an exchange or swap execution facility. As a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act), certain swap agreements such as certain standardized credit default and interest rate swap agreements, must be cleared through a clearinghouse and traded on an exchange or swap execution facility. This could result in an increase in the overall costs of such transactions. While the intent of derivatives regulatory reforms is to mitigate risks associated with derivatives markets, the new regulations could, among other things, increase liquidity and decrease pricing for more standardized products while decreasing liquidity and increasing pricing for less standardized products. The risks associated with the use of derivatives are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities, assets, or market indexes on which the derivatives are based.
Derivatives are used by some investors for speculative purposes. Derivatives also may be used for a variety of purposes that do not constitute speculation, such as hedging, managing risk, seeking to stay fully invested, seeking to reduce transaction costs, seeking to simulate an investment in equity or debt securities or other investments, and seeking to add value by using derivatives to more efficiently implement portfolio positions when derivatives are favorably priced relative to equity or debt securities or other investments. There is no assurance that any derivatives strategy used by a funds advisor will succeed. The other parties to the funds OTC Derivatives contracts (usually referred to as counterparties) will not be considered the issuers thereof for purposes of certain provisions of the 1940 Act and the IRC, although such OTC Derivatives may qualify as securities or investments under such laws. The funds advisors, however, will monitor and adjust, as appropriate, the funds credit risk exposure to OTC Derivative counterparties.
Derivative products are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of a derivative requires an
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understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the derivative itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the derivative under all possible market conditions.
When the fund enters into a Cleared Derivative, an initial margin deposit with a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) is required. Initial margin deposits are typically calculated as an amount equal to the volatility in market value of a Cleared Derivative over a fixed period. If the value of the funds Cleared Derivatives declines, the fund will be required to make additional variation margin payments to the FCM to settle the change in value. If the value of the funds Cleared Derivatives increases, the FCM will be required to make additional variation margin payments to the fund to settle the change in value. This process is known as marking-to-market and is calculated on a daily basis.
For OTC Derivatives, the fund is subject to the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty or the failure of the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract. Additionally, the use of credit derivatives can result in losses if a funds advisor does not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer on which the credit derivative is based.
Derivatives may be subject to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular derivative is difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with certain OTC Derivatives), it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price.
Derivatives may be subject to pricing or basis risk, which exists when a particular derivative becomes extraordinarily expensive relative to historical prices or the prices of corresponding cash market instruments. Under certain market conditions, it may not be economically feasible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position in time to avoid a loss or take advantage of an opportunity.
Because certain derivatives have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. A derivative transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
Like most other investments, derivative instruments are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to a funds interest. A fund bears the risk that its advisor will incorrectly forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other financial or economic factors in establishing derivative positions for the fund. If the advisor attempts to use a derivative as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the derivative will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Many derivatives (in particular, OTC Derivatives) are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a fund.
Each Fund intends to comply with Rule 4.5 under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), under which a mutual fund may be excluded from the definition of the term Commodity Pool Operator (CPO) if the fund meets certain conditions such as limiting its investments in certain CEA-regulated instruments (for example, futures, options, or swaps) and complying with certain marketing restrictions. Accordingly, Vanguard is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO with respect to the Fund under the CEA.
Eurodollar and Yankee Obligations. Eurodollar bank obligations are dollar-denominated certificates of deposit and time deposits issued outside the U.S. capital markets by foreign branches of U.S. banks and by foreign banks. Yankee bank obligations are dollar-denominated obligations issued in the U.S. capital markets by foreign banks.
Eurodollar and Yankee obligations are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers, most notably income risk (and, to a lesser extent, credit risk, market risk, and liquidity risk). Additionally, Eurodollar (and, to a limited extent, Yankee) obligations are subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital, in the form of dollars, from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments, the extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions, the imposition of foreign withholding taxes, and expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers. However, Eurodollar and Yankee
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obligations will undergo the same type of credit analysis as domestic issuers in which a Vanguard fund invests, and they will have at least the same financial strength as the domestic issuers approved for the fund.
Interfund Borrowing and Lending. The SEC has granted an exemption permitting registered open-end Vanguard funds to participate in Vanguards interfund lending program. This program allows the Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes. The program is subject to a number of conditions, including, among other things, the requirements that (1) no fund may borrow or lend money through the program unless it receives a more favorable interest rate than is typically available from a bank for a comparable transaction, (2) no fund may lend money if the loan would cause its aggregate outstanding loans through the program to exceed 15% of its net assets at the time of the loan, and (3) a funds interfund loans to any one fund shall not exceed 5% of the lending funds net assets. In addition, a Vanguard fund may participate in the program only if and to the extent that such participation is consistent with the funds investment objective and investment policies. The boards of trustees of the Vanguard funds are responsible for overseeing the interfund lending program. Any delay in repayment to a lending fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs.
Money Market Fund Reform. The money market fund reforms adopted by the SEC in July 2014 became effective on October 14, 2016. The reforms impact money market funds differently depending on the types of investors permitted to invest in a fund, the types of securities in which a fund may invest, and the principal investments of a money market fund. The reforms impose new liquidity-related requirements on money market funds (including the potential implementation of liquidity fees and redemption gates). Other changes required by the reforms relate to diversification, disclosure, and stress testing requirements. The imposition and termination of a liquidity fee or redemption gate and/or the provision of financial support by an affiliated person of a money market fund will be reported by a money market fund to the SEC on Form N-CR. A money market funds designation as institutional, retail, or government determines whether the fund is required to have a floating net asset value (NAV) or is permitted to have a stable NAV. These changes may have significant adverse effects upon a money market funds investment strategy, fees and expenses, portfolio (including the liquidity of investments), and return potential.
Municipal Bonds. Municipal bonds are debt obligations issued by states, municipalities, U.S. jurisdictions or territories, and other political subdivisions and by agencies, authorities, and instrumentalities of states and multistate agencies or authorities (collectively, municipalities). Typically, the interest payable on municipal bonds is, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer at the time of issuance, exempt from federal income tax. Municipal bonds include securities from a variety of sectors, each of which has unique risks. Municipal bonds include, but are not limited to, general obligation bonds, limited obligation bonds, and revenue bonds, including industrial development bonds issued pursuant to federal tax law.
General obligation bonds are secured by the issuers pledge of its full faith, credit, and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest. Limited obligation bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Revenue or special tax bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other tax, but not from general tax revenues.
Revenue bonds involve the credit risk of the underlying project or enterprise (or its corporate user) rather than the credit risk of the issuing municipality. Under the IRC, certain limited obligation bonds are considered private activity bonds, and interest paid on such bonds is treated as an item of tax preference for purposes of calculating federal alternative minimum tax liability. Tax-exempt private activity bonds and industrial development bonds generally are also classified as revenue bonds and thus are not payable from the issuers general revenues. The credit and quality of private activity bonds and industrial development bonds are usually related to the credit of the corporate user of the facilities. Payment of interest on and repayment of principal of such bonds are the responsibility of the corporate user (and/or any guarantor). Some municipal bonds may be issued as variable or floating rate securities and may incorporate market-dependent liquidity features (see discussion of Debt SecuritiesVariable and Floating Rate Securities). A tax-exempt fund will generally invest only in securities deemed tax-exempt by a nationally recognized bond counsel, but there is no guarantee that the interest payments on municipal bonds will continue to be tax-exempt for the life of the bonds.
Some longer-term municipal bonds give the investor a put option, which is the right to sell the security back to the issuer at par (face value) prior to maturity, within a specified number of days following the investors requestusually one to seven days. This demand feature enhances a securitys liquidity by shortening its maturity and enables it to trade at a price equal to or very close to par. If a demand feature terminates prior to being exercised, a fund would hold the
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longer-term security, which could experience substantially more volatility. Municipal bonds that are issued as variable or floating rate securities incorporating market-dependent liquidity features may have greater liquidity risk than other municipal bonds (see discussion of Debt SecuritiesVariable and Floating Rate Securities).
Some municipal bonds feature credit enhancements, such as lines of credit, letters of credit, municipal bond insurance, and standby bond purchase agreements (SBPAs). SBPAs include lines of credit that are issued by a third party, usually a bank, to enhance liquidity and ensure repayment of principal and any accrued interest if the underlying municipal bond should default. Municipal bond insurance (which is usually purchased by the bond issuer from a private, nongovernmental insurance company) provides an unconditional and irrevocable guarantee that the insured bonds principal and interest will be paid when due. Insurance does not guarantee the price of the bond or the share price of any fund. The credit quality of an insured bond reflects the higher of the credit quality of the insurer, based on its claims-paying ability, or the credit quality of the underlying bond issuer or obligor. The obligation of a municipal bond insurance company to pay a claim extends over the life of each insured bond. Although defaults on insured municipal bonds have been historically low and municipal bond insurers historically have met their claims, there is no assurance this will continue. A higher-than-expected default rate could strain the insurers loss reserves and adversely affect its ability to pay claims to bondholders. The number of municipal bond insurers is relatively small, and not all of them are assessed as high credit quality. An SBPA can include a liquidity facility that is provided to pay the purchase price of any bonds that cannot be remarketed. The obligation of the liquidity provider (usually a bank) is only to advance funds to purchase tendered bonds that cannot be remarketed and does not cover principal or interest under any other circumstances. The liquidity providers obligations under the SBPA are usually subject to numerous conditions, including the continued creditworthiness of the underlying borrower or bond issuer.
Municipal bonds also include tender option bonds, which are municipal derivatives created by dividing the income stream provided by an underlying municipal bond to create two securities issued by a special-purpose trust, one short-term and one long-term. The interest rate on the short-term component is periodically reset. The short-term component has negligible interest rate risk, while the long-term component has all of the interest rate risk of the original bond. After income is paid on the short-term securities at current rates, the residual income goes to the long-term securities. Therefore, rising short-term interest rates result in lower income for the longer-term portion, and vice versa. The longer-term components can be very volatile and may be less liquid than other municipal bonds of comparable maturity. These securities have been developed in the secondary market to meet the demand for short-term, tax-exempt securities.
Municipal securities also include a variety of structures geared toward accommodating municipal-issuer short-term cash-flow requirements. These structures include, but are not limited to, general market notes, commercial paper, put bonds, and variable-rate demand obligations (VRDOs). VRDOs comprise a significant percentage of the outstanding debt in the short-term municipal market. VRDOs can be structured to provide a wide range of maturity options (1 day to over 360 days) to the underlying issuing entity and are typically issued at par. The longer the maturity option, the greater the degree of liquidity risk (the risk of not receiving an asking price of par or greater) and reinvestment risk (the risk that the proceeds from maturing bonds must be reinvested at a lower interest rate).
Although most municipal bonds are exempt from federal income tax, some are not. Taxable municipal bonds include Build America Bonds (BABs). The borrowing costs of BABs are subsidized by the federal government, but BABs are subject to state and federal income tax. BABs were created pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to offer an alternative form of financing to state and local governments whose primary means for accessing the capital markets had been through the issuance of tax-exempt municipal bonds. BABs also include Recovery Zone Economic Development Bonds, which are subsidized more heavily by the federal government than other BABs and are designed to finance certain types of projects in distressed geographic areas.
Under ARRA, an issuer of a BAB is entitled to receive payments from the U.S. Treasury over the life of the BAB equal to 35% of the interest paid (or 45% of the interest paid in the case of a Recovery Zone Economic Development Bond). For example, if a state or local government were to issue a BAB at a taxable interest rate of 10% of the par value of the bond, the U.S. Treasury would make a payment directly to the issuing government of 35% of that interest (3.5% of the par value of the bond) or 45% of the interest (4.5% of the par value of the bond) in the case of a Recovery Zone Economic Development Bond. Thus, the state or local governments net borrowing cost would be 6.5% or 5.5%, respectively, on BABs that pay 10% interest. In other cases, holders of a BAB receive a 35% or 45% tax credit, respectively. The BAB program expired on December 31, 2010. BABs outstanding prior to the expiration of the program continue to be eligible for the federal interest rate subsidy or tax credit, which continues for the life of the BABs; however, the federal interest rate subsidy or tax credit has been reduced by the government sequester. Additionally,
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bonds issued following expiration of the program are not eligible for federal payment or tax credit. In addition to BABs, a fund may invest in other municipal bonds that pay taxable interest.
The reorganization under the federal bankruptcy laws of an issuer of, or payment obligor with respect to, municipal bonds may result in the municipal bonds being cancelled without repayment; repaid only in part; or repaid in part or whole through an exchange thereof for any combination of cash, municipal bonds, debt securities, convertible securities, equity securities, or other instruments or rights in respect to the same issuer or payment obligor or a related entity. Certain issuers are not eligible to file for bankruptcy.
Municipal BondsRisks. Municipal bonds are subject to credit risk. The yields of municipal bonds depend on, among other things, general money market conditions, conditions in the municipal bond market, size of a particular offering, maturity of the obligation, and credit quality of the issue. Consequently, municipal bonds with the same maturity, coupon, and credit quality may have different yields, while municipal bonds of the same maturity and coupon, but with different credit quality, may have the same yield. It is the responsibility of a funds investment management advisor to appraise independently the fundamental quality of bonds held by the fund. Information about the financial condition of an issuer of municipal bonds may not be as extensive as that which is made available by corporations whose securities are publicly traded. Obligations of issuers of municipal bonds are generally subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors.
Congress, state legislatures, or other governing authorities may seek to extend the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or to impose other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations. For example, from time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress to restrict or eliminate the federal income tax exemption for interest on municipal bonds. Also, from time to time, proposals have been introduced before state and local legislatures to restrict or eliminate the state and local income tax exemption for interest on municipal bonds. Similar proposals may be introduced in the future. If any such proposal were enacted, it might restrict or eliminate the ability of a fund to achieve its respective investment objective. In that event, the funds trustees and officers would reevaluate its investment objective and policies and consider recommending to its shareholders changes in such objective and policies.
There is also the possibility that, as a result of litigation or other conditions, the power or ability of issuers to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal on their municipal bonds may be materially affected or their obligations may be found to be invalid or unenforceable. Such litigation or conditions may, from time to time, have the effect of introducing uncertainties in the market for municipal bonds or certain segments thereof or of materially affecting the credit risk with respect to particular bonds. Adverse economic, business, legal, or political developments might affect all or a substantial portion of a funds municipal bonds in the same manner. For example, a state specific tax-exempt fund is subject to state-specific risk, which is the chance that the fund, because it invests primarily in securities issued by a particular state and its municipalities, is more vulnerable to unfavorable developments in that state than are funds that invest in municipal securities of many states. Unfavorable developments in any economic sector may have far-reaching ramifications on a states overall municipal market. In the event that a particular obligation held by a fund is assessed at a credit quality below the minimum investment level permitted by the investment policies of such fund, the funds investment advisor, pursuant to oversight from the trustees, will carefully assess the creditworthiness of the obligation to determine whether it continues to meet the policies and objective of the fund.
Municipal bonds are subject to interest rate risk, which is the chance that bond prices will decline over short or even long periods because of rising interest rates. Interest rate risk is higher for long-term bonds, whose prices are much more sensitive to interest rate changes than are the prices of shorter-term bonds. Generally, prices of longer-maturity issues tend to fluctuate more than prices of shorter-maturity issues. Prices and yields on municipal bonds are dependent on a variety of factors, such as the financial condition of the issuer, the general conditions of the municipal bond market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation, and the rating of the issue. A number of these factors, including the ratings of particular issues, are subject to change from time to time.
Municipal bonds are subject to call risk, which is the chance that during periods of falling interest rates, issuers of callable bonds may call (redeem) securities with higher coupons or interest rates before their maturity dates. A fund would then lose any price appreciation above the bonds call price and would be forced to reinvest the unanticipated proceeds at lower interest rates, resulting in a decline in the funds income. Call risk is generally high for long-term bonds. Conversely, municipal bonds are also subject to extension risk, which is the chance that during periods of rising interest rates, certain debt securities will be paid off substantially more slowly than originally anticipated, and the value of those securities may fall. Extension risk is generally high for long-term bonds.
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Municipal bonds may be deemed to be illiquid as determined by or in accordance with methods adopted by a funds board of trustees. In determining the liquidity and appropriate valuation of a municipal bond, a funds advisor may consider the following factors relating to the security, among others: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes; (2) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; (3) the willingness of dealers to undertake to make a market; (4) the nature of the marketplace trades, including the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers, and the mechanics of transfer; and (5) the factors unique to a particular security, including general creditworthiness of the issuer and the likelihood that the marketability of the securities will be maintained throughout the time the security is held by the fund.
Other Investment Companies. A fund may invest in other investment companies to the extent permitted by applicable law or SEC exemption. Under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, a fund generally may invest up to 10% of its assets in shares of investment companies and up to 5% of its assets in any one investment company, as long as no investment represents more than 3% of the voting stock of an acquired investment company. In addition, no funds for which Vanguard acts as an advisor may, in the aggregate, own more than 10% of the voting stock of a closed-end investment company. The 1940 Act and related rules provide certain exemptions from these restrictions, for example, funds that invest in other funds within the same group of investment companies. If a fund invests in other investment companies, shareholders will bear not only their proportionate share of the funds expenses (including operating expenses and the fees of the advisor), but they also may indirectly bear the similar expenses of the underlying investment companies. Certain investment companies, such as business development companies (BDCs), are more akin to operating companies and, as such, their expenses are not direct expenses paid by fund shareholders and are not used to calculate the funds net asset value. SEC rules nevertheless require that any expenses incurred by a BDC be included in a funds expense ratio as Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The expense ratio of a fund that holds a BDC will thus overstate what the fund actually spends on portfolio management, administrative services, and other shareholder services by an amount equal to these Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are not included in a funds financial statements, which provide a clearer picture of a funds actual operating expenses. Shareholders would also be exposed to the risks associated not only with the investments of the fund but also with the portfolio investments of the underlying investment companies. Certain types of investment companies, such as closed-end investment companies, issue a fixed number of shares that typically trade on a stock exchange or over-the-counter at a premium or discount to their net asset value. Others are continuously offered at net asset value but also may be traded on the secondary market.
Repurchase Agreements. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which a fund acquires a debt security (generally a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a bankers acceptance, or a certificate of deposit) from a bank, a broker, or a dealer and simultaneously agrees to resell such security to the seller at an agreed-upon price and date (normally, the next business day). Because the security purchased constitutes collateral for the repurchase obligation, a repurchase agreement may be considered a loan that is collateralized by the security purchased. The resale price reflects an agreed-upon interest rate effective for the period the instrument is held by a fund and is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying instrument. In these transactions, the securities acquired by a fund (including accrued interest earned thereon) must have a total value in excess of the value of the repurchase agreement and be held by a custodian bank until repurchased. When entering into a repurchase agreement with the Federal Reserve, the collateral received will equal 100% of the value of the repurchase agreement. In addition, the investment advisor will monitor a funds repurchase agreement transactions generally and will evaluate the creditworthiness of any bank, broker, or dealer party to a repurchase agreement relating to a fund. The aggregate amount of any such agreements is not limited, except to the extent required by law.
The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. One risk is the sellers ability to pay the agreed-upon repurchase price on the repurchase date. If the seller defaults, the fund may incur costs in disposing of the collateral, which would reduce the amount realized thereon. If the seller seeks relief under the bankruptcy laws, the disposition of the collateral may be delayed or limited. For example, if the other party to the agreement becomes insolvent and subject to liquidation or reorganization under the bankruptcy or other laws, a court may determine that the underlying security is collateral for a loan by the fund not within its control, and therefore the realization by the fund on such collateral may be automatically stayed. Finally, it is possible that the fund may not be able to substantiate its interest in the underlying security and may be deemed an unsecured creditor of the other party to the agreement.
