Fund Evaluator:
Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral (VESGX)Best Performing in Global Large-Stock Blend Over the Last Year
| 26.2% | Victory Cornerstone Equity (UCEQX) |
| 24.5% | Destinations Real Assets Z (DRAZX) |
| 23.8% | Victory Capital Growth (USCGX) |
| 23.7% | Destinations Real Assets I (DRAFX) |
| 23.7% | Victory World Equity (USAWX) |
Fund Details
Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral Overview
Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral (VESGX) is an actively managed International Equity Global Large-Stock Blend fund. Vanguard launched the fund in 2019.
The investment seeks to maximize returns while having greater exposure to companies with attractive environmental, social, and governance characteristics. The fund manager employs an active management approach, investing in stocks of large and mid-size companies located in a number of countries throughout the world, including issuers located in emerging markets. Under normal circumstances, it invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in common stocks of companies that meet the advisor’s environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) criteria.
About Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral (VESGX)
There are 2 members of the management team with an average tenure of 4.68 years: Samuel Cox (2024), Yolanda Courtines (2019). Management tenure is more important for actively managed funds than passive index funds.
The fund has 1 primary benchmark: FTSE All World TR USD index with a weighting of 100%. Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral has 46 securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 38.0% of the fund’s assets. The fund meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a diversified fund. The fund is considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.
Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the International Equity fund group. Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral has 39.9% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 59.4%. There is 39.9% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.0% (0.0% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral has 0.7% of the portfolio in cash.
Assets Under Management
The fund has $1 billion in total assets, which is above the $1 billion average for the Global Large-Stock Blend category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.
VESGX Performance and Fees
The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral expense ratio is average compared to funds in the Global Large-Stock Blend category. Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral has an expense ratio of 0.44%, which is 58% lower than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a A. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.
High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral has a portfolio turnover rate of 47%, indicating that holds its assets around 0.0 years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 43% for the Global Large-Stock Blend category.
Recently, in the month of July 2026, Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral returned 2.1%, which earned it a grade of B, as the Global Large-Stock Blend category had an average return of 0.8%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all funds in that category.
Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral has a trailing yield of 1.44%, which is above the 0.95% category average.
It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.
Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral Grades
Year to date, the fund has returned 16.3%, 6.5 percentage points better than the category, which translates into a grade of A. The fund has returned 22.3% over the past year (grade of B), 15.9% over the past three years (grade of C) and 10.9% per year over the past five years (grade of B).
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VESGX Trailing NAV Total Returns Data as of 7/31/26
| Last Month |
Last Quarter |
Ann'l. 1Yr |
Ann'l. 3Yr |
Ann'l. 5Yr |
Ann'l. 10Yr |
|
| VESGX Return (NAV) | 2.1% | 10.8% | 22.3% | 15.9% | 10.9% | na |
| VESGX Grade | B | A | B | C | B | na |
| +/- Category | 1.3% | 7.2% | 3.5% | 0.6% | 2.0% | na |
| Global Large-Stock Blend Avg | 0.8% | 3.7% | 18.8% | 15.3% | 8.9% | 10.7% |
| VESGX Tax Cost Ratio | na | na | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.8% | na |
VESGX Annual NAV Total ReturnsData as of 7/31/26
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| VESGX Return (NAV) | 16.3% | 12.3% | 13.6% | 19.6% | -10.7% | 22.3% | 19.4% | na | na | na | na |
| VESGX Grade | A | F | C | C | A | A | A | na | na | na | na |
| +/- Category | 6.5% | -7.7% | 0.4% | 0.9% | 5.5% | 4.8% | 4.8% | na | na | na | na |
| Global Large-Stock Blend Avg | 9.8% | 20.1% | 13.2% | 18.8% | -16.2% | 17.5% | 14.6% | 25.9% | -10.4% | 23.0% | 6.6% |
| Risk Measures | |
| Standard Deviation: | 12.7% |
| Total Risk Index: | 1.04 - Average |
| Category Risk Index: | 1.02 - Above Average |
| Category Risk Grade: | D (69% Rank) |
| Beta: | 0.92 |
| R-Squared: | 84% |
| Leveraged Fund: | No |
| Inverse Fund: | No |
| Portfolio Characteristics | |
| Equity Investment Style: | Large-Cap Blend |
| Bond Investment Style: | na |
| Yield: | 1.4% |
| Dividend Distribution: | |
| Cap Gains Distribution: | |
| Total Assets: | $1576 Mil |
| Fund Total Assets: | $1,321 Mil |
| Share Class Type: | ADM |
| Portfolio Turnover: | 47% |
Management Team
| Number of Managers: 2 | |||
| Longest Tenure: 7.2 years | |||
| Average Tenure: 4.7 years | |||
| Managers (Year): Courtines Yolanda (2019), Cox Samuel (2024) | |||
Portfolio Composition (as of 6/30/26)
| # of Holdings: | 46 |
| % in Top 10 Holdings: | 38.0% |
| Fund is Non-Diversified: | No |
| % in Foreign Issues: | 39.9% |
Portfolio Allocation |
|
| Domestic Stock: | 59.4% |
| Foreign Stock: | 39.9% |
| Preferred Stock: | 0.0% |
| Domestic Bond: | 0.0% |
| Foreign Bond: | 0.0% |
| Convertible Bond: | 0.0% |
| Other: | 0.0% |
| Cash: | 0.7% |
Purchase Information
| Fund Family: | Vanguard |
| Phone Number: | 800-662-7447 |
| Website: | www.vanguard.com |
| Status: | Open |
| Inception Date: | June 5, 2019 |
| Min. Initial Purchase: | $50,000 |
| Min. Initial IRA Purchase: | $ 0 |
| True No-Load: | Yes |
| Front Load Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Deferred Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| Redemption Charge Maximum: | 0.00% |
| 12b-1 Fee: | na |
Expenses and Fees | |
| Expense Ratio (%): | 0.44% ( Rating : Avg ) |
| Category Average Expense Ratio (%): | 1.05% |
| Share Class: | Vanguard Global ESG Select Stk Admiral |
| Min. Subsequent Purchase: | $ 1 |
| Min. Subsequent IRA Purchase: | $ 0 |