At a glance
RTH charges 0.35% a year, above the 0.16% average of the 8 funds most like it (the 7th cheapest of 9). It has $248.4M in assets, the 9th largest of that group; it paid 0.91% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, annual. Over the past year it returned +7.1% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 4th of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +18.6% a year. At its worst it fell 24.9% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 23.9% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 2 months and 20 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 71.5% of the fund, out of 25 in all.
The short version
VanEck Retail ETF (RTH) is an index fund that holds 25 of the largest US-listed retail companies in the MVIS US Listed Retail 25 Index, from Amazon and Walmart to drug distributors such as McKesson. It is concentrated: as of June 30, 2026, Amazon alone made up about 20% of the fund and the top 10 holdings about 72%. Its 0.35% expense ratio is higher than broad consumer sector funds such as XLY, which charges 0.08%.
Price history
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RTH +7.1% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTH official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +12.45% | — | +10.74% | +13.57% | — |
| MVIS US Listed Retail 25 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes, except withholding taxes) index, same period | — | +12.51% | — | +10.75% | +13.50% | — |
| MSCI ACWI Net TR Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes, except withholding taxes) index, same period | — | +22.34% | — | +11.19% | +11.72% | — |
| RTH price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +6.8% | +7.1% | +18.6% | +8.5% | +14.5% | +15.6% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, RTH returned +7.1%, 4th of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +8.5% and its 10-year +14.5%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 24.9% and regained its old high 2.4 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-17.7%); its best was 2013 (+40.2%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 25% (Nov 18, 2021 to May 20, 2022), recovered by Feb 1, 2024.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +6.8% | — |
| 2025 | +12.4% | +12.45% |
| 2024 | +20.0% | +19.78% |
| 2023 | +20.1% | +20.02% |
| 2022 | -17.7% | -17.54% |
| 2021 | +24.9% | +24.94% |
| 2020 | +31.6% | +31.36% |
| 2019 | +29.1% | +29.13% |
| 2018 | +3.9% | +4.00% |
| 2017 | +22.4% | +22.21% |
| 2016 | -0.8% | -0.58% |
| 2015 | +10.9% | — |
| 2014 | +18.2% | — |
| 2013 | +40.2% | — |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Not in the price data, which starts Jan 30, 2012 |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 23.2% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 24.9%, back to its old high 2.4 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 19.7% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 23.9%, back to its old high 20.2 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2.4200 | +39.9% |
| 2024 | $1.7300 | -13.9% |
| 2023 | $2.0100 | +9.2% |
| 2022 | $1.8400 | +21.9% |
| 2021 | $1.5100 | +51.0% |
| 2020 | $1.0000 | -8.3% |
| 2019 | $1.0900 | +11.2% |
| 2018 | $0.9800 | -31.5% |
| 2017 | $1.4300 | +8.3% |
| 2016 | $1.3200 | -24.6% |
| 2015 | $1.7500 | +503.4% |
| 2014 | $0.2900 | -52.5% |
| 2013 | $0.6100 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 25 securities; the ten largest made up 71.53% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon.com Inc | 20.20% | |
| Walmart Inc | 10.85% | |
| Costco Wholesale Corp | 8.19% | |
| Home Depot Inc | 5.58% | |
| CVS Health Corp | 4.79% | |
| Lowe's Cos Inc | 4.63% | |
| TJX Cos Inc | 4.56% | |
| O'Reilly Automotive Inc | 4.48% | |
| McKesson Corp | 4.34% | |
| Ross Stores Inc | 3.91% | |
| Cardinal Health Inc | 3.19% | |
| Fastenal Co | 3.04% | |
| AutoZone Inc | 3.02% | |
| Target Corp | 2.98% | |
| Cencora Inc | 2.72% |
By country
United States 97.89%Cayman Islands 2.04%By asset type
Stocks 99.93%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 93.9% of the fund in companies that have a stock page here; other holdings and cash aren't classified. Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Jun 30, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors withdrew a net $5.2M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +7.69%, -3.83%, -1.64%.
How it works
RTH is a passive fund. It tries to match the MVIS US Listed Retail 25 Index, not beat it. To qualify for the index, a company must earn at least 50% of its revenue from retail. The index defines retail broadly. It includes store chains, online and TV sellers, specialty shops such as auto parts and home improvement stores, grocers, drugstores, and wholesalers. The index starts with the 50 largest retail stocks by total market value. From that group, it keeps the top 25, ranked by free-float market value (only shares that are readily available for trading) and by three-month average daily trading volume. Foreign companies listed on a US exchange can qualify.
The fund normally puts at least 80% of its assets in the index's stocks, and it generally holds the same stocks the index does. It does not move into cash or other defensive positions when markets fall. RTH is classified as non-diversified, meaning it can put a larger share of its money into a single company. As of June 30, 2026, it held 25 stocks and no derivatives. Portfolio turnover was 9%, a low level of trading.