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Restricted and Illiquid Securities. Illiquid securities are securities that cannot be sold or disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the price at which they are valued. The SEC generally limits aggregate holdings of illiquid securities by a mutual fund to 15% of its net assets (5% for money market funds). A fund may experience difficulty valuing and selling illiquid securities and, in some cases, may be unable to value or sell certain illiquid securities for an indefinite period of time. Illiquid securities may include a wide variety of investments, such as (1) repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days (unless the agreements have demand/redemption features), (2) OTC options contracts and certain other derivatives (including certain swap agreements), (3) fixed time deposits that are not subject to prepayment or do not provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits), (4) certain loan interests and other direct debt instruments, (5) certain municipal lease obligations, (6) private equity investments, (7) commercial paper issued pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, and (8) securities whose disposition is restricted under the federal securities laws. Illiquid securities include restricted, privately placed securities that, under the federal securities laws, generally may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers. If a substantial market develops for a restricted security held by a fund, it may be treated as a liquid security, in accordance with procedures and guidelines approved by the board of trustees. This generally includes securities that are unregistered, that can be sold to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, or that are exempt from registration under the 1933 Act, such as commercial paper. Although a funds advisor monitors the liquidity of restricted securities, the board of trustees oversees and retains ultimate responsibility for the advisors liquidity determinations. Several factors that the trustees consider in monitoring these decisions include the valuation of a security; the availability of qualified institutional buyers, brokers, and dealers that trade in the security; and the availability of information about the securitys issuer.
Securities Lending. A fund may lend its investment securities to qualified institutional investors (typically brokers, dealers, banks, or other financial institutions) who may need to borrow securities in order to complete certain transactions, such as covering short sales, avoiding failures to deliver securities, or completing arbitrage operations. By lending its investment securities, a fund attempts to increase its net investment income through the receipt of interest on the securities lent. Any gain or loss in the market price of the securities lent that might occur during the term of the loan would be for the account of the fund. If the borrower defaults on its obligation to return the securities lent because of insolvency or other reasons, a fund could experience delays and costs in recovering the securities lent or in gaining access to the collateral. These delays and costs could be greater for foreign securities. If a fund is not able to recover the securities lent, the fund may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement investment in the market. The value of the collateral could decrease below the value of the replacement investment by the time the replacement investment is purchased. Cash received as collateral through loan transactions may be invested in other eligible securities. Investing this cash subjects that investment to market appreciation or depreciation. Currently, Vanguard funds that lend securities invest the cash collateral received in one or more Vanguard CMT Funds, which are very low-cost money market funds.
The terms and the structure of the loan arrangements, as well as the aggregate amount of securities loans, must be consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules or interpretations of the SEC thereunder. These provisions limit the amount of securities a fund may lend to 33 1/3% of the funds total assets and require that (1) the borrower pledge and maintain with the fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government having at all times not less than 100% of the value of the securities lent; (2) the borrower add to such collateral whenever the price of the securities lent rises (i.e., the borrower marks to market on a daily basis); (3) the loan be made subject to termination by the fund at any time; and (4) the fund receives reasonable interest on the loan (which may include the funds investing any cash collateral in interest-bearing short-term investments), any distribution on the lent securities, and any increase in their market value. Loan arrangements made by each fund will comply with all other applicable regulatory requirements, including the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, which presently require the borrower, after notice, to redeliver the securities within the normal settlement time of three business days. The advisor will consider the creditworthiness of the borrower, among other things, in making decisions with respect to the lending of securities, subject to oversight by the board of trustees. At the present time, the SEC does not object if an investment company pays reasonable negotiated fees in connection with lent securities, so long as such fees are set forth in a written contract and approved by the investment companys trustees. In addition, voting rights pass with the lent securities, but if a fund has knowledge that a material event will occur affecting securities on loan, and in respect to which the holder of the securities will be entitled to vote or consent, the lender must be entitled to call the loaned securities in time to vote or consent. A fund bears the risk that there may be a delay in the return of the securities, which may impair the funds ability to vote on such a matter.
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Pursuant to Vanguards securities lending policy, Vanguards fixed income and money market funds are not permitted to, and do not, lend their investment securities.
Tax MattersFederal Tax Discussion. Discussion herein of U.S. federal income tax matters summarizes some of the important, generally applicable U.S. federal tax considerations relevant to investment in a fund based on the IRC, U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authority. These authorities are subject to change by legislative, administrative, or judicial action, possibly with retroactive effect. A shareholder should consult his or her tax professional for information regarding the particular situation and the possible application of U.S. federal, state, local, foreign, and other taxes.
Tax MattersFederal Tax Treatment of Derivatives, Hedging, and Related Transactions. A funds transactions in derivative instruments (including, but not limited to, options, futures, forward contracts, and swap agreements), as well as any of the funds hedging, short sale, securities loan, or similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules that accelerate income to the fund, defer losses to the fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the funds securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains, or convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing, and character of distributions to shareholders.
Because these and other tax rules applicable to these types of transactions are in some cases uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether a fund has made sufficient distributions, and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements, to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid a fund-level tax.
Tax MattersReal Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits. If a fund invests directly or indirectly, including through a REIT or other pass-through entity, in residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs) or equity interests in taxable mortgage pools (TMPs), a portion of the funds income that is attributable to a residual interest in a REMIC or an equity interest in a TMP (such portion referred to in the IRC as an excess inclusion) will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in all eventsincluding potentially at the fund levelunder a notice issued by the IRS in October 2006 and U.S. Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a registered investment company will be allocated to shareholders of the registered investment company in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related interest directly. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (1) cannot be offset by net operation losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions); (2) will constitute unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan, or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on UBTI, thereby potentially requiring such an entity, which otherwise might not be required, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income; and (3) in the case of a non-U.S. investor, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. A shareholder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such inclusions notwithstanding any exemption from such income tax otherwise available under the IRC. As a result, a fund investing in such interests may not be suitable for charitable remainder trusts. See Tax MattersTax-Exempt Investors.
Tax MattersSale or Exchange of Money Market Fund Shares by Investors. Following the October 14, 2016, final compliance date of the money market fund reforms adopted by the SEC, each of the Funds will continue to seek to maintain a stable NAV of $1 per share; however, there can be no guarantee that it will do so. Accordingly, in general, shareholders are not expected to incur taxable gains or losses on the sale or exchange of their shares. However, in the event a Funds NAV goes above or below $1, and a shareholder sells or exchanges shares at that price, the shareholder may recognize gain or loss on the sale or exchange of shares. Also, if Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund determines to impose a liquidity fee on redemptions of its shares, a shareholder will generally recognize a loss on the sale or exchange of shares equal to the amount of that fee. Assuming a shareholder holds the shares as a capital asset, any gain or loss recognized on a sale or exchange of shares will be treated as capital in nature.
Unless a shareholder chooses to adopt the simplified NAV method of accounting (described below), any capital gain or loss generally will be treated as short-term if the shareholder held Fund shares for one year or less or long-term if the shareholder held Fund shares longer. If a shareholder sells or exchanges shares at a loss, the loss will generally be disallowed under the wash sale rule of the IRC where other substantially identical shares are purchased (including by dividend reinvestment) within 30 days before or after the sale or exchange.
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If the shareholder elects to adopt the NAV method of accounting, rather than compute any gain or loss on every taxable sale or exchange of Fund shares, the shareholder would determine the gain or loss based on the change in the aggregate value of the Fund shares during a computation period (e.g., the shareholders taxable year or certain shorter periods), reduced by the net investment (purchases minus taxable sales, redemptions, or exchanges) in those Fund shares during the period. Under the NAV method, if a shareholder holds the shares as a capital asset, any resulting net gain or loss (including any loss arising from the shareholders payment of a liquidity fee on redemption of the shares) would be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. If a shareholder uses the NAV method, the wash sale rules will generally not apply to disallow a loss incurred for a computation period.
Shareholders are permitted to use different methods of accounting for shares of a single Fund that are held in different accounts or for shares of different money market funds held in the same account.
Please consult your tax advisor for more information concerning these rules.
Tax MattersTax Considerations for Non-U.S. Investors. U.S. withholding and estate taxes and certain U.S. tax reporting requirements may apply to any investments made by non-U.S. investors in Vanguard funds. Temporary tax legislation provided relief from certain U.S. withholding taxes for certain properly reported distributions of qualifying interest income or short-term capital gain made by a fund to its non-U.S. investors, provided the investors furnished valid tax documentation (i.e., Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form W-8) certifying as to their non-U.S. status. This temporary exemption expired for taxable years of a fund beginning after 2014. In December 2015, Congress voted to reinstate retroactively the exemption for taxable years of a fund beginning after 2014 and made the exemption permanent for all future years. Because the relief was reinstated retroactively, investors may be able to reclaim the
| U.S. | tax withheld on properly reported qualifying distributions in 2015 directly from the IRS. |
| A | fund is permitted, but is not required, to report any of its distributions as eligible for such relief, and some |
distributions (e.g., distributions of interest a fund receives from non-U.S. issuers) are not eligible for this relief. For some funds, Vanguard has chosen to report qualifying distributions and apply the withholding exemption to those distributions when made to non-U.S. shareholders who invest directly with Vanguard. For other funds, Vanguard may choose not to apply the withholding exemption to qualifying fund distributions made to direct shareholders, but may provide the reporting to such shareholders. In these cases, a shareholder may be able to reclaim such withholding tax directly from the IRS.
If shareholders hold fund shares (including ETF shares) through a broker or intermediary, their broker or intermediary may apply this relief to properly reported qualifying distributions made to shareholders with respect to those shares. If a shareholders broker or intermediary instead collects withholding tax where the fund has provided the proper reporting, the shareholder may be able to reclaim such withholding tax from the IRS. Please consult your broker or intermediary regarding the application of these rules.
This relief does not apply to any withholding required under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which generally requires a fund to obtain information sufficient to identify the status of each of its shareholders. If a shareholder fails to provide this information or otherwise fails to comply with FATCA, a fund may be required to withhold under FATCA at a rate of 30% with respect to that shareholder on fund distributions and on the proceeds of the sale, the redemption, or the exchange of fund shares. Please consult your tax advisor for more information about these rules.
Please be aware that the U.S. tax information contained in this Statement of Additional Information is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of avoiding U.S. tax penalties.
Tax MattersTax-Exempt Investors. Income of a fund that would be UBTI if earned directly by a tax-exempt entity will not generally be attributed as UBTI to a tax-exempt shareholder of the fund. Notwithstanding this blocking effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in a fund if shares in the fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).
A tax-exempt shareholder may also recognize UBTI if a fund recognizes excess inclusion income derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. See Tax MattersReal Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits.
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In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts that invest in a fund that invests directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. Charitable remainder trusts and other tax-exempt investors are urged to consult their tax advisors concerning the consequences of investing in a fund.
Time Deposits. Time deposits are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers of money market instruments, most notably credit risk (and, to a lesser extent, income risk, market risk, and liquidity risk). Additionally, time deposits of foreign branches of U.S. banks and foreign branches of foreign banks may be subject to certain sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital, in the form of U.S. dollars, from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments, the extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions, the imposition of foreign withholding taxes, and expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers. However, time deposits of such issuers will undergo the same type of credit analysis as domestic issuers in which a Vanguard fund invests and will have at least the same financial strength as the domestic issuers approved for the fund.
When-Issued, Delayed-Delivery, and Forward-Commitment Transactions. When-issued, delayed-delivery, and forward-commitment transactions involve a commitment to purchase or sell specific securities at a predetermined price or yield in which payment and delivery take place after the customary settlement period for that type of security. Typically, no interest accrues to the purchaser until the security is delivered. When purchasing securities pursuant to one of these transactions, payment for the securities is not required until the delivery date. However, the purchaser assumes the rights and risks of ownership, including the risks of price and yield fluctuations and the risk that the security will not be issued as anticipated. When a fund has sold a security pursuant to one of these transactions, the fund does not participate in further gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a delayed-delivery transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or suffer a loss. A fund may renegotiate a when-issued or forward-commitment transaction and may sell the underlying securities before delivery, which may result in capital gains or losses for the fund. When-issued, delayed-delivery, and forward-commitment transactions will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a senior security, as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by the fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading Borrowing.
SHARE PRICE
Multiple-class funds do not have a single share price. Rather, each class has a share price, called its net asset value, or NAV, that is calculated each business day after the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the Exchange), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. NAV per share for the Prime Money Market Fund is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to the share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. NAV per share for the Federal Money Market and Treasury Money Market Funds is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, of the Fund by the number of Fund shares outstanding. On U.S. holidays or other days when the Exchange is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Funds do not sell or redeem shares. However, on those days the value of a Funds assets may be affected to the extent that the Fund holds securities that change in value on those days (such as foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open).
The Exchange typically observes the following holidays: New Years Day; Martin Luther King, Jr., Day; Presidents Day (Washingtons Birthday); Good Friday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day; and Christmas Day. Although each Fund expects the same holidays to be observed in the future, the Exchange may modify its holiday schedule or hours of operation at any time.
It is the policy of each Vanguard retail and government money market fund to attempt to maintain an NAV of $1 per share for sales and redemptions. The instruments held by a retail or government money market fund generally are valued on the basis of amortized cost, which does not take into account unrealized capital gains or losses. This involves valuing an instrument at its cost and thereafter assuming a constant amortization to maturity of any discount or premium, regardless of the impact of fluctuating interest rates on the market value of the instrument. While this method provides certainty in valuation, it may result in periods during which value, as determined by amortized cost, is higher or lower than the price that the fund would receive if it sold the instrument. The fund's holdings will be reviewed by the trustees, at such intervals as they may deem appropriate, to determine whether the fund's NAV calculated by using available market quotations deviates from $1 per share based on amortized cost. The extent of any deviation will be examined by the trustees. If such deviation exceeds 1/2 of 1%, the trustees will promptly consider what action, if any, will be initiated.
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In the event the trustees determine that a deviation exists that may result in material dilution or other unfair results to investors or existing shareholders, they have agreed to take such corrective action as they regard as necessary and appropriate, including selling fund instruments prior to maturity to realize capital gains or losses or to shorten average fund maturity, withholding dividends, making a special capital distribution, redeeming shares in kind, or establishing an NAV per share by using available market quotations.
The use of amortized cost and the maintenance of a retail or government money market funds NAV at $1 per share is based on its election to operate under Rule 2a-7 of the 1940 Act. As a condition of operating under that rule, each fund must maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of 60 days or less; maintain a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less; purchase only instruments having remaining maturities of 397 days or less; meet applicable daily, weekly, and general liquidity requirements; and invest only in securities that are determined by methods approved by the trustees to present minimal credit risks and that are of high quality.
Although the stable share price is not guaranteed, the NAV of Vanguard retail and government money market funds is expected to remain at $1 per share. Instruments are purchased and managed with that goal in mind.
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES
Purchase of Shares
The purchase price of shares of each Fund is the NAV per share next determined after the purchase request is received in good order, as defined in the Funds prospectus.
Exchange of Securities for Shares of a Fund. Shares of a Fund may be purchased in kind (i.e., in exchange for securities, rather than for cash) at the discretion of the Funds portfolio manager. Such securities must not be restricted as to transfer and must have a value that is readily ascertainable. Securities accepted by the Fund will be valued, as set forth in the Funds prospectus, as of the time of the next determination of NAV after such acceptance. All dividend, subscription, or other rights that are reflected in the market price of accepted securities at the time of valuation become the property of the Fund and must be delivered to the Fund by the investor upon receipt from the issuer. A gain or loss for federal income tax purposes, depending upon the cost of the securities tendered, would be realized by the investor upon the exchange. Investors interested in purchasing fund shares in kind should contact Vanguard.
Redemption of Shares
The redemption price of shares of each Fund is the NAV per share next determined after the redemption request is received in good order, as defined in the Funds prospectus.
Each Fund can postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. In addition, each Fund can suspend redemptions and/or postpone payments of redemption proceeds beyond seven calendar days (1) during any period that the Exchange is closed or trading on the Exchange is restricted as determined by the SEC; (2) during any period when an emergency exists, as defined by the SEC, as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of securities it owns or to fairly determine the value of its assets; or (3) for such other periods as the SEC may permit, including in connection with a determination by the board of a money market fund under Rule 22e-3 under the 1940 Act to suspend redemptions and postpone payment of redemption proceeds in order to facilitate an orderly liquidation of a money market fund. In addition, in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, the board of trustees of a retail or institutional money market fund may implement liquidity fees and redemption gates if a retail or institutional money market funds weekly liquid assets fall below established thresholds.
Each Trust has filed a notice of election with the SEC to pay in cash all redemptions requested by any shareholder of record limited in amount during any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets of a Fund at the beginning of such period.
If Vanguard determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of a Fund to make payment wholly or partly in cash, the Fund may pay the redemption price in whole or in part by a distribution in kind of readily marketable securities held by the Fund in lieu of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC. Investors may incur brokerage charges on the sale of such securities received in payment of redemptions.
The Funds do not charge redemption fees. Shares redeemed may be worth more or less than what was paid for them, depending on the market value of the securities held by the Funds.
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Right to Change Policies
Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to (1) alter, add, or discontinue any conditions of purchase (including eligibility requirements), redemption, exchange, conversion, service, or privilege at any time; (2) accept initial purchases by telephone; (3) freeze any account and/or suspend account services if Vanguard has received reasonable notice of a dispute regarding the assets in an account, including notice of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners, or if Vanguard reasonably believes a fraudulent transaction may occur or has occurred; (4) temporarily freeze any account and/or suspend account services upon initial notification to Vanguard of the death of the shareholder until Vanguard receives required documentation in good order; (5) alter, impose, discontinue, or waive any purchase fee, redemption fee, account service fee, or other fees charged to a group of shareholders; and (6) redeem an account or suspend account privileges, without the owners permission to do so, in cases of threatening conduct or activity Vanguard believes to be suspicious, fraudulent, or illegal. Changes may affect any or all investors. These actions will be taken when, at the sole discretion of Vanguard management, Vanguard reasonably believes they are in the best interest of a fund.
Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms
Each Fund has authorized certain agents to accept on its behalf purchase and redemption orders, and those agents are authorized to designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Funds behalf (collectively, Authorized Agents). The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an Authorized Agent accepts the order in accordance with the Funds instructions. In most instances, a customer order that is properly transmitted to an Authorized Agent will be priced at the NAV per share next determined after the order is received by the Authorized Agent.
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS
Vanguard
Each Fund is part of the Vanguard group of investment companies, which consists of more than 190 funds. Each fund is a series of a Delaware statutory trust, and through the trusts jointly owned subsidiary, Vanguard, the funds obtain at cost virtually all of their corporate management, administrative, and distribution services. Vanguard also provides investment advisory services on an at-cost basis to several of the Vanguard funds.
Vanguard employs a supporting staff of management and administrative personnel needed to provide the requisite services to the funds and also furnishes the funds with necessary office space, furnishings, and equipment. Each fund pays its share of Vanguards total expenses, which are allocated among the funds under methods approved by the board of trustees of each fund. In addition, each fund bears its own direct expenses, such as legal, auditing, and custodial fees.
The funds officers are also employees of Vanguard.
Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation (VMC), the funds, and the funds advisors have adopted codes of ethics designed to prevent employees who may have access to nonpublic information about the trading activities of the funds (access persons) from profiting from that information. The codes of ethics permit access persons to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be held by a fund, but place substantive and procedural restrictions on the trading activities of access persons. For example, the codes of ethics require that access persons receive advance approval for most securities trades to ensure that there is no conflict with the trading activities of the funds.
Vanguard was established and operates under an Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement. The Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement provides that each Vanguard fund may be called upon to invest up to 0.40% of its net assets in Vanguard. The amounts that each fund has invested are adjusted from time to time in order to maintain the proportionate relationship between each funds relative net assets and its contribution to Vanguards capital.
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| As of August 31, 2016, each Fund had contributed capital to Vanguard as follows: | |||
| Capital | Percentage of | Percent of | |
| Contribution to | Funds Average | Vanguards | |
| Vanguard Fund | Vanguard | Net Assets | Capitalization |
| Prime Money Market Fund | $9,748,000 | 0.01% | 3.90% |
| Federal Money Market Fund | 2,133,000 | 0.01 | 0.85 |
| Treasury Money Market Fund | 902,000 | 0.01 | 0.36 |
Management. Corporate management and administrative services include (1) executive staff, (2) accounting and financial, (3) legal and regulatory, (4) shareholder account maintenance, (5) monitoring and control of custodian relationships, (6) shareholder reporting, and (7) review and evaluation of advisory and other services provided to the funds by third parties.
