With 91 exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in its lineup, Vanguard always has an ETF in which you can invest. That's true regardless of what's going on with the economy and the market.
Many investors could be apprehensive about buying any fund right now with the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) down sharply. But I think there are several good choices. Here are three Vanguard ETFs to buy with the S&P 500 in correction.
1. Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF
While the S&P 500 and other major stock indexes have declined significantly, several Vanguard bond ETFs have delivered positive year-to-date returns. The Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF (NASDAQ: VGLT) is arguably the best of the group to buy right now.
This Vanguard ETF owns 90 U.S. Treasury bonds with long-term maturities. The average effective maturity of the bonds in its portfolio is 22.3 years. Long-term U.S. Treasury bonds are widely viewed as safe havens during periods of uncertainty because they're backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
One major advantage of the Vanguard Long-Term Treasury ETF is that it pays you to wait until the stock market shows signs of rebounding after a big sell-off. Its 30-day SEC yield (the current market yield to maturity of the fund's holdings over the previous 30 days divided by its assets) is 4.59%.
You could buy long-term U.S. Treasuries directly. However, this Vanguard fund provides a quick and easy way to invest in multiple Treasuries and do so cost-effectively with its low annual expense ratio of 0.03%.
2. Vanguard Utilities ETF
The Vanguard Utilities ETF (NYSEMKT: VPU) soared 19% in 2024. Unlike many stock funds, it hasn't given up most or all of its gains this year. Granted, this Vanguard ETF has declined somewhat in recent days. However, it's still holding up relatively well.
This Vanguard ETF owns 69 utility stocks, with its top holdings including NextEra Energy, Southern Company, Duke Energy, Constellation Energy, and American Electric Power.
Can the Vanguard Utilities ETF continue to outperform most other stock funds? I think so. Utility companies are more insulated from the negative impact of tariffs than most companies. Their costs could increase in some cases (for example, higher steel costs could make construction of new power plants more expensive). However, regulators typically allow utilities to pass any higher costs along to consumers.
Utility stocks don't always have exceptional growth prospects. But many of the top holdings in the Vanguard Utilities ETF should be able to deliver solid growth thanks to the increasing demand for data centers fueled by the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). Because of this AI tailwind, the Vanguard Utilities ETF could be well-positioned to flourish regardless of what happens with the economy over the next few years.
3. Vanguard S&P 500 ETF
You might be surprised to see the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) on the list of the top Vanguard ETFs to buy with the S&P 500 in correction. As its name indicates, this Vanguard fund tracks the performance of the S&P 500 index. Like the S&P 500, the ETF has fallen sharply in 2025.
However, if you're a long-term investor, now could be a great time to buy the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. In a real sense, buying this fund represents a bet on the innovation and resourcefulness of U.S. businesses. That's been a money-making bet in the past.
Technically, the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF owns 506 stocks instead of 500. Several large U.S. companies have multiple classes of shares that trade publicly, such as Google parent Alphabet's Class A and Class C shares.
The fund's top holdings include Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook parent Meta Platforms. These stocks are beaten down now but could roar back in the future.
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John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Keith Speights has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Constellation Energy, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, NextEra Energy, Nvidia, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool recommends Duke Energy and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
