VHY Share Price Today: ASX:VHY Live Chart & Dividend Info

VHY delivers one of the ASX’s most consistent quarterly dividend streams—but that high yield only works for investors who can fully exploit Australian franking credits. The Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF rounds up some of the biggest dividend payers on the ASX—think major banks and miners—and throws off cash every quarter.

Current Price: $84.27 ·
Today’s Change: -0.25 (-0.29%) ·
Volume: 116,027 ·
Exchange: ASX ·
Ticker: VHY.AX

The table below consolidates VHY’s core specifications from official sources.

Is VHY a good long-term investment?

VHY’s stated goal is straightforward: track the FTSE Australia High Dividend Yield Index before fees, expenses, and tax. According to Vanguard’s official product page, the fund achieves this by holding or gaining exposure to most securities in the index. For income-focused investors, this is essentially a buy signal—you’re getting a slice of Australia’s heaviest dividend payers without having to pick individual winners.

The ASX confirms the fund holds securities directly linked to the index, adding a layer of transparency that tier-3 sources simply can’t match. The tradeoff, of course, is that you’re not chasing growth stocks. When markets rotate toward tech or small-caps, VHY typically lags. But for retirees, self-managed super funds, or anyone building a cash-flow portfolio, that quarterly dividend stream has real value.

Historical performance

Short-term numbers tell a modest story: 2.94% over the past year, 0.4% year-to-date, and a 1.64% dip in the past month per HALO Technologies. These figures won’t excite growth investors, but they’re measured against the ASX 200 TR AUD benchmark, which itself hasn’t exactly roared recently. The portfolio dividend yield of 3.96% slightly edges its 3.87% benchmark yield according to Morningstar—a narrow but consistent outperformance.

Risk factors

The biggest risk isn’t the fund itself but the sector concentration that comes with chasing high yield. Australian banks, miners, and telcos dominate the top holdings. When any of these sectors hit a rough patch—as happened with the majors during tighter lending conditions—VHY feels it. There’s also the currency exposure: 100% AUD-denominated holdings mean no natural hedge for international investors converting back to USD or EUR.

Comparison to benchmarks

Where VHY stands out is dividend yield, not capital growth. The fund’s 5.40% trailing yield (per Stock Analysis) sits well above the bottom quartile of AU dividend payers at 2.15% according to StockInvest.us. That’s a meaningful gap, but it comes with sector risk that broader ETFs like VAS avoid.

Does VHY pay a dividend?

Yes, and on a predictable quarterly cadence. The fund has paid dividends every quarter since at least 2023, with payments typically landing around the 16th of the month following each ex-date. According to Market Index, distributions have ranged from $1.036 to $2.434 per share depending on the quarter—reflecting the underlying dividend cycles of ASX constituents rather than any fixed payout policy.

The TTM dividend per share stands at $6.5132 AUD, with a gross DPS of $7.6528 AUD and a payout ratio of 37% per Market Index. That’s a healthy return, though investors should note the payout ratio remains conservative—leaving room for distributions to hold steady even if earnings soften at the company level.

Dividend history

Looking at the confirmed dividend record from Market Index, the pattern is consistent:

• Jul 1, 2025: $2.0018 per share (20% franking)
• Apr 1, 2025: $2.4348 per share (27% franking)
• Jan 2, 2025: $1.036 per share (74% franking)
• Oct 1, 2024: $1.0407 per share (79% franking)
• Jul 1, 2024: $1.1435 per share (36% franking)

The spread is wide—from $1.04 to $2.43 per quarter—but that tracks the seasonal earnings patterns of banks and resource companies that dominate the index.

Yield details

Here’s where things get confusing. Different sources report dramatically different yields: Stock Analysis cites a forward yield of 7.59% based on the latest $6.19 annual dividend, while Investing.com shows 5.43% and DivvyDiary projects a 5.48% forward yield. The variation stems from TTM calculations versus forward projections—neither is wrong, but investors need to understand which methodology applies to their decision.

Payment schedule

VHY follows the standard ASX ETF dividend calendar: ex-dates land on the first business day of January, April, July, and October, with payable dates roughly two weeks later. The fund offers a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP), confirmed by Market Index, allowing holders to automatically reinvest distributions rather than taking cash.

Who does VHY invest in?

VHY doesn’t chase growth. Its mandate is pure income, which means the portfolio skews heavily toward mature, cash-generating businesses—predominantly the big four Australian banks and major resource exporters. The fund holds or gains exposure to most securities in the FTSE Australia High Dividend Yield Index, as confirmed by the ASX’s official product page. This isn’t a tech fund, and it isn’t trying to be.

The geographic exposure is 100% Australian, according to DivvyDiary, which means currency risk sits entirely in AUD. For international investors, that’s either a feature (natural hedge to local costs) or a bug (no diversification benefit).

Top holdings

The index methodology naturally weights toward dividend-heavy sectors. Banking stocks (CBA, WBC, ANZ, NAB) and resource majors (BHP, Rio Tinto) typically dominate because they consistently generate the franking credits and payouts the index targets. This concentration is by design—VHY’s screening process filters for forecast dividend yield, not market cap or earnings growth.

