For investors, it has been a toss-up between value and growth stocks for much of this year. As the focus swings back to value , Morningstar has described the Vanguard Value Index Fund as “one of the best large-value funds available.” The independent fund rating company gave the fund a five-star rating, and a gold analyst rating. It’s also among the top gold-rated U.S. funds under Morningstar’s coverage that have beaten the S & P 500 ‘s performance this year, according to the firm. The Vanguard Value Index Fund is down around 7% this year — compared to the S & P 500, which has lost around 14%. In August, meanwhile, value stocks held up better than their growth counterparts, according to Morningstar, with the Vanguard Value fund losing 2.68%, compared to the Vanguard Growth ETF which tumbled 5%. “Vanguard Value Index’s broadly diversified portfolio, low turnover, and pronounced cost advantage make it one of the best large-value funds available,” Morningstar analyst Ryan Jackson said. Overall, 52% of analysts are bullish on the fund, giving it a buy rating, according to FactSet. The fund has 344 constituents, and its top 10 holdings include Berkshire Hathaway , Johnson & Johnson , Exxon Mobil and Pfizer . The fund is most heavily weighted toward financial, health care and industrial stocks. “The index buffers also promote diversification, as they allow stocks to float well into growth territory and remain in the portfolio,” Jackson added. “The fund diversifies well at other levels, too. No sector constitutes more than financials’ 22% weight, and a broad reach diminishes firm-specific risk.” ‘Fight the urge to get Growthy’ Investors flocked to value stocks in the first half of 2022, as markets entered bear territory. Value names are those that typically trade at a low multiple relative to the broader market and have stable fundamentals. During the recent summer rally, however, growth stocks — which includes the big tech stocks, and are expected to rise at a faster rate than the rest of the market — rebounded. Goldman said in a note last week that it’s time to bet on value stocks , however. “Current relative valuations within the equity market imply the Value factor will generate strong returns over the medium term,” Goldman Analyst Cormac Conners said. Bank of America has also warned investors to “fight the urge to get Growthy.” “Investors seem tempted to overweight secular/quality growth – perhaps because these are also the stocks that made us money over the past decade,” BofA analysts wrote in a Sept. 9 note. They added that in the later innings of a late cycle, value stocks tend to be rewarded, outperforming the benchmark index 67% of the time. Health care, energy and industrials fare well at this stage, BofA added. The consumer staples, health care and industrials sectors in the S & P 500 have racked up the lowest losses so far this year, with declines of nearly 3%, 6.6% and 9% respectively, according to FactSet. — CNBC’s Samantha Subin contributed to this report.
