Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds October 2017 Quarterly Newsletter This quarterly newsletter is designed to give Vanguard LifeStrategy investors an insight into how the funds are constructed, how they re performing and what s been happening in the global economy and world markets. The Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds are single-fund solutions designed to meet a range of investors needs. Each of the five funds has a different target weighting of equities and bonds, with the aim of delivering a range of risk and return outcomes for investors. Vanguard regularly rebalances the funds to their target allocations to ensure that they continue to meet investor needs. This means investors can focus on working with their advisers to review their goals and circumstances, confident in the knowledge that the target weightings will stay on track. Economic background UK economic performance was sluggish in the third quarter, with the construction sector particularly weak. Since the Brexit vote, sterling has remained weak, leading to a sharp increase in import prices and inflation. Given the rise in inflation, at the most recent Monetary Policy Committee meeting, the Bank of England offered its strongest indication in a decade that it is poised to raise interest rates. Current market expectations suggest that there may be one interest rate hike at the end of 2017. The euro area performed strongly in the third quarter, with further improvements in business and consumer confidence. The strong performance of the economy is broad based, with the four major economies, Germany, France, Italy and Spain, all growing at an above trend pace. In Germany, national elections saw Angela Merkel elected as Chancellor for the fourth consecutive term. Merkel received a smaller share of the vote than at the previous election, and will now work to form a coalition government with other parties. In the US, the economy experienced a slightly softer third quarter with the temporary blowback from the two recent hurricanes. Interest rates remained between 1% and 1.25%, however the Federal Reserve announced that it would start to unwind the stimulus, or quantitative easing, that was implemented in the early years after the 2008 financial crisis. In Japan and China, economic performance has been robust in recent months. There have, however, been tensions in Asia regarding North Korea s nuclear weapons testing over Japanese territory. In response to these tensions, and a bounce in opinion polls, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called a snap election which is likely to take place before year-end. Key takeaway What should investors do in response to these developments? Many investors change their portfolios in a bid to take advantage of the latest news. However, it s very difficult to time these changes effectively. In practice, shifting your portfolio in response to short-term events may lead to little more than increased trading costs. At Vanguard, we believe that investors will usually be better served by identifying the appropriate asset allocation to suit their goals, then sticking with it and tuning out short-term noise. By regularly rebalancing back to target weights, the LifeStrategy funds are built to reflect this belief. See the back page for more on Vanguard s principles for investing success.
2 Market performance Equity and bond market total returns in Q3 2017 Japanese government bonds European investment grade bonds European government bonds US investment grade bonds US government bonds UK index-linked bonds UK investment grade bonds UK government bonds Global bonds Pacific ex Japan equities Japanese equities Emerging market equities Europe ex UK equities US equities UK equities Developed World ex UK equities -0.82-0.43 0.12 0.12 0.29 0.51 0.36 0.66 1.11 0.82 1.01 1.17 1.57 2.14 3.66 4.46-2.00-1.00 0.00 1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00% Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Source: Vanguard as at 30 September 2017. Total returns in GBP. Indices used: FTSE Developed ex-u.k. Index; FTSE All-Share Index; S&P Total Market Index; FTSE Developed Europe ex-u.k. Index; MSCI Emerging Markets Index; MSCI Japan Index; MSCI Pacific ex Japan Index; Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Float Adjusted Index Hedged; Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate U.K. Government Float Adjusted Bond Index; Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate U.K. Non-Government Float Adjusted Bond Index; Bloomberg Barclays U.K. Government Inflation-Linked Float Adjusted Bond Index; Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate U.S. Government Float Adjusted Bond Index Hedged; Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate U.S. Credit Float Adjusted Bond Index Hedged; Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Euro Government Float Adjusted Bond Index Hedged; Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Euro Non-Government Float Adjusted Index Hedged; Bloomberg Barclays Global Aggregate Japan Government Float Adjusted Bond Index Hedged. Fund performance Cumulative % growth, GBP, 30/09/2012 to 30/09/2017 100.00 90.00 80.00 70.00 60.00 50.00 40.00 30.00 20.00 10.00 0.00 Sept 2012 Dec 2012 Mar 2013 June 2013 Sept 2013 Dec 2013 Mar 2014 June 2014 Sept 2014 Dec 2014 Mar 2015 June 2015 Sept 2015 Dec 2015 Mar 2016 June 2016 Sept 2016 Dec 2016 Mar 2017 June 2017 Sept 2017 Vanguard LifeStrategy 20% Equity Index Fund Acc (net of OCF) Vanguard LifeStrategy 40% Equity Index Fund Acc (net of OCF) Vanguard LifeStrategy 60% Equity Index Fund Acc (net of OCF) Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity Index Fund Acc (net of OCF) Vanguard LifeStrategy 100% Equity Index Fund Acc (net of OCF) Performance shown is cumulative and include the reinvestment of all dividends and any capital gains distributions. The performance data does not take account of the commissions and costs incurred in the issue and redemption of shares. Basis of fund performance NAV to NAV. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Source: Vanguard Asset Management, Limited. Please see individual fund performance tables for further information Ongoing Charges Figure (OCF) Each share class of a Fund has an Ongoing Charges Figure (OCF) which is based on projected expenses for a given period. We review these projections regularly to make sure they are appropriate. The OCF covers administration, audit, depositary, legal, registration and regulatory expenses incurred in respect of the Funds. The Funds Authorised Corporate Director will usually pay those fees out of its periodic annual management charge (AMC), which means that the OCF will normally equal the AMC. There may, however, be certain extraordinary expenses which cause the OCF to exceed the AMC. The OCF does not include portfolio transaction costs incurred by a Fund or the cost of subscribing for, or redeeming, shares or units in a Fund.
