VS
Manulife Smart U.S. Defensive Equity ETF (UDEF.U) and Vanguard U.S. Dividend Appreciation Index ETF (VGG) offer distinct profiles for Canadian ETF investors. A direct comparison shows that UDEF.U focuses its top 3 sector exposures on Information Technology, Health Care, and Financials, while VGG leans towards Information Technology, Health Care, and Financials. When evaluating costs, UDEF.U features a management fee (MER) of 0.28%, compared to 0.28% for VGG. Performance-wise, UDEF.U has returned 9.25% year-to-date with -$0 M in net flows, whereas VGG is at 8.74% with +$39 M. Use the comparison tool below to benchmark these funds across top 10 holdings, yield, sector weights and historical returns.
NAV Performance and Flows
Key Data
Compare
UDEF.U
VGG
| AuM | $1.78 M | $2,489.20 M |
| Management Fees | 0.28% | 0.28% |
| Exp. ratio | 0.40% | 0.31% |
| Tracking Difference | - | - |
Historical performance and flows
As of June 11, 2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | UDEF.U | +3.75% | +6.94% | +9.25% | +14.16% | +41.76% |
VGG | +4.80% | +9.31% | +8.74% | +20.33% | +61.46% | |
| Flows | UDEF.U | -$0 M | +$0 M | -$0 M | +$0 M | -$1 M |
VGG | +$11 M | +$13 M | +$39 M | +$64 M | +$691 M |
UDEF.U vs VGG exposure
Countries
UDEF.U
USA
92.12%
Other
7.88%
VGG
USA
94.45%
Sectors
UDEF.U
Information Technology
31.89%
Health Care
12.13%
Financials
11.61%
Industrials
11.55%
Communication Services
7.27%
Other
25.54%
VGG
Information Technology
28.30%
Health Care
16.26%
Financials
15.43%
Industrials
11.28%
Consumer Staples
10.15%
Other
18.59%
As of June 11, 2026
Top 10 Holdings
UDEF.U
APPLIED MATERIAL
2.21%
VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS
2.20%
JOHNSON&JOHNSON
2.13%
ANALOG DEVICES
2.02%
MICROSOFT-T
1.93%
APPLE
1.91%
VISA INCORPORATION
1.91%
MASTERCARD
1.91%
MCDONALD'S
1.90%
MERCK & CO INC
1.89%
VGG
BROADCOM LIMITED
5.15%
APPLE
4.05%
MICROSOFT-T
3.94%
JPMORGAN CHASE
3.57%
LILLY
3.31%
EXXON
2.89%
WALMART INC
2.59%
JOHNSON&JOHNSON
2.48%
VISA INCORPORATION
2.31%
COSTCO WHOLESALE
2.02%
Diversification
UDEF.U
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 167 total
20.00%
VGG
Total weight of top 10 holdings out of 332 total
32.30%
Characteristics
Compare
UDEF.U
VGG
| Provider | Manulife Investments | Vanguard |
| Management | Actively managed | Passively managed |
| Benchmark | - | S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index - USD |
| Replication Method | ||
| Asset Class | Equity | Equity |
| Dividend Policy | Distributing | Distributing |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | 0.00% | 1.02% |
| Meets ESG criteria | No | No |
| Inception Date | November 9, 2022 | August 2, 2013 |
Frequently asked questions about UDEF.U and VGG
Which ETF has performed better year to date: UDEF.U or VGG?
As of June 11, 2026, UDEF.U has returned 9.25% year to date, while VGG has returned 8.74%. UDEF.U is ahead on YTD performance.
Which ETF is larger by assets under management: UDEF.U or VGG?
As of June 11, 2026, UDEF.U manages $1.78 M in assets, while VGG manages $2.49 B. VGG is the larger fund by AUM.
How are UDEF.U and VGG managed?
UDEF.U is actively managed by Manulife Investments. It does not track an index. VGG is passively managed by Vanguard. It tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index - USD benchmark.
What sectors do UDEF.U and VGG emphasize?
UDEF.U is most exposed to Information Technology, Health Care, and Financials. VGG is most exposed to Information Technology, Health Care, and Financials.
Which ETF is attracting more investor flows: UDEF.U or VGG?
Year to date, UDEF.U has seen -$0.00 M in net flows, compared with +$39.38 M for VGG. VGG has attracted more net investor money so far.
How do the fees of UDEF.U and VGG compare?
UDEF.U has an expense ratio of 0.40%, while VGG has an expense ratio of 0.31%.
What are the top holdings of UDEF.U and VGG?
UDEF.U's largest holdings include APPLIED MATERIAL and VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS. VGG's top holdings include BROADCOM LIMITED, APPLE, and MICROSOFT-T.
Which ETF is more diversified: UDEF.U or VGG?
UDEF.U holds 163 securities, while VGG holds 321. On holdings count, VGG is the more diversified portfolio.
Recent articles about UDEF.U and VGG
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