Distribution. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, 400 Devon Park Drive A39, Wayne, PA 19087, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vanguard, is the principal underwriter for the funds and in that capacity performs and finances marketing, promotional, and distribution activities (collectively, marketing and distribution activities) that are primarily intended to result in the sale of the funds shares. VMC offers shares of each fund for sale on a continuous basis and will use all reasonable efforts in connection with the distribution of shares of the funds. VMC performs marketing and distribution activities at cost in accordance with the conditions of a 1981 SEC exemptive order that permits the Vanguard funds to internalize and jointly finance the marketing, promotion, and distribution of their shares. The funds trustees review and approve the marketing and distribution expenses incurred by the funds, including the nature and cost of the activities and the desirability of each funds continued participation in the joint arrangement.
To ensure that each funds participation in the joint arrangement falls within a reasonable range of fairness, each fund contributes to VMCs marketing and distribution expenses in accordance with an SEC-approved formula. Under that formula, one half of the marketing and distribution expenses are allocated among the funds based upon their relative net assets. The remaining half of those expenses are allocated among the funds based upon each funds sales for the preceding 24 months relative to the total sales of the funds as a group, provided, however, that no funds aggregate quarterly rate of contribution for marketing and distribution expenses shall exceed 125% of the average marketing and distribution expense rate for Vanguard and that no fund shall incur annual marketing and distribution expenses in excess of 0.20% of its average month-end net assets. Each funds contribution to these marketing and distribution expenses helps to maintain and enhance the attractiveness and viability of the Vanguard complex as a whole, which benefits all of the funds and their shareholders.
VMCs principal marketing and distribution expenses are for advertising, promotional materials, and marketing personnel. Other marketing and distribution activities of an administrative nature that VMC undertakes on behalf of the funds may include, but are not limited to:
- Conducting or publishing Vanguard-generated research and analysis concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy.
- Providing views, opinions, advice, or commentary concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy.
- Providing analytical, statistical, performance, or other information concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy.
- Providing administrative services in connection with investments in the funds or other investments, including, but not limited to, shareholder services, recordkeeping services, and educational services.
- Providing products or services that assist investors or financial service providers (as defined below) in the investment decision-making process.
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- Providing promotional discounts, commission-free trading, fee waivers, and other benefits to clients of Vanguard Brokerage Services® who maintain qualifying investments in the funds.
- Sponsoring, jointly sponsoring, financially supporting, or participating in conferences, programs, seminars, presentations, meetings, or other events involving fund shareholders, financial service providers, or others concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy, such as industry conferences, prospecting trips, due diligence visits, training or education meetings, and sales presentations.
VMC performs most marketing and distribution activities itself. Some activities may be conducted by third parties pursuant to shared marketing arrangements under which VMC agrees to share the costs and performance of marketing and distribution activities in concert with a financial service provider. Financial service providers include, but are not limited to, investment advisors, broker-dealers, financial planners, financial consultants, banks, and insurance companies. Under these cost- and performance-sharing arrangements, VMC may pay or reimburse a financial service provider (or a third party it retains) for marketing and distribution activities that VMC would otherwise perform. VMCs cost- and performance-sharing arrangements may be established in connection with Vanguard investment products or services offered or provided to or through the financial service providers. VMCs arrangements for shared marketing and distribution activities may vary among financial service providers, and its payments or reimbursements to financial service providers in connection with shared marketing and distribution activities may be significant. VMC participates in an offshore arrangement established with a third party to provide marketing, promotional, and other services to qualifying Vanguard funds that are distributed in certain foreign countries on a private-placement basis to government-sponsored and other institutional investors. In exchange for such services, the third party receives an annual base (fixed) fee and may also receive discretionary fees or performance adjustments.
In connection with its marketing and distribution activities, VMC may give financial service providers (or their representatives) (1) promotional items of nominal value that display Vanguards logo, such as golf balls, shirts, towels, pens, and mouse pads; (2) gifts that do not exceed $100 per person annually and are not preconditioned on achievement of a sales target; (3) an occasional meal, a ticket to a sporting event or the theater, or comparable entertainment that is neither so frequent nor so extensive as to raise any question of propriety and is not preconditioned on achievement of a sales target; and (4) reasonable travel and lodging accommodations to facilitate participation in marketing and distribution activities.
VMC, as a matter of policy, does not pay asset-based fees, sales-based fees, or account-based fees to financial service providers in connection with its marketing and distribution activities for the Vanguard funds. VMC policy also prohibits marketing and distribution activities that are intended, designed, or likely to compromise suitability determinations by, or the fulfillment of any fiduciary duties or other obligations that apply to, financial service providers. Nonetheless, VMCs marketing and distribution activities are primarily intended to result in the sale of the funds shares, and as such, its activities, including shared marketing and distribution activities, may influence participating financial service providers (or their representatives) to recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class. In addition, Vanguard or any of its subsidiaries may retain a financial service provider to provide consulting or other services, and that financial service provider also may provide services to investors. Investors should consider the possibility that any of these activities or relationships may influence a financial service providers (or its representatives) decision to recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class. Each financial service provider should consider its suitability determinations, fiduciary duties, and other legal obligations (or those of its representatives) in connection with any decision to consider, recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class.
The following table describes the expenses of Vanguard and VMC that are incurred by the Money Market Funds on an at-cost basis. Amounts captioned Management and Administrative Expenses include a Funds allocated share of expenses associated with the management, administrative, and transfer agency services Vanguard provides to the funds. Amounts captioned Marketing and Distribution Expenses include a Funds allocated share of expenses associated with the marketing and distribution activities that VMC conducts on behalf of the Vanguard funds.
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As is the case with all mutual funds, transaction costs incurred by the Funds for buying and selling securities are not reflected in the table. Annual Shared Fund Operating Expenses are based on expenses incurred in the fiscal years ended August 31, 2014, 2015, and 2016, and are presented as a percentage of each Funds average month-end net assets.
| Annual Shared Fund Operating Expenses | |||
| (Shared Expenses Deducted From Fund Assets) | |||
| Vanguard Fund | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Prime Money Market Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.12% | 0.12% | 0.12% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Federal Money Market Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.09% | 0.09% | 0.08% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Treasury Money Market Fund | |||
| Management and Administrative Expenses | 0.07% | 0.07% | 0.07% |
| Marketing and Distribution Expenses | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
Officers and Trustees
Each Vanguard fund is governed by the board of trustees of its trust and a single set of officers. Consistent with the boards corporate governance principles, the trustees believe that their primary responsibility is oversight of the management of each fund for the benefit of its shareholders, not day-to-day management. The trustees set broad policies for the funds; select investment advisors; monitor fund operations, regulatory compliance, performance, and costs; nominate and select new trustees; and elect fund officers. Vanguard manages the day-to-day operations of the funds under the direction of the board of trustees.
The trustees play an active role, as a full board and at the committee level, in overseeing risk management for the funds. The trustees delegate the day-to-day risk management of the funds to various groups, including portfolio review, investment management, risk management, compliance, legal, fund accounting, and fund financial services. These groups provide the trustees with regular reports regarding investment, valuation, liquidity, and compliance, as well as the risks associated with each. The trustees also oversee risk management for the funds through regular interactions with the funds internal and external auditors.
The full board participates in the funds risk oversight, in part, through the Vanguard funds compliance program, which covers the following broad areas of compliance: investment and other operations; recordkeeping; valuation and pricing; communications and disclosure; reporting and accounting; oversight of service providers; fund governance; and codes of ethics, insider trading controls, and protection of nonpublic information. The program seeks to identify and assess risk through various methods, including through regular interdisciplinary communications between compliance professionals and business personnel who participate on a daily basis in risk management on behalf of the funds. The funds chief compliance officer regularly provides reports to the board in writing and in person.
The audit committee of the board, which is composed of Rajiv L. Gupta, JoAnn Heffernan Heisen, F. Joseph Loughrey, Mark Loughridge, and Peter F. Volanakis, each of whom is an independent trustee, oversees management of financial risks and controls. The audit committee serves as the channel of communication between the independent auditors of the funds and the board with respect to financial statements and financial-reporting processes, systems of internal control, and the audit process. Vanguards head of internal audit reports directly to the audit committee and provides reports to the committee in writing and in person on a regular basis. Although the audit committee is responsible for overseeing the management of financial risks, the entire board is regularly informed of these risks through committee reports.
All of the trustees bring to each funds board a wealth of executive leadership experience derived from their service as executives (in many cases chief executive officers), board members, and leaders of diverse public operating companies, academic institutions, and other organizations. In determining whether an individual is qualified to serve as a trustee of the funds, the board considers a wide variety of information about the trustee, and multiple factors contribute to the boards decision. Each trustee is determined to have the experience, skills, and attributes necessary to serve the funds and their shareholders because each trustee demonstrates an exceptional ability to consider complex business and financial matters, evaluate the relative importance and priority of issues, make decisions, and contribute effectively to the deliberations of the board. The board also considers the individual experience of each trustee and determines that
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the trustees professional experience, education, and background contribute to the diversity of perspectives on the board. The business acumen, experience, and objective thinking of the trustees are considered invaluable assets for Vanguard management and, ultimately, the Vanguard funds shareholders. The specific roles and experience of each board member that factor into this determination are presented on the following pages. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482.
| Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
| Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
| Position(s) | Funds Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
| Name, Year of Birth | Held With Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
| Interested Trustee1 | ||||
| F. William McNabb III | Chairman of the | July 2009 | Mr. McNabb has served as Chairman of the Board of | 198 |
| (1957) | Board, Chief | Vanguard and of each of the investment companies | ||
| Executive Officer, | served by Vanguard, since January 2010; Trustee of | |||
| and President | each of the investment companies served by | |||
| Vanguard, since 2009; Director of Vanguard since | ||||
| 2008; and Chief Executive Officer and President of | ||||
| Vanguard and of each of the investment companies | ||||
| served by Vanguard, since 2008. Mr. McNabb also | ||||
| serves as a Director of Vanguard Marketing | ||||
| Corporation. Mr. McNabb served as a Managing | ||||
| Director of Vanguard from 1995 to 2008. |
1 Mr. McNabb is considered an interested person, as defined in the 1940 Act, because he is an officer of the Trust.
| Independent Trustees | ||||
| Emerson U. Fullwood | Trustee | January 2008 | Mr. Fullwood is the former Executive Chief Staff and | 198 |
| (1948) | Marketing Officer for North America and Corporate | |||
| Vice President (retired 2008) of Xerox Corporation | ||||
| (document management products and services). | ||||
| Previous positions held at Xerox by Mr. Fullwood include | ||||
| President of the Worldwide Channels Group, President | ||||
| of Latin America, Executive Chief Staff Officer of | ||||
| Developing Markets, and President of Worldwide | ||||
| Customer Services. Mr. Fullwood is the Executive in | ||||
| Residence and 20092010 Distinguished Minett | ||||
| Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. | ||||
| Mr. Fullwood serves as Lead Director of SPX FLOW, Inc. | ||||
| (multi-industry manufacturing) and also serves as a | ||||
| Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center, | ||||
| Monroe Community College Foundation, the United | ||||
| Way of Rochester, North Carolina A&T University, and | ||||
| Roberts Wesleyan College. | ||||
| Rajiv L. Gupta | Trustee | December 2001 | Mr. Gupta is the former Chairman and Chief Executive | 198 |
| (1945) | Officer (retired 2009) and President (20062008) of | |||
| Rohm and Haas Co. (chemicals). Mr. Gupta serves as a | ||||
| Director of Tyco International PLC (diversified | ||||
| manufacturing and services), HP Inc. (printer and | ||||
| personal computer manufacturing), and Delphi | ||||
| Automotive PLC (automotive components) and as | ||||
| Senior Advisor at New Mountain Capital. | ||||
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| Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
| Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
| Position(s) | Funds Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
| Name, Year of Birth | Held With Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
| Independent Trustees | ||||
| Amy Gutmann | Trustee | June 2006 | Dr. Gutmann has served as the President of the | 198 |
| (1949) | University of Pennsylvania since 2004. She is the | |||
| Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of | ||||
| Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences, and | ||||
| Professor of Communication, Annenberg School for | ||||
| Communication, with secondary faculty appointments | ||||
| in the Department of Philosophy, School of Arts and | ||||
| Sciences, and at the Graduate School of Education, | ||||
| University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Gutmann also serves | ||||
| as a Trustee of the National Constitution Center. | ||||
| Dr. Gutmann is Chair of the Presidential Commission | ||||
| for the Study of Bioethical Issues. | ||||
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | Trustee | July 1998 | Ms. Heisen is the former Corporate Vice President | 198 |
| (1950) | and Chief Global Diversity Officer (retired 2008) | |||
| and a former member of the Executive Committee | ||||
| (19972008) of Johnson & Johnson (pharmaceuticals/ | ||||
| medical devices/consumer products). Ms. Heisen | ||||
| served as Vice President and Chief Information Officer | ||||
| of Johnson & Johnson from 1997 to 2005. Ms. Heisen | ||||
| serves as a Director of Skytop Lodge Corporation | ||||
| (hotels) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and | ||||
| as a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for | ||||
| Womens Leadership at Rutgers University. | ||||
| F. Joseph Loughrey | Trustee | October 2009 | Mr. Loughrey is the former President and Chief | 198 |
| (1949) | Operating Officer (retired 2009) and Vice Chairman of | |||
| the Board (20082009) of Cummins Inc. (industrial | ||||
| machinery). Mr. Loughrey serves as Chairman of the | ||||
| Board of Hillenbrand, Inc. (specialized consumer | ||||
| services) and of Oxfam America; as a Director of | ||||
| SKF AB (industrial machinery), Hyster-Yale Materials | ||||
| Handling, Inc. (forklift trucks), the Lumina Foundation | ||||
| for Education, and the V Foundation for Cancer | ||||
| Research; and as a member of the Advisory Council for | ||||
| the College of Arts and Letters and of the Advisory | ||||
| Board to the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, | ||||
| both at the University of Notre Dame. | ||||
| Mark Loughridge | Lead Independent | March 2012 | Mr. Loughridge is the former Senior Vice President and | 198 |
| (1953) | Trustee | Chief Financial Officer (retired 2013) at IBM | ||
| (information technology services). Mr. Loughridge also | ||||
| served as a fiduciary member of IBMs Retirement Plan | ||||
| Committee (20042013). Previous positions held by Mr. | ||||
| Loughridge at IBM include Senior Vice President and | ||||
| General Manager of Global Financing (20022004), | ||||
| Vice President and Controller (19982002), and a | ||||
| variety of management roles. Mr. Loughridge serves as | ||||
| a Director of The Dow Chemical Company and as a | ||||
| member of the Council on Chicago Booth. | ||||
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| Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
| Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
| Position(s) | Funds Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
| Name, Year of Birth | Held With Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
| Independent Trustees | ||||
| Scott C. Malpass | Trustee | March 2012 | Mr. Malpass has served as Chief Investment Officer | 198 |
| (1962) | since 1989 and Vice President since 1996 at the | |||
| University of Notre Dame. Mr. Malpass serves as an | ||||
| Assistant Professor of Finance at the Mendoza College | ||||
| of Business at the University of Notre Dame and is a | ||||
| member of the Notre Dame 403(b) Investment | ||||
| Committee. Mr. Malpass also serves on the boards of | ||||
| TIFF Advisory Services, Inc., and Catholic Investment | ||||
| Services, Inc. (investment advisors); as a member of | ||||
| the board of advisors for Spruceview Capital Partners; | ||||
| and as a member of the investment advisory | ||||
| committee of Major League Baseball. | ||||
| André F. Perold | Trustee | December 2004 | Dr. Perold is the George Gund Professor of Finance | 198 |
| (1952) | and Banking, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School | |||
| (retired 2011). Dr. Perold serves as Chief Investment | ||||
| Officer and Managing Partner of HighVista Strategies | ||||
| LLC (private investment firm). Dr. Perold also serves as | ||||
| a Director of Rand Merchant Bank and as an Overseer | ||||
| of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston. | ||||
| Peter F. Volanakis | Trustee | July 2009 | Mr. Volanakis is the retired President and Chief | 198 |
| (1955) | Operating Officer (retired 2010) of Corning | |||
| Incorporated (communications equipment) and a | ||||
| former Director of Corning Incorporated (20002010) | ||||
| and of Dow Corning (20012010). Mr. Volanakis served | ||||
| as a Director of SPX Corporation (multi-industry | ||||
| manufacturing) in 2012 and as an Overseer of the | ||||
| Amos Tuck School of Business Administration at | ||||
| Dartmouth College from 2001 to 2013. Mr. Volanakis | ||||
| serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Colby- | ||||
| Sawyer College and also serves as a member of the | ||||
| Advisory Board of the Norris Cotton Cancer Center. | ||||
| Executive Officers | ||||
| Glenn Booraem | Treasurer | July 2010 | Mr. Booraem, a Principal of Vanguard, has served as | 198 |
| (1967) | Treasurer of each of the investment companies served | |||
| by Vanguard, since May 2015. Mr. Booraem served as | ||||
| Controller of each of the investment companies served | ||||
| by Vanguard, from 2010 to 2015, and as Assistant | ||||
| Controller of each of the investment companies served | ||||
| by Vanguard, from 2001 to 2010. | ||||
| Thomas J. Higgins | Chief Financial | September 2008 | Mr. Higgins, a Principal of Vanguard, has served as Chief | 198 |
| (1957) | Officer | Financial Officer of each of the investment companies | ||
| served by Vanguard, since 2008. Mr. Higgins served as | ||||
| Treasurer of each of the investment companies served | ||||
| by Vanguard, from 1998 to 2008. | ||||
| Peter Mahoney | Controller | May 2015 | Mr. Mahoney, head of Global Fund Accounting at | 198 |
| (1974) | Vanguard, has served as Controller of each of the | |||
| investment companies served by Vanguard, since | ||||
| May 2015. Mr. Mahoney served as head of International | ||||
| Fund Services at Vanguard from 2008 to 2014. | ||||
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| Principal Occupation(s) | Number of | |||
| Vanguard | and Outside Directorships | Vanguard Funds | ||
| Position(s) | Funds Trustee/ | During the Past Five Years | Overseen by | |
| Name, Year of Birth | Held With Funds | Officer Since | and Other Experience | Trustee/Officer |
| Executive Officers | ||||
| Anne E. Robinson | Secretary | September 2016 | Ms. Robinson has served as General Counsel of | 198 |
| (1970) | Vanguard since September 2016; Secretary of | |||
| Vanguard and of each of the investment companies | ||||
| served by Vanguard, since September 2016; Director | ||||
| and Senior Vice President of Vanguard Marketing | ||||
| Corporation since September 2016; and a Managing | ||||
| Director of Vanguard since August 2016. Ms. Robinson | ||||
| served as Managing Director and General Counsel of | ||||
| Global Cards and Consumer Services at Citigroup from | ||||
| 2014 to 2016. She served as counsel at American | ||||
| Express from 2003 to 2014. |
All but one of the trustees are independent. The independent trustees designate a lead independent trustee. The lead independent trustee is a spokesperson and principal point of contact for the independent trustees and is responsible for coordinating the activities of the independent trustees, including calling regular executive sessions of the independent trustees; developing the agenda of each meeting together with the chairman; and chairing the meetings of the independent trustees. The lead independent trustee also chairs the meetings of the audit, compensation, and nominating committees. The board also has two investment committees, which consist of independent trustees and the sole interested trustee.
The independent trustees appoint the chairman of the board. The roles of chairman of the board and chief executive officer currently are held by the same person; as a result, the chairman of the board is an interested trustee. The independent trustees generally believe that the Vanguard funds chief executive officer is best qualified to serve as chairman and that fund shareholders benefit from this leadership structure through accountability and strong day-to-day leadership.
Board Committees: The Trusts board has the following committees:
- Audit Committee: This committee oversees the accounting and financial reporting policies, the systems of internal controls, and the independent audits of each fund. The following independent trustees serve as members of the committee: Mr. Gupta, Ms. Heisen, Mr. Loughrey, Mr. Loughridge, and Mr. Volanakis. The committee held five meetings during the Funds fiscal year ended August 31, 2016.
