Question

Please provide a short analysis on

how many different mutual funds Vanguard Group (not VFINX) manages

Answer 1

Vanguard has a fairly unique structure in terms of investment management companies.Vanguard's structure allows the company to charge very low expenses for its funds.

HIGHLIGHTS OF VANGUARD GROUP

• Vanguard Group is the second-largest investment firm in the world, after BlackRock.
• It is the biggest issuer of mutual funds worldwide and the second-biggest issuer of ETFs.
• The company is unusual in the fund world in that it is owned by its different funds, which are in turn owned by the company's shareholders.
• The company has no other owners than its shareholders, which sets it apart from most publicly-traded investment firms.

About Vanguard Mutual funds

As of 2020, Vanguard has more than $6.2 trillion in assets under management (AUM), second to BlackRock, Inc ($6.47 trillion AUM). The company is headquartered in Pennsylvania. Vanguard is the largest issuer of mutual funds in the world and the second-largest issuer of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). It has 190 U.S. funds. It has the second-largest bond fund in the world, as of 2020, the Vanguard Total Bond Market Index, second only to PIMCO's Total Return Fund. Vanguard prides itself on its stability, transparency, low costs, and risk management. It is a leader in the area of offering passively managed mutual funds and ETFs.

Vanguard’s comprehensive stable of more than 170 mutual funds and 80 ETFs allows it to fill every niche of an investor’s asset allocation needs. Offerings include:

• Index mutual funds. Since company founder John Bogle launched the Vanguard 500 Index Fund in 1976, Vanguard’s suite has expanded to include index funds for bonds, international stocks, emerging markets and more.
• Actively managed mutual funds. Unlike index funds, the stocks and other assets in these funds are curated by investment managers.
• Target-date retirement funds. This type of diversified fund contains a mix of Vanguard’s broadest index funds that gradually shifts toward more conservative investments as your retirement date draws near. These funds are popular in employer-sponsored retirement plans like 401(k)s.
• Vanguard ETFs. Bought and sold like individual stocks, these offer investors the opportunity to purchase a small stake in most of Vanguard’s funds at much lower entry price — the cost of a single share versus the $1,000-plus Vanguard fund investment minimum.