ETF Odds & Ends: Vanguard Share Splits

It was fairly quiet in the ETF space last week, with share splits for three Vanguard funds claiming top billing among name and index changes for a handful of other ETFs, including a pair of well-known iShares industry group ETFs.

Vanguard Shares Splits

Three Vanguard ETFs underwent forward share splits effective April 20. The splits are as follows:

• Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF (VONG), 4 for 1
• Vanguard Russell 1000 Value ETF (VONV), 2 for 1
• Vanguard Russell 2000 ETF (VTWO), 2 for 1

The $1.2 billion iPath Series B S&P 500 VIX Short Term Futures ETN (VXX) also underwent a 1-for-4 reverse split effective April 23.

Other Changes

In addition, the two ETFs marketed under the Agility Shares brand name adopted the name of their parent company. As of April 23, the Agility Shares Managed Risk ETF (MRSK) is known as the Toews Agility Shares Managed Risk ETF. Similarly, the Agility Shares Dynamic Tactical Income ETF (THY) is now named the Toews Agility Shares Dynamic Tactical Income ETF.

Bigger changes are underway with some sizable iShares ETFs, with the $6.9 billion iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) and the $10.1 billion iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) set to change both their names and indexes. Effective June 21, SOXX will be known as the iShares Semiconductor ETF, and its index will change from the PHLX Semiconductor Sector Index to the ICE Semiconductor Index. Similarly, IBB will change its name to the iShares Biotechnology ETF, and its index will change from the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index to the ICE Biotechnology Index.

Contact Heather Bell at [email protected]