- Compensation Committee: This committee oversees the compensation programs established by each fund for the benefit of its trustees. All independent trustees serve as members of the committee. The committee held three meetings during the Funds fiscal year ended August 31, 2016.
- Investment Committees: These committees assist the board in its oversight of investment advisors to the funds and in the review and evaluation of materials relating to the boards consideration of investment advisory agreements with the funds. Each trustee serves on one of two investment committees. Each investment committee held five meetings during the Funds fiscal year ended August 31, 2016.
- Nominating Committee: This committee nominates candidates for election to the board of trustees of each fund. The committee also has the authority to recommend the removal of any trustee. All independent trustees serve as members of the committee. The committee held two meetings during the Funds fiscal year ended August 31, 2016.
The Nominating Committee will consider shareholder recommendations for trustee nominees. Shareholders may send recommendations to Mr. Loughridge, chairman of the committee.
Trustee Compensation
The same individuals serve as trustees of all Vanguard funds and each fund pays a proportionate share of the trustees compensation. The funds also employ their officers on a shared basis; however, officers are compensated by Vanguard, not the funds.
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Independent Trustees. The funds compensate their independent trustees (i.e., the ones who are not also officers of the funds) in three ways:
- The independent trustees receive an annual fee for their service to the funds, which is subject to reduction based on absences from scheduled board meetings.
- The independent trustees are reimbursed for the travel and other expenses that they incur in attending board meetings.
- Upon retirement (after attaining age 65 and completing five years of service), the independent trustees who began their service prior to January 1, 2001, receive a retirement benefit under a separate account arrangement. As of January 1, 2001, the opening balance of each eligible trustees separate account was generally equal to the net present value of the benefits he or she had accrued under the trustees former retirement plan. Each eligible trustees separate account will be credited annually with interest at a rate of 7.5% until the trustee receives his or her final distribution. Those independent trustees who began their service on or after January 1, 2001, are not eligible to participate in the plan.
Interested Trustee. Mr. McNabb serves as trustee but is not paid in this capacity. He is, however, paid in his role as an officer of Vanguard.
Compensation Table. The following tables provide compensation details for each of the trustees. We list the amounts paid as compensation and accrued as retirement benefits by the Funds for each trustee. In addition, the tables show the total amount of benefits that we expect each trustee to receive from all Vanguard funds upon retirement and the total amount of compensation paid to each trustee by all Vanguard funds.
| VANGUARD MONEY MARKET RESERVES | ||||
| TRUSTEES COMPENSATION TABLE | ||||
| Pension or Retirement | Accrued Annual | Total Compensation | ||
| Aggregate | Benefits Accrued | Retirement | From All Vanguard | |
| Compensation | as Part of the | Benefit at | Funds Paid | |
| Trustee | From the Funds1 | Funds Expenses1 | January 1, 20162 | to Trustees3 |
| F. William McNabb III | | | | |
| Emerson U. Fullwood | $ 9,763 | | | $230,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | 10,313 | | | 223,500 |
| Amy Gutmann | 9,763 | | | 230,000 |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | 10,313 | $239 | $6,985 | 230,000 |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | 10,313 | | | 230,000 |
| Mark Loughridge | 11,588 | | | 260,000 |
| Scott C. Malpass | 9,763 | | | 223,500 |
| André F. Perold | 10,313 | | | 230,000 |
| Peter F. Volanakis | 10,313 | | | 230,000 |
| 1 | The amounts shown in this column are based on the Trusts fiscal year ended August 31, 2016. Each Fund within the Trust is responsible for a proportionate share of these amounts. |
| 2 | Each trustee is eligible to receive retirement benefits only after completing at least 5 years (60 consecutive months) of service as a trustee for the Vanguard funds. The annual retirement benefit will be paid in monthly installments, beginning with the month following the trustees retirement from service, and will cease after 10 years of payments (120 monthly installments). Trustees who began their service on or after January 1, 2001, are not eligible to participate in the retirement benefit plan. |
| 3 | The amounts reported in this column reflect the total compensation paid to each trustee for his or her service as trustee of 194 Vanguard funds for the 2015 calendar year. |
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| VANGUARD ADMIRAL FUNDS | ||||
| TRUSTEES COMPENSATION TABLE | ||||
| Pension or Retirement | Accrued Annual | Total Compensation | ||
| Aggregate | Benefits Accrued | Retirement | From All Vanguard | |
| Compensation | as Part of the | Benefit at | Funds Paid | |
| Trustee | From the Funds1 | Funds Expenses1 | January 1, 20162 | to Trustees3 |
| F. William McNabb III | | | | |
| Emerson U. Fullwood | $824 | | | $ 230,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | 870 | | | 223,500 |
| Amy Gutmann | 824 | | | 230,000 |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | 870 | $20 | $6,985 | 230,000 |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | 870 | | | 230,000 |
| Mark Loughridge | 979 | | | 260,000 |
| Scott C. Malpass | 824 | | | 223,500 |
| André F. Perold | 870 | | | 230,000 |
| Peter F. Volanakis | 870 | | | 230,000 |
| 1 | The amounts shown in this column are based on the Trusts fiscal year ended August 31, 2016. Each Fund within the Trust is responsible for a proportionate share of these amounts. |
| 2 | Each trustee is eligible to receive retirement benefits only after completing at least 5 years (60 consecutive months) of service as a trustee for the Vanguard funds. The annual retirement benefit will be paid in monthly installments, beginning with the month following the trustees retirement from service, and will cease after 10 years of payments (120 monthly installments). Trustees who began their service on or after January 1, 2001, are not eligible to participate in the retirement benefit plan. |
| 3 | The amounts reported in this column reflect the total compensation paid to each trustee for his or her service as trustee of 194 Vanguard funds for the 2015 calendar year. |
Ownership of Fund Shares
All trustees allocate their investments among the various Vanguard funds based on their own investment needs. The following tables show each trustees ownership of shares of each Fund and of all Vanguard funds served by the trustee as of December 31, 2015.
| VANGUARD MONEY MARKET RESERVES | |||
| Aggregate Dollar | |||
| Dollar Range of | Range of Vanguard | ||
| Fund Shares | Fund Shares | ||
| Vanguard Fund | Trustee | Owned by Trustee | Owned by Trustee |
| Prime Money Market Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | $1$10,000 | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | $10,001$50,000 | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | $1$10,000 | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | Over $100,000 | Over $100,000 | |
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| Aggregate Dollar | |||
| Dollar Range of | Range of Vanguard | ||
| Fund Shares | Fund Shares | ||
| Vanguard Fund | Trustee | Owned by Trustee | Owned by Trustee |
| Federal Money Market Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | | Over $100,000 | |
| VANGUARD ADMIRAL FUNDS | |||
| Aggregate Dollar | |||
| Dollar Range of | Range of Vanguard | ||
| Fund Shares | Fund Shares | ||
| Vanguard Fund | Trustee | Owned by Trustee | Owned by Trustee |
| Treasury Money Market Fund | Emerson U. Fullwood | | Over $100,000 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | | Over $100,000 | |
| Amy Gutmann | | Over $100,000 | |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | | Over $100,000 | |
| Mark Loughridge | | Over $100,000 | |
| Scott C. Malpass | | Over $100,000 | |
| F. William McNabb III | | Over $100,000 | |
| André F. Perold | $1$10,000 | Over $100,000 | |
| Peter F. Volanakis | | Over $100,000 | |
As of November 30, 2016, the trustees and officers of the funds owned, in the aggregate, less than 1% of each class of each funds outstanding shares.
As of November 30, 2016, the following owned of record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each class:
Vanguard Federal Money Market FundInvestor Shares: Vanguard Brokerage Services, Valley Forge, PA (37.12%), Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Company, Valley Forge, PA (7.82%), Fidelity Investments, Institutional Operations Co. Inc., Covington, KY (6.36%); Vanguard Prime Money Market FundAdmiral Shares: Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Company, Valley Forge, PA (35.16%), Fidelity Investments, Institutional Operations Co. Inc., Covington, KY (9.06%).
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures
Introduction
Vanguard and the boards of trustees of the Vanguard funds (Boards) have adopted Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures (Policies and Procedures) to govern the disclosure of the portfolio holdings of each Vanguard fund. Vanguard and the Boards considered each of the circumstances under which Vanguard fund portfolio holdings may be disclosed to different categories of persons under the Policies and Procedures. Vanguard and the Boards also considered actual and potential material conflicts that could arise in such circumstances between the interests of Vanguard fund shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the funds investment advisor, distributor, or any affiliated person of the fund, its investment advisor, or its distributor, on the other. After giving due consideration to such matters and after the exercise of their fiduciary duties and reasonable business judgment, Vanguard and the Boards determined that the
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Vanguard funds have a legitimate business purpose for disclosing portfolio holdings to the persons described in each of the circumstances set forth in the Policies and Procedures and that the Policies and Procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that disclosure of portfolio holdings and information about portfolio holdings is in the best interests of fund shareholders and appropriately addresses the potential for material conflicts of interest.
The Boards exercise continuing oversight of the disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings by (1) overseeing the implementation and enforcement of the Policies and Procedures, the Code of Ethics, and the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information (collectively, the portfolio holdings governing policies) by the chief compliance officer of Vanguard and the Vanguard funds; (2) considering reports and recommendations by the chief compliance officer concerning any material compliance matters (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940) that may arise in connection with any portfolio holdings governing policies; and (3) considering whether to approve or ratify any amendment to any portfolio holdings governing policies. Vanguard and the Boards reserve the right to amend the Policies and Procedures at any time and from time to time without prior notice at their sole discretion. For purposes of the Policies and Procedures, the term portfolio holdings means the equity and debt securities (e.g., stocks and bonds) held by a Vanguard fund and does not mean the cash investments, derivatives, and other investment positions (collectively, other investment positions) held by the fund.
Online Disclosure of Ten Largest Stock Holdings
Each actively managed Vanguard fund generally will seek to disclose the funds ten largest stock portfolio holdings and the percentage of the funds total assets that each of these holdings represents as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter (quarter-end ten largest stock holdings with weightings) online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 15 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. Each Vanguard index fund generally will seek to disclose the funds ten largest stock portfolio holdings and the percentage of the funds total assets that each of these holdings represents as of the end of the most recent month (month-end ten largest stock holdings with weightings) online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 15 calendar days after the end of the month. In addition, Vanguard funds generally will seek to disclose the funds ten largest stock portfolio holdings and the aggregate percentage of the funds total assets (and, for balanced funds, the aggregate percentage of the funds equity securities) that these holdings represent as of the end of the most recent month (month-end ten largest stock holdings) online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 10 business days after the end of the month. Together, the quarter-end and month-end ten largest stock holdings are referred to as the ten largest stock holdings. Online disclosure of the ten largest stock holdings is made to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries, third-party service providers, rating and ranking organizations, affiliated persons of a Vanguard fund, and all other persons.
Online Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings
Each actively managed Vanguard fund, unless otherwise stated, generally will seek to disclose the funds complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. In accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, each of the Vanguard money market funds will disclose the funds complete portfolio holdings as of the last business day of the prior month online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, no later than the fifth business day of the current month. The complete portfolio holdings information for money market funds will remain available online for at least six months after the initial posting. Vanguard Market Neutral Fund and Vanguard Alternative Strategies Fund generally will seek to disclose the Funds complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the Funds Portfolio & Management page, 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. Each Vanguard index fund generally will seek to disclose the funds complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent month online at vanguard.com, in the Portfolio section of the funds Portfolio & Management page, 15 calendar days after the end of the month. Online disclosure of complete portfolio holdings is made to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries, third-party service providers, rating and ranking organizations, affiliated persons of a Vanguard fund, and all other persons. Vanguards Portfolio Review Department will review complete portfolio holdings before disclosure is made and, except with respect to the complete portfolio holdings of the Vanguard money market funds, may withhold any portion of the funds complete portfolio holdings from disclosure when deemed to be in the best interests of the fund after consultation with a Vanguard funds investment advisor.
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Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings to Service Providers Subject to Confidentiality and Trading Restrictions
Vanguard, for legitimate business purposes, may disclose Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings at times it deems necessary and appropriate to rating and ranking organizations; financial printers; proxy voting service providers; pricing information vendors; issuers of guaranteed investment contracts for stable value portfolios; third parties that deliver analytical, statistical, or consulting services; and other third parties that provide services (collectively, Service Providers) to Vanguard, Vanguard subsidiaries, and/or the Vanguard funds. Disclosure of complete portfolio holdings to a Service Provider is conditioned on the Service Provider being subject to a written agreement imposing a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information.
The frequency with which complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed to a Service Provider, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the Service Provider, is determined based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure to a Service Provider varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings by Vanguard to a Service Provider must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal in Vanguards Portfolio Review or Legal Department. Any disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings to a Service Provider as previously described may also include a list of the other investment positions that make up the fund, such as cash investments and derivatives.
Currently, Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings are disclosed to the following Service Providers as part of ongoing arrangements that serve legitimate business purposes: Abel/Noser Corporation; Advisor Software, Inc.; Alcom Printing Group Inc.; Apple Press, L.C.; Bloomberg L.P.; Brilliant Graphics, Inc.; Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.; Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.; Canon Business Process Services; FactSet Research Systems Inc.; Innovation Printing & Communications; Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc.; Intelligencer Printing Company; Investment Technology Group, Inc.; Lipper, Inc.; Markit WSO Corporation; McMunn Associates Inc.; Reuters America Inc.; R.R. Donnelley, Inc.; State Street Bank and Trust Company; Trade Informatics LLC; Triune Color Corporation; and Tursack Printing Inc.
Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings to Vanguard Affiliates and Certain Fiduciaries Subject to Confidentiality and Trading Restrictions
Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed between and among the following persons (collectively, Affiliates and Fiduciaries) for legitimate business purposes within the scope of their official duties and responsibilities, subject to such persons continuing legal duty of confidentiality and legal duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information, as such duties are imposed under the Code of Ethics, the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information, by agreement, or under applicable laws, rules, and regulations: (1) persons who are subject to the Code of Ethics or the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information; (2) an investment advisor, distributor, administrator, transfer agent, or custodian to a Vanguard fund; (3) an accounting firm, an auditing firm, or outside legal counsel retained by Vanguard, a Vanguard subsidiary, or a Vanguard fund; (4) an investment advisor to whom complete portfolio holdings are disclosed for due diligence purposes when the advisor is in merger or acquisition talks with a Vanguard funds current advisor; and (5) a newly hired investment advisor or sub-advisor to whom complete portfolio holdings are disclosed prior to the time it commences its duties.
The frequency with which complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed between and among Affiliates and Fiduciaries, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed between and among the Affiliates and Fiduciaries, is determined by such Affiliates and Fiduciaries based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure between and among Affiliates and Fiduciaries varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Any disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings to any Affiliates and Fiduciaries as previously described may also include a list of the other investment positions that make up the fund, such as cash investments and derivatives. Disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, or a Vanguard fund to Affiliates and Fiduciaries must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
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Currently, Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings are disclosed to the following Affiliates and Fiduciaries as part of ongoing arrangements that serve legitimate business purposes: Vanguard and each investment advisor, custodian, and independent registered public accounting firm identified in each funds Statement of Additional Information.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings to Broker-Dealers in the Normal Course of Managing a Funds Assets
An investment advisor, administrator, or custodian for a Vanguard fund may, for legitimate business purposes within the scope of its official duties and responsibilities, disclose portfolio holdings (whether partial portfolio holdings or complete portfolio holdings) and other investment positions that make up the fund to one or more broker-dealers during the course of, or in connection with, normal day-to-day securities and derivatives transactions with or through such broker-dealers subject to the broker-dealers legal obligation not to use or disclose material nonpublic information concerning the funds portfolio holdings, other investment positions, securities transactions, or derivatives transactions without the consent of the fund or its agents. The Vanguard funds have not given their consent to any such use or disclosure and no person or agent of Vanguard is authorized to give such consent except as approved in writing by the Boards of the Vanguard funds. Disclosure of portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard to broker-dealers must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
Disclosure of Nonmaterial Information
The Policies and Procedures permit Vanguard fund officers, Vanguard fund portfolio managers, and other Vanguard representatives (collectively, Approved Vanguard Representatives) to disclose any views, opinions, judgments, advice, or commentary, or any analytical, statistical, performance, or other information, in connection with or relating to a Vanguard fund or its portfolio holdings and/or other investment positions (collectively, commentary and analysis) or any changes in the portfolio holdings of a Vanguard fund that occurred after the end of the most recent calendar quarter (recent portfolio changes) to any person if (1) such disclosure serves a legitimate business purpose, (2) such disclosure does not effectively result in the disclosure of the complete portfolio holdings of any Vanguard fund (which can be disclosed only in accordance with the Policies and Procedures), and (3) such information does not constitute material nonpublic information. Disclosure of commentary and analysis or recent portfolio changes by Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, or a Vanguard fund must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
An Approved Vanguard Representative must make a good faith determination whether the information constitutes material nonpublic information, which involves an assessment of the particular facts and circumstances. Vanguard believes that in most cases recent portfolio changes that involve a few or even several securities in a diversified portfolio or commentary and analysis would be immaterial and would not convey any advantage to a recipient in making an investment decision concerning a Vanguard fund. Nonexclusive examples of commentary and analysis about a Vanguard fund include (1) the allocation of the funds portfolio holdings and other investment positions among various asset classes, sectors, industries, and countries; (2) the characteristics of the stock and bond components of the funds portfolio holdings and other investment positions; (3) the attribution of fund returns by asset class, sector, industry, and country; and (4) the volatility characteristics of the fund. Approved Vanguard Representatives may, at their sole discretion, deny any request for information made by any person, and may do so for any reason or for no reason. Approved Vanguard Representatives include, for purposes of the Policies and Procedures, persons employed by or associated with Vanguard or a subsidiary of Vanguard who have been authorized by Vanguards Portfolio Review Department to disclose recent portfolio changes and/or commentary and analysis in accordance with the Policies and Procedures.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings Related Information to the Issuer of a Security for Legitimate Business Purposes
Vanguard, at its sole discretion, may disclose portfolio holdings information concerning a security held by one or more Vanguard funds to the issuer of such security if the issuer presents, to the satisfaction of Vanguards Fund Financial Services unit, convincing evidence that the issuer has a legitimate business purpose for such information. Disclosure of this information to an issuer is conditioned on the issuer being subject to a written agreement imposing a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information. The frequency with which portfolio holdings information concerning a security may be disclosed to the issuer of such security, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the issuer, is
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determined based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure to an issuer cannot be determined in advance of a specific request and will vary based upon the particular facts and circumstances and the legitimate business purposes, but in unusual situations could be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Disclosure of portfolio holdings information concerning a security held by one or more Vanguard funds to the issuer of such security must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal in Vanguards Portfolio Review or Legal Department.
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings as Required by Applicable Law
Vanguard fund portfolio holdings (whether partial portfolio holdings or complete portfolio holdings) and other investment positions that make up a fund shall be disclosed to any person as required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Examples of such required disclosure include, but are not limited to, disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings (1) in a filing or submission with the SEC or another regulatory body, (2) in connection with seeking recovery on defaulted bonds in a federal bankruptcy case, (3) in connection with a lawsuit, or (4) as required by court order. Disclosure of portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation, or a Vanguard fund as required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.
Prohibitions on Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
No person is authorized to disclose Vanguard fund portfolio holdings or other investment positions (whether online at vanguard.com, in writing, by fax, by e-mail, orally, or by other means) except in accordance with the Policies and Procedures. In addition, no person is authorized to make disclosure pursuant to the Policies and Procedures if such disclosure is otherwise unlawful under the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act). Furthermore, Vanguards management, at its sole discretion, may determine not to disclose portfolio holdings or other investment positions that make up a Vanguard fund to any person who would otherwise be eligible to receive such information under the Policies and Procedures, or may determine to make such disclosures publicly as provided by the Policies and Procedures.
Prohibitions on Receipt of Compensation or Other Consideration
The Policies and Procedures prohibit a Vanguard fund, its investment advisor, and any other person or entity from paying or receiving any compensation or other consideration of any type for the purpose of obtaining disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings or other investment positions. Consideration includes any agreement to maintain assets in the fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the investment advisor or by any affiliated person of the investment advisor.
