The Motley Foolยท2025-07-26 09:07Core Insights - The S&P 500 is a leading U.S. stock market index comprising 500 companies from 11 sectors, selected based on strict criteria to ensure high quality [1] - The S&P 500 has delivered a compound annual return of 10.5% since its inception in 1957, making it a recommended investment by experts like Warren Buffett [2] Investment Options - Younger investors or those with a higher risk appetite may consider alternative investments with greater growth potential [3] - The Vanguard Growth ETF aims to track the CRSP US Large Cap Growth Index, which includes companies representing 85% of the market capitalization of the CRSP US Total Market Index [5][6] - The Vanguard Growth ETF holds 165 stocks, with its top five holdings (Microsoft, Nvidia, Apple, Amazon, Meta Platforms) accounting for 44.2% of its portfolio [8] - Over the last decade, the Vanguard Growth ETF generated a compound annual return of 16.2%, outperforming the S&P 500's 12.8% [10] - Since its establishment in 2004, the Vanguard Growth ETF has achieved a compound annual return of 11.8%, compared to the S&P 500's 10.1% [11] Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF - The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF tracks the CRSP US Mega Cap Growth Index, focusing on companies that make up 70% of the market cap of the CRSP US Total Market Index [13][14] - This ETF holds 69 stocks, with its top five holdings representing 50.3% of its portfolio [14] - The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF has delivered a compound annual return of 13.4% since its inception in 2007, surpassing the S&P 500's 10.2% [15] Sector Concentration - The technology sector constitutes 60.4% of the Vanguard Growth ETF and 63.9% of the Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF [17] - High concentration in technology stocks has led to significant returns but also exposes investors to risks if these stocks experience corrections [17][18]