Vanguard has been one of the most prolific cutters of fees among major ETF issuers. For example, the firm pared expenses on seven ETFS in April 2013. [Vanguard Cuts Fee on Bond ETFs]
The following month, the firm lowered the fees on the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (NYSEArca: VIG), the largest U.S. dividend ETF, and in December 2012, Vanguard reduced costs on 22 of its ETFs. [Vanguard Trims Expenses on 22 ETFs]
“In addition, Vanguard operates a ‘tight ship.’ We spend modest amounts on marketing relative to competitors, do not pay third parties to distribute our funds, and negotiate favorable fee arrangements with our external investment advisors and benchmark providers, all of which result in significant cost savings for our clients over the long term,” said Vanguard in the statement.