INVESTMENT ADVISORY SERVICES
The Funds receive all investment advisory services from Vanguard through its Fixed Income Group. These services are provided on an at-cost basis by an experienced investment advisory staff employed directly by Vanguard. The compensation and other expenses of the advisory staff are allocated among the funds utilizing these services.
During the fiscal years ended August 31, 2014, 2015, and 2016, the Funds incurred the following approximate investment advisory expenses:
| Vanguard Fund | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Prime Money Market Fund | $3,328,000 | $3,335,000 | $3,577,000 |
| Federal Money Market Fund | 86,000 | 75,000 | 290,000 |
| Treasury Money Market Fund | 285,000 | 253,000 | 263,000 |
| 1. Other Accounts Managed | |||
David R. Glocke manages Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund and Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund; as of August 31, 2016, the Funds collectively held assets of $129 billion. As of August 31, 2016, Mr. Glocke also managed 1 other pooled investment vehicle with total assets of $80.4 million (advisory fee not based on account performance).
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John C. Lanius manages Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund; as of August 31, 2016, the Fund held assets of $39 billion. As of August 31, 2016, Mr. Lanius also managed 2 other registered investment companies with total assets of $45 billion (neither of which had advisory fees based on account performance).
2. Material Conflicts of Interest
At Vanguard, individual portfolio managers may manage multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition to mutual funds, these accounts may include separate accounts, collective trusts, and offshore funds. Managing multiple funds or accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest including, for example, conflicts among investment strategies and conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities. Vanguard manages potential conflicts between funds or accounts through allocation policies and procedures, internal review processes, and oversight by trustees and independent third parties. Vanguard has developed trade allocation procedures and controls to ensure that no one client, regardless of type, is intentionally favored at the expense of another. Allocation policies are designed to address potential conflicts in situations where two or more funds or accounts participate in investment decisions involving the same securities.
3. Description of Compensation
All Vanguard portfolio managers are Vanguard employees. This section describes the compensation of the Vanguard employees who manage Vanguard mutual funds. As of August 31, 2016, a Vanguard portfolio managers compensation generally consists of base salary, bonus, and payments under Vanguards long-term incentive compensation program. In addition, portfolio managers are eligible for the standard retirement benefits and health and welfare benefits available to all Vanguard employees. Also, certain portfolio managers may be eligible for additional retirement benefits under several supplemental retirement plans that Vanguard adopted in the 1980s to restore dollar-for-dollar the benefits of management employees that had been cut back solely as a result of tax law changes. These plans are structured to provide the same retirement benefits as the standard retirement plans.
In the case of portfolio managers responsible for managing multiple Vanguard funds or accounts, the method used to determine their compensation is the same for all funds and investment accounts. A portfolio managers base salary is determined by the managers experience and performance in the role, taking into account the ongoing compensation benchmark analyses performed by Vanguards Human Resources Department. A portfolio managers base salary is generally a fixed amount that may change as a result of an annual review, upon assumption of new duties, or in response to a market adjustment of the position.
A portfolio managers bonus is determined by a number of factors. One factor is gross, pre-tax performance of the fund relative to expectations for how the fund should have performed, given the funds investment objective, policies, strategies, and limitations, and the market environment during the measurement period. This performance factor is not based on the amount of assets held in the funds portfolio. For each Fund, the performance factor depends on how successfully the portfolio manager maintains the credit quality of the Fund, and consequently, how the Fund performs relative to the expectations previously described generally over a one-year period. Additional factors include the portfolio managers contributions to the investment management functions within the sub-asset class, contributions to the development of other investment professionals and supporting staff, and overall contributions to strategic planning and decisions for the investment group. The target bonus is expressed as a percentage of base salary. The actual bonus paid may be more or less than the target bonus, based on how well the manager satisfies the objectives previously described. The bonus is paid on an annual basis.
Under the long-term incentive compensation program, all full-time employees receive a payment from Vanguards long-term incentive compensation plan based on their years of service, job level, and if applicable, management responsibilities. Each year, Vanguards independent directors determine the amount of the long-term incentive compensation award for that year based on the investment performance of the Vanguard funds relative to competitors and Vanguards operating efficiencies in providing services to the Vanguard funds.
4. Ownership of Securities
Vanguard employees, including portfolio managers, allocate their investments among the various Vanguard funds or collective investment trusts that may invest in Vanguard funds based on their own individual investment needs and goals. Vanguard employees, as a group, invest a sizable portion of their personal assets in Vanguard funds. As of
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August 31, 2016, Vanguard employees collectively invested more than $5.1 billion in Vanguard funds or collective investment trusts that may invest in Vanguard funds. F. William McNabb III, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President of Vanguard and the Vanguard funds, invests substantially all of his personal financial assets in Vanguard funds.
As of August 31, 2016, Mr. Glocke owned shares of Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund in the $10,000$50,000 range and Mr. Lanius owned shares of Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund in the $1$10,000 range. As of August 31, 2016, Mr. Glocke did not own any shares of Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund.
Duration and Termination of Investment Advisory Agreement
Vanguard provides at-cost investment advisory services to the Funds pursuant to the terms of the Fifth Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement. This agreement will continue in full force and effect until terminated or amended by mutual agreement of the Vanguard funds and Vanguard.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
The advisor decides which securities to buy and sell on behalf of a Fund and then selects the brokers or dealers that will execute the trades on an agency basis or the dealers with whom the trades will be effected on a principal basis. For each trade, the advisor must select a broker-dealer that it believes will provide best execution. Best execution does not necessarily mean paying the lowest spread or commission rate available. In seeking best execution, the SEC has said that an advisor should consider the full range of a broker-dealers services. The factors considered by the advisor in seeking best execution include, but are not limited to, the broker-dealers execution capability, clearance and settlement services, commission rate, trading expertise, willingness and ability to commit capital, ability to provide anonymity, financial responsibility, reputation and integrity, responsiveness, access to underwritten offerings and secondary markets, and access to company management, as well as the value of any research provided by the broker-dealer. In assessing which broker-dealer can provide best execution for a particular trade, the advisor also may consider the timing and size of the order and available liquidity and current market conditions. Subject to applicable legal requirements, the advisor may select a broker based partly on brokerage or research services provided to the advisor and its clients, including the Funds. The advisor may cause a Fund to pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if the advisor determines in good faith that the amount of the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of services provided. The advisor also may receive brokerage or research services from broker-dealers that are provided at no charge in recognition of the volume of trades directed to the broker. To the extent research services or products may be a factor in selecting brokers, services and products may include written research reports analyzing performance or securities, discussions with research analysts, meetings with corporate executives to obtain oral reports on company performance, market data, and other products and services that will assist the advisor in its investment decision-making process. The research services provided by brokers through which a Fund effects securities transactions may be used by the advisor in servicing all of its accounts, and some of the services may not be used by the advisor in connection with the Fund.
The types of securities in which the Funds invest are generally purchased and sold through principal transactions, meaning that the Funds normally purchase securities directly from the issuer or a primary market-maker acting as principal for the securities on a net basis. Explicit brokerage commissions are not paid on these transactions, although purchases of new issues from underwriters of securities typically include a commission or concession paid by the issuer to the underwriter, and purchases from dealers serving as market-makers typically include a dealers mark-up (i.e., a spread between the bid and the asked prices).
As previously explained, the types of securities that the Funds purchase do not normally involve the payment of explicit brokerage commissions. If any such brokerage commissions are paid, however, the advisor will evaluate their reasonableness by considering: (1) historical commission rates; (2) rates which other institutional investors are paying, based upon publicly available information; (3) rates quoted by brokers and dealers; (4) the size of a particular transaction, in terms of the number of shares, dollar amount, and number of clients involved; (5) the complexity of a particular transaction in terms of both execution and settlement; (6) the level and type of business done with a particular firm over a period of time; and (7) the extent to which the broker or dealer has capital at risk in the transaction.
During the fiscal years ended August 31, 2014, 2015, and 2016, the Funds did not pay any brokerage commissions.
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Some securities that are considered for investment by a Fund may also be appropriate for other Vanguard funds or for other clients served by the advisor. If such securities are compatible with the investment policies of a Fund and one or more of the advisors other clients and are considered for purchase or sale at or about the same time, then transactions in such securities may be aggregated by the advisor, and the purchased securities or sale proceeds may be allocated among the participating Vanguard funds and the other participating clients of the advisor in a manner deemed equitable by the advisor. Although there may be no specified formula for allocating such transactions, the allocation methods used, and the results of such allocations, will be subject to periodic review by the Funds board of trustees.
The ability of Vanguard and external advisors to purchase or dispose of investments in regulated industries, certain derivatives markets, certain international markets, and certain issuers that limit ownership by a single shareholder or group of related shareholders, or to exercise rights on behalf of a Fund, may be restricted or impaired because of limitations on the aggregate level of investment unless regulatory or corporate consents or ownership waivers are obtained. As a result, Vanguard and external advisors on behalf of a Fund may be required to limit purchases, sell existing investments, or otherwise restrict or limit the exercise of shareholder rights by the Fund, including voting rights. If a Fund is required to limit its investment in a particular issuer, the Fund may seek to obtain economic exposure to that issuer through alternative means, such as through a derivative, which may be more costly than owning securities of the issuer directly.
As of August 31, 2016, each Fund held securities of its regular brokers or dealers, as that term is defined in Rule 10b-1 of the 1940 Act, as follows:
| Vanguard Fund | Regular Broker or Dealer (or Parent) | Aggregate Holdings |
| Prime Money Market Fund | Banc of America Securities LLC | $ 1,813,750,000 |
| J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. | 127,000,000 | |
| Federal Money Market Fund | Bank of Montreal | 879,000,000 |
| Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC | 600,000,000 | |
| J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. | 750,000,000 | |
| RBC Capital Markets | 2,828,000,000 | |
| Toronto Dominion Securities Inc. | 975,000,000 | |
| Treasury Money Market Fund | | |
PROXY VOTING GUIDELINES
The Board of Trustees (the Board) of each Vanguard fund has adopted proxy voting procedures and guidelines to govern proxy voting by the fund. The Board has delegated responsibility for monitoring proxy voting activities to the Proxy Oversight Committee (the Committee), made up of senior officers of Vanguard and subject to the operating procedures and guidelines described below. The Committee reports directly to the Board. Vanguard is subject to these procedures and guidelines to the extent that they call for Vanguard to administer the voting process and implement the resulting voting decisions, and for these purposes the guidelines have also been approved by the Board of Directors of Vanguard.
The overarching objective in voting is simple: to support proposals and director nominees that maximize the value of a funds investmentsand those of fund shareholdersover the long term. Although the goal is simple, the proposals the funds receive are varied and frequently complex. As such, the guidelines adopted by the Board provide a rigorous framework for assessing each proposal. Under the guidelines, each proposal must be evaluated on its merits, based on the particular facts and circumstances as presented.
For ease of reference, the procedures and guidelines often refer to all funds. However, our processes and practices seek to ensure that proxy voting decisions are suitable for individual funds. For most proxy proposals, particularly those involving corporate governance, the evaluation will result in the same position being taken across all of the funds and the funds voting as a block. In some cases, however, a fund may vote differently, depending upon the nature and objective of the fund, the composition of its portfolio, and other factors.
The guidelines do not permit the Board to delegate voting responsibility to a third party that does not serve as a fiduciary for the funds. Because many factors bear on each decision, the guidelines incorporate factors the Committee should consider in each voting decision. A fund may refrain from voting some or all of its shares or vote in a particular way if doing so would be in the funds and its shareholders best interests. These circumstances may arise, for example, if the
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expected cost of voting exceeds the expected benefits of voting, if exercising the vote would result in the imposition of trading or other restrictions, or if a fund (or all Vanguard funds in the aggregate) were to own more than the permissible maximum percentage of a companys stock (as determined by the companys governing documents or by applicable law, regulation, or regulatory agreement).
In evaluating proxy proposals, we consider information from many sources, including, but not limited to, the investment advisor for the fund, the management or shareholders of a company presenting a proposal, and independent proxy research services. We will give substantial weight to the recommendations of the companys board, absent guidelines or other specific facts that would support a vote against management. In all cases, however, the ultimate decision rests with the members of the Committee, who are accountable to the funds Board.
While serving as a framework, the following guidelines cannot contemplate all possible proposals with which a fund may be presented. In the absence of a specific guideline for a particular proposal (e.g., in the case of a transactional issue or contested proxy), the Committee will evaluate the issue and cast the funds vote in a manner that, in the Committees view, will maximize the value of the funds investment, subject to the individual circumstances of the fund.
| I. | The Board of Directors |
| A. | Election of directors |
Good governance starts with a majority-independent board, whose key committees are made up entirely of independent directors. As such, companies should attest to the independence of directors who serve on the Compensation, Nominating, and Audit committees. In any instance in which a director is not categorically independent, the basis for the independence determination should be clearly explained in the proxy statement.
Although the funds will generally support the boards nominees, the following factors will be taken into account in determining each funds vote:
Factors For Approval Nominated slate results in board made up of a majority of independent directors. All members of Audit, Nominating, and Compensation committees are independent of management. |
Factors Against Approval Nominated slate results in board made up of a majority of non-independent directors. Audit, Nominating, and/or Compensation committees include non-independent members. Incumbent board member failed to attend at least 75% of meetings in the previous year. Actions of committee(s) on which nominee serves are inconsistent with other guidelines (e.g., excessive equity grants, substantial non-audit fees, lack of board independence). Actions of committee(s) on which nominee serves demonstrate serious failures of governance (e.g., unilaterally acting to significantly reduce shareholder rights, failure to respond to previous vote results for directors and shareholder proposals). |
B. Contested director elections |
|
In the case of contested board elections, we will evaluate the nominees qualifications, the performance of the incumbent board, and the rationale behind the dissidents campaign, to determine the outcome that we believe will maximize shareholder value.
C. Classified boards
The funds will generally support proposals to declassify existing boards (whether proposed by management or shareholders), and will block efforts by companies to adopt classified board structures in which only part of the board is elected each year.
D. Proxy access
We believe that long-term investors may benefit from having proxy access, or the opportunity to place director nominees on a companys proxy ballot. In our view, this improves shareholders ability to participate in director elections while potentially enhancing boards accountability and responsiveness to shareholders.
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That said, we also believe that proxy access provisions should be appropriately limited to avoid abuse by investors who lack a meaningful long-term interest in the company. As such, we generally believe that a shareholder or group of shareholders representing 3% of a companys outstanding shares held for at least three years should be able to nominate directors for up to 20% of the seats on the board.
We will review proposals regarding proxy access case by case. The funds will be most likely to support access provisions with the terms described above, but they may support different thresholds based on a companys other governance provisions, as well as other relevant factors.
II. Approval of Independent Auditors
The relationship between the company and its auditors should be limited primarily to the audit, although it may include certain closely related activities that do not, in the aggregate, raise any appearance of impaired independence. The funds will generally support managements recommendation for the ratification of the auditor, except in instances in which audit and audit-related fees make up less than 50% of the total fees paid by the company to the audit firm. We will evaluate on a case-by-case basis instances in which the audit firm has a substantial non-audit relationship with the company (regardless of its size relative to the audit fee) to determine whether independence has been compromised.
| III. | Compensation Issues |
| A. | Stock-based compensation plans |
Appropriately designed stock-based compensation plans, administered by an independent committee of the board and approved by shareholders, can be an effective way to align the interests of long-term shareholders with the interests of management, employees, and directors. The funds oppose plans that substantially dilute their ownership interest in the company, provide participants with excessive awards, or have inherently objectionable structural features.
An independent compensation committee should have significant latitude to deliver varied compensation to motivate the companys employees. However, we will evaluate compensation proposals in the context of several factors (a companys industry, market capitalization, competitors for talent, etc.) to determine whether a particular plan or proposal balances the perspectives of employees and the companys other shareholders. We will evaluate each proposal on a case-by-case basis, taking all material facts and circumstances into account.
The following factors will be among those considered in evaluating these proposals:
Factors For Approval
Company requires senior executives to hold a minimum amount
of company stock (frequently expressed as a multiple of salary).
Company requires stock acquired through equity awards to be
held for a certain period of time.
Compensation program includes performance-vesting awards,
indexed options, or other performance-linked grants.
Concentration of equity grants to senior executives is limited
(indicating that the plan is very broad-based).
Stock-based compensation is clearly used as a substitute for
cash in delivering market-competitive total pay.
B. Bonus plans
Factors Against Approval
Total potential dilution (including all stock-based plans) exceeds 15% of
shares outstanding.
Annual equity grants have exceeded 2% of shares outstanding.
Plan permits repricing or replacement of options without
shareholder approval.
Plan provides for the issuance of reload options.
Plan contains automatic share replenishment (evergreen) feature.
Bonus plans, which must be periodically submitted for shareholder approval to qualify for deductibility under Section 162(m) of the IRC, should have clearly defined performance criteria and maximum awards expressed in dollars. Bonus plans with awards that are excessive, in both absolute terms and relative to a comparative group, generally will not be supported.
C. Employee stock purchase plans
The funds will generally support the use of employee stock purchase plans to increase company stock ownership by employees, provided that shares purchased under the plan are acquired for no less than 85% of their market value and that shares reserved under the plan amount to less than 5% of the outstanding shares.
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D. Advisory votes on executive compensation (Say on Pay)
In addition to proposals on specific equity or bonus plans, the funds are required to cast advisory votes approving many companies overall executive compensation plans (so-called Say on Pay votes). In evaluating these proposals, we consider a number of factors, including the amount of compensation that is at risk, the amount of equity-based compensation that is linked to the companys performance, and the level of compensation as compared to industry peers. The funds will generally support pay programs that demonstrate effective linkage between pay and performance over time and that provide compensation opportunities that are competitive relative to industry peers. On the other hand, pay programs in which significant compensation is guaranteed or insufficiently linked to performance will be less likely to earn our support.
E. Executive severance agreements (golden parachutes)
Although executives incentives for continued employment should be more significant than severance benefits, there are instancesparticularly in the event of a change in controlin which severance arrangements may be appropriate. Severance benefits payable upon a change of control AND an executives termination (so-called double trigger plans) are generally acceptable to the extent that benefits paid do not exceed three times salary and bonus. Arrangements in which the benefits exceed three times salary and bonus should be justified and submitted for shareholder approval. We do not generally support guaranteed severance absent a change in control or arrangements that do not require the termination of the executive (so-called single trigger plans).
IV. Corporate Structure and Shareholder Rights
The exercise of shareholder rights, in proportion to economic ownership, is a fundamental privilege of stock ownership that should not be unnecessarily limited. Such limits may be placed on shareholders ability to act by corporate charter or by-law provisions, or by the adoption of certain takeover provisions. In general, the market for corporate control should be allowed to function without undue interference from these artificial barriers.
The funds positions on a number of the most commonly presented issues in this area are as follows:
| A. | Shareholder rights plans (poison pills) |
| A | companys adoption of a so-called poison pill effectively limits a potential acquirers ability to buy a controlling interest |
without the approval of the targets board of directors. Such a plan, in conjunction with other takeover defenses, may serve to entrench incumbent management and directors. However, in other cases, a poison pill may force a suitor to negotiate with the board and result in the payment of a higher acquisition premium.
In general, shareholders should be afforded the opportunity to approve shareholder rights plans within a year of their adoption. This provides the board with the ability to put a poison pill in place for legitimate defensive purposes, subject to subsequent approval by shareholders. In evaluating the approval of proposed shareholder rights plans, we will consider the following factors:
Factors For Approval
Plan is relatively short-term (3-5 years).
Plan requires shareholder approval for renewal.
Plan incorporates review by a committee of independent
directors at least every three years (so-called TIDE provisions).
Ownership trigger is reasonable (15-20%).
Highly independent, non-classified board.
Plan includes permitted-bid/qualified-offer feature (chewable
pill) that mandates a shareholder vote in certain situations.
B. Increase in authorized shares
Factors Against Approval
Plan is long term (>5 years).
Renewal of plan is automatic or does not require shareholder approval.
Board with limited independence.