3 Vanguard LifeStrategy 20% Equity Fund 80% 20% Underlying Funds Vanguard U.K. Government Bond Index Fund 12.30% Vanguard U.K. Investment Grade Bond Index Fund 7.50% Vanguard U.K. Inflation-Linked Gilt Index Fund 7.20% Vanguard FTSE Developed World ex-u.k. Equity Index Fund 13.60% Vanguard FTSE U.K. All Share Index Unit Trust 5.10% Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund 1.50% Vanguard Global Bond Index Fund 19.20% Vanguard Euro Investment Grade Bond Index Fund 4.00% Vanguard Euro Government Bond Index Fund 8.30% Vanguard Japan Government Bond Index Fund 4.90% Vanguard US Investment Grade Credit Index Fund 8.60% Vanguard US Government Bond Index Fund 7.80% AAA 20.83 AA 28.27 A 14.93 BBB 14.18 < BBB NR 1.59 Distribution Technology 3 FinaMetrica (Best Fit range) 15-42 3 Defaqto 3 Synaptic (Strategic asset allocation) 2.7 713,273,231.26 Underlying asset classes Global Bond 19.20% European Corporate 4.00% European Government Bond 8.30% Japan Government Bond 4.90% US Corporate 8.60% US Government Bond 7.80% U.K. Corporate 7.50% U.K. Index Linked 7.20% U.K. Gilts 12.30% U.K. 5.10% European ex U.K. 2.57% North American 8.73% Japan 1.34% Asia ex Japan 0.95% Emerging Markets 1.50% Consumer Discretionary 2.35 Consumer Staples 2.00 Energy 1.47 Financials 3.98 Health Care 2.14 Industrials 2.18 Information Technology 2.98 Materials 1.23 Other 0.04 Real Estate 0.59 Telecommunication Services 0.63 Utilities 0.61 Number of underlying holdings: 17,615 YTD 2.62 2.45 3m 0.60 0.54 6m 0.95 0.84 1Y 1.28 1.05 3Y (ann.) 5.96 5.71 5Y (ann.) 5.77 5.50 Since incept (ann.) 6.57 6.29 30 Sept 2012 30 Sept 2013 4.29 3.99 30 Sept 2013 30 Sept 2014 6.71 6.40 30 Sept 2014 30 Sept 2015 3.76 3.51 30 Sept 2015 30 Sept 2016 13.20 12.93 30 Sept 2016 30 Sept 2017 1.28 1.05
4 Vanguard LifeStrategy 40% Equity Fund 60% 40% Underlying Funds Vanguard U.K. Government Bond Index Fund 9.00% Vanguard FTSE Developed World ex-u.k. Equity Index Fund 19.40% Vanguard U.K. Investment Grade Bond Index Fund 5.50% Vanguard U.K. Inflation-Linked Gilt Index Fund 5.40% Vanguard FTSE U.K. All Share Index Unit Trust 10.10% Vanguard U.S. Equity Index Fund 5.00% Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund 3.10% Vanguard FTSE Developed Europe ex-u.k. Equity Index Fund 1.50% Vanguard Japan Stock Index Fund 0.80% Vanguard U.K. Government Bond UCITS ETF 0.10% Vanguard Pacific Ex-Japan Stock Index Fund 0.40% Vanguard Global Bond Index Fund 19.10% Vanguard Euro Investment Grade Bond Index Fund 2.50% Vanguard Euro Government Bond Index Fund 5.10% Vanguard Japan Government Bond Index Fund 3.10% Vanguard US Investment Grade Credit Index Fund 5.20% Vanguard US Government Bond Index Fund 4.70% AAA 15.72 AA 21.17 A 11.05 BBB 10.45 < BBB NR 1.31 Distribution Technology 4 FinaMetrica (Best Fit range) 43-55 5 Defaqto 4 Synaptic (Strategic asset allocation) 3.2 2,134,936,399.60 Underlying asset classes Global Bond 19.10% European Corporate 2.50% European Government Bond 5.10% Japan Government Bond 3.10% US Corporate 5.20% US Government Bond 4.70% U.K. Corporate 5.50% U.K. Index Linked 5.40% U.K. Gilts 9.10% U.K. 10.10% European ex U.K. 5.16% North American 17.45% Japan 2.71% Asia ex Japan 1.75% Emerging Markets 3.10% Consumer Discretionary 4.70 Consumer Staples 3.95 Energy 2.87 Financials 7.89 Health Care 4.30 Industrials 4.41 Information Technology 5.89 Materials 2.46 Other 0.08 Real Estate 1.26 Telecommunication Services 1.25 Utilities 1.23 Number of underlying holdings: 20,502 YTD 3.92 3.75 3m 0.89 0.84 6m 1.34 1.22 1Y 4.53 4.30 3Y (ann.) 8.02 7.77 5Y (ann.) 7.84 7.56 Since incept (ann.) 8.00 7.71 30 Sept 2012 30 Sept 2013 7.48 7.16 30 Sept 2013 30 Sept 2014 7.66 7.34 30 Sept 2014 30 Sept 2015 3.11 2.87 30 Sept 2015 30 Sept 2016 16.94 16.66 30 Sept 2016 30 Sept 2017 4.53 4.30
