How the Largest US ETFs Performed in August

Each month, we check on the performance of the largest US stock, bond, and active exchange-traded funds.

The Morningstar US Market Index rose 2.26% during August and is up 26.52% over the past year. The Morningstar US Core Bond Index rose 1.43% last month and is up 7.21% over the past year. In the global markets, stocks gained 2.4% during August, as measured by the Morningstar Global Markets Index. Bonds rose 2.31%, as measured by the Morningstar Global Core Bond Index. Over the past year, global stocks are up 23.25% and global bonds are up 6.55%.

Largest US Stock ETF Performance

Out of the 10 largest US stock ETFs, last month’s top performer was the $198.1 billion Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund, which gained 2.90%. The bottom performer was the $277.7 billion Invesco QQQ Trust, which gained 1.16%. Here’s more about the performance of the largest US stock ETFs.

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund VTI

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Large Blend

The $1.7 trillion Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund rose 2.17% in August. The gain on the fund was roughly in line with the 2.17% gain on the average fund in the large blend category, leaving it in the 62nd percentile. The fund performed roughly in line with its benchmark, the CRSP US Total Market Index.

Over the past year, the Vanguard fund rose 26.2%, while the average fund in its category rose 24.6%. The fund, which launched in May 2001, has climbed 7.71% over the past three years and gained 15.11% over the past five years.

Vanguard 500 Index Fund VOO

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Large Blend

In August, the Vanguard 500 Index Fund rose 2.42%, while the average large-blend fund gained 2.17%. The fund placed in the 38th percentile for performance and performed roughly in line with its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index.

The $1.2 trillion fund has climbed 27.1% over the past year, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 24.6%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in September 2010, has climbed 9.34% over the past three years and gained 15.87% over the past five years.

SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Silver
• Morningstar Category: Large Blend

The $551.6 billion SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust rose 2.41% in August. The gain on the fund beat the 2.17% gain on the average fund in the large blend category, leaving it in the 40th percentile for performance. The fund performed roughly in line with its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index.

Over the past year, the State Street fund rose 26.97%, while the average fund in its category rose 24.60%. The fund, which launched in January 1993, has climbed 9.29% over the past three years and gained 15.83% over the past five years.

iShares Core S&P 500 ETF IVV

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Large Blend

In August, the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF rose 2.42%, while the average large-blend fund gained 2.17%. The fund placed in the 38th percentile for performance and performed roughly in line with its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index.

The $510.7 billion fund has climbed 27.1% over the past year, outperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 24.6%. The iShares fund, which launched in May 2000, has climbed 9.35% over the past three years and gained 15.88% over the past five years.

Vanguard Total Intl Stock Idx Fund VXUS

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Foreign Large Blend

The Vanguard Total Intl Stock Idx Fund gained 2.49% in August, underperforming the average fund in the foreign large blend category, which rose 2.97%. The fund placed in the 81st percentile for performance and lagged its benchmark, the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index, by 0.14 percentage points.

The $441.1 billion fund has gained 17.77% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 18.24%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in January 2011, has climbed 1.99% over the past three years and gained 7.82% over the past five years.

Largest Stock ETFs

Largest US Bond ETF Performance

Out of the 10 largest US bond ETFs, last month’s top performer was the $62.6 billion iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF, which gained 2.23%. The bottom performer was the $95.3 billion Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund, which gained 0.53%. Here’s more about the performance of the largest US bond ETFs.

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund BND

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Intermediate Core Bond

The $329.6 billion Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund rose 1.38% in August. The gain on the fund was roughly in line with the 1.43% gain on the average fund in the intermediate core bond category, leaving it in the 66th percentile for performance. The fund performed roughly in line with its benchmark, the Bloomberg US Agg Float Adj Index.

Over the past year, the Vanguard fund rose 7.27%, while the average fund in its category rose 7.45%. The fund, which launched in April 2007, has dropped 2.14% over the past three years and lost 0.06% over the past five years.

iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF AGG

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Intermediate Core Bond

The iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF gained 1.44% in August, performing roughly in line with the average fund in the intermediate core bond category, which rose 1.43%. The fund placed in the 42nd percentile for performance and performed roughly in line with its benchmark, the Bloomberg US Aggregate Bond Index.

The $117.8 billion fund has gained 7.29% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 7.45%. The iShares fund, which launched in September 2003, has dropped 2.10% over the past three years and lost 0.07% over the past five years.

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund BNDX

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Silver
• Morningstar Category: Global Bond-USD Hedged

In August, the Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund rose 0.53%, while the average global bond-USD hedged fund gained 0.92%. The fund placed in the 86th percentile for performance and lagged its benchmark, the Bloomberg Global Aggregate ex-USD Float Adjusted RIC Capped Index, by 0.28 percentage points.