Ownership trigger is less than 15%.
Classified board.
The funds are supportive of companies seeking to increase authorized share amounts that do not potentially expose shareholders to excessive dilution. We will generally approve increases of up to 50% of the current share authorization, but will also consider a companys specific circumstances and market practices.
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C. Cumulative voting
The funds are generally opposed to cumulative voting under the premise that it allows shareholders a voice in director elections that is disproportionate to their economic investment in the corporation.
D. Supermajority vote requirements
The funds support shareholders ability to approve or reject matters presented for a vote based on a simple majority. Accordingly, the funds will support proposals to remove supermajority requirements and oppose proposals to impose them.
E. Right to call meetings and act by written consent
The funds support shareholders right to call special meetings of the board (for good cause and with ample representation) and to act by written consent. The funds will generally vote for proposals to grant these rights to shareholders and against proposals to abridge them.
F. Confidential voting
The integrity of the voting process is enhanced substantially when shareholders (both institutions and individuals) can vote without fear of coercion or retribution based on their votes. As such, the funds support proposals to provide confidential voting.
G. Dual classes of stock
We are opposed to dual class capitalization structures that provide disparate voting rights to different groups of shareholders with similar economic investments. We will oppose the creation of separate classes with different voting rights and will support the dissolution of such classes.
V. Corporate and Social Policy Issues
Proposals in this category, initiated primarily by shareholders, typically request that the company disclose or amend certain business practices. The Board generally believes that these are ordinary business matters that are primarily the responsibility of management and should be evaluated and approved solely by the corporations board of directors. Often, proposals may address concerns with which the Board philosophically agrees, but absent a compelling economic impact on shareholder value (e.g., proposals to require expensing of stock options), the funds will typically abstain from voting on these proposals. This reflects the belief that regardless of our philosophical perspective on the issue, these decisions should be the province of company management unless they have a significant, tangible impact on the value of a funds investment and management is not responsive to the matter.
VI. Voting in Foreign Markets
Corporate governance standards, disclosure requirements, and voting mechanics vary greatly among the markets outside the United States in which the funds may invest. Each funds votes will be used, where applicable, to advocate for improvements in governance and disclosure by each funds portfolio companies. We will evaluate issues presented to shareholders for each funds foreign holdings in the context with the guidelines described above, as well as local market standards and best practices. The funds will cast their votes in a manner believed to be philosophically consistent with these guidelines, while taking into account differing practices by market. In addition, there may be instances in which the funds elect not to vote, as described below.
Many foreign markets require that securities be blocked or reregistered to vote at a companys meeting. Absent an issue of compelling economic importance, we will generally not subject the fund to the loss of liquidity imposed by these requirements.
The costs of voting (e.g., custodian fees, vote agency fees) in foreign markets may be substantially higher than for U.S. holdings. As such, the fund may limit its voting on foreign holdings in instances in which the issues presented are unlikely to have a material impact on shareholder value.
VII. Voting Shares of a Company that has an Ownership Limitation
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Certain companies have provisions in their governing documents that restrict stock ownership in excess of a specified limit. Typically, these ownership restrictions are included in the governing documents of real estate investment trusts, but may be included in other companies governing documents.
A companys governing documents normally allow the company to grant a waiver of these ownership limits, which would allow a fund (or all Vanguard-advised funds) to exceed the stated ownership limit. Sometimes a company will grant a waiver without restriction. From time to time, a company may grant a waiver only if a fund (or funds) agrees to not vote the companys shares in excess of the normal specified limit. In such a circumstance, a fund may refrain from voting shares if owning the shares beyond the companys specified limit is in the best interests of the fund and its shareholders.
In addition, applicable law may require prior regulatory approval to permit ownership of certain regulated issuers voting securities above certain limits or may impose other restrictions on owners of more than a certain percentage of a regulated issuers voting shares. The Board has authorized the funds to vote shares above these limits in the same proportion as votes cast by the issuers entire shareholder base (i.e., mirror vote) or to refrain from voting excess shares if mirror voting is not practicable. For example, rules administered by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (the FRB) generally require that a person seeking to own more than 10% of a bank regulated by the FRB seek prior approval. Vanguard has obtained regulatory approval that allows Vanguard funds to own up to 15% of a class of a banks outstanding voting shares without seeking prior regulatory approval, provided the funds shares in excess of 10% are mirror voted or not voted at all.
These ownership limits may be applied at the individual fund level, across all Vanguard-advised funds, or across all Vanguard funds, regardless of whether they are advised by Vanguard.
VIII. Voting on a Funds Holdings of Other Vanguard Funds
Certain Vanguard funds (owner funds) may, from time to time, own shares of other Vanguard funds (underlying funds). If an underlying fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders, votes for and against such matters on behalf of the owner funds will be cast in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders in the underlying fund.
IX. The Proxy Voting Group
The Board has delegated the day-to-day operations of the funds proxy voting process to the Proxy Voting Group, which the Committee oversees. Although most votes will be determined, subject to the individual circumstances of each fund, by reference to the guidelines as separately adopted by each of the funds, there may be circumstances when the Proxy Voting Group will refer proxy issues to the Committee for consideration. In addition, at any time, the Board has the authority to vote proxies, when, at the Boards or the Committees discretion, such action is warranted.
The Proxy Voting Group performs the following functions: (1) managing and conducting due diligence of proxy voting vendors; (2) reconciling share positions; (3) analyzing proxy proposals using factors described in the guidelines; (4) determining and addressing potential or actual conflicts of interest that may be presented by a particular proxy; and (5) voting proxies. The Proxy Voting Group also prepares periodic and special reports to the Board, and any proposed amendments to the procedures and guidelines.
X. The Proxy Oversight Committee
The Board, including a majority of the independent trustees, appoints the members of the Committee who are senior officers of Vanguard.
The Committee does not include anyone whose primary duties include external client relationship management or sales. This clear separation between the proxy voting and client relationship functions is intended to eliminate any potential conflict of interest in the proxy voting process. In the unlikely event that a member of the Committee believes he or she might have a conflict of interest regarding a proxy vote, that member must recuse himself or herself from the committee meeting at which the matter is addressed, and not participate in the voting decision.
The Committee works with the Proxy Voting Group to provide reports and other guidance to the Board regarding proxy voting by the funds. The Committee has an obligation to conduct its meetings and exercise its decision-making authority subject to the fiduciary standards of good faith, fairness, and Vanguards Code of Ethics. The Committee shall authorize
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proxy votes that the Committee determines, at its sole discretion, to be in the best interests of each funds shareholders. In determining how to apply the guidelines to a particular factual situation, the Committee may not take into account any interest that would conflict with the interest of fund shareholders in maximizing the value of their investments.
The Board may review these procedures and guidelines and modify them from time to time. A summary of the procedures and guidelines is available on Vanguards website at vanguard.com.
You may obtain a free copy of a report that details how the funds voted the proxies relating to the portfolio securities held by the funds for the prior 12-month period ended June 30 by logging on to Vanguards website at vanguard.com or the SECs website at www.sec.gov.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Each Funds Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2016, appearing in the Funds 2016 Annual Report to Shareholders, and the report thereon of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, also appearing therein, are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information. For a more complete discussion of each Funds performance, please see the Funds Annual and Semiannual Reports to Shareholders, which may be obtained without charge.
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The S&P 500® Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P Midcap 400® Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, S&P Midcap 400 Growth Index, S&P SmallCap 600® Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index are products of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC (SPJDI), and have been licensed for use by Vanguard. Standard & Poors® and S&P® are registered trademarks of Standard & Poors Financial Services LLC (S&P); Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC (Dow Jones); S&P® and S&P 500® are trademarks S&P; and these trademarks have been licensed for use by SPDJI and sublicensed for certain purposes by Vanguard. Vanguards S&P 500 Value Index Fund, S&P 500 Growth Index Fund, S&P Midcap 400 Index Fund, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index Fund, S&P Midcap 400 Growth Index Fund, S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index Fund, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by SPDJI, Dow Jones, S&P or their respective affiliates, and none of such parties make any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such products nor do they have any liability for any errors, omissions, or interruptions of the S&P 500® Value Index, S&P 500 Growth Index, S&P Midcap 400® Index, S&P MidCap 400 Value Index, S&P Midcap 400 Growth Index, S&P SmallCap 600® Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index, and S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index.
SAI 030 122016
PART C
VANGUARD ADMIRAL FUNDS
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits
| (a) | Articles of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 37, dated December 14, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| (b) | By-Laws, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 27, dated September 7, 2010, are hereby incorporated by reference. |
| (c) | Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders, reference is made to Articles III and V of the Registrants Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, refer to Exhibit (a) above. |
| (d) | Investment Advisory Contracts, The Vanguard Group, Inc., provides investment advisory services to the Funds at cost pursuant to the Fifth Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement, refer to Exhibit (h) below. |
| (e) | Underwriting Contracts, not applicable. |
| (f) | Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts, reference is made to the section entitled Management of the Funds in Part B of this Registration Statement. |
| (g) | Custodian Agreements, for The Bank of New York Mellon and for JPMorgan Chase Bank, are filed herewith. |
| (h) | Other Material Contracts, Form of Authorized Participant Agreement, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 27, dated September 7, 2010, is hereby incorporated by reference. Fifth Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 29, dated December 27, 2011, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| (i) | Legal Opinion, not applicable. |
| (j) | Other Opinions, Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, is filed herewith. |
| (k) | Omitted Financial Statements, not applicable. |
| (l) | Initial Capital Agreements, not applicable. |
| (m) | Rule 12b-1 Plan, not applicable. |
| (n) | Rule 18f-3 Plan, is filed herewith. |
| (o) | Reserved. |
| (p) | Codes of Ethics, for the Vanguard Group, Inc., filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 37, dated December 14, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant
Registrant is not controlled by or under common control with any person.
Item 30. Indemnification
The Registrants organizational documents contain provisions indemnifying Trustees and officers against liability incurred in their official capacities. Article VII, Section 2 of the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides that the Registrant may indemnify and hold harmless each and every Trustee and officer from and against any and all claims, demands, costs, losses, expenses, and damages whatsoever arising out of or related to the performance of his or her duties as a Trustee or officer. Article VI of the By-Laws generally provides that the Registrant shall indemnify its Trustees and officers from any liability arising out of their past or present service in that capacity. Among other things, this provision excludes any liability arising by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or the reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the Trustees or officers office with the Registrant.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act) may be permitted for directors, officers, or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions,
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the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard), is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the Advisers Act). The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of Vanguard, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Vanguard pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-11953).
Item 32. Principal Underwriters
| (a) | Vanguard Marketing Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Vanguard Group, Inc., is the principal underwriter of each fund within the Vanguard group of investment companies, a family of more than 190 mutual funds. |
| (b) | The principal business address of each named director and officer of Vanguard Marketing Corporation is 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355. |
| Name | Positions and Office with Underwriter | Positions and Office with Funds |
| F. William McNabb III | Director and Chairman | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
| Glenn W. Reed | Director | None |
| Mortimer J. Buckley | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
| Martha G. King | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
| Chris D. McIsaac | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
| Anne E. Robinson | Director and Senior Vice President | Secretary |
| Karin Risi | Director and Managing Director | None |
| Thomas Rampulla | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
| Michael Rollings | Director | None |
| Natalie Bej | Chief Compliance Officer | Chief Compliance Officer |
| Matthew Benchener | Principal | None |
| Jack Brod | Principal | None |
| James M. Delaplane Jr. | Principal | None |
| Kathleen A. Graham-Kelly | Principal | None |
| Phillip Korenman | Principal | None |
| Mike Lucci | Principal | None |
| Alba E. Martinez | Principal | None |
| Brian McCarthy | Principal | None |
| Frank Satterthwaite | Principal | None |
| Christopher Sicilia | Principal | None |
| Tammy Virnig | Principal | None |
| Salvatore L. Pantalone | Financial and Operations Principal and Treasurer | None |
| Amy M. Laursen | Financial and Operations Principal | None |
C-2
| Name | Positions and Office with Underwriter | Positions and Office with Funds | |
| Timothy P. Holmes | Annuity and Insurance Officer | None | |
| Jeff Seglem | Annuity and Insurance Officer | None | |
| Michael L. Kimmel | Assistant Secretary | None | |
| Marc P. Lindsay | Assistant Secretary | None | |
| Caroline Cosby | Secretary | None | |
| (c) | Not applicable. | ||
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
The books, accounts, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder will be maintained at the offices of the Registrant, 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355; the Registrants Transfer Agent, The Vanguard Group, Inc., 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355; the Registrants Custodians, The Bank of New York Mellon, One Wall Street, New York, NY 10286 and JPMorgan Chase Bank, 270 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-2070; and the Registrants investment advisor at the location identified in Part B of this Registration Statement.
Item 34. Management Services
Other than as set forth in the section entitled Management of the Funds in Part B of this Registration Statement, the Registrant is not a party to any management-related service contract.
Item 35. Undertakings
Not applicable.
C-3
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant hereby certifies that it meets all requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Valley Forge and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on the 22nd day of December, 2016.
VANGUARD ADMIRAL FUNDS
BY:________/s/ F. William McNabb III*____________
F. William McNabb III
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated:
| Signature | Title | Date |
| /s/ F. William McNabb III* | Chairman and Chief Executive | December 22, 2016 |
| Officer | ||
| F. William McNabb | ||
| /s/ Emerson U. Fullwood* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Emerson U. Fullwood | ||
| /s/ Rajiv L. Gupta* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | ||
| /s/ Amy Gutmann* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Amy Gutmann | ||
| /s/ JoAnn Heffernan Heisen* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | ||
| /s/ F. Joseph Loughrey* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | ||
| /S/ Mark Loughridge* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Mark Loughridge | ||
| /S/ Scott Malpass* | Trusee | December 22, 2016 |
| Scott C. Malpass | ||
| /s/ André F. Perold* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| André F. Perold | ||
| /s/ Peter F. Volanakis* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Peter F. Volanakis | ||
| /s/ Thomas J. Higgins* | Chief Financial Officer | December 22, 2016 |
| Thomas J. Higgins | ||
*By: /s/ Anne E. Robinson
Anne E. Robinson, pursuant to a Power of Attorney filed on October 4, 2016, see File Number 33-32548, Incorporated by Reference.
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| INDEX TO EXHIBITS | |
| Custodian Agreements, The Bank of New York Mellon | Ex-99.G |
| Custodian Agreements, JP Morgan Chase Bank | Ex-99.G |
| Other Opinions, Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | Ex-99.J |
| Rule 18f-3 Plan | Ex-99.N |
C-5
PART C
VANGUARD MONEY MARKET RESERVES
OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28. Exhibits
| (a) | Articles of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 81 dated December 14, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| (b) | By-Laws, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 72 dated December 23, 2010, are hereby incorporated by reference. |
| (c) | Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders, reference is made to Articles III and V of the Registrants Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, refer to Exhibit (a) above. |
| (d) | Investment Advisory Contracts, The Vanguard Group, Inc., provides investment advisory services to the Funds at cost pursuant to the Fifth Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement, refer to Exhibit (h) below. |
| (e) | Underwriting Contracts, not applicable. |
| (f) | Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts, reference is made to the section entitled Management of the Funds in Part B of this Registration Statement. |
| (g) | Custodian Agreements, for The Bank of New York Mellon, is filed herewith. |
| (h) | Other Material Contracts, Fifth Amended and Restated Funds Service Agreement, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 73 dated December 27, 2011, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| (i) | Legal Opinion, not applicable. |
| (j) | Other Opinions, Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, is filed herewith. |
| (k) | Omitted Financial Statements, not applicable. |
| (l) | Initial Capital Agreements, not applicable. |
| (m) | Rule 12b-1 Plan, not applicable. |
| (n) | Rule 18f-3 Plan, is filed herewith. |
| (o) | Reserved. |
| (p) | Codes of Ethics, for The Vanguard Group, Inc., filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 81 dated December 14, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
Item 29. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant
Registrant is not controlled by or under common control with any person.
Item 30. Indemnification
The Registrants organizational documents contain provisions indemnifying Trustees and officers against liability incurred in their official capacities. Article VII, Section 2 of the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides that the Registrant may indemnify and hold harmless each and every Trustee and officer from and against any and all claims, demands, costs, losses, expenses, and damages whatsoever arising out of or related to the performance of his or her duties as a Trustee or officer. Article VI of the By-Laws generally provides that the Registrant shall indemnify its Trustees and officers from any liability arising out of their past or present service in that capacity. Among other things, this provision excludes any liability arising by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or the reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the Trustees or officers office with the Registrant.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act) may be permitted for directors, officers, or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
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Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser
The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard), is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, as amended (the Advisers Act). The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of Vanguard, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Vanguard pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-11953).
Item 32. Principal Underwriters
| (a) | Vanguard Marketing Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Vanguard Group, Inc., is the principal underwriter of each fund within the Vanguard group of investment companies, a family of more than 190 mutual funds. |
| (b) | The principal business address of each named director and officer of Vanguard Marketing Corporation is 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355. |
| Name | Positions and Office with Underwriter | Positions and Office with Funds |
| F. William McNabb III | Director and Chairman | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer |
| Glenn W. Reed | Director | None |
| Mortimer J. Buckley | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
| Martha G. King | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
| Chris D. McIsaac | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
| Anne E. Robinson | Director and Senior Vice President | Secretary |
| Karin Risi | Director and Managing Director | None |
| Thomas Rampulla | Director and Senior Vice President | None |
| Michael Rollings | Director | None |
| Natalie Bej | Chief Compliance Officer | Chief Compliance Officer |
| Matthew Benchener | Principal | None |
| Jack Brod | Principal | None |
| James M. Delaplane Jr. | Principal | None |
| Kathleen A Graham-Kelly | Principal | None |
| Phillip Korenman | Principal | None |
| Mike Lucci | Principal | None |
| Alba E. Martinez | Principal | None |
| Brian McCarthy | Principal | None |
| Frank Satterthwaite | Principal | None |
| Christopher Sicilia | Principal | None |
| Tammy Virnig | Principal | None |
| Salvatore L. Pantalone | Financial and Operations Principal and Treasurer | None |
| Amy M. Laursen | Financial and Operations Principal | None |
| Timothy P. Holmes | Annuity and Insurance Officer | None |
| Jeff Seglem | Annuity and Insurance Officer | None |
| Michael L. Kimmel | Assistant Secretary | None |
| Marc P. Lindsay | Assistant Secretary | None |
C-2
| Name | Positions and Office with Underwriter | Positions and Office with Funds |
| Caroline Cosby | Secretary | None |
| (c) Not applicable | ||
Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records
The books, accounts, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31 (a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder will be maintained at the offices of the Registrant, 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355; the Registrants Transfer Agent, The Vanguard Group, Inc., 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355; the Registrants Custodian, The Bank of New York Mellon, One Wall Street, New York, NY 10286; and the Registrants investment advisor at the location identified in Part B of this Registration Statement.
Item 34. Management Services
Other than as set forth in the section entitled Management of the Funds in Part B of this Registration Statement, the Registrant is not a party to any management-related service contract.
Item 35. Undertakings
Not Applicable.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant hereby certifies that it meets all requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment to this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Valley Forge and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on the 22nd day of December, 2016.
VANGUARD MONEY MARKET RESERVES
BY:_________/s/ F. William McNabb III*____________
F. William McNabb III
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated:
| Signature | Title | Date |
| /s/ F. William McNabb III* | Chairman and Chief Executive | December 22, 2016 |
| Officer | ||
| F. William McNabb | ||
| /s/ Emerson U. Fullwood* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Emerson U. Fullwood | ||
| /s/ Rajiv L. Gupta* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Rajiv L. Gupta | ||
| /s/ Amy Gutmann* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Amy Gutmann | ||
| /s/ JoAnn Heffernan Heisen* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| JoAnn Heffernan Heisen | ||
| /s/ F. Joseph Loughrey* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| F. Joseph Loughrey | ||
| /s/ Mark Loughridge* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Mark Loughridge | ||
| /s/ Scott C. Malpass* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Scott C. Malpass | ||
| /s/ André F. Perold* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| André F. Perold | ||
| /s/ Peter F. Volanakis* | Trustee | December 22, 2016 |
| Peter F. Volanakis | ||
| /s/ Thomas J. Higgins* | Chief Financial Officer | December 22, 2016 |
| Thomas J. Higgins | ||
*By: /s/ Anne E. Robinson
Anne E. Robinson, pursuant to a Power of Attorney filed on October 4, 2016, see File Number 33-32548, Incorporated by Reference.
