N-CSRS 1 chesterfinal.htm VANGUARD CHESTER FUNDS

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-CSR

CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT
OF
REGISTERED MANAGEMENT COMPANY


Investment Company Act file number: 811-4098

Name of Registrant: Vanguard Chester Funds

Address of Registrant: P.O. Box 2600
Valley Forge, PA 19482

Name and address of agent for service: Heidi Stam, Esquire
P.O. Box 876
Valley Forge, PA 19482

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (610) 669-1000


Date of fiscal year end: September 30

Date of reporting period: October 1, 2006 - March 31, 2007

Item 1: Reports to Shareholders




 

 

Vanguard® PRIMECAP Fund

 

 

> Semiannual Report

 

 

 

 

 

March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>

The Investor Shares of Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund returned 4.5% for the six

 

months ended March 31, lagging the return of the fund’s benchmark and the

 

average return among multi-capitalization growth funds.

 

>

The broad U.S. stock market gained 8.9% during a volatile first half of the

 

fund’s fiscal year.

 

>

The fund’s modest results over the six months can be traced in large

 

measure to poor performance from its health care holdings and mixed

 

results in information technology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contents

 

 

 

Your Fund’s Total Returns

1

Chairman’s Letter

2

Advisor’s Report

6

Fund Profile

9

Performance Summary

10

Financial Statements

11

About Your Fund’s Expenses

22

Glossary

24

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note: The opinions expressed in this report are just that—informed opinions. They should not be considered promises or advice. Also, please keep in mind that the information and opinions cover the period through the date on the cover of this report. Of course, the risks of investing in your fund are spelled out in the prospectus.

Your Fund’s Total Returns

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

Total

 

Returns

Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund

 

Investor Shares

4.5%

Admiral™ Shares1

4.6

S&P 500 Index

7.4

Average Multi-Cap Growth Fund2

8.6

 

 

 

Your Fund’s Performance at a Glance

 

 

 

 

September 30, 2006–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Distributions Per Share

 

Starting

Ending

Income

Capital

 

Share Price

Share Price

Dividends

Gains

Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund

 

 

 

 

Investor Shares

$70.30

$69.04

$0.440

$4.000

Admiral Shares

73.03

71.67

0.570

4.150

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

A lower-cost class of shares available to many longtime shareholders and to those with significant investments in the fund.

2

Derived from data provided by Lipper Inc.

1


 

Chairman’s Letter

 

Dear Shareholder,

Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund returned 4.5% for Investor Shares and 4.6% for Admiral Shares in the six months ended March 31, 2007. Although these are respectable six-month results on an absolute basis, they fell short of the returns of both the fund’s benchmark and the average return of its peers among multi-cap growth funds.

The fund’s outsized commitment to stocks in information technology and health care—particularly biotechnology and pharmaceuticals holdings that underperformed—hurt its performance during the period.

Please note that as of March 31, the fund remained closed to new investors. Existing shareholders were permitted to make additional purchases of up to $25,000 per year.

Six-month stock market return reflected disparate market moods

The broad U.S. stock market stitched together a solid six-month return from patches of strength and weakness. Stock prices rallied at the start of the period, pulled back in February—in part, a reaction to the Chinese market’s swoon—then recovered in March, buoyed by generally benign economic and corporate-profit reports.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

Small-capitalization stocks outpaced large-caps, and international stocks outperformed their U.S. counterparts—patterns that have been in place for much of the past few years.

As the Fed sat tight, bonds produced coupon-like returns

The Federal Reserve Board remained offstage during the six months, keeping its target for the federal funds rate at 5.25% throughout the period. Despite some interim back-and-forth, longer-term bond yields finished the period pretty much where they started. With rates—and prices—more or less stable, bonds’ returns were consistent with their coupons.

 

The broad taxable bond market returned 2.8% for the six-month period. The municipal securities market posted a return of 1.9%. Money market instruments, one of the fixed income market’s bright spots in recent months, returned 2.5% for the half-year, as measured by the Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Bill Index.

Amid short-term disappointments, a focus on long-term prospects

During the past few years, PRIMECAP Fund’s research-intensive approach has produced large weightings in technology and health care stocks—investments that, in the view of your fund’s advisor, PRIMECAP Management, boast exceptional long-term growth prospects.

 

Market Barometer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Returns

 

 

Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

Six Months

One Year

Five Years1

Stocks

 

 

 

Russell 1000 Index (Large-caps)

8.2%

11.8%

6.9%

Russell 2000 Index (Small-caps)

11.0

5.9

10.9

Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index (Entire market)

8.9

11.4

7.8

MSCI All Country World Index ex USA (International)

15.5

20.3

17.4

 

 

 

 

Bonds

 

 

 

Lehman Aggregate Bond Index (Broad taxable market)

2.8%

6.6%

5.4%

Lehman Municipal Bond Index

1.9

5.4

5.5

Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Bill Index

2.5

5.0

2.5

 

 

 

 

CPI

 

 

 

Consumer Price Index

1.2%

2.8%

2.8%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Annualized.

 

3

 

Although this strategy produced modest returns over the past six months, the advisor remains convinced that tremendous opportunities lie ahead for these companies, particularly those that provide the software to sustain the ever-growing global reach of the Internet, as well as the pharmaceuticals firms that will help meet the prescription-drug demands of aging baby boomers.

In this fiscal half-year, PRIMECAP Fund earned solid returns from Adobe Systems, the fund’s third-largest holding, which benefited from anticipation over its new Creative Suite software package. Other tech companies disappointed, though; Motorola, Micron Technology, and Intuit all turned in double-digit negative returns.

 

In health care, the advisor’s conviction that some major pharmaceuticals companies have been underappreciated by investors went unrewarded over the six months, as Eli Lilly and Novartis registered negative returns. The fund’s biotech holdings also suffered: Amgen was stung by disappointing clinical trial data, and Biogen Idec reported earnings that failed to meet expectations. Among medical device makers, negative returns from Boston Scientific offset the modest rise in Medtronic.

The fund’s brighter spots over the six months included materials companies Monsanto, Weyerhaeuser, and Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan, the latter soaring on robust demand for its fertilizer. The

 

 

Annualized Expense Ratios1

 

 

 

Your fund compared with its peer group

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average

 

Investor

Admiral

Multi-Cap

 

Shares

Shares

Growth Fund

PRIMECAP Fund

0.46%

0.31%

1.49%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Fund expense ratios reflect the six months ended March 31, 2007. Peer group expense ratio is derived from data provided by Lipper Inc. and captures information through year-end 2006.

 

 

 

4

 

fund also got a lift from oil-and-gas providers ConocoPhillips, Hess, and Noble, and also from Sony, the consumer electronics company, which benefited from a strong video game market. The advisor’s long-standing pessimism about—and small commitment to—financial stocks also spared the fund some pain during the six months, as the sector stumbled on fissures in the subprime lending market.

A longer-term view, and low costs, can offer the best outlook

Although a review of the fiscal half-year can reveal useful information about an advisor’s approach and assessment of the market’s risks and opportunities, it’s important to remember that six-month returns provide little information about a fund’s long-term performance. That’s a fact of investing life no less true now than on occasions when PRIMECAP has finished its reporting period well ahead of the pack.

Your fund’s approach—making long-term commitments to a relatively concentrated number of holdings—requires patience and conviction, on the part of the fund’s managers and its investors.

Our unwavering view is that success in investing is best judged over longer time periods, and our counsel, as always, is that investors must try to avoid being distracted by the “noise” of short-term results or market swings. Create a broadly based portfolio of stock, bond, and money market mutual funds; keep costs low; and think long term. That’s the best way to build an investment plan to stand the test of time and help you reach your financial goals.

Thank you for entrusting your assets to Vanguard.

 


 

John J. Brennan

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

April 12, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5

 

Advisor’s Report

 

During the past six months, the Investor and Admiral Shares of Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund returned 4.5% and 4.6%, respectively, trailing the 7.4% return of the S&P 500 Index and the 8.6% average return for multi-cap growth funds.

Investment environment

The past six months were a challenging period for growth stocks. As they have for much of the past five years, many investors favored stocks with high relative free cash flow and dividend yields rather than stocks that, in our view, have compelling growth prospects. The valuation differential between growth and value stocks is near a 20-year low, even as growth-oriented companies turn their attractive long-term opportunities into steady increases in current earnings.

As the environment has become tougher, we’ve become more optimistic about our portfolio. The compression in growth-stock valuations has given us opportunities to buy equities with exciting prospects at reasonable prices. We feel that the risk of further compression in growth-stock valuations is not significant. Even if the unusually narrow valuation differential between growth and value stocks were to persist, we would expect growth companies to outperform the broad market by virtue of their superior earnings growth. If growth stocks’ recent valuation compression reverses and the historical premium awarded to earnings growth begins to return, growth investors should see even stronger returns.

Our successes

Although the fund trailed its benchmarks during the six-month period, we enjoyed noteworthy performance from a number of holdings, such as Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan. That firm controls 75% of the world’s excess potash capacity, which gives it significant leverage in setting prices. For much of the past few years, the company has benefited from strong global fertilizer demand due to higher agricultural product prices.

Adobe Systems, another significant longtime holding, generated a strong six-month return. The company continues to capitalize on its portfolio of software applications used in website design. Sony and DIRECTV Group also made important contributions.

Our shortfalls

Health care and technology stocks accounted for most of the fund’s weak performers. Semiconductor maker Micron Technology, for example, struggled on a decline in prices for its core memory chips. Texas Instruments suffered from

 

 

 

 

 

 

6

a buildup in inventories in handset components, which caused a disruption in ordering from its customers during the last several months. Biotechnology giant Amgen struggled with safety issues among its highly profitable EPO drugs. We remain optimistic about the prospects for each of these holdings, despite their weak six-month returns.

This is not the case with Pfizer, another position that contributed to the fund’s subpar six months. Pfizer’s long-term prospects depended heavily on its new cholesterol drug torcetrapib, which was expected to make an important contribution to revenues when Pfizer’s blockbuster cholesterol medication Lipitor begins to lose patent protection in 2010. When the new drug failed to perform as expected, Pfizer terminated clinical trials, causing us to revise our investment thesis and reduce our Pfizer position.

Outlook

In general, however, we remain very optimistic about the health care sector, and pharmaceuticals in particular. We expect health care companies to benefit from a compelling and, in our view, underappreciated secular trend: a dramatic increase in pharmaceuticals use by the aging baby boom generation. People over the age of 65 consume twice the amount of prescription drugs per capita as younger people, and this area of consumption is relatively insensitive to the economic cycle. As the baby boomers reach their mid-60s, the industry stands to benefit from a period of strong and sustained earnings growth.

We also remain enthusiastic about information technology stocks, particularly the software companies that benefit from their behind-the-scenes role in the Internet’s worldwide growth. Examples include database maker Oracle. When you query and transact at popular websites such as eBay and Amazon, you are using an Oracle database. Adobe Systems plays a similarly important role in the design, creation, and display of websites and online media.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7

 

We remain pessimistic about most financials companies, a view reflected in our very modest exposure to this sector. Over the past few years, these companies have benefited from an environment of low interest rates and abundant global liquidity. This period seems to be nearing its end. The most visible sign of change is the recent distress in the subprime mortgage market. In our view, this turmoil reflects a potentially broader problem in the financials sector, which is the mispricing of credit and other risks during the past few years. The result could be problems with loans and other financing provided to consumers and businesses in other sectors of the economy.

 

Although equity markets may see some near-term volatility, we remain optimistic that the forces of globalization and innovation, the health care needs of an aging population, the need for infrastructure investment domestically, and the rise of consumption in emerging markets will drive long-term growth opportunities for our portfolio companies. In closing, we would like to thank you for entrusting your hard-earned capital with us. We will continue to work diligently to prove worthy of that trust.

