The Vanguard Group

The Vanguard Group is an American investment company founded in 1975 and headquartered in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. It provides mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, retirement plans, investment advice and financial planning services to individual investors, employers, financial professionals and institutions, alongside retirement planning tools and market research. The firm employs approximately 20,000 people worldwide and operates across the United States and internationally.

Its products are organised around low-cost, uncomplicated funds designed for long-term investing. The business spans asset management, mutual fund and ETF management, financial planning and advice, retirement planning tools and market research, placing it across the financial services, asset management, retirement services and investment management sectors.

Vanguard has an unusual ownership structure: the company is owned by its U.S.-domiciled funds and ETFs, which are in turn owned by their investors. The stated mission is to take a stand for investors, treat them fairly and give them the best chance for investment success. The firm emphasises low-cost products, long-term investing and a client-centric approach spanning individual, employer, intermediary and institutional relationships.