The $95.3 billion fund has climbed 7.04% over the past year, underperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 8.01%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in May 2013, has dropped 1.45% over the past three years and lost 0.52% over the past five years.

iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF TLT

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Bronze
• Morningstar Category: Long Government

The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF gained 2.23% in August, performing roughly in line with the average fund in the long government category, which rose 2.17%. The fund placed in the 33rd percentile for performance and performed roughly in line with its benchmark, the ICE U.S. Treasury 20+ Year Bond Index.

The $62.6 billion fund has gained 3.94% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 4.52%. The iShares fund, which launched in July 2002, has dropped 10.90% over the past three years and lost 5.85% over the past five years.

Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund BSV

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Silver
• Morningstar Category: Short-Term Bond

In August, the Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund rose 1.03%, while the average short-term bond fund gained 0.94%. The fund placed in the 29th percentile for performance and performed roughly in line with its benchmark, the Bloomberg US 1-5 year Government/Credit Float Adjusted Index.

The $58.5 billion fund has climbed 6.64% over the past year, underperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 7.42%. The Vanguard fund, which launched in April 2007, has climbed 0.52% over the past three years and gained 1.28% over the past five years.

Largest Bond ETFs

Largest US Active ETF Performance

While passive ETFs have portfolios with holdings designed to track indexes, active ETFs are run by portfolio managers who decide which investments to own. Like index-tracking ETFs, active ETFs trade on an exchange and are typically cheaper and more tax-efficient than traditional actively managed mutual funds.

Out of the 10 largest US active ETFs, last month’s top performer was the $10.8 billion BlackRock US Equity Factor Rotation ETF, which gained 3.02%. The bottom performer was the $12.8 billion Avantis US Small Cap Value ETF, which lost 3.64%. Here’s more about the performance of the largest US active ETFs.

JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF JEPI

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Bronze
• Morningstar Category: Derivative Income

In August, the JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF rose 2.89%, while the average derivative income fund gained 1.21%. The fund placed in the 18th percentile for performance and beat its benchmark, the S&P 500 Index, by 0.46 percentage points.

The $34.7 billion fund has climbed 14.08% over the past year, underperforming the average fund in its category, which rose 18.50%. The JPMorgan fund, which launched in May 2020, has gained 7.17% over the past three years.

Dimensional US Core Equity 2 ETF DFAC

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Gold
• Morningstar Category: Large Blend

The $29.8 billion Dimensional US Core Equity 2 ETF rose 1.55% in August. The gain on the fund was shy of the 2.17% gain on the average fund in the large blend category, leaving it in the 82nd percentile for performance. The fund lagged its benchmark, the Russell 3000 Index, by 0.63 percentage points.

Over the past year, the Dimensional fund rose 24.24%, while the average fund in its category rose 24.60%. The fund, which launched in October 2007, has climbed 8.27% over the past three years and gained 14.85% over the past five years.

JPMorgan Ultra-Short Income ETF JPST

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Silver
• Morningstar Category: Ultrashort Bond

The JPMorgan Ultra-Short Income ETF gained 0.57% in August, outperforming the average fund in the ultrashort bond category, which rose 0.54%. The fund placed in the 37th percentile for performance and beat its benchmark, the ICE BofA 0-3 Month US Treasury Bill Index, by 0.09 percentage points.

The $25.3 billion fund has gained 6.27% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 6.36%. The JPMorgan fund, which launched in May 2017, has climbed 3.35% over the past three years and gained 2.67% over the past five years.

JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF JEPQ

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Neutral
• Morningstar Category: Derivative Income

The JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF gained 1.53% in August, outperforming the average fund in the derivative income category, which rose 1.21%. The fund placed in the 61st percentile for performance and beat its benchmark, the NASDAQ 100 Index, by 0.36 percentage points.

The $15.5 billion fund has gained 21.82% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 18.50%. The JPMorgan fund was launched in May 2022.

Avantis US Small Cap Value ETF AVUV

• Morningstar Medalist Rating: Silver
• Morningstar Category: Small Value

The Avantis US Small Cap Value ETF lost 3.64% in August, falling further than the average fund in the small value category, which fell 1.71%. The fund placed in the 93rd percentile for performance and fell further than its benchmark, the Russell 2000 Value Index, by 1.76 percentage points.

The $12.8 billion fund has gained 20.24% over the past year, while the average fund in its category is up 17.08%. The American Century fund, which launched in September 2019, has gained 10.22% over the past three years.

Largest Active ETFs