 

Howard B. Schow

 

Theo A. Kolokotrones

Portfolio Manager

 

Portfolio Manager

 

Joel P. Fried

 

 

Portfolio Manager

 

Mitchell J. Milias

 

Alfred W. Mordecai

Portfolio Manager

 

Portfolio Manager

 

 

 

 

David H. Van Slooten

 

 

Portfolio Manager

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRIMECAP Management Company, LLP

April 12, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

 

Portfolio Characteristics

 

 

 

Comparative

 

Fund

Index1

Number of Stocks

130

500

Median Market Cap

$32.8B

$54.6B

Price/Earnings Ratio

20.0x

16.6x

Price/Book Ratio

3.0x

2.8x

Yield

 

1.9%

Investor Shares

0.5%

 

Admiral Shares

0.6%

 

Return on Equity

15.5%

19.2%

Earnings Growth Rate

24.2%

19.8%

Foreign Holdings

13.6%

0.0%

Turnover Rate

16%2

Expense Ratio

 

 

Investor Shares

0.46%2

 

Admiral Shares

0.31%2

 

Short-Term Reserves

3%

 

Sector Diversification (% of portfolio)

 

 

 

Comparative

 

Fund

Index1

Consumer Discretionary

11%

10%

Consumer Staples

2

9

Energy

9

10

Financials

6

22

Health Care

21

12

Industrials

11

11

Information Technology

29

15

Materials

7

3

Telecommunication Services

1

4

Utilities

0

4

Short-Term Reserves

3%

 

Volatility Measures3

 

 

Fund Versus

 

Comparative Index1

R-Squared

0.83

Beta

1.25

 

Ten Largest Holdings4(% of total net assets)

 

 

 

 

FedEx Corp.

air freight and logistics

4.7%

Eli Lilly & Co.

pharmaceuticals

3.4

Adobe Systems, Inc.

application software

3.4

Novartis AG ADR

pharmaceuticals

3.2

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan, Inc.

fertilizers and agricultural chemicals

3.1

Texas Instruments, Inc.

semiconductors

2.9

Medtronic, Inc.

health care equipment

2.7

ConocoPhillips Co.

integrated oil and gas

2.5

Biogen Idec Inc.

biotechnology

2.4

Oracle Corp.

systems software

2.4

Top Ten

 

30.7%

 

 

 

 

Investment Focus

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

S&P 500 Index.

2

Annualized.

3

For an explanation of R-squared, beta,and other terms used here, see the Glossary on page 24.

4

“Ten Largest Holdings” excludes any temporary cash investments and equity index products.

 

 

9

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): September 30, 1996–March 31, 2007


 

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

Inception Date

One Year

Five Years

Ten Years

Investor Shares 2

11/1/1984

5.26%

8.16%

12.14%

Admiral Shares

11/12/2001

5.41

8.32

9.483

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

2

Total return figures do not reflect the 1% fee assessed on redemptions of shares held for less than one year.

3

Return since inception.

Note: See Financial Highlights tables on pages 16 and 17 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

10

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

 

Market

 

 

 

Value

 

 

Shares

($000)

Common Stocks (97.1%)

 

 

Consumer Discretionary (11.6%)

 

*

DIRECTV Group, Inc.

28,720,807

662,589

 

Sony Corp. ADR

12,100,000

610,929

1

Whirlpool Corp.

4,000,000

339,640

 

TJX Cos., Inc.

12,594,800

339,556

 

Target Corp.

5,019,000

297,426

*

Kohl’s Corp.

3,114,600

238,609

 

Eastman Kodak Co.

9,000,000

203,040

 

The Walt Disney Co.

5,650,000

194,530

*

Bed Bath & Beyond, Inc.

3,250,975

130,592

*

Comcast Corp. Class A

4,131,450

107,211

 

Mattel, Inc.

3,707,900

102,227

 

Lowe’s Cos., Inc.

2,450,000

77,151

 

Best Buy Co., Inc.

1,575,000

76,734

*

Amazon.com, Inc.

1,441,500

57,357

*

Viacom Inc. Class B

1,378,200

56,658

 

ArvinMeritor, Inc.

1,620,600

29,576

 

Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

375,000

28,380

 

Yum! Brands, Inc.

400,000

23,104

 

Tiffany & Co.

300,000

13,644

 

Time Warner, Inc.

240,000

4,733

 

Brunswick Corp.

112,000

3,567

 

 

 

3,597,253

Consumer Staples (1.5%)

 

 

 

Costco Wholesale Corp.

7,000,000

376,880

 

Avon Products, Inc.

2,500,000

93,150

 

 

 

470,030

Energy (8.8%)

 

 

 

ConocoPhillips Co.

11,300,000

772,355

 

Schlumberger Ltd.

5,583,500

385,820

 

Noble Energy, Inc.

5,960,000

355,514

 

Hess Corp.

6,000,000

332,820

 

EnCana Corp.

4,062,200

205,669

 

EOG Resources, Inc.

2,200,000

156,948

^1

Pogo Producing Co.

3,260,000

156,806

 

Peabody Energy Corp.

2,912,000

117,179

 

 

 

 

Market

 

 

 

Value

 

 

Shares

($000)

 

GlobalSantaFe Corp.

1,676,600

103,413

*

Transocean Inc.

1,100,000

89,870

 

Noble Corp.

300,000

23,604

 

Murphy Oil Corp.

350,000

18,690

 

Chevron Corp.

150,000

11,094

*

National Oilwell Varco Inc.

10,000

778

 

 

 

2,730,560

Financials (5.6%)

 

 

 

The Bank of

 

 

 

New York Co., Inc.

10,000,000

405,500

 

Marsh &McLennan Cos., Inc.

9,952,300

291,503

 

American International Group, Inc.

3,825,000

257,116

*

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.Class B

65,600

238,784

 

The Chubb Corp.

3,450,000

178,261

 

Fannie Mae

1,800,000

98,244

 

AFLAC Inc.

1,200,000

56,472

 

Transatlantic Holdings, Inc.

691,261

45,015

 

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

905,000

43,784

 

Wells Fargo & Co.

1,150,000

39,595

 

Capital One Financial Corp.

448,000

33,806

 

Freddie Mac

295,000

17,550

 

Fifth Third Bancorp

450,000

17,411

 

State Street Corp.

180,000

11,655

 

SLM Corp.

210,000

8,589

 

Washington Mutual, Inc.

100,000

4,038

 

Citigroup, Inc.

50,000

2,567

 

 

 

1,749,890

Health Care (21.2%)

 

 

 

Biotechnology (5.1%)

 

 

* 1

Biogen Idec Inc.

17,135,320

760,465

*

Amgen, Inc.

10,072,200

562,834

*

Genzyme Corp.

4,400,000

264,088

*

Applera Corp.–Celera Genomics Group

985,372

13,992

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

 

 

 

Market

 

 

 

Value

 

 

Shares

($000)

 

Health Care Equipment & Supplies (4.3%)

 

Medtronic, Inc.

16,983,452

833,208

*

Boston Scientific Corp.

34,827,610

506,393

 

 

 

 

 

Life Science Tools & Services (1.5%)

 

 

Applera Corp.–Applied

 

 

 

Biosystems Group

8,945,100

264,507

* 1

Millipore Corp.

2,820,000

204,365

 

 

 

 

 

Pharmaceuticals (10.3%)

 

 

 

Eli Lilly & Co.

19,785,300

1,062,668

*

Novartis AG ADR

17,969,765

981,688

 

Roche Holdings AG

2,950,000

521,602

 

GlaxoSmithKline PLC ADR

5,520,000

305,035

 

Pfizer Inc.

8,720,000

220,267

*

Sepracor Inc.

2,200,000

102,586

 

 

 

6,603,698

Industrials (10.8%)

 

 

 

FedEx Corp.

13,705,800

1,472,414

 

Southwest Airlines Co.

31,416,800

461,827

 

Caterpillar, Inc.

5,256,900

352,370

*

AMR Corp.

9,528,200

290,134

 

Deere & Co.

1,285,000

139,602

 

Fluor Corp.

1,516,025

136,018

 

Union Pacific Corp.

1,300,000

132,015

 

Granite Construction Co.

1,800,000

99,468

* 1

Alaska Air Group, Inc.

2,540,000

96,774

 

Donaldson Co., Inc.

1,600,000

57,760

^

Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd.

827,400

46,707

 

Pall Corp.

942,800

35,826

 

3M Co.

300,000

22,929

 

United Parcel Service, Inc.

315,270

22,100

 

Norfolk Southern Corp.

29,000

1,467

 

The Boeing Co.

10,000

889

 

 

 

3,368,300

Information Technology (29.3%)

 

 

Communications Equipment (5.3%)

 

*

Corning, Inc.

20,714,600

471,050

 

QUALCOMM Inc.

10,733,000

457,870

 

Motorola, Inc.

14,050,000

248,264

*

Nortel Networks Corp.

8,300,940

199,638

 

LM Ericsson Telephone Co.ADR Class B

4,650,757

172,497

1

Plantronics, Inc.

4,701,500

111,049

*

Comverse Technology, Inc.

300,000

6,405

 

 

 

 

 

Computers & Peripherals (2.3%)

 

 

Hewlett-Packard Co.

10,700,000

429,498

*

EMC Corp.

17,329,200

240,009

*

Dell Inc.

1,380,000

32,030

 

 

 

 

Market

 

 

 

Value

 

 

Shares

($000)

 

Electronic Equipment & Instruments (0.8%)

1

Tektronix, Inc.

6,629,600

186,690

*

Coherent, Inc.

1,420,000

45,071

*

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

237,681

8,007

 

 

 

 

 

Internet Software & Services (2.1%)

 

*

Google Inc.

761,300

348,797

*

eBay Inc.

6,625,000

219,619

*

Yahoo! Inc.

2,249,500

70,387

 

 

 

 

 

IT Services (0.5%)

 

 

 

Accenture Ltd.

4,136,200

159,409

 

Paychex, Inc.

200,000

7,574

 

 

 

 

 

Semiconductors &

 

 

 

Semiconductor Equipment (7.0%)

 

 

Texas Instruments, Inc.

29,535,000

889,004

*

Micron Technology, Inc.

36,512,373

441,069

 

Intel Corp.

17,100,000

327,123

 

Applied Materials, Inc.

7,330,000

134,286

 

KLA–Tencor Corp.

2,460,000

131,167

*

ASML Holding (New York)

4,076,000

100,881

*

NVIDIA Corp.

2,150,000

61,877

*

Rambus Inc.

2,500,000

53,125

*

Entegris Inc.

2,583,472

27,643

*

Verigy Ltd.

29,100

683

 

 

 

 

 

Software (11.3%)

 

 

*

Adobe Systems, Inc.

25,290,000

1,054,593

*

Oracle Corp.

41,550,600

753,312

 

Microsoft Corp.

26,895,000

749,564

*

Intuit, Inc.

16,308,600

446,203

* 1

Citrix Systems, Inc.

9,919,030

317,707

*

Symantec Corp.

12,009,200

207,759

 

 

 

9,109,860

Materials (7.6%)

 

 

1

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan, Inc.

6,000,000

959,580

 

Monsanto Co.

6,594,360

362,426

 

Weyerhaeuser Co.

3,905,726

291,914

 

Praxair, Inc.

3,850,100

242,402

 

Alcoa Inc.

5,154,000

174,721

*

Domtar Corp.

13,024,414

121,257

 

Dow Chemical Co.

1,900,000

87,134

1

MacDermid, Inc.

1,701,000

59,314

 

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc. Class B

804,000

53,217

 

Temple-Inland Inc.

50,000

2,987

 

 

 

2,354,952

 

 

 

12

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Telecommunication Services (0.7%)

 

Sprint Nextel Corp.

10,778,800

204,366

Embarq Corp.