C-4
| INDEX TO EXHIBITS | |
| Custodian Agreements, The Bank of New York Mellon | Ex-99.G |
| Other Opinions, Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm | Ex-99.J |
| Rule 18f-3 Plan | Ex-99.N |
C-5
SCHEDULE II AMENDMENT #13
The following is an amended and restated Schedule II (Amendment) to the Amended and Restated Custody Agreement, dated June 19, 2001 (the Agreement), by and between The Bank of New York Mellon (previously The Bank of New York) (Custodian) and each open-end management investment company listed on Schedule II thereto (each, a Fund). This Amendment serves to update Schedule II. Custodian and the Funds hereby agree that all of the terms and conditions as set forth in the Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference with respect to the Funds listed below.
Schedule II is hereby amended as follows:
68280, v0.9 68280, 3/7/2016
68280, v0.9
AGREED TO as of the _____ day of February, 2016, BY:
68280, v0.9
EXHIBIT 1 - AMENDMENT # 27
The following is an amendment (Amendment) to the Global Custody Agreement dated June 25, 2001, as amended from time to time (the Agreement), by and between JPMorgan Chase Bank (previously The Chase Manhattan Bank) (Bank) and each open-end management investment company listed on Exhibit 1 thereto (each a Trust, collectively Customer). This Amendment serves to update the names of the Trusts and certain of their portfolios (each a Fund) listed on Exhibit 1. Bank and Customer hereby agree that all of the terms and conditions as set forth in the Agreement are hereby incorporated by reference with respect to the following Trusts and Funds listed below.
Exhibit 1 is hereby amended as follows:
Vanguard Admiral Funds
Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund
Vanguard Bond Index Funds
Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Vanguard Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund Vanguard Long-Term Bond Index Fund Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Vanguard Total Bond Market II Index Fund
Vanguard Chester Funds
Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2010 Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2015 Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2055 Fund Vanguard Target Retirement 2060 Fund
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2010 Fund Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund
0354738, v0.3 1
Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund
Vanguard CMT Funds
Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund
Vanguard Fixed Income Securities Funds Vanguard GNMA Fund Vanguard High-Yield Corporate Fund Vanguard Long-Term Investment-Grade Fund Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund
Vanguard Index Funds
Vanguard Growth Index Fund Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Index Fund Vanguard Mid-Cap Value Index Fund Vanguard Small-Cap Index Fund Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund
Vanguard Malvern Funds
Vanguard Short-Term Inflation- Protected Securities Index Fund
Vanguard Scottsdale Funds
Vanguard Short-Term Government Bond Index Fund Vanguard Intermediate-Term Government Bond Index Fund Vanguard Long-Term Government Bond Index Fund Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Vanguard Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Vanguard Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund Vanguard Mortgage-Backed Securities Index Fund
Vanguard Specialized Funds
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund Vanguard Health Care Fund Vanguard Precious Metals and Mining Fund
Vanguard STAR Funds
Vanguard LifeStrategy Conservative Growth Fund
0354738, v0.3 2
Vanguard LifeStrategy Growth Fund Vanguard LifeStrategy Income Fund Vanguard LifeStrategy Moderate Growth Fund Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund
Vanguard Tax-Managed Funds
Vanguard Tax-Managed Balanced Fund
Vanguard Valley Forge Funds Vanguard Balanced Index Fund
Vanguard Variable Insurance Funds Total Bond Market Index Portfolio
Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund
Vanguard Wellington Fund
Vanguard Whitehall Funds
Vanguard International Explorer Fund
Vanguard World Fund
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund Vanguard International Growth Fund
(Rest of page left intentionally blank)
0354738, v0.3 3
Bank and each following Customer hereby agree that all of the terms and conditions as set forth in the Agreement except for Sections 2.1 and 2.2 are hereby incorporated by reference with respect to the Trusts and Funds listed below limited to their use of account number P 62749 in Vanguard Directly Managed Securities Lending transactions:
Vanguard Chester Funds
Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund
Vanguard Explorer Fund
Vanguard Explorer Fund
Vanguard Fenway Funds
Vanguard Equity Income Fund
Vanguard PRIMECAP Core Fund
Vanguard Horizon Funds
Vanguard Capital Opportunity Fund Vanguard Global Equity Fund Vanguard Strategic Equity Fund Vanguard Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund
Vanguard Index Funds
Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund Vanguard 500 Index Fund Vanguard Large-Cap Index Fund Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Fund Vanguard Small Cap Growth Index Fund Vanguard Small Cap Value Index Fund Vanguard Value Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional Index Funds Vanguard Institutional Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional Total Stock Market Index Fund
Vanguard Malvern Funds
Vanguard Capital Value Fund
Vanguard U.S. Value Fund
Vanguard Morgan Growth Fund
Vanguard Morgan Growth Fund
Vanguard Quantitative Funds
Vanguard Growth and Income Fund Vanguard Structured Broad Market Fund Vanguard Structured Large-Cap Equity Fund
0354738, v0.3 4
Vanguard Scottsdale Funds Vanguard Explorer Value Fund Vanguard Russell 1000 Index Fund Vanguard Russell 1000 Value Index Fund Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund Vanguard Russell 2000 Index Fund Vanguard Russell 2000 Value Index Fund Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund Vanguard Russell 3000 Index Fund
Vanguard Specialized Funds
Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Vanguard Energy Fund Vanguard REIT Index Fund
Vanguard Trustees Equity Fund
Vanguard Emerging Markets Select Stock Fund Vanguard International Value Fund
Vanguard Variable Insurance Funds Vanguard Balanced Portfolio Vanguard Capital Growth Portfolio Vanguard Diversified Value Portfolio Vanguard Equity Income Portfolio Vanguard Equity Index Portfolio Vanguard Growth Portfolio Vanguard Mid-Cap Index Portfolio Vanguard REIT Index Portfolio Vanguard Small Company Growth Portfolio Vanguard International Portfolio
Vanguard Whitehall Funds
Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Fund Vanguard Selected Value Fund
Vanguard Windsor Funds Vanguard Windsor Fund Vanguard Windsor II Fund
0354738, v0.3 5
Vanguard World Fund
Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund Vanguard Energy Index Fund Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund Vanguard Financials Index Fund Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Vanguard Industrials Index Fund Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund Vanguard Materials Index Fund Vanguard Mega Cap Index Fund Vanguard Mega Cap Growth Index Fund Vanguard Mega Cap Value Index Fund Vanguard Telecommunications Services Index Fund Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Vanguard Utilities Index Fund
(Rest of page left intentionally blank)
0354738, v0.3 6
AGREED TO as of April __, 2015 BY: JPMorgan Chase Bank By: Name: Title: |
Each Fund Listed on Exhibit 1 By: Name: Jean E. Drabick Title: Assistant Treasurer |
0354738, v0.3 7
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Prospectuses and Statement of Additional Information constituting parts of this Post-Effective Amendment No. 39 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A (the “Registration Statement”) of our report dated October 12, 2016, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights appearing in the August 31, 2016 Annual Report to Shareholders of Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund, and of our reports dated October 18, 2016, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights appearing in the August 31, 2016 Annual Reports to Shareholders of Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Growth Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Mid-Cap 400 Value Index Fund, Vanguard S&P 500 Growth Index Fund, Vanguard S&P 500 Value Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Index Fund, Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Growth Index Fund and Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value Index Fund (comprising Vanguard Admiral Funds), which reports are also incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement. We also consent to the references to us under the heading “Financial Highlights” in the Prospectuses and under the headings “Financial Statements” and “Service Providers—Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in the Statement of Additional Information.
/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Philadelphia, PA
December 21, 2016
VANGUARD FUNDS
MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN
I. INTRODUCTION
This Multiple Class Plan (the Plan) describes seven separate classes of shares that may be offered by investment company members of The Vanguard Group (collectively the Funds, individually a Fund). The Plan explains the separate arrangements for each class, how expenses are allocated to each class, and the conversion features of each class. Each Fund may offer any one or more of the specified classes.
The Plan has been approved by the Board of Directors of The Vanguard Group (Vanguard). In addition, the Plan has been adopted by a majority of the Board of Trustees of each Fund, including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of each Fund. The classes of shares offered by each Fund are designated in Schedule A hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.
II. SHARE CLASSES
A Fund may offer any one or more of the following share classes:
Investor Shares
AdmiralShares
Institutional Shares
Institutional Plus Shares
Institutional Select Shares
ETF Shares
Transition Shares
III. DISTRIBUTION, AVAILABILITY AND ELIGIBILITY
Distribution arrangements for all classes are described below. Distribution arrangements vary by Vanguard business line depending on the eligibility of the client segments to whom they market. Vanguard retains sole discretion in determining share class availability, and whether Fund shares shall be offered either directly or through certain financial intermediaries, or on certain financial intermediary platforms. Eligibility requirements for purchasing shares of each class will differ, as follows:
A. Investor Shares
Investor Shares generally will be available to investors who are not permitted to purchase other classes of shares, subject to the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended
1
from time to time. It is expected that the minimum investment amount for Investor Shares will be substantially lower than the amount required for any other class of shares. Investor Shares are typically distributed by all Vanguard business lines.
B. Admiral Shares
Admiral Shares generally will be available to individual, institutional, and other investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. These eligibility requirements may include, but are not limited to the following factors: (i) the total amount invested the Fund; or (ii) any other factors deemed appropriate by a Funds Board of Trustees. Admiral Shares are typically distributed by all Vanguard business lines.
C. Institutional Shares
Institutional Shares generally will be available to institutional and other investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. It is expected that the minimum investment amount per account for Institutional Shares will be substantially higher than the amounts required for Investor Shares or Admiral Shares. Institutional Shares are typically distributed by Vanguards financial advisory services and institutional business lines.
D. Institutional Plus Shares
Institutional Plus Shares generally will be available to institutional and other investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. It is expected that the minimum investment amount for Institutional Plus Shares will be substantially higher than the amount required for Institutional Shares. Institutional Plus Shares are typically distributed by Vanguards financial advisory services and institutional business lines.
E. Institutional Select Shares
Institutional Select Shares generally will be available to institutional investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. It is expected that the minimum investment amount for Institutional Select Shares will be the highest among all Vanguard share classes. Institutional Select Shares are typically distributed by Vanguards institutional business line.
2
F. ETF Shares
A Fund will sell ETF Shares to investors that are (or who purchase through) Authorized Participants, and who pay for their ETF shares by depositing a prescribed basket of securities rather than paying cash. An Authorized Participant is an institution, usually a broker-dealer, that is a participant in the Depository Trust Company (DTC) and that has executed a Participant Agreement with the Funds distributor. Additional eligibility requirements may be specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. Investors who are not Authorized Participants may buy and sell ETF shares through various exchanges and market centers. ETF Shares are typically distributed by all Vanguard business lines.
G. Transition Shares
Transition Shares generally will be available solely to Vanguard funds-of-funds that meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. Transition Shares are only internally distributed.
IV. SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS
All share classes will receive a range of services provided by Vanguard on a per account basis. These account-based services may include transaction processing and shareholder recordkeeping, as well as the mailing of updated prospectuses, shareholder reports, tax statements, confirmation statements, quarterly portfolio summaries, and other items. It is expected that the aggregate amount of account-based services provided to Investor Shares will materially exceed the amount of such services provided to any other class, due to the existence of many more accounts holding Investor Shares. In addition to this difference in the volume of services provided, arrangements will differ among the classes as follows:
A. Investor Shares
Investor Shares generally will receive the most basic level of service from Vanguard. Investor Shares generally will be serviced through a pool of Vanguard client service representatives.
B. Admiral Shares
Admiral Shares will receive a different level of service from Vanguard as compared to Investor Shares. Special client service representatives may be assigned to service Admiral Shares, and holders of such shares may from time to time receive special mailings and unique additional services.
3
C. Institutional Shares
Institutional Shares will receive from Vanguard a level of service that differs from the service provided to the holders of shares of other classes. Such services may include special client service representatives who will be assigned to service Institutional Shares. Most holders of Institutional Shares periodically will receive special investment updates from Vanguards investment staff. Holders of Institutional Shares also may receive unique additional services from Vanguard, and generally will be permitted to transact with Vanguard through the National Securities Clearing Corporations FundSERV system and other special servicing platforms for institutional investors.
D. Institutional Plus Shares
Institutional Plus Shares generally will receive a very high level of service from Vanguard as compared to any other share classes. Special client service representatives will be assigned to service Institutional Plus Shares, and most holders of such shares periodically, but more than the holders of all other shares, will receive special updates from Vanguards investment staff. Holders of Institutional Plus Shares may receive unique additional services from Vanguard, and generally will be permitted to transact with Vanguard through the National Securities Clearing Corporations FundSERV system and other special servicing platforms for institutional investors.
E. Institutional Select Shares
Institutional Select Shares generally will receive a customized level of service. Holders of Institutional Select Shares may receive unique additional services from Vanguard, and generally will be permitted to transact with Vanguard through the National Securities Clearing Corporations FundSERV system and other special servicing platforms for institutional investors.
F. ETF Shares
A Fund is expected to maintain only one shareholder of record for ETF
Shares¾DTC or its nominee. Special client service representatives will be assigned to the DTC account, and all transactions on this account will be handled electronically. Due to the nature and purpose of the DTC account, ETF Shares will not receive any special updates from Vanguards investment staff.
G. Transition Shares
The only investors eligible to own Transition Shares are Vanguard funds-of-funds, and it is expected that such funds, because of the nature of Transition Shares, will own the shares only for the brief periods necessary to complete the relevant portfolio transitions. The level of service provided will be commensurate
4
| with | the needs of a fund-of-funds transitioning from one underlying fund to | ||
| another. | |||
| V. | CONVERSION FEATURES | ||
| A. | Self-Directed Conversions | ||
| 1. | Conversion into Investor Shares, Admiral Shares, | ||
| Institutional Shares, Institutional Plus Shares, and Institutional Select Shares. Shareholders may conduct self-directed conversions from one share class into another share class of the same fund for which they are eligible. Self-directed conversions may be initiated by the shareholder; | |||
| however, | depending upon the particular share class and the complexity of | ||
| the shareholders accounts, such conversions may require the assistance of a Vanguard representative. Shareholders may convert from one share class into another share class provided that following the conversion the shareholder: (i) meets the then applicable eligibility requirements for the share class into which they are converting; and (ii) receives services | |||
| consistent | with such new share class. Any such conversion will occur at | ||
| the respective net asset values of the share classes next calculated after Vanguards receipt of the shareholders request in good order. | |||
| 2. | Conversion into ETF Shares. Except as otherwise provided, | ||
| a shareholder may convert Investor Shares, Admiral Shares, or Institutional Shares into ETF Shares of the same fund (if available), | |||
| provided | that: (i) the share class out of which the shareholder is converting | ||
| and the ETF Shares declare and distribute dividends on the same schedule; (ii) the shares to be converted are not held through an employee benefit plan; and (iii) following the conversion, the shareholder will hold ETF | |||
| Shares | through a brokerage account. Any such conversion will occur at the | ||
| respective | net asset values of the share classes next calculated after | ||
| Vanguards | receipt of the shareholders request in good order. Vanguard | ||
| or | the Fund may charge an administrative fee to process conversion | ||
| transactions. | |||
| B. | Automatic Conversions | ||
| 1. | Automatic conversion into Admiral Shares. Vanguard may | ||
| automatically | convert Investor Shares into Admiral Shares of the same | ||
| fund | (if available), provided that following the conversion the shareholder: | ||
| (i) | meets the eligibility requirements for Admiral Shares; and (ii) receives | ||
| services | consistent with Admiral Shares. Any such conversion will occur | ||
| at | the respective net asset values of the share classes next calculated after | ||
| Vanguards | conversion without the imposition of any charge. Such | ||
| automatic | conversions may occur on a periodic, or one-time basis. | ||
| Automatic | conversions may occur at different times due to the differing | ||
5
mechanisms through which an account is funded or meets the required investment minimum. Automatic conversions do not apply to certain types of accounts (e.g., accounts held through certain intermediaries, or other accounts as may be excluded by Vanguard management).
2. Automatic conversion into Institutional Shares, Institutional Plus Shares, or Institutional Select Shares. Vanguard may conduct automatic conversions of any share class into either Institutional Shares, Institutional Plus Shares, or Institutional Select Shares in accordance with then-current eligibility requirements.
| C. | Involuntary Conversions and Cash Outs | |
| 1. | Cash Outs. If a shareholder in any class of shares no longer | |
| meets the eligibility requirements for such shares, the Fund may cash out the shareholders remaining account balance. Any such cash out will be | ||
| preceded | by written notice to the shareholder and will be subject to the | |
| Funds normal redemption fees, if any. | ||
| 2. | Conversion of Admiral Shares, Institutional Shares, and | |
| Institutional Plus Shares. If a shareholder no longer meets the eligibility requirements for the share class currently held, the Fund may convert the shareholders holdings into the share class for which such shareholder is eligible. Any such conversion will be preceded by written notice to the shareholder, and will occur at the respective net asset values of the share classes without the imposition of any sales load, fee, or other charge. | ||
| 3. | Conversions of Transition Shares. When a Fund that issues | |
| Transition | Shares has completed the relevant portfolio transition, the Fund | |
| will convert the Transition Shares to another share class of the same Fund as appropriate, based on the eligibility requirements of such class as specified in | ||
| Schedule | B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. | |
| VI. | EXPENSE ALLOCATION AMONG CLASSES | |
| A. | Background | |
| Vanguard is a jointly-owned subsidiary of the Funds. Vanguard provides | ||
| the | Funds, on an at-cost basis, virtually all of their corporate management, | |
| administrative | and distribution services. Vanguard also may provide investment | |
| advisory | services on an at-cost basis to the Funds. Vanguard was established and | |
| operates | pursuant to a Funds Service Agreement between itself and the Funds | |
| (the | Agreement), and pursuant to certain exemptive orders granted by the U.S. | |
| Securities | and Exchange Commission (Exemptive Orders). Vanguards direct | |
| and | indirect expenses of providing corporate management, administrative and | |
6
distribution services to the Funds are allocated among such funds in accordance with methods specified in the Agreement.1
| B. | Class Specific Expenses | |
| 1. | Expenses for Account-Based Services. Expenses associated | |
| with Vanguards provision of account-based services to the Funds will be | ||
| allocated | among the share classes of each Fund on the basis of the amount | |
| incurred by each such class as follows: | ||
(a) Account maintenance expenses. Expenses associated with the maintenance of investor accounts will be proportionately allocated among each Funds share classes based upon a monthly determination of the costs to service each class of shares. Factors considered in this determination are (i) the percentage of total shareholder accounts represented by each class; (ii) the percentage of total account transactions performed by Vanguard for each class; and (iii) the percentage of new accounts opened for each class.
(b) Expenses of special servicing arrangements.
Expenses relating to any special servicing arrangements for a specific class will be proportionally allocated among each eligible Funds share classes primarily based on their percentage of total shareholder accounts receiving the special servicing arrangements.
(c) Literature production and mailing expenses.
Expenses associated with shareholder reports, proxy materials and other literature will be allocated among each Funds share classes based upon the number of such items produced and mailed for each class.
2. Other Class Specific Expenses. Expenses for the primary benefit of a particular share class will be allocated to that share class. Such expenses would include any legal fees attributable to a particular class.
| C. | Fund-Wide Expenses |
| 1. Marketing and Distribution Expenses. Each share class will bear marketing and distribution expenses proportionate to the marketing and distribution expenses of the business lines that distribute that share class. Retail and institutional businesses expenses will be allocated based |
1 In accordance with the Agreement and Board approved methodologies, the expenses that would otherwise have been allocated to each Vanguard Fund of Funds are reallocated to the approve share class of the underlying funds in the Fund of Funds portfolio on a pro rata basis based on that Fund of Funds relative net assets invested in the underlying funds share class.