5 Vanguard LifeStrategy 60% Equity Fund 40% 60% Underlying Funds Vanguard FTSE Developed World ex-u.k. Equity Index Fund 19.30% Vanguard U.K. Government Bond Index Fund 5.80% Vanguard FTSE U.K. All Share Index Unit Trust 15.10% Vanguard U.S. Equity Index Fund 13.70% Vanguard U.K. Investment Grade Bond Index Fund 3.60% Vanguard U.K. Inflation-Linked Gilt Index Fund 3.60% Vanguard FTSE Developed Europe ex-u.k. Equity Index Fund 4.20% Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund 4.60% Vanguard Japan Stock Index Fund 2.20% Vanguard Pacific Ex-Japan Stock Index Fund 1.10% Vanguard U.K. Government Bond UCITS ETF 0.10% Vanguard Global Bond Index Fund 19.20% Vanguard Euro Investment Grade Bond Index Fund 0.90% Vanguard Euro Government Bond Index Fund 1.90% Vanguard Japan Government Bond Index Fund 1.10% Vanguard US Investment Grade Credit Index Fund 1.90% Vanguard US Government Bond Index Fund 1.70% AAA 10.80 AA 14.11 A 7.07 BBB 6.80 < BBB NR 1.02 Distribution Technology 5 FinaMetrica (Best Fit range) 56-67 7 Defaqto 5 Synaptic (Strategic asset allocation) 4.1 3,130,823,751.44 Underlying asset classes Global Bond 19.20% European Corporate 0.90% European Government Bond 1.90% Japan Government Bond 1.10% US Corporate 1.90% US Government Bond 1.70% U.K. Corporate 3.60% U.K. Index Linked 3.60% U.K. Gilts 5.90% U.K. 15.10% European ex U.K. 7.84% North American 26.09% Japan 4.10% Asia ex Japan 2.44% Emerging Markets 4.60% Consumer Discretionary 7.03 Consumer Staples 5.86 Energy 4.23 Financials 11.73 Health Care 6.48 Industrials 6.68 Information Technology 8.70 Materials 3.68 Other 0.12 Real Estate 1.97 Telecommunication Services 1.86 Utilities 1.86 Number of underlying holdings: 20,502 YTD 5.31 5.13 3m 1.23 1.18 6m 1.79 1.67 1Y 7.88 7.64 3Y (ann.) 10.03 9.77 5Y (ann.) 9.92 9.64 Since incept (ann.) 9.31 9.02 30 Sept 2012 30 Sept 2013 11.07 10.73 30 Sept 2013 30 Sept 2014 8.46 8.14 30 Sept 2014 30 Sept /2015 2.39 2.15 30 Sept 2015 30 Sept 2016 20.60 20.31 30 Sept 2016 30 Sept 2017 7.88 7.64
6 Vanguard LifeStrategy 80% Equity Fund 20% 80% AAA 5.72 AA 6.73 A 3.43 BBB 3.30 < BBB NR 0.62 Distribution Technology 6 FinaMetrica (Best Fit range) 68-87 8 Defaqto 7 Synaptic (Strategic asset allocation) 5.0 1,482,456,828.95 Underlying Funds Vanguard U.S. Equity Index Fund 19.40% Vanguard FTSE Developed World ex-u.k. Equity Index Fund 19.30% Vanguard U.K. Government Bond Index Fund 2.50% Vanguard FTSE Developed Europe ex-u.k. Equity Index Fund 6.80% Vanguard U.K. Investment Grade Bond Index Fund 1.60% Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund 6.20% Vanguard FTSE U.K. All Share Index Unit Trust 18.40% Vanguard U.K. Inflation-Linked Gilt Index Fund 1.80% Vanguard Japan Stock Index Fund 3.60% Vanguard Pacific Ex-Japan Stock Index Fund 1.80% Vanguard U.K. Government Bond UCITS ETF 0.00% Vanguard Global Bond Index Fund 13.90% Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF 3.00% Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF 1.70% Underlying asset classes Global Bond 13.90% U.K. Corporate 1.60% U.K. Index Linked 1.80% U.K. Gilts 2.50% U.K. 20.10% European ex U.K. 10.44% North American 34.79% Japan 5.50% Asia ex Japan 3.14% Emerging Markets 6.20% Consumer Discretionary 9.35 Consumer Staples 7.86 Energy 5.64 Financials 15.55 Health Care 8.70 Industrials 8.89 Information Technology 11.55 Materials 4.90 Other 0.15 Real Estate 2.64 Telecommunication Services 2.49 Utilities 2.49 Number of underlying holdings: 16,686 YTD 6.69 6.51 3m 1.57 1.52 6m 2.23 2.12 1Y 11.27 11.02 3Y (ann.) 11.96 11.70 5Y (ann.) 12.00 11.71 Since incept (ann.) 10.56 10.25 30 Sept 2012 30 Sept 2013 14.90 14.53 30 Sept 2013 30 Sept 2014 9.30 8.98 30 Sept 2014 30 Sept 2015 1.49 1.25 30 Sept 2015 30 Sept 2016 24.28 23.98 30 Sept 2016 30 Sept 2017 11.27 11.02