467,440

26,340

 

 

230,706

Total Common Stocks

 

 

(Cost $19,737,545)

 

30,215,249

Temporary Cash Investments (3.5%)

 

2 Vanguard Market Liquidity

 

Fund, 5.288%

1,033,451

1,033,451

2 Vanguard Market Liquidity

 

Fund, 5.288%—Note G

73,487,000

73,487

Total Temporary Cash Investments

 

(Cost $1,106,938)

 

1,106,938

Total Investments (100.6%)

 

 

(Cost $20,844,483)

 

31,322,187

Other Assets and Liabilities—

 

Net (–0.6%)

 

(188,995)

Net Assets (100%)

 

31,133,192

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 

Assets

 

 

Investments in Securities, at Value

31,322,187

Receivables for Capital Shares Issued

33,234

Other Assets—Note C

 

159,614

Total Assets

 

31,515,035

Liabilities

 

 

Security Lending Collateral

 

 

Payable to Brokers—Note G

 

77,639

Other Liabilities

 

304,204

Total Liabilities

 

381,843

Net Assets

 

31,133,192

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:3

 

Amount

 

($000)

Paid-in Capital

19,745,501

Undistributed Net Investment Income

24,942

Accumulated Net Realized Gains

884,968

Unrealized Appreciation

 

Investment Securities

10,477,704

Foreign Currencies

77

Net Assets

31,133,192

 

 

 

 

Investor Shares—Net Assets

 

Applicable to 316,886,068 outstanding

 

$.001 par value shares of beneficial

 

interest (unlimited authorization)

21,876,419

Net Asset Value Per Share—

 

Investor Shares

$69.04

 

 

 

 

Admiral Shares—Net Assets

 

Applicable to 129,161,330 outstanding

 

$.001 par value shares of beneficial

 

interest (unlimited authorization)

9,256,773

Net Asset Value Per Share—

 

Admiral Shares

$71.67

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements .

*

Non-income-producing security.

^

Part of security position is on loan to broker-dealers. See Note G in Notes to Financial Statements .

1

Considered an affiliated company of the fund as the fund owns more than 5% of the outstanding voting securities of such company. See Note I in Notes to Financial Statements .

2

Affiliated money market fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown is the 7-day yield.

3

See Note E in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

ADR—American Depositary Receipt.

 

13

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Dividends1,2

153,503

Interest2

30,730

Security Lending

195

Total Income

184,428

Expenses

 

Investment Advisory Fees—Note B

33,066

The Vanguard Group—Note C

 

Management and Administrative

 

Investor Shares

25,109

Admiral Shares

3,530

Marketing and Distribution

 

Investor Shares

1,956

Admiral Shares

700

Custodian Fees

235

Shareholders’ Reports

 

Investor Shares

103

Admiral Shares

28

Trustees’ Fees and Expenses

21

Total Expenses

64,748

Expenses Paid Indirectly—Note D

(158)

Net Expenses

64,590

Net Investment Income

119,838

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Investment Securities Sold2

1,215,249

Foreign Currencies

24

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

1,215,273

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

 

Investment Securities

32,764

Foreign Currencies

33

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

32,797

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

1,367,908

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Dividends are net of foreign withholding taxes of $4,764,000.

2

Dividend income, interest income, and realized net gain (loss) from affiliated companies of the fund were $7,420,000, $30,730,000, and $77,838,000, respectively.

 

 

14

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

Mar. 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

119,838

199,152

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

1,215,273

1,712,223

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

32,797

1,447,623

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

1,367,908

3,358,998

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

 

 

Investor Shares

(134,480)

(120,479)

Admiral Shares

(68,524)

(50,404)

Realized Capital Gain

 

 

Investor Shares

(1,222,619)

(595,528)

Admiral Shares

(498,927)

(211,443)

Total Distributions

(1,924,550)

(977,854)

Capital Share Transactions—Note H

 

 

Investor Shares

426,120

(553,866)

Admiral Shares

893,144

969,966

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

1,319,264

416,100

Total Increase (Decrease)

762,622

2,797,244

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

30,370,570

27,573,326

End of Period1

31,133,192

30,370,570

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $24,942,000 and $108,084,000.

 

15

 

Financial Highlights

 

PRIMECAP Fund Investor Shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ended

Year Ended

Sept. 1 to

 

 

For a Share Outstanding

Mar. 31,

September 30,

Sept. 30,

Year Ended August 31,

Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

2005

20041

2004

2003

2002

Net Asset Value,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of Period

$70.30

$64.79

$57.18

$54.93

$48.50

$39.51

$51.90

Investment Operations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

.26

.437

.5112

.03

.25

.23

.188

Net Realized and Unrealized

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gain (Loss) on Investments

2.92

7.367

7.544

2.22

6.39

8.97

(12.183)

Total from

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investment Operations

3.18

7.804

8.055

2.25

6.64

9.20

(11.995)

Distributions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends from

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

(.44)

(.386)

(.445)

(.21)

(.21)

(.260)

Distributions from

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Realized Capital Gains

(4.00)

(1.908)

(.135)

Total Distributions

(4.44)

(2.294)

(.445)

(.21)

(.21)

(.395)

Net Asset Value,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

End of Period

$69.04

$70.30

$64.79

$57.18

$54.93

$48.50

$39.51

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Return3

4.48%

12.30%

14.13%

4.10%

13.72%

23.41%

–23.28%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

End of Period (Millions)

$21,876

$21,828

$20,643

$20,933

$20,115

$16,886

$13,216

Ratio of Total Expenses to

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets

0.46%*

0.46%

0.46%

0.45%*

0.46%

0.51%

0.49%

Ratio of Net Investment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income to Average Net Assets

0.71%*

0.64%

0.85%2

0.57%*

0.48%

0.56%

0.42%

Portfolio Turnover Rate

16%*

10%

12%

1%

9%

12%

11%

 

 

 

 

 

1

The fund’s fiscal year-end changed from August 31 to September 30, effective September 30, 2004.

2

Net investment income per share and the ratio of net investment income to average net assets include $.144 and 0.24%, respectively, resulting from a special dividend from Microsoft Corp. in December 2004.

3

Total returns do not reflect the 1% fee assessed on redemptions after March 23, 2005, of shares held for less than one year, or the 1% fee assessed until March 23, 2005, on shares purchased on or after April 23, 2001, and held for less than five years.

*

Annualized.

 

 

 

16

 

PRIMECAP Fund Admiral Shares

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months

 

 

 

 

 

Nov. 12,

 

Ended

Year Ended

Sept. 1 to

 

Year Ended

20012 to

For a Share Outstanding

Mar. 31,

September 30,

Sept. 30,

 

August 31,

Aug. 31,

Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

2005

20041

2004

2003

2002

Net Asset Value,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of Period

$73.03

$67.28

$59.36

$57.02

$50.34

$41.00

$50.00

Investment Operations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

.33

.562

.6363

.03

.35

.295

.191

Net Realized and Unrealized

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gain (Loss) on Investments

3.03

7.640

7.836

2.31

6.62

9.310

(8.776)

Total from

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Investment Operations

3.36

8.202

8.472

2.34

6.97

9.605

(8.585)

Distributions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends from

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

(.57)

(.472)

(.552)

(.29)

(.265)

(.275)

Distributions from

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Realized Capital Gains

(4.15)

(1.980)

(.140)

Total Distributions

(4.72)

(2.452)

(.552)

(.29)

(.265)

(.415)

Net Asset Value,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

End of Period

$71.67

$73.03

$67.28

$59.36

$57.02

$50.34

$41.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Return4

4.56%

12.45%

14.33%

4.10%

13.88%

23.58%

–17.35%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

End of Period (Millions)

$9,257

$8,542

$6,930

$3,773

$3,605

$2,067

$1,369

Ratio of Total Expenses to

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets

0.31%*

0.31%

0.31%

0.30%*

0.31%

0.37%

0.38%*

Ratio of Net Investment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income to Average Net Assets

0.86%*

0.79%

0.96%3

0.72%*

0.63%

0.69%

0.52%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

16%*

10%

12%

1%

9%

12%

11%

 

 

 

 

1

The fund’s fiscal year-end changed from August 31 to September 30, effective September 30, 2004.

2

Inception.

3

Net investment income per share and the ratio of net investment income to average net assets include $.149 and 0.24%, respectively, resulting from a special dividend from Microsoft Corp. in December 2004.

4

Total returns do not reflect the 1% fee assessed on redemptions after March 23, 2005, of shares held for less than one year, or the 1% fee previously assessed on shares held for less than five years.

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes,which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

 

17

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund offers two classes of shares, Investor Shares and Admiral Shares. Investor Shares are available to any investor who meets the fund’s minimum purchase requirements. Admiral Shares are designed for investors who meet certain administrative, servicing, tenure, and account-size criteria.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on the valuation date. Equity securities are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from the primary market in which each security trades; such securities not traded on the valuation date are valued at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available, or whose values have been affected by events occurring before the fund’s pricing time but after the close of the securities’ primary markets, are valued at their fair values calculated according to procedures adopted by the board of trustees. These procedures include obtaining quotations from an independent pricing service, monitoring news to identify significant market- or security-specific events, and evaluating changes in the values of foreign market proxies (for example, ADRs, futures contracts, or exchange-traded funds), between the time the foreign markets close and the fund’s pricing time. When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by a fund to calculate its net asset value may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. Investments in Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund are valued at that fund’s net asset value.

2. Foreign Currency: Securities and other assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates on the valuation date as employed by Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) in the calculation of its indexes. As part of the fund’s fair-value procedures, exchange rates may be adjusted if they change significantly before the fund’s pricing time but after the time at which the MSCI rates are determined (generally 11:00 a.m., Eastern time).

Realized gains (losses) and unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investment securities include the effects of changes in exchange rates since the securities were purchased, combined with the effects of changes in security prices. Fluctuations in the value of other assets and liabilities resulting from changes in exchange rates are recorded as unrealized foreign currency gains (losses) until the asset or liability is settled in cash, when they are recorded as realized foreign currency gains (losses).

3. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

4. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

5. Security Lending: The fund may lend its securities to qualified institutional borrowers to earn additional income. Security loans are required to be secured at all times by collateral at least equal to the market value of securities loaned. The fund invests cash collateral received in Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, and records a liability for the return of the collateral, during the period the securities are on loan. Security lending income represents the income earned on investing cash collateral, less expenses associated with the loan.

 

 

 

 

18

 

6. Other: Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. Interest income includes income distributions received from Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund and is accrued daily. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold. Fees assessed on redemptions of capital shares are credited to paid-in capital.

Each class of shares has equal rights as to assets and earnings, except that each class separately bears certain class-specific expenses related to maintenance of shareholder accounts (included in Management and Administrative expenses) and shareholder reporting. Marketing and distribution expenses are allocated to each class of shares based on a method approved by the board of trustees. Income, other non-class-specific expenses, and gains and losses on investments are allocated to each class of shares based on its relative net assets.

B. PRIMECAP Management Company provides investment advisory services to the fund for a fee calculated at an annual percentage rate of average net assets. For the six months ended March 31, 2007, the investment advisory fee represented an effective annual rate of 0.21% of the fund’s average net assets.

C. The Vanguard Group furnishes at cost corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services. The costs of such services are allocated to the fund under methods approved by the board of trustees. The fund has committed to provide up to 0.40% of its net assets in capital contributions to Vanguard. At March 31, 2007, the fund had contributed capital of $2,949,000 to Vanguard (included in Other Assets), representing 0.01% of the fund’s net assets and 2.95% of Vanguard’s capitalization. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

D. The fund has asked its investment advisor to direct certain security trades, subject to obtaining the best price and execution, to brokers who have agreed to rebate to the fund part of the commissions generated. Such rebates are used solely to reduce the fund’s management and administrative expenses. The fund’s custodian bank has also agreed to reduce its fees when the fund maintains cash on deposit in the non-interest-bearing custody account. For the six months ended March 31, 2007, these arrangements reduced the fund’s management and administrative expenses by $155,000 and custodian fees by $3,000.

E. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes. The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year.

During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund realized net foreign currency gains of $24,000, which increased distributable net income for tax purposes; accordingly, such gains have been reclassified from accumulated net realized gains to undistributed net investment income.

 

 

 

 

 

 

19

 

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $20,844,483,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $10,477,704,000 consisting of unrealized gains of $11,429,007,000 on securities that had risen in value since their purchase and $951,303,000 in unrealized losses on securities that had fallen in value since their purchase.

F. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $2,474,192,000 of investment securities and sold $3,027,758,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

G. The market value of securities on loan to broker-dealers at March 31, 2007, was $71,965,000, for which the fund received cash collateral of $73,487,000.

H. Capital share transactions for each class of shares were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

March 31, 2007

Sept. 30, 2006

 

Amount

Shares

 

Amount

Shares

 

($000)

(000)

($000)

(000)

Investor Shares

 

 

 

 

Issued

988,449

13,996

1,953,345

28,851

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

1,339,307

19,279

705,002

10,739

Redeemed1

(1,901,636)

(26,890)

(3,212,213)

(47,710)

Net Increase (Decrease)—Investor Shares

426,120

6,385

(553,866)

(8,120)

Admiral Shares

 

 

 

 

Issued

805,793

10,876

1,539,872

22,010

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

536,593

7,443

247,413

3,631

Redeemed1

(449,242)

(6,123)

(817,319)

(11,681)

Net Increase (Decrease)—Admiral Shares

893,144

12,196

969,966

13,960

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Net of redemption fees of $871,000 and $672,000 (fund totals).

 

 

20

 

I. Certain of the fund’s investments are in companies that are considered to be affiliated companies of the fund because the fund owns more than 5% of the outstanding voting securities of the company. Transactions during the period in securities of these companies were as follows:

 

 

 

Current-Period Transactions

 

 

Sept. 30, 2006

 

Proceeds from

 

Mar. 31, 2007

 

Market

Purchases

Securities

Dividend

Market

 

Value

at Cost

Sold

Income

Value

 

($000)

($000)

($000)

($000)

($000)

Adobe Systems, Inc.

1,265,810

332,900

n/a1

Alaska Air Group, Inc.

96,621

96,774

Biogen Idec Inc.

810,094

51,803

760,465

Citrix Systems Inc.

347,616

9,809

317,707

Granite Construction Co.

168,052

81,273

360

n/a1

MacDermid, Inc.

55,487

204

59,314

Millipore Corp.

172,866

204,365

Plantronics, Inc.

82,417

470

111,049

Pogo Producing Co.

133,497

489

156,806

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan, Inc.

713,847

127,224

1,747

959,580

Tektronix, Inc.

191,794

796

186,690

Whirlpool Corp.

n/a2

33,730

3,354

339,640

 

4,038,101

 

 

7,420

3,192,390

 

J. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1     At March 31, 2007, the security is still held but the issuer is no longer an affiliated company of the fund.

2

At September 30, 2006, the issuer was not an affiliated company of the fund.

 

 

21

 

About Your Fund’s Expenses

 

As a shareholder of the fund, you incur ongoing costs, which include costs for portfolio management, administrative services, and shareholder reports (like this one), among others. Operating expenses, which are deducted from a fund’s gross income, directly reduce the investment return of the fund.

A fund’s expenses are expressed as a percentage of its average net assets. This figure is known as the expense ratio. The following examples are intended to help you understand the ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in your fund and to compare these costs with those of other mutual funds. The examples are based on an investment of $1,000 made at the beginning of the period shown and held for the entire period.

The table below illustrates your fund’s costs in two ways:

• Based on actual fund return. This section helps you to estimate the actual expenses that you paid over the period. The “Ending Account Value” shown is derived from the fund’s actual return, and the third column shows the dollar amount that would have been paid by an investor who started with $1,000 in the fund. You may use the information here, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period.

To do so, simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number given for your fund under the heading “Expenses Paid During Period.”

• Based on hypothetical 5% yearly return. This section is intended to help you compare your fund’s costs with those of other mutual funds. It assumes that the fund had a yearly return of 5% before expenses, but that the expense ratio is unchanged. In this case—because the return used is not the fund’s actual return—the results do not apply to your investment. The example is useful in making comparisons because the Securities and Exchange Commission requires all mutual funds to calculate expenses based on a 5% return. You can assess your fund’s costs by comparing this hypothetical example with the hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

Beginning

Ending

Expenses

 

Account Value

Account Value

Paid During

PRIMECAP Fund

9/30/2006

3/31/2007

Period1

Based on Actual Fund Return

 

 

 

Investor Shares

$1,000.00

$1,044.84

$2.35

Admiral Shares

1,000.00

1,045.63

1.58

Based on Hypothetical 5% Yearly Return

 

 

 

Investor Shares

$1,000.00

$1,022.64

$2.32

Admiral Shares

1,000.00

1,023.39

1.56

 

 

 

 

 

1 The calculations are based on expenses incurred in the most recent six-month period. The fund’s annualized six-month expense ratios for that period are 0.46% for Investor Shares and 0.31% for Admiral Shares. The dollar amounts shown as “Expenses Paid” are equal to the annualized expense ratio multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent six-month period, then divided by the number of days in the most recent 12-month period.

 

 

 

22

 

Note that the expenses shown in the table on page 22 are meant to highlight and help you compare ongoing costs only; they do not include your fund’s low-balance fee or the 1% fee on redemptions of shares held for less than one year. These fees are fully described in the prospectus. If the fees were applied to your account, your costs would be higher. Your fund does not carry a “sales load.”

The calculations assume no shares were bought or sold during the period. Your actual costs may have been higher or lower, depending on the amount of your investment and the timing of any purchases or redemptions.

You can find more information about the fund’s expenses, including annual expense ratios, in the Financial Statements section of this report. For additional information on operating expenses and other shareholder costs, please refer to the appropriate fund prospectus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

23

 

Glossary

 

Beta. A measure of the magnitude of a fund’s past share-price fluctuations in relation to the ups and downs of a given market index. The index is assigned a beta of 1.00. Compared with a given index, a fund with a beta of 1.20 typically would have seen its share price rise or fall by 12% when the index rose or fell by 10%. A fund’s beta should be reviewed in conjunction with its R-squared (see definition below). The lower the R-squared, the less correlation there is between the fund and the index, and the less reliable beta is as an indicator of volatility.

Earnings Growth Rate. The average annual rate of growth in earnings over the past five years for the stocks now in a fund.

Expense Ratio. The percentage of a fund’s average net assets used to pay its annual administrative and advisory expenses. These expenses directly reduce returns to investors.

Foreign Holdings. The percentage of a fund represented by stocks or depositary receipts of companies based outside the United States.

Inception Date. The date on which the assets of a fund (or one of its share classes) are first invested in accordance with the fund’s investment objective. For funds with a subscription period, the inception date is the day after that period ends. Investment performance is measured from the inception date.

Median Market Cap. An indicator of the size of companies in which a fund invests; the midpoint of market capitalization (market price x shares outstanding) of a fund’s stocks, weighted by the proportion of the fund’s assets invested in each stock. Stocks representing half of the fund’s assets have market capitalizations above the median, and the rest are below it.

Price/Book Ratio. The share price of a stock divided by its net worth, or book value, per share. For a fund, the weighted average price/book ratio of the stocks it holds.

Price/Earnings Ratio. The ratio of a stock’s current price to its per-share earnings over the past year. For a fund, the weighted average P/E of the stocks it holds. P/E is an indicator of market expectations about corporate prospects; the higher the P/E, the greater the expectations for a company’s future growth.

R-Squared. A measure of how much of a fund’s past returns can be explained by the returns from the market in general, as measured by a given index. If a fund’s total returns were precisely synchronized with an index’s returns, its R-squared would be 1.00. If the fund’s returns bore no relationship to the index’s returns, its R-squared would be 0.

Return on Equity. The annual average rate of return generated by a company during the past five years for each dollar of shareholder’s equity (net income divided by shareholder’s equity). For a fund, the weighted average return on equity for the companies whose stocks it holds.

Short-Term Reserves. The percentage of a fund invested in highly liquid, short-term securities that can be readily converted to cash.

Turnover Rate. An indication of the fund’s trading activity. Funds with high turnover rates incur higher transaction costs and may be more likely to distribute capital gains (which may be taxable to investors). The turnover rate excludes in-kind transactions, which have minimal impact on costs.

Yield. A snapshot of a fund’s income from interest and dividends. The yield, expressed as a percentage of the fund’s net asset value, is based on income earned over the past 30 days and is annualized, or projected forward for the coming year. The index yield is based on the current annualized rate of income provided by securities in the index.

 

 

24

 

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The People Who Govern Your Fund

 

The trustees of your mutual fund are there to see that the fund is operated and managed in your best interests since, as a shareholder, you are a part owner of the fund. Your fund’s trustees also serve on the board of directors of The Vanguard Group, Inc., which is owned by the Vanguard funds and provides services to them on an at-cost basis.

 

A majority of Vanguard’s board members are independent, meaning that they have no affiliation with Vanguard or the funds they oversee, apart from the sizable personal investments they have made as private individuals.

 

Our independent board members bring distinguished backgrounds in business, academia, and public service to their task of working with Vanguard officers to establish the policies and oversee the activities of the funds. Among board members’ responsibilities are selecting investment advisors for the funds; monitoring fund operations, performance, and costs; reviewing contracts; nominating and selecting new trustees/directors; and electing Vanguard officers.

 

Each trustee serves a fund until its termination; or until the trustee’s retirement, resignation, or death; or otherwise as specified in the fund’s organizational documents. Any trustee may be removed at a shareholders’ meeting by a vote representing two-thirds of the net asset value of all shares of the fund together with shares of other Vanguard funds organized within the same trust. The table on these two pages shows information for each trustee and executive officer of the fund. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482.

 

 

Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Trustee

 

 

John J. Brennan1

 

Born 1954

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Chairman of the Board, Chief

Trustee since May 1987;

Executive Officer, and Director/Trustee of The Vanguard Group, Inc., and of each

Chairman of the Board and

of the investment companies served by The Vanguard Group.

Chief Executive Officer

 

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

 

 

Independent Trustees

 

 

 

Charles D. Ellis

 

Born 1937

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Applecore Partners (pro bono ventures

Trustee since January 2001

in education); Senior Advisor to Greenwich Associates (international business strategy

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

consulting); Successor Trustee of Yale University; Overseer of the Stern School of Business

 

at New York University; Trustee of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.

 

 

Rajiv L. Gupta

 

Born 1945

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Trustee since December 20012

of Rohm and Haas Co. (chemicals); Board Member of the American Chemistry Council;

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Director of Tyco International, Ltd. (diversified manufacturing and services) since 2005;

 

Trustee of Drexel University and of the Chemical Heritage Foundation.

 

 

Amy Gutmann

 

Born 1949

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: President of the University of

Trustee since June 2006

Pennsylvania since 2004; Professor in the School of Arts and Sciences, Annenberg School

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

for Communication, and Graduate School of Education of the University of Pennsylvania

 

since 2004; Provost (2001–2004) and Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Politics and the

 

University Center for Human Values (1990–2004), Princeton University; Director of Carnegie

 

Corporation of New York since 2005 and of Schuylkill River Development Corporation and

 

Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce (since 2004).

 

JoAnn Heffernan Heisen

 

Born 1950

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Corporate Vice President and Chief

Trustee since July 1998

Global Diversity Officer since 2006, Vice President and Chief Information

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Officer (1997–2005), and Member of the Executive Committee of Johnson & Johnson

 

(pharmaceuticals/consumer products); Director of the University Medical Center at

 

Princeton and Women’s Research and Education Institute.

