Big Moves: Investors Shake Up Stakes in Vanguard Materials ETF

In the first quarter, investors made some notable changes to their holdings in the Vanguard Materials ETF (NYSEARCA:VAW). Baird Financial Group Inc. trimmed its stake by 3. 3%, selling off 167 shares. This left them with 4, 894 shares, worth about $924, 000. Other big players also jumped in. Park National Corp OH boosted its stake by a whopping 591%, now holding 44, 637 shares worth $8. 4 million. Raymond James Financial Inc. wasn't far behind, increasing its position by 53. 5%, bringing its total to 101, 987 shares valued at $19. 3 million. The Vanguard Materials ETF aims to mirror the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Materials 25/50 Index. This index includes large-, mid-, and small-cap U. S. stocks in the materials sector. Think of companies involved in everything from mining to construction materials. It's a broad category, covering a lot of ground in the manufacturing world. As for the stock itself, it opened at $205. 30 on a recent Wednesday. Over the past year, it's seen a low of $161. 43 and a high of $215. 82. The stock has a market cap of $2. 81 billion and a PE ratio of 23. 02. It's also got a beta of 1. 11, which means it's a bit more volatile than the market average. The Vanguard Materials ETF is part of a larger world of investments. There are plenty of other stocks and strategies out there. Some investors might prefer individual stocks over ETFs. Others might look at different sectors or use specific trading strategies. It's all about finding what works best for you.