7
on the percentage of client accounts in each share class serviced by the respective business. Financial advisory service expenses will be apportioned based on the percentage of assets in each share class.
Expenses associated with each share class will be allocated only among the Funds that have such share class according to the Vanguard Modified Formula, with each share class or each Fund treated as if it were a separate Fund. The Vanguard Modified Formula is set forth in the Agreement and in certain of the SEC Exemptive Orders. This allocation has been deemed an appropriate allocation methodology by each Funds Board of Trustees under paragraph (c)(1)(v) of Rule 18f-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
2. Asset Management Expenses. Expenses associated with management of a Funds assets (including all advisory, tax preparation and custody fees) will be allocated among the Funds share classes on the basis of their relative net assets.
3. Other Fund Expenses. Any other Fund expenses not described above will be allocated among the share classes on the basis of their relative net assets.
VII. ALLOCATION OF INCOME, GAINS AND LOSSES
Income, gains and losses will be allocated among each Funds share classes on the basis of their relative net assets. As a result of differences in allocated expenses, it is expected that the net income of, and dividends payable to, each class of shares will vary. Dividends and distributions paid to each class of shares will be calculated in the same manner, on the same day and at the same time.
VIII. VOTING AND OTHER RIGHTS
Each share class will have: (i) exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that relates solely to its service or distribution arrangements; and (ii) separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of the other class; and (iii) in all other respects the same rights, obligations and privileges as each other, except as described in the Plan.
8
IX. AMENDMENTS
All material amendments to the Plan must be approved by a majority of the Board of Trustees of each Fund, including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund. In addition, any material amendment to the Plan must be approved by the Board of Directors of Vanguard.
Original Board Approval: July 21, 2000
Last Approved by Board: December 18, 2015
9
SCHEDULE A to
VANGUARD FUNDS MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN
Note: Transition Shares, when offered by a Fund, are available for a limited period of time and are then converted into another share class. For this reason, Transition Shares are not shown on Schedule A.
| Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
| Vanguard Admiral Funds | ||
| · | Treasury Money Market Fund | Investor |
| · | S&P 500 Value Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | S&P 500 Growth Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | S&P MidCap 400 Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | S&P MidCap 400 Value Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | S&P MidCap 400 Growth Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | S&P SmallCap 600 Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | S&P SmallCap 600 Value Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | S&P SmallCap 600 Growth Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| Vanguard Bond Index Funds | ||
| · | Short-Term Bond Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
| Institutional Plus, ETF | ||
| · | Intermediate-Term Bond Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, Institutional |
| Plus, ETF | ||
| · | Long-Term Bond Index Fund | Investor, Institutional, Institutional Plus, |
| ETF | ||
| · | Total Bond Market Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, Institutional |
| Plus, Institutional Select, ETF | ||
| · | Total Bond Market II Index Fund | Investor, Institutional |
| · | Inflation-Protected Securities Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional |
| Vanguard California Tax-Free Funds | ||
| · | Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| · | Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Vanguard Charlotte Funds | ||
| · | Total International Bond Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
| Institutional Select, ETF | ||
1
| Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
| Vanguard Chester Funds | ||
| · | PRIMECAP Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Target Retirement Income Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2010 Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2015 Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2020 Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2025 Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2030 Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2035 Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2040 Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2045 Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2050 Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2055 Fund | Investor |
| · | Target Retirement 2060 Fund | Investor |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement Income Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2010 Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2015 Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2020 Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2025 Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2030 Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2035 Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2040 Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2045 Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2050 Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2055 Fund | Institutional |
| · | Institutional Target Retirement 2060 Fund | Institutional |
| Vanguard Convertible Securities Fund | Investor | |
| Vanguard Explorer Fund | Investor, Admiral | |
| Vanguard Fenway Funds | ||
| · | Equity Income Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Growth Equity Fund | Investor |
| · | PRIMECAP Core Fund | Investor |
| Vanguard Fixed Income Securities Funds | ||
| · | Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Short-Term Treasury Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Short-Term Federal Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional |
| · | Intermediate-Term Treasury Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | GNMA Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Long-Term Treasury Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Long-Term Investment-Grade Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | High-Yield Corporate Fund | Investor, Admiral |
2
| Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
| Vanguard Horizon Funds | ||
| · | Capital Opportunity Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Global Equity Fund | Investor |
| · | Strategic Equity Fund | Investor |
| · | Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund | Investor |
| Vanguard Index Funds | ||
| · | 500 Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional Select, ETF |
| · | Extended Market Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
| Institutional Plus, Institutional Select, ETF | ||
| · | Growth Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF |
| · | Large-Cap Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF |
| · | Mid-Cap Growth Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, ETF |
| · | Mid-Cap Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
| Institutional Plus, ETF | ||
| · | Mid-Cap Value Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, ETF |
| · | Small-Cap Growth Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF |
| · | Small-Cap Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
| Institutional Plus, ETF | ||
| · | Small-Cap Value Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF |
| · | Total Stock Market Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, Institutional |
| Plus, Institutional Select, ETF | ||
| · | Value Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF |
| Vanguard International Equity Index Funds | ||
| · | Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
| Institutional Plus | ||
| FTSE Emerging Markets ETF | ETF | |
| · | European Stock Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
| Institutional Plus | ||
| FTSE Europe ETF | ETF | |
| · | FTSE All-World ex US Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, Institutional |
| Plus, ETF | ||
| · | Pacific Stock Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
| Institutional Plus | ||
| FTSE Pacific ETF | ETF | |
| · | Total World Stock Index Fund | Investor, Institutional, ETF |
| · | FTSE All World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund | Investor, Institutional, ETF |
| · | Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF |
3
| Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
| Vanguard Malvern Funds | ||
| · | Capital Value Fund | Investor |
| · | Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities | |
| Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF | |
| · | U.S. Value Fund | Investor |
| · | Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund | Institutional Plus |
| · | Institutional Intermediate-Term Bond Fund | Institutional Plus |
| · | Core Bond Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Emerging Markets Bond Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Funds | ||
| · | Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor |
| Vanguard Money Market Funds | ||
| · | Prime Money Market Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Federal Money Market Fund | Investor |
| Vanguard Morgan Growth Fund | Investor, Admiral | |
| Vanguard Montgomery Funds | ||
| · | Market Neutral Fund | Investor, Institutional |
| Vanguard Municipal Bond Funds | ||
| · | Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| · | Short-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, ETF |
| Vanguard New Jersey Tax-Free Funds | ||
| · | Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| · | Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Vanguard New York Tax-Free Funds | ||
| · | Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| · | Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Vanguard Ohio Tax-Free Funds | ||
| · | Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| · | Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor |
| Vanguard Pennsylvania Tax-Free Funds | ||
| · | Tax-Exempt Money Market Fund | Investor |
| · | Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund | Investor, Admiral |
4
| Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
| Vanguard Quantitative Funds | ||
| · | Growth and Income Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| Vanguard Scottsdale Funds | ||
| · | Short-Term Government Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Admiral, ETF |
| · | Intermediate-Term Government Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Admiral, ETF |
| · | Long-Term Government Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Admiral, ETF |
| · | Short-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Admiral, ETF |
| · | Intermediate-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Admiral, ETF |
| · | Long-Term Corporate Bond Index Fund | Institutional, Admiral, ETF |
| · | Mortgage-Backed Securities Index Fund | Institutional, Admiral, ETF |
| · | Explorer Value Fund | Investor |
| · | Russell 1000 Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | Russell 1000 Value Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | Russell 2000 Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | Russell 2000 Value Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| · | Russell 3000 Index Fund | Institutional, ETF |
| Vanguard Specialized Funds | ||
| · | Energy Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Precious Metals Fund | Investor |
| · | Health Care Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Dividend Growth Fund | Investor |
| · | REIT Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF |
| · | Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, ETF |
| Vanguard STAR Funds | ||
| · | LifeStrategy Conservative Growth Fund | Investor |
| · | LifeStrategy Growth Fund | Investor |
| · | LifeStrategy Income Fund | Investor |
| · | LifeStrategy Moderate Growth Fund | Investor |
| · | STAR Fund | Investor |
| · | Total International Stock Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
| Institutional Plus, Institutional Select, | ||
| ETF | ||
| Vanguard Tax-Managed Funds | ||
| · | Tax-Managed Balanced Fund | Admiral |
| · | Tax-Managed Capital Appreciation Fund | Admiral, Institutional |
| · | Developed Markets Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, |
| Institutional Plus | ||
| FTSE Developed Markets ETF ETF | ||
| · | Tax-Managed Small-Cap Fund | Admiral, Institutional |
5
| Vanguard Fund | Share Classes Authorized | |
| Vanguard Trustees Equity Fund | ||
| · | International Value Fund | Investor |
| · | Diversified Equity Fund | Investor |
| · | Emerging Markets Select Stock Fund | Investor |
| · | Alternative Strategies Fund | Investor |
| Vanguard Valley Forge Funds | ||
| · | Balanced Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional |
| · | Managed Payout Fund | Investor |
| Vanguard Variable Insurance Funds | ||
| · | Balanced Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Conservative Allocation Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Diversified Value Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Equity Income Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Equity Index Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Growth Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Total Bond Market Index Portfolio | Investor |
| · | High Yield Bond Portfolio | Investor |
| · | International Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Mid-Cap Index Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Moderate Allocation Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Money Market Portfolio | Investor |
| · | REIT Index Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Short-Term Investment Grade Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Small Company Growth Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Capital Growth Portfolio | Investor |
| · | Total Stock Market Index Portfolio | Investor |
| Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund | Investor, Admiral | |
| Vanguard Wellington Fund | Investor, Admiral | |
| Vanguard Whitehall Funds | ||
| · | Selected Value Fund | Investor |
| · | Mid-Cap Growth Fund | Investor |
| · | International Explorer Fund | Investor |
| · | High Dividend Yield Index Fund | Investor, ETF |
| · | Emerging Markets Government | |
| Bond Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, Institutional, ETF | |
| · | Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | International Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, ETF |
| · | International High Dividend Yield Index Fund | Investor, Admiral, ETF |
| Vanguard Windsor Funds | ||
| · | Windsor Fund | Investor, Admiral |
| · | Windsor II | Investor, Admiral |
6
Vanguard Fund
Share Classes Authorized
Vanguard World Fund
- Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund
- FTSE Social Index Fund
- International Growth Fund
- Mega Cap Index Fund
- Mega Cap Growth Index Fund
- Mega Cap Value Index Fund
- U.S. Growth Fund
- Consumer Discretionary Index Fund
- Consumer Staples Index Fund
- Energy Index Fund
- Financials Index Fund
- Health Care Index Fund
- Industrials Index Fund
- Information Technology Index Fund
- Materials Index Fund
- Telecommunication Services Index Fund
- Utilities Index Fund
Original Board Approval: July 21, 2000 Last Updated: March 10, 2016
Institutional, Institutional Plus, ETF Investor, Institutional Investor, Admiral Institutional, ETF
Institutional, ETF Institutional, ETF Investor, Admiral Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF Admiral, ETF
7
SCHEDULE B to
VANGUARD FUNDS MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN
Vanguard has policies and procedures designed to ensure consistency and compliance with the offering of multiple classes of shares within this Multiple Class Plans eligibility requirements.2 These policies are reviewed and monitored on an ongoing basis in conjunction with Vanguards Compliance Department.
Investor Shares - Eligibility Requirements
Investor Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $3,000. A Vanguard Fund may, from time to time, establish higher or lower minimum amounts for Investor Shares. Vanguard also reserves the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors.
Admiral Shares Eligibility Requirements
Admiral Shares generally are intended for clients who meet the required minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $10,000 for retail clients in index funds and $50,000 for retail clients in actively managed funds. Retail managed clients and financial intermediary and other institutional clients may hold Admiral Shares of both index and actively managed funds without restriction. Vanguard Funds may, from time to time, establish higher or lower minimum amounts for Admiral Shares and Vanguard reserves the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors. Admiral Share class eligibility also is subject to the following rule:
- Certain Retirement Plans Admiral Shares generally are not available for SIMPLE IRAs, Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans, and retail serviced Individual 403(b)(7) custodial accounts held directly with Vanguard.
Institutional Shares Eligibility Requirements
Institutional Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $5,000,000. However, Vanguard also reserves the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors. Institutional Share class eligibility also is subject to the following special rules:
- Individual clients. Individual clients may hold Institutional Shares by aggregating up to 3 accounts held by the same client (same tax I.D. number) in a single Fund.
2 The eligibility of a Vanguard Fund of Funds to invest in a particular share class of an underlying Vanguard fund is determined by Vanguard and the Board in accordance with the allocation methodology referenced in Section VI.
1
| Financial intermediary clients. Financial intermediaries generally may hold | ||
| Institutional | Shares for the benefit of their underlying clients provided that: | |
| (1) | each underlying investor individually meets the investment minimum | |
| amount | described above; and | |
| (2) | the financial intermediary agrees to monitor ongoing compliance of the | |
| underlying | investor accounts with the investment minimum amount; or | |
| (3) | a sub-accounting arrangement between Vanguard and the financial | |
| intermediary | allows Vanguard to monitor compliance with the eligibility | |
| requirements | established by Vanguard. | |
| Institutional clients. Institutional clients, including but not limited to defined | ||
| benefit | and contribution plan clients, endowments, and foundations may hold | |
| Institutional | Shares if the total amount aggregated among all accounts held by | |
| such | client (including accounts held through financial intermediaries) and | |
| invested | in the Fund is at least $5 million (or such higher minimum required | |
| by | the individual fund). Such institutional clients must disclose to Vanguard | |
| on | behalf of their accounts the following: (1) that each account has a common | |
| decision-maker; | and (2) the total balance in each account held by the client in | |
| the | Fund. | |
| Investment by Vanguard Target Retirement Collective Trust. A Vanguard | ||
| Target | Retirement Trust that is a collective trust exempt from regulation under | |
| the | Investment Company Act and that seeks to achieve its investment | |
| objective | by investing in underlying Vanguard Funds (a TRT) may hold | |
| Institutional | Shares of an underlying Fund whether or not its investment meets | |
| the | minimum investment threshold specified above. | |
| Accumulation Period ¾Accounts funded through regular contributions (e.g. | ||
| employer | sponsored participant contribution plans), whose assets are expected | |
| to | quickly achieve eligibility levels, may qualify for Institutional Shares upon | |
| account | creation, rather than undergoing the conversion process shortly after | |
| account | set-up if Vanguard management determines that the account will | |
| become | eligible for Institutional Shares within a limited period of time | |
| (generally | 90 days). The accumulation period eligibility is subject to the | |
| discretion | of Vanguard management. | |
Institutional Plus Shares - Eligibility Requirements
Institutional Plus Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $100,000,000. However, Vanguard also reserves the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors.
Institutional Plus Share class eligibility also is subject to the following special rules:
- Individual clients. Individual clients may hold Institutional Plus Shares by aggregating up to 3 accounts held by the same client (same tax I.D. number) in a single Fund. For purposes of this rule, Vanguard management is
2
| authorized | to permit aggregation of a greater number of accounts in the case | |
| of | clients whose aggregate assets within the Vanguard Funds are expected to | |
| generate | substantial economies in the servicing of their accounts. | |
| Institutional clients. Institutional clients, including but not limited to defined | ||
| benefit | and contribution plan clients, endowments, and foundations may hold | |
| Institutional | Plus Shares if the total amount aggregated among all accounts | |
| held | by such client (including accounts held through financial intermediaries) | |
| and | invested in the Fund is at least $100 million (or such higher or lower | |
| minimum | required by the individual fund). Such institutional clients must | |
| disclose | to Vanguard on behalf of their accounts the following: (1) that each | |
| account | has a common decision-maker; and (2) the total balance in each | |
| account | held by the client in the Fund. | |
| Financial intermediary clients. Financial intermediaries generally may hold | ||
| Institutional | Plus Shares for the benefit of their underlying clients provided | |
| that: | ||
| (1) | each underlying investor individually meets the investment minimum | |
| amount | described above; and | |
| (2) | the financial intermediary agrees to monitor ongoing compliance of the | |
| underlying | investor accounts with the investment minimum amount; or | |
| (3) | a sub-accounting arrangement between Vanguard and the financial | |
| intermediary | allows Vanguard to monitor compliance with the eligibility | |
| requirements | established by Vanguard. | |
| Accumulation Period - Accounts funded through regular contributions e.g. | ||
| employer | sponsored participant contribution plans), whose assets are expected | |
| to | quickly achieve eligibility levels, may qualify for Institutional Plus Shares | |
| upon | account creation, rather than undergoing the conversion process shortly | |
| after | account set-up if Vanguard management determines that the account will | |
| become | eligible for Institutional Plus Shares within a limited period of time | |
| (generally | 90 days). The accumulation period eligibility is subject to the | |
| discretion | of Vanguard management. | |
| Asset Allocation Models - Vanguard clients with defined asset allocation | ||
| models | whose assets meet eligibility requirements may qualify for | |
| Institutional | Plus Shares if such models comply with policies and procedures | |
| that | have been approved by Vanguard management. | |
Institutional Select Shares - Eligibility Requirements
Institutional Select Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $3,000,000,000. However, Vanguard also reserves the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors. Institutional Select Share class eligibility also is subject to the following special rules:
3
| Institutional clients. Institutional clients, including but not limited to defined | ||
| benefit | and contribution plan clients, endowments, foundations, and Section | |
| 529 | college savings plans may hold Institutional Select Shares if the total | |
| amount | aggregated among all accounts held by such client (including accounts | |
| held | through financial intermediaries) and invested in the Fund is at least $3 | |
| billion | (or such higher or lower minimum required by the individual fund). | |
| Such | institutional clients must disclose to Vanguard on behalf of their | |
| accounts | the following: (1) that each account has a common decision-maker; | |
| and | (2) the total balance in each account held by the client in the Fund. | |
| Financial intermediary clients. Financial intermediaries generally may hold | ||
| Institutional | Select Shares for the benefit of their underlying clients provided | |
| that: | ||
| (1) | each underlying investor individually meets the investment minimum | |
| amount | described above; and | |
| (2) | the financial intermediary agrees to monitor ongoing compliance of the | |
| underlying | investor accounts with the investment minimum amount; or | |
| (3) | a sub-accounting arrangement between Vanguard and the financial | |
| intermediary | allows Vanguard to monitor compliance with the eligibility | |
| requirements | established by Vanguard. | |
| Accumulation Period - Accounts funded through regular contributions (e.g. | ||
| employer | sponsored participant contribution plans), whose assets are expected | |
| to | quickly achieve eligibility levels, may qualify for Institutional Select Shares | |
| upon | account creation, rather than undergoing the conversion process shortly | |
| after | account set-up, if Vanguard management determines that the account | |
| will | become eligible for Institutional Select Shares within a limited period of | |
| time | (generally 90 days). The accumulation period eligibility is subject to the | |
| discretion | of Vanguard management. | |
| Investment by Vanguard collective investment trusts with a similar mandate. | ||
| A | Vanguard collective investment trust exempt from regulation under the | |
| Investment | Company Act and that seeks to achieve its investment objective by | |
| investing | in an underlying Fund with an index-based mandate may hold | |
| Institutional | Select Shares of an underlying Fund with a similar index-based | |
| mandate | whether or not its investment meets the minimum investment | |
| threshold | specified above. | |
ETF Shares Eligibility Requirements
The eligibility requirements for ETF Shares will be set forth in the Funds Registration Statement. To be eligible to purchase ETF Shares directly from a Fund, an investor must be (or must purchase through) an Authorized DTC Participant, as defined in Paragraph III.D of the Multiple Class Plan. Investors purchasing ETF Shares from a Fund must purchase a minimum number of shares, known as a Creation Unit. The number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit may vary from Fund to Fund, and will be set forth in the
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relevant prospectus. The value of a Fund's Creation Unit will vary with the net asset value of the Funds ETF Shares, but is expected to be several million dollars. An eligible investor generally must purchase a Creation Unit by depositing a prescribed basket of securities with the Fund, rather than paying cash.
Transition Shares Eligibility Requirements
Transition Shares will be offered only to Vanguard funds-of-funds and only by an underlying fund of a Vanguard fund-of-funds (i) that is receiving assets in kind from one or more funds-of-funds and (ii) that will transition those in-kind assets by selling some or all of them and using the proceeds to purchase different assets. There is no minimum investment amount for Transition Shares.
Original Board Approval: July 21, 2000
Last Approved by Board: January 29, 2016
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