 

 

André F. Perold

 

Born 1952

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: George Gund Professor of Finance and

Trustee since December 2004

Banking, Harvard Business School; Senior Associate Dean, Director of Faculty

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Recruiting, and Chair of Finance Faculty, Harvard Business School; Director and Chairman

 

of UNX, Inc. (equities trading firm) since 2003; Director of registered investment

 

companies advised by Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and affiliates (1985–2004),

 

Genbel Securities Limited (South African financial services firm) (1999–2003), Gensec

 

Bank (1999–2003), Sanlam, Ltd. (South African insurance company) (2001–2003), and

 

Stockback, Inc. (credit card firm) (2000–2002).

 

 

Alfred M. Rankin, Jr.

 

Born 1941

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Chairman, President, Chief Executive

Trustee since January 1993

Officer, and Director of NACCO Industries, Inc. (forklift trucks/housewares/ lignite);

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Director of Goodrich Corporation (industrial products/aircraft systems and services).

 

 

J. Lawrence Wilson

 

Born 1936

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Retired Chairman and Chief Executive

Trustee since April 1985

Officer of Rohm and Haas Co. (chemicals); Director of Cummins Inc. (diesel engines),

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

and AmerisourceBergen Corp. (pharmaceutical distribution); Trustee of Vanderbilt University

 

and of Culver Educational Foundation.

 

 

Executive Officers1

 

 

 

Heidi Stam

 

Born 1956

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Managing Director of the Vanguard

Secretary since July 2005

Group, Inc., since 2006; General Counsel of The Vanguard Group since 2005; Secretary of

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

The Vanguard Group, and of each of the investment companies served by The Vanguard

 

Group, since 2005; Principal of The Vanguard Group (1997-2006).

 

 

Thomas J. Higgins

 

Born 1957

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Principal of The Vanguard Group, Inc.;

Treasurer since July 1998

Treasurer of each of the investment companies served by The Vanguard Group.

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

 

 

 

Vanguard Senior Management Team

 

 

R. Gregory Barton

Kathleen C. Gubanich

Michael S. Miller

Mortimer J. Buckley

Paul A. Heller

Ralph K. Packard

James H. Gately

F. William McNabb, III

George U. Sauter

 

 

Founder

 

 

 

John C. Bogle

 

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, 1974–1996

 

 

1 Officers of the funds are “interested persons” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

2 December 2002 for Vanguard Equity Income Fund, Vanguard Growth Equity Fund, the Vanguard Municipal Bond Funds, and the Vanguard State Tax-Exempt Funds.

More information about the trustees is in the Statement of Additional Information, available from The Vanguard Group.

 

 

 

 

 


 

P.O. Box 2600

 

Valley Forge, PA 19482-2600

 

 

Connect with Vanguard™ > www.vanguard.com

 

 

Fund Information > 800-662-7447

Vanguard, Admiral, Connect with Vanguard, and the ship

 

logo are trademarks of The Vanguard Group, Inc.

Direct Investor Account Services > 800-662-2739

 

 

All other marks are the exclusive property of their

Institutional Investor Services > 800-523-1036

respective owners.

 

 

Text Telephone for the

 

Hearing-Impaired > 800-952-3335

All comparative mutual fund data are from Lipper Inc.

 

or Morningstar, Inc., unless otherwise noted.

 

 

 

 

 

You can obtain a free copy of Vanguard’s proxy voting

This material may be used in conjunction

guidelines by visiting our website, www.vanguard.com,

with the offering of shares of any Vanguard

and searching for “proxy voting guidelines,” or by calling

fund only if preceded or accompanied by

Vanguard at 800-662-2739. They are also available from

the fund’s current prospectus.

the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. In addition, you may

 

obtain a free report on how your fund voted the proxies for

 

securities it owned during the 12 months ended June 30.

 

To get the report, visit either www.vanguard.com

 

or www.sec.gov.

 

 

 

 

 

You can review and copy information about your fund

 

at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C.

 

To find out more about this public service, call the SEC

 

at 202-551-8090. Information about your fund is also

 

available on the SEC’s website, and you can receive

 

copies of this information, for a fee, by sending a

 

request in either of two ways: via e-mail addressed to

 

publicinfo@sec.gov or via regular mail addressed to the

 

Public Reference Section, Securities and Exchange

 

Commission, Washington, DC 20549-0102.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2007 The Vanguard Group, Inc.

 

All rights reserved.

 

Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

 

 

 

Q592 052007

 

 

 

 




 

 

Vanguard® Target Retirement Funds

 

 

> Semiannual Report

 

 

 

 

 

March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2005 Fund

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2010 Fund

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2015 Fund

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>

For the six Target Retirement Funds included in this report, six-month returns

 

ranged from 4.6% for the most income-oriented fund to 8.5% for the Target

 

Retirement 2025 Fund, which has a much higher allocation to stocks.

 

>

Bond returns were modest for the half-year period, while the U.S. and

 

international stock markets produced healthy gains.

 

>

Among the underlying Vanguard funds represented in the Target Retirement

 

series, the best performance belonged to the Emerging Markets Stock Index

 

Fund. The Inflation-Protected Securities Fund delivered the most modest result.

 

 

 

 

Contents

 

 

 

Your Fund’s Total Returns

1

Chairman’s Letter

2

Target Retirement Income Fund

7

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

16

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

25

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

34

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

43

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

52

About Your Fund’s Expenses

61

Trustees Approve Advisory Arrangement

63

Glossary

64

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note: The opinions expressed in this report are just that—informed opinions. They should not be considered promises or advice. Also, please keep in mind that the information and opinions cover the period through the date on the cover of this report. Of course, the risks of investing in your fund are spelled out in the prospectus.

Your Fund’s Total Returns

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

Total

 

Returns

Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund

4.6%

Target Income Composite Index1

4.6

Target Income Composite Average2

4.8

 

 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2005 Fund

5.8%

Target 2005 Composite Index1

5.7

Target 2005 Composite Average2

6.1

 

 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2010 Fund

6.7%

Target 2010 Composite Index1

6.6

Target 2010 Composite Average2

7.0

 

 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2015 Fund

7.4%

Target 2015 Composite Index1

7.4

Target 2015 Composite Average2

7.8

 

 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund

7.8%

Target 2020 Composite Index1

7.9

Target 2020 Composite Average2

8.3

 

 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund

8.5%

Target 2025 Composite Index1

8.5

Target 2025 Composite Average2

8.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Returns for the composite indexes are derived by applying the funds’ target allocations to the results of the following benchmarks: for U.S. stocks, the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) US Broad Market Index; for international stocks, the MSCI Europe, Australasia, Far East Index and the MSCI Emerging Markets Index; for bonds, the Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index and the Lehman Treasury Inflation Notes Index; and for short-term reserves, the Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Bill Index. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

2

Each composite average weights the average returns of the appropriate mutual fund peer groups in proportion with the targeted weighting of the specific Target Retirement Fund. All together, the composites use returns for the average fixed income fund, the average intermediate-term Treasury fund, the average Treasury inflation-protected securities fund, the average money market fund, the average general equity fund, the average international fund, and the average emerging markets fund. These returns are derived from data provided by Lipper Inc.

1

 


 

Chairman’s Letter

 

Dear Shareholder,

During the fiscal half-year ended March 31, 2007, the Vanguard Target Retirement Funds enjoyed a period of positive performance. Returns for bonds were modest, but the performance of domestic stocks was strong. Those Target Retirement Funds with a larger exposure to international markets fared best during the period, as foreign stocks continued to outpace domestic equities.

Six of the 11 Target Retirement Funds are included in this report. All produced gains that were in line with their respective asset allocations. The bond-heavy Target Retirement Income Fund returned 4.6%, while the Target Retirement 2025 Fund, with its considerable exposure to stocks, including those in Europe, the Pacific region, and emerging markets, returned 8.5%.

Two of the six funds included in this report are not yet one year old—the 2010 and 2020 Funds were added to the Target Retirement series in June 2006.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2

 

Six-month stock market return reflected disparate market moods

The broad U.S. stock market stitched together a solid six-month return from patches of strength and weakness. Stock prices rallied at the start of the period, pulled back in February—in part, a reaction to the Chinese market’s swoon—then recovered in March, buoyed by generally benign economic and corporate-profit reports.

Small-capitalization stocks outpaced large-caps, and international stocks outperformed their U.S. counterparts—patterns that have been in place for much of the past few years.

 

As the Fed sat tight, bonds produced coupon-like returns

The Federal Reserve Board remained offstage during the six months, keeping its target for the federal funds rate at 5.25% throughout the period. Despite some interim back-and-forth, longer-term bond yields finished the period pretty much where they started. With rates—and prices—more or less stable, bond returns were consistent with their coupons.

The broad taxable bond market returned 2.8% for the six-month period. The municipal securities market posted a return of 1.9%. Money market instruments, one of the fixed income market’s bright spots in recent months, returned 2.5% for the half-year, as measured by the Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Bill Index.

 

 

 

Market Barometer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Returns

 

 

Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

Six Months

One Year

Five Years1

Stocks

 

 

 

Russell 1000 Index (Large-caps)

8.2%

11.8%

6.9%

Russell 2000 Index (Small-caps)

11.0

5.9

10.9

Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index (Entire market)

8.9

11.4

7.8

MSCI All Country World Index ex USA (International)

15.5

20.3

17.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bonds

 

 

 

Lehman Aggregate Bond Index (Broad taxable market)

2.8%

6.6%

5.4%

Lehman Municipal Bond Index

1.9

5.4

5.5

Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Bill Index

2.5

5.0

2.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CPI

 

 

 

Consumer Price Index

1.2%

2.8%

2.8%

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Annualized.

 

3

 

The funds’ performance varied across the target-year spectrum

Each of the Target Retirement Funds includes a mix of stock and bond funds that is appropriate for its maturity date. In all except the Income Fund, these allocations shift to become more bond-oriented as the investor’s retirement date approaches.

The funds designed for investors in, or closest to, retirement—the Income Fund and the 2005 Fund—hold the most conservative allocations. For example, the Income Fund holds 65% of its assets in bonds (with about a third of that total in Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund) and 5% in Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund. This heavy fixed income allocation is designed to provide shareholders with greater income, stability of principal, and a degree of inflation protection. The fund’s other assets are in U.S. and foreign stocks, providing opportunity for growth. During the fiscal six months, the Income Fund returned 4.6%.

For the other Target Retirement Funds, performance during the half-year depended on where each fund stood on the target-year spectrum. The longest-dated fund in this report, Target Retirement 2025, had the most aggressive mix, with about 16% of its assets in international stocks, 63% in U.S. stocks, and 21% in bonds as of March 31. This fund returned 8.5% during the period.

 

 

Asset Allocations on March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short-Term

 

Stocks1

Bonds

Investments

Income2

30%

65%

5%

2005

45

54

1

2010

55

45

0

2015

64

36

0

2020

72

28

0

2025

79

21

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

As of March 31, 2007, international stock weightings for the Income, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025 Funds were about 6%, 9%, 11%, 13%, 14%, and 16% of assets, respectively.

2

Allocations do not change.

 

 

 

4

 

Over the long term, we would expect these funds’ performance to reflect a ladderlike progression based on their allocations—namely, modest but stable returns among the more conservative, income-oriented funds, and higher returns (albeit with occasional downturns) among the funds with a higher exposure to equities.

Among the underlying Vanguard funds represented in the Target Retirement series, the best performers during the period were the international funds: the Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund (+19.8%), European Stock Index Fund (+15.8%), and Pacific Stock Index Fund (+12.6%). The lowest-returning portfolios were the Total Bond Market Index Fund (+2.8%) and the Inflation-Protected Securities Fund (+1.0%).

The funds provide a one-stop, age-appropriate solution

The Vanguard Target Retirement Funds gradually march toward more conservative, age-appropriate asset allocations. In the process, the funds rely on cost-efficient Vanguard funds, primarily index funds, to capture the returns of the stock and bond markets. As a shareholder in a Target Retirement Fund, you own a single investment that—given your retirement target date—appropriately diversifies your assets and gradually modifies your portfolio as retirement nears.

