What Is AVUV? Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF
Short answer
AVUV is an actively managed, systematic small-cap value ETF from Avantis (American Century) that screens for cheap valuations combined with high profitability, and it has become one of the most popular factor funds in the category. Because Avantis tilts deliberately toward the smallest and most value-oriented names rather than tracking an index, AVUV is generally more concentrated in the value and profitability factors than a broad benchmark fund like the iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN). Compared with the Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (VBR), which is passive and includes larger, less deeply discounted names, AVUV leans into smaller, deeper-value stocks. It is most directly comparable to the DFA Dimensional U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (DFSV), which uses a similar profitability-screened, actively managed approach.
AVUV is issued by Avantis Investors (American Century Investments) and tracks Actively managed (no index); systematic U.S. small-cap value tilt. It charges a 0.25% expense ratio, holds approximately approximately $28 billion in assets under management, yields about approximately 1.3% to 1.5%, and launched in September 24, 2019.
What is AVUV?
AVUV is an actively managed, systematic small-cap value ETF from Avantis (American Century) that screens for cheap valuations combined with high profitability, and it has become one of the most popular factor funds in the category. Because Avantis tilts deliberately toward the smallest and most value-oriented names rather than tracking an index, AVUV is generally more concentrated in the value and profitability factors than a broad benchmark fund like the iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN). Compared with the Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (VBR), which is passive and includes larger, less deeply discounted names, AVUV leans into smaller, deeper-value stocks. It is most directly comparable to the DFA Dimensional U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (DFSV), which uses a similar profitability-screened, actively managed approach.
AVUV is issued by Avantis Investors (American Century Investments) and tracks Actively managed (no index); systematic U.S. small-cap value tilt, so a single ticker gives you the whole basket of underlying holdings weighted by the index's methodology rather than by any active stock-picking.
AVUV holdings: what's actually inside
AVUV is weighted toward its largest constituents. As of early 2026, the top holdings are:
| Rank | Ticker | Company | % of AVUV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | VSAT | Viasat, Inc. | 1.4% | |
| 2 | SM | SM Energy Company | 1.0% | |
| 3 | MATX | Matson, Inc. | 1.0% | |
| 4 | LEA | Lear Corporation | 0.9% | |
| 5 | SNEX | StoneX Group Inc. | 0.9% | |
| 6 | AVT | Avnet, Inc. | 0.9% | |
| 7 | M | Macy's, Inc. | 0.8% | |
| 8 | FIVE | Five Below, Inc. | 0.8% | |
| 9 | GATX | GATX Corporation | 0.8% | |
| 10 | CBT | Cabot Corporation | 0.7% |
The remaining holdings make up the balance of the fund, with weights tapering off below the top names. Because the index reconstitutes on a rolling basis, the roster stays current without active management. Each ticker above links to its individual stock guide in Walnut.
The bottom line on AVUV
AVUV is a low-cost, actively managed small-cap value fund that delivers a stronger and more intentional tilt toward cheap, profitable small companies than most passive alternatives. It is one of the largest and most widely held factor ETFs, though its concentrated value and small-cap exposure can lead to performance that differs meaningfully from the broad market.
More on AVUV
Whether AVUV is worth buying today depends more on your time horizon and what you already hold than on any single call. We walk through valuation, concentration, and what would have to be true for it to outperform from here in is AVUV a buy?
AVUV yields approximately 1.3% to 1.5% as of early 2026, paid by passing through the dividends of its underlying holdings. For the payout schedule, history, and how the distributions are taxed, see AVUV dividend: yield and schedule.
Build a portfolio around AVUV with Walnut
Use AVUV as your core holding, then let Walnut's AI propose thematic satellites: AI infrastructure, dividend growth, clean energy, whatever you believe in. Connect your broker, build the basket in conversation, track it as one unit.
FAQ
What is AVUV?
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AVUV is the Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF, an actively managed fund from Avantis Investors (part of American Century). It holds a broad basket of roughly 700 to 800 small-cap U.S. stocks and tilts the portfolio toward companies with low valuations and high profitability.
What is AVUV's expense ratio?
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AVUV has an expense ratio of 0.25%. That is higher than the cheapest passive index ETFs but low for an actively managed factor fund, which is part of why it has attracted roughly $28 billion in assets.
AVUV vs VBR vs DFSV: how do they compare?
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VBR (Vanguard Small-Cap Value) is a passive index fund that includes larger, less deeply discounted names and costs less. AVUV is actively managed and tilts harder toward small, cheap, profitable stocks. DFSV (Dimensional U.S. Small Cap Value) uses a similar profitability-screened active approach and is AVUV's closest peer. Walnut is informational, not investment advice.
What does AVUV hold?
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AVUV holds a diversified basket of several hundred small-cap U.S. companies, with no single position much above 1%. Recent top names include Viasat, SM Energy, Matson, Lear, StoneX Group, and Avnet, spread across financials, industrials, energy, and consumer cyclical sectors.
Is AVUV actively managed?
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Yes. AVUV does not track a published index. Avantis uses a systematic, rules-based active process to weight holdings toward stocks with low price-to-book valuations and high profitability, refreshing the portfolio as prices and fundamentals change.
Is AVUV a good investment?
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AVUV offers concentrated exposure to the small-cap value factor at a reasonable cost, which some long-term investors use to tilt a portfolio. That same tilt means its returns can diverge sharply from the broad market for years at a time. Walnut is informational, not investment advice.
What is the small-cap value factor thesis behind AVUV?
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The thesis is that small companies trading at low valuations have historically earned higher long-run returns than the broad market, and that screening out unprofitable cheap stocks improves the result. AVUV is built to capture this small-cap, value, and profitability premium in a single fund, though factor premiums can underperform for extended stretches.
Does AVUV pay a dividend?
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Yes. AVUV pays dividends, typically on a quarterly basis, with a recent yield in the range of roughly 1.3% to 1.5%. The yield reflects the dividend-paying value stocks the fund tends to hold and can vary as holdings and prices change.
How do I compare AVUV to similar ETFs?
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Put a few fields side by side: the expense ratio (fees compound over decades), the index or strategy it tracks, the top holdings and how much they overlap with what you already own, the dividend yield, and the AUM, liquidity, and bid-ask spread that affect trading costs. For index funds, tracking error (how closely it follows its index) and tax efficiency matter too. AVUV's figures are above; the full method is in Walnut's guide on how to compare ETFs.
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Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Holdings weights and fund statistics on this page are approximations stamped to early 2026; verify current figures against Avantis Investors (American Century Investments)'s fund page or your broker before investing.