Sector allocation

Financials and materials typically account for the lion’s share—often 50%+ combined—with utilities, telcos, and infrastructure filling out the remainder. The exact split shifts as commodity prices and bank earnings cycle, but the income mandate ensures high-payout sectors stay overrepresented.

Investment strategy

The FTSE Australia High Dividend Yield Index screens ASX-listed companies by forecast dividend yield and rebalances periodically. Vanguard replicates the index by holding the actual securities where feasible, or by using derivatives and SWaps where direct ownership would be impractical. The result is a portfolio that looks structurally similar to the index—high yield, high franking, and sector concentration.

How much of VHY is franked?

Australian dividends carry franking credits—tax offsets that reflect the company tax already paid at 30%. For VHY holders, the benefit depends heavily on their personal tax situation and the franking percentage attached to each distribution. The historical record from Market Index shows franking levels swinging between 20% and 89% across recent quarters—a wider range than many investors expect.

Franking credits explained

A 100% franked dividend carries a 30% franking credit, which effectively boosts the pre-tax yield for Australian residents in lower tax brackets. But not all VHY distributions arrive fully franked. The July 2025 payment came through at only 20% franking, while the January 2025 distribution hit 74% and the October 2024 payment reached 79%—all per Market Index. The variation reflects the underlying dividend mix: banks tend to frank more fully than resource exporters, and some sectors simply pay less franked dividends.

Current franking percentage

Looking at the most recent data, the April 2025 distribution showed 27% franking and the July 2025 payment came in at 20%. That downward trend is notable—it suggests the dividend mix has shifted toward less-franked sources. For investors relying on franking credits to reduce their tax bill, this is a signal to watch.

Is VHY a good stock to buy?

That depends entirely on what you’re trying to achieve. For income-focused Australian investors—particularly those in pension phase or lower tax brackets—VHY’s combination of quarterly dividends, franking credits, and sector exposure checks meaningful boxes. The 5.40% trailing yield and consistent quarterly cadence offer reliable cash flow. But for growth-oriented investors or those outside Australia, the picture looks different.

Pros and cons

Current valuation

The price of $84.27 sits near the upper end of recent ranges. HALO Technologies puts the 52-week range at $63.36 to $86.19, suggesting the current price reflects relative strength. Whether that’s justified depends on whether you think the dividend stream warrants a premium—and whether you’ve modeled the after-tax return accounting for franking.

Buy signals

For Australian income investors, the signals are straightforward: consistent quarterly distributions, a yield above market averages, and the structural advantage of franking credits. For growth investors, international holders, or anyone with lower tax brackets, the franking benefit shrinks and the sector concentration risk grows. VHY is a specialized tool, not an all-purpose ETF.

How does VHY compare to other Vanguard ETFs?

Vanguard offers several Australian equity ETFs, each with a different angle. Understanding where VHY sits relative to alternatives helps investors calibrate expectations.

The three funds share Vanguard’s low-cost structure but diverge sharply on exposure. VHY targets dividend yield; VAS spreads across the ASX 200 regardless of payout; VDVA takes the high-dividend concept global. For Australian investors optimizing franking credits, VHY edges out VAS—but for broad market diversification, VAS wins.

What’s in VHY’s portfolio?

The FTSE Australia High Dividend Yield Index methodology selects securities based on forecast dividend yield. This screens out growth-oriented companies that reinvest profits rather than distribute them—think CSL or most software firms—and favors sectors where payout ratios run high: banking, mining, utilities, and infrastructure.

Investors should note that the portfolio yield (3.96%) sits below the trailing distribution yield (5.40%)—a gap that reflects the timing of index rebalancing and the difference between portfolio valuation and actual cash distributions.

Confirmed facts and uncertainties

Confidence in VHY’s data landscape is mixed. The fund’s structure, issuer, and dividend cadence are well-documented by official sources. Price and yield data, however, vary enough to warrant skepticism—especially when sources report figures that don’t reconcile.

• Current price $84.27 from contract (ASX data)
• Pays dividends quarterly; last ex-dates confirmed through Jul 2025
• TTM dividend per share: $6.5132 AUD per Market Index
• DRP available per Market Index
• Tracks FTSE Australia High Dividend Yield Index per Vanguard and ASX

• Yield varies widely: 5.40% (TTM) vs 7.59% (forward) vs 5.43% (Investing.com)
• Next dividend announcement post-July 2025 not confirmed
• AUM figure not publicly disclosed
• Full top-10 holdings list not included in official ETF page

“The ETF provides low-cost exposure to companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) that have higher forecast dividends relative to other ASX-listed companies.”

— Vanguard (Issuer), Vanguard official product page

“VHY.AX pays a solid dividend yield of 7.24%, which is higher than the average of the bottom 25% of dividend payers in the AU market (2.15%).”

— StockInvest.us (Data Provider), StockInvest.us analysis

The implication: official sources agree on structure and cadence but diverge on specific metrics. Investors making allocation decisions should anchor on confirmed figures (prices, ex-dates, franking percentages from Market Index and Vanguard) while treating yield calculations as ranges rather than precise targets.

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Frequently asked questions

For Australian investors prioritizing income over growth, the choice is clear: VHY delivers reliable quarterly dividends with franking credits that compound over time—but only for those with the tax profile to benefit. Growth seekers and international investors should look elsewhere.