 

 

 

 

Annualized Expense Ratios

 

 

Your fund compared with its peer group

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Acquired” Fund

Peer-Group

 

Fees and

Expense

 

Expenses1

Ratio2

Income

0.21%

1.10%

2005

0.21

1.22

2010

0.21

1.28

2015

0.21

1.32

2020

0.21

1.35

2025

0.21

1.38

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents a weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the Target Retirement Funds invest. The Target Retirement Funds do not charge any expenses or fees of their own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

2

Peer groups are (from top to bottom) the Target Income Composite Average, the Target 2005 Composite Average, the Target 2010 Composite Average, the Target 2015 Composite Average, the Target 2020 Composite Average, and the Target 2025 Composite Average. Each average is a blended composite that weights the return of the average comparable mutual fund for each asset class in proportion to the target weighting of the appropriate Target Retirement Fund. Peer-group expense ratios are derived from data provided by Lipper Inc. and capture information through year-end 2006.

 

 

5

 

Because these funds simplify the investment process, the Target Retirement series can help investors avoid two of the most common behavioral pitfalls that can detract from long-term performance: namely, inattention to one’s portfolio and thus a failure to rebalance it, or—at the other extreme—overzealous involvement characterized by too much trading, performance-chasing, and a restless search for the next “best” thing.

As we have counseled through the years, choosing and sticking with a carefully considered, balanced portfolio of stock, bond, and money market funds suited to your unique circumstances and time horizon can be critical to your long-term success. The Vanguard Target Retirement Funds put this counsel into practice for retirement investing, giving you a one-stop solution that does it all.

Thank you for investing with Vanguard.

Sincerely,


John J. Brennan

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

April 12, 2007

 

 

Your Fund’s Performance at a Glance

 

 

 

 

 

September 30, 2006–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting

Ending

Distributions Per Share

 

 

Share

Share

Income

Capital

SEC

 

Price

Price

Dividends

Gains

Yield1

Income

$10.52

$10.81

$0.190

$0.000

3.79%

2005

11.38

11.68

0.360

0.000

3.40

2010

21.01

22.23

0.180

0.000

3.09

2015

12.10

12.68

0.310

0.000

2.85

2020

21.14

22.60

0.190

0.000

2.59

2025

12.51

13.28

0.290

0.000

2.36

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Thirty-day advertised yield net of expenses at month-end.

 

 

 

 

6

 

Target Retirement Income Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

3.8%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

Volatility Measures2

 

 

Fund Versus

 

Composite Index3

R-Squared

1.00

Beta

1.00

 

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Bond Market Index Fund

45.1%

Total Stock Market Index Fund

24.0

Inflation-Protected Securities Fund

19.9

Prime Money Market Fund

5.0

European Stock Index Fund

3.5

Pacific Stock Index Fund

1.6

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

0.9

Total

100.0%

 

Fund Asset Allocation


 

 

Equity Investment Focus


Fixed Income Investment Focus


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

2

For an explanation of R-squared, beta, and other terms used here, see the Glossary on page 64.

3

The Target Income Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 45% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, 24% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 20% Lehman Treasury Inflation Notes Index, 5% Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Index, 5% MSCI EAFE Index, and 1% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

 

7

 

Target Retirement Income Fund

 

 

Performance Summary

 

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

 

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): October 27, 20031–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

Income

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2004

3.3%

2.9%

6.2%

6.3%

2005

2.1

3.6

5.7

5.8

2006

0.1

4.3

4.4

4.5

20073

2.8

1.8

4.6

4.6

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

One Year

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement Income Fund

10/27/2003

8.07%

2.40%

3.70%

6.10%

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target Income Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 45% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, 24% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 20% Lehman Treasury Inflation Notes Index, 5% Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Index, 5% MSCI EAFE Index, and 1% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 13 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

 

8

Target Retirement Income Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (99.9%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (23.9%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

6,823,332

234,791

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

61,679

8,721

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (6.0%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

947,952

35,567

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

1,215,220

15,774

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

381,081

9,451

 

 

 

Bond Funds (65.0%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

45,824,709

458,705

Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares

16,921,717

202,553

 

 

 

Money Market Fund (5.0%)

 

 

Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund Investor Shares

50,970,806

50,971

Total Investment Companies (Cost $980,538)

 

1,016,533

Other Assets and Liabilities (0.1%)

 

 

Receivables for Capital Shares Issued

 

22,734

Other Assets

 

2,060

Payables for Investment Securities Purchased

 

(22,215)

Other Liabilities

 

(1,579)

 

 

1,000

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 94,102,146 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

1,017,533

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$10.81

 

 

9

Target Retirement Income Fund

 

 

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:1

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

985,795

$10.47

Undistributed Net Investment Income

575

.01

Accumulated Net Realized Losses

(4,832)

(.05)

Unrealized Appreciation

35,995

.38

Net Assets

1,017,533

$10.81

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

10

 

Target Retirement Income Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

15,643

Net Investment Income—Note B

15,643

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

615

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

615

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

23,332

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

39,590

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

Target Retirement Income Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

Mar. 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

15,643

32,676

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

615

(5,455)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

23,332

6,317

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

39,590

33,538

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(16,353)

(31,951)

Realized Capital Gain1

(1,021)

Total Distributions

(16,353)

(32,972)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

266,357

408,967

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

14,938

29,738

Redeemed

(108,627)

(294,882)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

172,668

143,823

Total Increase (Decrease)

195,905

144,389

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

821,628

677,239

End of Period2

1,017,533

821,628

 

 

1

Includes fiscal 2006 short-term gain distributions totaling $204,000. Short-term gain distributions are treated as ordinary income dividends for tax purposes.

2

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $575,000 and $1,285,000.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12

 

Target Retirement Income Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months

 

 

Sept. 1,

Oct. 27,

 

Ended

Year Ended

2004, to

20032 to

For a Share Outstanding

Mar. 31,

September 30,

Sept. 30,

Aug. 31,

Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

2005

20041

2004

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$10.52

$10.52

$10.31

$10.34

$10.00

Investment Operations

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

.193

.4393

.3993

.06

.235

Capital Gain Distributions Received

.0033

.0223

.015

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

 

 

 

 

 

on Investments

.29

.003

.163

(.01)

.310

Total from Investment Operations

.48

.445

.584

.05

.560

Distributions

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.19)

(.430)

(.370)

(.08)

(.205)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

(.015)

(.004)

(.015)

Total Distributions

(.19)

(.445)

(.374)

(.08)

(.220)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$10.81

$10.52

$10.52

$10.31

$10.34

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Return

4.58%

4.36%

5.73%

0.48%

5.65%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$1,018

$822

$677

$315

$297

Ratio of Expenses to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets—Note B

0%4

0%

0%

0%

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets

3.32%*

4.21%

3.80%

3.96%*

3.62%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

3%*

22%

0%

0%

1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

The fund’s fiscal year-end changed from August 31 to September 30, effective September 30, 2004.

2

Inception.

3

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

4

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

 

13

 

Target Retirement Income Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard Target Retirement Income Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, bonds, and short-term reserves.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF Shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes.

The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year. For tax purposes, at September 30, 2006, the fund had available realized losses of $5,058,000 to offset future net capital gains through September 30, 2015. The fund will use these capital losses to offset net taxable capital gains, if any, realized during the year ending September 30, 2007; should the fund realize net capital losses for the year, the losses will be added to the loss carryforward balance above.

 

 

14

 

Target Retirement Income Fund

 

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $980,538,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $35,995,000, consisting of unrealized gains of $47,318,000 on securities that had risen in value since their purchase and $11,323,000 in unrealized losses on securities that had fallen in value since their purchase.

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $185,222,000 of investment securities and sold $14,611,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

March 31, 2007

September 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

24,743

39,176

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

1,387

2,872

Redeemed

(10,105)

(28,362)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

16,025

13,686

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

15

 

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

3.4%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

Volatility Measures2

 

 

Fund Versus

 

Composite Index3

R-Squared

1.00

Beta

1.01

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Bond Market Index Fund

41.4%

Total Stock Market Index Fund

35.6

Inflation-Protected Securities Fund

12.6

European Stock Index Fund

5.3

Pacific Stock Index Fund

2.3

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

1.4

Prime Money Market Fund

1.4

Total

100.0%

 

Fund Asset Allocation


Equity Investment Focus


 

 

 

Fixed Income Investment Focus


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

2

For an explanation of R-squared, beta, and other terms used here, see the Glossary on page 64.

3

The Target 2005 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 42% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, 35% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 13% Lehman Treasury Inflation Notes Index, 8% MSCI EAFE Index, 1% Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Index, and 1% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

 

16

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

 

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): October 27, 20031–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

2005

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2004

6.6%

0.6%

7.2%

7.3%

2005

4.6

2.4

7.0

7.1

2006

2.2

2.9

5.1

5.2

20073

2.6

3.2

5.8

5.7

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

One Year

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

10/27/2003

9.21%

4.71%

2.66%

7.37%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target 2005 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 42% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, 35% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 13% Lehman Treasury Inflation Notes Index, 8% MSCI EAFE Index, 1% Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Index, and 1% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 22 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

17

 

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (100.1%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (35.6%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

11,960,773

411,570

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

100,000

14,140

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (9.0%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

1,675,262

62,856

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

2,121,754

27,540

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

678,744

16,833

 

 

 

Bond Funds (54.1%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

49,576,431

496,260

Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares

12,647,088

151,386

 

 

 

Money Market Fund (1.4%)

 

 

Vanguard Prime Money Market Fund Investor Shares

16,479,011

16,479

Total Investment Companies (Cost $1,127,324)

 

1,197,064

Other Assets and Liabilities (–0.1%)

 

 

Other Assets

 

7,255

Liabilities

 

(8,140)

 

 

(885)

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 102,383,687 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

1,196,179

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$11.68

 

 

18

 

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:1

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

1,123,039

$10.97

Undistributed Net Investment Income

8,421

.08

Accumulated Net Realized Losses

(5,021)

(.05)

Unrealized Appreciation

69,740

.68

Net Assets

1,196,179

$11.68

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

 

19

 

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

17,994

Net Investment Income—Note B

17,994

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

1,198

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

1,198

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

39,961

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

59,153

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

Mar. 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

17,994

30,677

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

1,198

(6,054)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

39,961

19,405

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

59,153

44,028

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(31,941)

(20,383)

Realized Capital Gain1

(592)

Total Distributions

(31,941)

(20,975)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

317,703

540,605

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

31,382

20,534

Redeemed

(137,089)

(277,991)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

211,996

283,148

Total Increase (Decrease)

239,208

306,201

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

956,971

650,770

End of Period2

1,196,179

956,971

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Includes fiscal 2006 short-term gain distributions totaling $132,000. Short-term gain distributions are treated as ordinary income dividends for tax purposes.

2

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $8,421,000 and $22,368,000.

 

 

 

 

 

21

 

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months

 

 

Sept. 1,

Oct. 27,

 

Ended

Year Ended

2004, to

20032 to

For a Share Outstanding

Mar. 31,

September 30

Sept. 30,

Aug. 31,

Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

2005

20041

2004

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$11.38

$11.14

$10.65

$10.58

$10.00

Investment Operations

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

.193

.4083

.3883

.05

.185

Capital Gain Distributions Received

.0023

.0153

.010

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

 

 

 

 

 

on Investments

.47

.149

.331

.02

.450

Total from Investment Operations

.66

.559

.734

.07

.645

Distributions

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.36)

(.310)

(.240)

(.055)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

(.009)

(.004)

(.010)

Total Distributions

(.36)

(.319)

(.244)

(.065)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$11.68

$11.38

$11.14

$10.65

$10.58

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Return

5.85%

5.13%

6.96%

0.66%

6.47%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$1,196

$957

$651

$237

$219

Ratio of Expenses to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets—Note B

0%4

0%

0%

0%

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets

3.16%*

3.68%

3.57%

3.57%*

3.31%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

8%*

19%

4%

0%

2%

 

 

 

 

 

1

The fund’s fiscal year-end changed from August 31 to September 30, effective September 30, 2004.