Because the index counts wholesalers as retail, it includes drug distributors such as McKesson, Cardinal Health and Cencora, along with Fastenal. As of June 30, 2026, consumer discretionary stocks were 53.2% of the fund, consumer staples 25.7% and health care 15%.
What it really costs
- RTH charges 0.35% a year, versus an average of 0.16% for the similar funds below (7th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $36 in the first year and $443 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTH | $36 | $113 | $197 | $443 |
In a retirement portfolio
RTH is a concentrated 25-stock bet on US consumer spending, with about a fifth of its assets in Amazon, so it fits better as a small add-on than as a foundation.
RTH could add focused exposure to large US retailers next to a broad core fund. Its declines have been real, though. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 24.9% in less than a month, then recovered by May 27, 2020. It lost 17.54% in 2022, its worst calendar year since price data begins in 2012. Its deepest drop, 25% from November 2021 to May 2022, took about 20 months to recover, ending in February 2024. The price history does not cover the 2008 crisis. Anyone who has to sell shares for spending money during a stretch like that would lock in losses. Income is small: the yield was 0.91% as of October 27, 2026, paid once a year. In the SEC's standard $10,000 example, costs come to $36 in the first year. Past results don't predict future ones, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want targeted exposure to big US retailers such as Amazon, Walmart and Costco alongside a broad core holding.
- Those comfortable with concentration: 25 stocks, with the top 10 at about 72% of assets as of June 30, 2026.
- Long-horizon holders who can sit through drops like the 25% decline from late 2021, which took about 20 months to recover.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: RTH's 0.35% expense ratio compares with 0.08% for XLY and 0.09% for VCR.
- Anyone seeking regular income: the yield was 0.91% as of October 27, 2026, and it pays only once a year.
- Investors who want broad diversification; this non-diversified fund ties results to consumer spending and to Amazon, about 20% of assets.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTH this fund | — | 0.35% | $248.4M | +7.1% | +18.6% |
| XLY Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR F… | 40% | 0.08% | $22.59B | -0.5% | -8.0% |
| IYC iShares U.S. Consumer Discretionary ETF | 40% | 0.39% | $1.19B | -4.2% | +17.0% |
| FDIS Fidelity MSCI Consumer Discretionary Index … | 35% | 0.084% | $1.68B | -2.3% | +16.4% |
| VCR Vanguard Consumer Discretionary ETF | 34% | 0.09% | $6.63B | -2.6% | +16.3% |
| RXI iShares Global Consumer Discretionary ETF | 30% | 0.41% | $251.7M | -7.8% | +13.3% |
| XLP Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund | 28% | 0.08% | $13.65B | +20.1% | +12.8% |
| VDC Vanguard Consumer Staples ETF | 26% | 0.09% | $9.25B | +12.2% | +13.0% |
Questions investors ask
What does RTH ETF hold?
As of June 30, 2026, RTH held 25 stocks. The largest were Amazon (20.2%), Walmart (10.9%), Costco (8.2%), Home Depot (5.6%) and CVS Health (4.8%). Next came Lowe's, TJX, O'Reilly Automotive, McKesson and Ross Stores. The top 10 made up about 72% of the fund. By sector, consumer discretionary was 53.2%, consumer staples 25.7% and health care 15%. Because the index counts wholesalers as retail, it also holds drug distributors such as McKesson and Cardinal Health.
What is the expense ratio of RTH?
RTH's expense ratio is 0.35%, all of it management fee, according to its prospectus filed January 27, 2026. The average for similar funds is 0.16%. XLY charges 0.08%, VCR 0.09% and FDIS 0.084%, while IYC charges 0.39%. In the SEC's standard example ($10,000 invested, 5% annual return), RTH's costs total about $36 after one year, $197 after five years and $443 after ten.
RTH vs XLY: what's the difference?
XLY is a broad consumer discretionary sector fund. RTH is a 25-stock retail fund that also holds consumer staples and health care companies, such as Walmart, Costco and drug distributors. About 40% of their holdings overlap, based on their latest N-PORT reports. XLY costs 0.08% a year, compared with 0.35% for RTH. XLY is also much larger, with about $22.6 billion in net assets as of June 30, 2026, versus about $248 million for RTH.
Does RTH pay a dividend?
Yes, but the payout is small and comes once a year. RTH's trailing 12-month yield was 0.91% as of October 27, 2026, or about $2.42 per share. The fund passes along the dividends paid by the 25 retail companies it holds. For investors who mainly want regular income, RTH is worth comparing with funds built around dividend-paying stocks or bonds, which typically pay more and more often.
How has RTH performed over 10 years?
As of December 31, 2025, RTH returned an average of 13.57% a year over 10 years, according to its prospectus. Over five years it returned 10.74% a year, and over one year 12.45%. Its index, the MVIS US Listed Retail 25, returned 13.5% a year over 10 years. The broad MSCI ACWI global stock index returned 11.72%. Calendar-year results ranged from a 31.36% gain in 2020 to a 17.54% loss in 2022. Past returns don't predict future results.