7 Vanguard LifeStrategy 100% Equity Fund 100% Underlying Fund weighting Vanguard U.S. Equity Index Fund 19.20% Vanguard FTSE Developed World ex-u.k. Equity Index Fund 19.20% Vanguard FTSE Developed Europe ex-u.k. Equity Index Fund 9.40% Vanguard FTSE U.K. All Share Index Unit Trust 18.60% Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund 7.70% Vanguard Japan Stock Index Fund 5.00% Vanguard Pacific Ex-Japan Stock Index Fund 2.50% Vanguard S&P 500 UCITS ETF 11.80% Vanguard FTSE 250 UCITS ETF 1.10% Vanguard FTSE 100 UCITS ETF 5.50% Underlying asset class weighting U.K. 25.20% European ex U.K. 13.02% North American 43.33% Japan 6.89% Asia ex Japan 3.84% Emerging Markets 7.70% Not applicable Distribution Technology 7 FinaMetrica (Best Fit range) 88-100 10 Defaqto 9 Synaptic (Strategic asset allocation) 5.9 715,820,079.04 Consumer Discretionary 11.65 Consumer Staples 9.83 Energy 7.01 Financials 19.29 Health Care 10.91 Industrials 11.12 Information Technology 14.43 Materials 6.08 Other 0.19 Real Estate 3.26 Telecommunication Services 3.12 Utilities 3.11 Number of underlying holdings: 6,247 YTD 8.13 7.95 3m 1.91 1.85 6m 2.68 2.57 1Y 14.73 14.48 3Y (ann.) 13.86 13.59 5Y (ann.) 14.08 13.78 Since incept (ann.) 11.71 11.39 30 Sept 2012 30 Sept 2013 18.69 18.30 30 Sept 2013 30 Sept 2014 10.30 9.97 30 Sept 2014 30 Sept 2015 0.44 0.20 30 Sept 2015 30 Sept 2016 28.09 27.78 30 Sept 2016 30 Sept 2017 14.73 14.48
Vanguard s principles for investing success It s easy to be swayed by the latest developments in the markets or the economy, manager ratings or the performance of an individual security or strategy. However, instead of getting caught up in investment noise, we believe that investors stand a better chance of success if they remain focused on the things they can control. We believe there are four fundamental principles that can help investors stay on track. Vanguard s LifeStrategy Funds embody these principles and have been carefully constructed to give investors of all risk appetites the best chance of investment success. 1 Goals Create clear, appropriate investment goals An appropriate investment goal should be measurable and attainable. Success should not depend upon outsized investment returns, nor upon impractical saving or spending requirements. 3 Cost Minimise cost You can t control the markets, but you can control the bite of costs and taxes. The lower your costs, the greater your share of an investment s return. In addition, Vanguard research suggests that lower-cost investments have tended to outperform higher-cost alternatives. To hold onto even more of your return, manage for tax efficiency. 2 Balance Develop a suitable asset allocation using broadly diversified funds A sound investment strategy starts with an asset allocation suitable for the portfolio s objective. The allocation should be built upon reasonable expectations for risk and returns, and should use diversified investments to avoid exposure to unnecessary risks. 4 Discipline Maintain perspective and long-term discipline Investing can provoke strong emotions. In the face of market turmoil, some investors may find themselves making impulsive decisions or, conversely, becoming paralysed, unable to implement an investment strategy or to rebalance a portfolio as needed. Discipline and perspective can help investors remain committed to their long-term plans. Important information This document is designed for use by, and is directed only at persons resident in the UK. Vanguard Asset Management, Limited only gives information on products and services and does not give investment advice based on individual circumstances. If you have any questions related to your investment decision or the suitability or appropriateness for you of the product[s] described in this document, please contact your financial adviser. The material contained in this document is not to be regarded as an offer to buy or sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy or sell securities in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation is against the law, or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation, or if the person making the offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so. The information in this document is general in nature and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. Potential investors are urged to consult their professional advisers on the implications of making an investment in, holding or disposing of units/shares of, and the receipt of distribution from any investment. The value of investments, and the income from them, may fall or rise and investors may get back less than they invested. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Reference in this document to specific securities should not be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell these securities, but is included for the purposes of illustration only. Some funds invest in emerging markets which can be more volatile than more established markets. As a result the value of your investment may rise or fall. ETF shares can be bought or sold only through a broker. Investing in ETFs entails stockbroker commission and a bid-offer spread which should be considered fully before investing. The Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds may invest in Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) shares. Funds investing in fixed interest securities carry the risk of default on repayment and erosion of the capital value of your investment and the level of income may fluctuate. Movements in interest rates are likely to affect the capital value of fixed interest securities. Corporate bonds may provide higher yields but as such may carry greater credit risk increasing the risk of default on repayment and erosion of the capital value of your investment. The level of income may fluctuate and movements in interest rates are likely to affect the capital value of bonds. The funds may invest in financial derivative instruments that could increase or reduce exposure to underlying assets and result in greater fluctuations of the fund s Net Asset Value. Some derivatives give rise to increased potential for loss where the fund s counterparty defaults in meeting its payment obligations. The Authorised Corporate Director for Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds ICVC is Vanguard Investments UK, Limited. Vanguard Asset Management, Limited is a distributor of Vanguard LifeStrategy Funds ICVC. For further information on the fund s investment policy, please refer to the Key Investor Information Document ( KIID ). The KIID and the Prospectus for this fund is available from Vanguard via our website https://global.vanguard.com/. London Stock Exchange Group companies include FTSE International Limited ( FTSE ), Frank Russell Company ( Russell ), MTS Next Limited ( MTS ), and FTSE TMX Global Debt Capital Markets Inc. ( FTSE TMX ). All rights reserved. FTSE, Russell, MTS, FTSE TMX and FTSE Russell and other service marks and trademarks related to the FTSE or Russell indexes are trademarks of the London Stock Exchange Group companies and are used by FTSE, MTS, FTSE TMX and Russell under licence. All information is provided for information purposes only. No responsibility or liability can be accepted by the London Stock Exchange Group companies nor its licensors for any errors or for any loss from use of this publication. Neither the London Stock Exchange Group companies nor any of its licensors make any claim, prediction, warranty or representation whatsoever, expressly or impliedly, either as to the results to be obtained from the use of the FTSE or Russell indexes or the fitness or suitability of the indexes for any particular purpose to which they might be put. S&P and S&P 500 are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor s Financial Services LLC ( S&P ) and have been licensed for use by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and its affiliates and sublicensed for certain purposes by Vanguard. The S&P 500 index is a product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and has been licensed for use by Vanguard. The Vanguard S&P500 UCITS ETF is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P or their respective affiliates, and none of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P nor their respective affiliates makes any representation regarding the advisability of investing in such product. Issued by Vanguard Asset Management, Limited which is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. 2017 Vanguard Asset Management, Limited. All rights reserved. 284483 Connect with Vanguard vanguard.co.uk