2

Inception.

3

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

4

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

 

 

22

 

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2005 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, bonds, and short-term reserves.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF Shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes.

The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year. For tax purposes, at September 30, 2006, the fund had available realized losses of $6,111,000 to offset future net capital gains of $19,000 through September 30, 2014, and $6,092,000 through September 30, 2015. The fund will use these capital losses to offset net taxable capital gains, if any, realized during the year ending September 30, 2007; should the fund realize net capital losses for the year, the losses will be added to the loss carryforward balances above.

 

 

23

 

Target Retirement 2005 Fund

 

 

 

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $1,127,324,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $69,740,000, consisting of unrealized gains of $76,936,000 on securities that had risen in value since their purchase and $7,196,000 in unrealized losses on securities that had fallen in value since their purchase.

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $243,542,000 of investment securities and sold $44,767,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

March 31, 2007

September 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

27,402

48,954

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

2,729

1,875

Redeemed

(11,811)

(25,192)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

18,320

25,637

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24

 

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

 

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

3.1%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Stock Market Index Fund

43.9%

Total Bond Market Index Fund

41.1

European Stock Index Fund

6.4

Inflation-Protected Securities Fund

4.0

Pacific Stock Index Fund

2.9

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

1.7

Total

100.0%

 

Fund Asset Allocation


Equity Investment Focus


 

 

Fixed Income Investment Focus


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

See page 64 for a glossary of investment terms.

 

 

25

 

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

 

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): June 7, 20061–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

2010

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2006

5.1%

0.0%

5.1%

5.0%

20073

5.8

0.9

6.7

6.6

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

6/7/2006

11.15%

0.91%

12.06%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target 2010 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 44% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 41% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, 9% MSCI EAFE Index, 4% Lehman Treasury Inflation Notes Index, and 2% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 31 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

 

 

26

 

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (99.6%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (43.8%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

7,287,831

250,774

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

7,200

1,018

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (10.9%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

976,972

36,656

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

1,264,115

16,408

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

395,104

9,799

 

 

 

Bond Funds (44.9%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

23,536,881

235,604

Vanguard Inflation-Protected Securities Fund Investor Shares

1,908,922

22,850

Total Investment Companies (Cost $563,533)

 

573,109

Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.4%)

 

2,506

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 25,894,079 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

575,615

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$22.23

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 

 

Assets

 

 

Investments in Securities, at Value

 

573,109

Receivables for Capital Shares Issued

 

49,152

Other Assets

 

857

Total Assets

 

623,118

Liabilities

 

 

Payables for Investment Securities Purchased

 

45,636

Other Liabilities

 

1,867

Total Liabilities

 

47,503

Net Assets

 

575,615

 

27

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

 

 

 

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:1

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

562,872

$21.74

Undistributed Net Investment Income

3,166

.12

Accumulated Net Realized Gains

1

Unrealized Appreciation

9,576

.37

Net Assets

575,615

$22.23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

 

28

 

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

4,981

Net Investment Income—Note B

4,981

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

4

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

4

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

8,256

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

13,241

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29

 

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

June 7,

 

Six Months Ended

20061 to

 

Mar. 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

4,981

294

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

4

(3)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

8,256

1,320

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

13,241

1,611

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(2,109)

Realized Capital Gain

Total Distributions

(2,109)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

515,303

74,775

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

2,103

Redeemed

(27,924)

(1,385)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

489,482

73,390

Total Increase (Decrease)

500,614

75,001

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

75,001

End of Period2

575,615

75,001

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $3,166,000 and $294,000.

 

 

 

30

 

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

Six Months

June 7,

 

Ended

20061 to

 

Mar. 31,

Sept. 30,

For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$21.01

$20.00

Investment Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

.372

.232

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments

1.03

.78

Total from Investment Operations

1.40

1.01

Distributions

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.18)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

Total Distributions

(.18)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$22.23

$21.01

 

 

 

Total Return

6.68%

5.05%

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$576

$75

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets—Note B

0%3

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

3.16%*

2.89%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

5%*

4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

3

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

31

 

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2010 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, and bonds.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF Shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes.

The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year. For tax purposes, at September 30, 2006, the fund had available realized losses of $3,000 to offset future net capital gains through September 30, 2015. The fund will use these capital losses to offset net taxable capital gains, if any, realized during the year ending September 30, 2007; should the fund realize net capital losses for the year, the losses will be added to the loss carryforward balance above.

 

 

32

 

Target Retirement 2010 Fund

 

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $563,533,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $9,576,000, consisting entirely of unrealized gains on securities that had risen in value since their purchase.

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $497,301,000 of investment securities and sold $7,009,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

June 7, 20061 to

 

March 31, 2007

September 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

23,499

3,637

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

96

Redeemed

(1,270)

(67)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

22,325

3,570

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

 

 

33

 

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

2.9%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

Volatility Measures2

 

 

Fund Versus

 

Composite Index3

R-Squared

1.00

Beta

1.00

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Stock Market Index Fund

51.2%

Total Bond Market Index Fund

35.9

European Stock Index Fund

7.6

Pacific Stock Index Fund

3.3

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

2.0

Total

100.0%

 

Fund Asset Allocation


Equity Investment Focus


 

 

Fixed Income Investment Focus


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

2

For an explanation of R-squared, beta, and other terms used here, see the Glossary on page 64.

3

The Target 2015 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 51% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 36% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, 11% MSCI EAFE Index, and 2% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

 

 

34

 

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

 

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): October 27, 20031–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

2015

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2004

7.4%

0.6%

8.0%

8.1%

2005

7.5

1.9

9.4

9.5

2006

4.9

2.3

7.2

7.3

20073

4.8

2.6

7.4

7.4

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

One Year

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

10/27/2003

10.69%

7.19%

2.23%

9.42%

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target 2015 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 51% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 36% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, 11% MSCI EAFE Index, and 2% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 40 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

 

35

 

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (99.9%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (51.1%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

74,482,540

2,562,944

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

552,800

78,166

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (12.9%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

10,412,417

390,674

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

13,232,351

171,756

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

4,239,602

105,142

 

 

 

Bond Fund (35.9%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

185,363,235

1,855,486

Total Investment Companies (Cost $4,748,618)

 

5,164,168

Other Assets and Liabilities (0.1%)

 

 

Other Assets

 

35,231

Liabilities

 

(30,616)

 

 

4,615

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 407,525,981 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

5,168,783

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$12.68

 

 

 

36

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

 

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:1

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

4,737,645

$11.62

Undistributed Net Investment Income

32,049

.08

Accumulated Net Realized Losses

(16,461)

(.04)

Unrealized Appreciation

415,550

1.02

Net Assets

5,168,783

$12.68

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

 

37

 

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

73,115

Net Investment Income—Note B

73,115

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

32

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

32

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

224,090

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

297,237

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

38

 

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

Mar. 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

73,115

85,290

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

32

(16,467)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

224,090

137,974

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

297,237

206,797

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(104,720)

(48,024)

Realized Capital Gain

(369)

Total Distributions

(104,720)

(48,393)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

1,423,383

2,113,096

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

104,087

48,120

Redeemed

(271,467)

(403,612)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

1,256,003

1,757,604

Total Increase (Decrease)

1,448,520

1,916,008

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

3,720,263

1,804,255

End of Period1

5,168,783

3,720,263

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $32,049,000 and $63,654,000.

 

 

39

 

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months

 

 

Sept. 1,

Oct. 27,

 

Ended

Year Ended

2004, to

20032 to

For a Share Outstanding

Mar. 31,

September 30,

Sept. 30,

Aug. 31,

Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

2005

20041

2004

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$12.10

$11.54

$10.74

$10.63

$10.00

Investment Operations

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

.213

.3563

.3463

.03

.16

Capital Gain Distributions Received

.0043

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

 

 

 

 

 

on Investments

.68

.466

.652

.08

.53

Total from Investment Operations

.89

.822

1.002

.11

.69

Distributions

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.31)

(.260)

(.200)

(.06)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

(.002)

(.002)

Total Distributions

(.31)

(.262)

(.202)

(.06)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$12.68

$12.10

$11.54

$10.74

$10.63

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Return

7.39%

7.25%

9.40%

1.03%

6.92%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$5,169

$3,720

$1,804

$470

$427

Ratio of Expenses to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets—Note B

0%4

0%

0%

0%

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets

3.02%*

3.04%

3.11%

2.85%*

2.69%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

6%*

15%

1%

0%

1%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

The fund’s fiscal year-end changed from August 31 to September 30, effective September 30, 2004.

2

Inception.

3

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

4

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

 

40

 

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2015 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, and bonds.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF Shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes.

The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year. For tax purposes, at September 30, 2006, the fund had available realized losses of $16,552,000 to offset future net capital gains through September 30, 2015. The fund will use these capital losses to offset net taxable capital gains, if any, realized during the year ending September 30, 2007; should the fund realize net capital losses for the year, the losses will be added to the loss carryforward balance above.

 

41

 

Target Retirement 2015 Fund

 

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $4,748,618,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $415,550,000, consisting of unrealized gains of $424,570,000 on securities that had risen in value since their purchase and $9,020,000 in unrealized losses on securities that had fallen in value since their purchase.

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $1,345,738,000 of investment securities and sold $125,533,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

March 31, 2007

September 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

113,441

181,488

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

8,327

4,192

Redeemed

(21,651)

(34,594)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

100,117

151,086

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

42

 

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

2.6%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Stock Market Index Fund

57.4%

Total Bond Market Index Fund

28.4

European Stock Index Fund

8.3

Pacific Stock Index Fund

3.7

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

2.2

Total

100.0%

 

Fund Asset Allocation


 

Equity Investment Focus


 

 

Fixed Income Investment Focus


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

See page 64 for a glossary of investment terms.

 

 

 

 

43

 

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

 

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): June 7, 20061–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

2020

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2006

5.7%

0.0%

5.7%

5.7%

20073

6.9

0.9

7.8

7.9

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

6/7/2006

13.00%

0.96%

13.96%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target 2020 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 58% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 28% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, 12% MSCI EAFE Index, and 2% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 49 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

 

44

 

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (99.9%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (57.2%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

13,699,030

471,384

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

27,700

3,917

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (14.3%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

1,845,051

69,226

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

2,390,003

31,022

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

742,626

18,417

 

 

 

Bond Fund (28.4%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

23,522,571

235,461

Total Investment Companies (Cost $812,113)

 

829,427

Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.1%)

 

506

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 36,715,794 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

829,933

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$22.60

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 

 

Assets

 

 

Investments in Securities, at Value

 

829,427

Receivables for Capital Shares Issued

 

80,294

Other Assets

 

840

Total Assets

 

910,561

Liabilities

 

 

Payables for Investment Securities Purchased

 

80,378

Other Liabilities

 

250

Total Liabilities

 

80,628

Net Assets

 

829,933

 

 

 

45

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:1

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

808,897

$22.03

Undistributed Net Investment Income

3,707

.10

Accumulated Net Realized Gains

15

Unrealized Appreciation

17,314

.47

Net Assets

829,933

$22.60

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

46

 

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

6,489

Net Investment Income—Note B

6,489

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

16

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

16

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

15,128

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

21,633

 

 

 

47

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

June 7,

 

Six Months Ended

20061 to

 

Mar. 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

6,489

359

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

16

(1)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

15,128

2,186

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

21,633

2,544

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(3,141)

Realized Capital Gain

Total Distributions

(3,141)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

712,323

117,259

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

3,137

Redeemed

(21,194)

(2,628)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

694,266

114,631

Total Increase (Decrease)

712,758

117,175

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

117,175

End of Period2

829,933

117,175

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $3,707,000 and $359,000.

