Why Is Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) Down Today, 3/12/2026?

The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF VOO -0.11% ▼ , which tracks the S&P 500 Index (SPX), was down by 0.70% in Thursday’s pre-market trading as rising oil prices amid the escalating Iran conflict impacted investor sentiment.

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At the time of writing, the price of the global oil benchmark Brent (CM:BZ) was up about 7% to $98.08 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude (CM:CL) rose more than 6% to trade at $92.50 per barrel. Iran continues to strike foreign ships in the Persian Gulf and has warned that oil prices could climb to $200 a barrel.

During Wednesday’s regular trading, the three major indexes closed mixed as traders digested developments in the U.S.-Iran war. The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones fell 0.08% and 0.61%, respectively, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.08%.

Overall, VOO has lost 0.25% over the past five days but has gained 22% over the past year.

VOO’s Key Holdings with Highest Upside/Downside Potential

According to TipRanks’ unique ETF analyst consensus, determined based on a weighted average of analyst ratings on its holdings, VOO is a Moderate Buy. The Street’s average price target of $767.27 implies an upside of 23.35%.

Currently, VOO’s five holdings with the highest upside potential are:

• Loews L -0.35% ▼

• ServiceNow Inc. NOW -0.84% ▼

• KKR & Co. KKR -3.15% ▼

• Ares Management ARES -4.80% ▼

• Fair Isaac FICO -9.33% ▼

Meanwhile, its five holdings with the greatest downside potential are:

• Moderna MRNA +1.80% ▲

• Valero Energy VLO +6.46% ▲

• CF Industries Holdings CF +9.16% ▲

• APA Corp. APA +3.61% ▲

• Archer Daniels Midland ADM +2.08% ▲

Revealingly, VOO ETF’s Smart Score is seven, implying that this ETF will likely perform in line with the market.

Does VOO Pay Dividends?

Yes, VOO pays dividends. These payments come from the dividends paid by the companies in the S&P 500, and VOO distributes them to shareholders every quarter. The payout amount can change from quarter to quarter because company dividends vary. Investors can receive the dividend as cash or choose to automatically reinvest it into more shares through a dividend reinvestment program.

VOO’s dividend yield as of today is 1.12%.

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