 

48

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

Six Months

June 7,

 

Ended

20061 to

 

Mar. 31,

Sept. 30,

For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$21.14

$20.00

Investment Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

.342

.192

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments

1.31

.95

Total from Investment Operations

1.65

1.14

Distributions

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.19)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

Total Distributions

(.19)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$22.60

$21.14

 

 

 

Total Return

7.82%

5.70%

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$830

$117

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets—Note B

0%3

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

2.78%*

2.24%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

12%*

2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

3

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

49

 

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2020 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, and bonds.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF Shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes.

The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year. For tax purposes, at September 30, 2006, the fund had available realized losses of $1,000 to offset future net capital gains through September 30, 2015. The fund will use these capital losses to offset net taxable capital gains, if any, realized during the year ending September 30, 2007; should the fund realize net capital losses for the year, the losses will be added to the loss carryforward balance above.

 

 

50

 

Target Retirement 2020 Fund

 

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $812,113,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $17,314,000, consisting entirely of unrealized gains on securities that had risen in value since their purchase.

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $729,800,000 of investment securities and sold $25,372,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

June 7, 20061 to

 

March 31, 2007

September 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

31,982

5,672

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

141

Redeemed

(950)

(129)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

31,173

5,543

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

 

 

51

 

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

2.4%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

Volatility Measures2

 

 

Fund Versus

 

Composite Index3

R-Squared

1.00

Beta

0.99

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Stock Market Index Fund

63.5%

Total Bond Market Index Fund

20.5

European Stock Index Fund

9.4

Pacific Stock Index Fund

4.1

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

2.5

Total

100.0%

 

 

Fund Asset Allocation


Equity Investment Focus


 

 

 

Fixed Income Investment Focus


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

2

For an explanation of R-squared, beta, and other terms used here, see the Glossary on page 64.

3

The Target 2025 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 64% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 20% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, 14% MSCI EAFE Index, and 2% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

 

 

52

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

 

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): October 27, 20031–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

2025

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2004

8.2%

0.6%

8.8%

8.8%

2005

9.1

1.7

10.8

11.0

2006

6.0

2.2

8.2

8.3

20073

6.2

2.3

8.5

8.5

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

One Year

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

10/27/2003

11.72%

8.64%

2.04%

10.68%

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target 2025 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 64% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 20% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, 14% MSCI EAFE Index, and 2% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 58 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

 

53

 

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (99.8%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (63.4%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

94,617,469

3,255,787

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

750,700

106,149

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (15.9%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

13,268,779

497,845

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

16,519,539

214,424

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

5,927,376

131,375

 

 

 

Bond Fund (20.5%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

108,379,634

1,084,880

Total Investment Companies (Cost $4,738,150)

 

5,290,460

Other Assets and Liabilities (0.2%)

 

 

Other Assets

 

31,739

Liabilities

 

(23,179)

 

 

8,560

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 399,076,538 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

5,299,020

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$13.28

 

 

54

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

 

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:1

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

4,748,925

$11.90

Undistributed Net Investment Income

26,312

.07

Accumulated Net Realized Losses

(28,527)

(.07)

Unrealized Appreciation

552,310

1.38

Net Assets

5,299,020

$13.28

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

55

 

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

67,510

Net Investment Income—Note B

67,510

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

505

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

505

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

289,797

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

357,812

 

 

 

 

 

56

 

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

Mar. 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

67,510

80,627

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

505

(29,027)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

289,797

192,887

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

357,812

244,487

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(99,473)

(46,196)

Realized Capital Gain

(192)

Total Distributions

(99,473)

(46,388)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

1,212,993

2,143,288

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

99,046

46,214

Redeemed

(228,411)

(398,591)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

1,083,628

1,790,911

Total Increase (Decrease)

1,341,967

1,989,010

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

3,957,053

1,968,043

End of Period1

5,299,020

3,957,053

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $26,312,000 and $58,275,000.

 

 

57

 

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months

 

 

Sept. 1,

Oct. 27,

 

Ended

Year Ended

2004, to

20032 to

For a Share Outstanding

Mar. 31,

September 30,

Sept. 30,

Aug. 31,

Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

2005

20041

2004

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$12.51

$11.80

$10.82

$10.69

$10.00

Investment Operations

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

.193

.3213

.3203

.02

.13

Capital Gain Distributions Received

.0033

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

 

 

 

 

 

on Investments

.87

.630

.839

.11

.62

Total from Investment Operations

1.06

.951

1.162

.13

.75

Distributions

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.29)

(.240)

(.180)

(.06)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

(.001)

(.002)

Total Distributions

(.29)

(.241)

(.182)

(.06)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$13.28

$12.51

$11.80

$10.82

$10.69

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Return

8.51%

8.18%

10.80%

1.22%

7.52%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$5,299

$3,957

$1,968

$495

$453

Ratio of Expenses to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets—Note B

0%4

0%

0%

0%

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets

2.56%*

2.66%

2.84%

2.55%*

2.33%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

5%*

22%

2%

0%

3%

 

 

 

 

1

The fund’s fiscal year-end changed from August 31 to September 30, effective September 30, 2004.

2

Inception.

3

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

4

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

 

58

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2025 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, and bonds.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF Shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes.

The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year. For tax purposes, at September 30, 2006, the fund had available realized losses of $28,984,000 to offset future net capital gains through September 30, 2015. The fund will use these capital losses to offset net taxable capital gains, if any, realized during the year ending September 30, 2007; should the fund realize net capital losses for the year, the losses will be added to the loss carryforward balance above.

 

59

 

Target Retirement 2025 Fund

 

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $4,738,150,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $552,310,000, consisting of unrealized gains of $553,776,000 on securities that had risen in value since their purchase and $1,466,000 in unrealized losses on securities that had fallen in value since their purchase.

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $1,163,324,000 of investment securities and sold $117,553,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

March 31, 2007

September 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

92,623

178,778

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

7,567

3,916

Redeemed

(17,458)

(33,110)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

82,732

149,584

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

60

 

About Your Fund’s Expenses

 

As a shareholder of the fund, you incur ongoing costs, which include costs for portfolio management, administrative services, and shareholder reports (like this one), among others. Operating expenses, which are deducted from a fund’s gross income, directly reduce the investment return of the fund.

A typical fund’s expenses are expressed as a percentage of its average net assets. The Target Retirement Funds have no direct expenses, but each fund bears its proportionate share of the costs for the underlying funds in which it invests. These indirect expenses make up the acquired fund fees and expenses, also expressed as a percentage of average net assets.

The following examples, for funds that have at least one year of operating history, are intended to help you understand the ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in your fund and to compare these costs with those of other mutual funds. The examples are based on an investment of $1,000 made at the beginning of the period shown and held for the entire period. The costs were calculated using the acquired fund fees and expenses for each Target Retirement Fund.

The table on page 62 illustrates your fund’s costs in two ways:

• Based on actual fund return. This section helps you to estimate the actual expenses that you paid over the period. The “Ending Account Value” shown is derived from the fund’s actual return, and the third column shows the dollar amount that would have been paid by an investor who started with $1,000 in the fund. You may use the information here, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period.

To do so, simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number given for your fund under the heading “Expenses Paid During Period.”

• Based on hypothetical 5% yearly return. This section is intended to help you compare your fund’s costs with those of other mutual funds. It assumes that the fund had a yearly return of 5% before expenses, but that the expense ratio is unchanged. In this case—because the return used is not the fund’s actual return—the results do not apply to your investment. The example is useful in making comparisons because the Securities and Exchange Commission requires all mutual funds to calculate expenses based on a 5% return. You can assess your fund’s costs by comparing this hypothetical example with the hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.

 

 

61

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

Beginning

Ending

Expenses

 

Account Value

Account Value

Paid During

 

9/30/2006

3/31/2007

Period1

Based on Actual Fund Return

 

 

 

Income

$1,000.00

$1,045.77

$1.07

2005

1,000.00

1,058.49

1.08

2010

1,000.00

1,066.77

1.08

2015

1,000.00

1,073.92

1.09

2020

1,000.00

1,078.18

1.09

2025

1,000.00

1,085.07

1.09

Based on Hypothetical 5% Yearly Return

 

 

 

Income

$1,000.00

$1,023.88

$1.06

2005

1,000.00

1,023.88

1.06

2010

1,000.00

1,023.88

1.06

2015

1,000.00

1,023.88

1.06

2020

1,000.00

1,023.88

1.06

2025

1,000.00

1,023.88

1.06

 

Please note that the expenses shown in the table above are meant to highlight and help you compare ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs or account maintenance fees. They do not include your fund’s low-balance fee, which is described in the prospectus. If this fee were applied to your account, your costs would be higher. Your fund does not charge transaction fees, such as purchase or redemption fees, nor does it carry a “sales load.”

The calculations assume no shares were bought or sold during the period. Your actual costs may have been higher or lower, depending on the amount of your investment and the timing of any purchases or redemptions.

For additional information on operating expenses and other shareholder costs, please refer to the appropriate fund prospectus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

The calculations are based on the acquired fund fees and expenses for the most recent six-month period. The funds’ annualized expense figures for that period are (in order as listed from top to bottom above) 0.21%, 0.21%, 0.21%, 0.21%, 0.21%, and 0.21%. The dollar amounts shown as “Expenses Paid” are equal to the annualized expense figures, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent six-month period, then divided by the number of days in the most recent 12-month period.

 

 

62

 

Trustees Approve Advisory Arrangement

 

The board of trustees of Vanguard Target Retirement Funds has renewed the funds’ investment advisory arrangement with The Vanguard Group, Inc. Vanguard—through its Quantitative Equity Group—serves as the investment advisor for each of the funds. The board determined that continuing the funds’ internalized management structure was in the best interests of the funds and their shareholders.

The board based its decision upon an evaluation of the advisor’s investment staff, portfolio management process, and performance. The trustees considered the factors discussed below, among others; however, no single factor determined whether or not the board approved the arrangement. Rather, it was the totality of the circumstances that drove the board’s decision.

Nature, extent, and quality of services

The board considered the quality of the funds’ investment management over both the short and long term, and took into account the organizational depth and stability of the advisor. Vanguard has been managing investments for more than two decades. George U. Sauter, Vanguard managing director and chief investment officer, has been in the investment management business since 1985, and has led the Quantitative Equity Group since 1987. Duane Kelly, the Vanguard principal responsible for the day-to-day management of the funds, has been with Vanguard since 1989. The Quantitative Equity Group adheres to a sound, disciplined investment management process; the team has considerable experience, stability, and depth.

The board concluded that Vanguard’s experience, stability, depth, and performance, among other factors, warranted continuation of the advisory arrangement.

Investment performance

The board considered the performance of the funds, including any periods of outperformance or underperformance compared with relevant benchmarks and peer groups. The board noted that the funds have performed in line with expectations, and that their results have been consistent with their investment strategies. Information about the most recent performance of the funds is contained in the Performance Summary pages of this report.

Cost

The board noted that the funds’ average weighted expense ratios (or acquired fund fees and expenses) were far below the average expense ratios for the funds’ composite peer groups. The funds do not incur advisory expenses directly; however; the board noted that each of the underlying funds in which the Target Retirement Funds invest has advisory expenses well below the relevant peer-group average. Information about the Target Retirement Funds’ acquired fund fees and expenses appears in the About Your Fund’s Expenses section of this report as well as in the Financial Statements pages for each fund.

The board does not conduct a profitability analysis of Vanguard because of Vanguard’s unique “at-cost” structure. Unlike most other mutual fund management companies, Vanguard is owned by the funds it oversees, and produces “profits” only in the form of reduced expenses for fund shareholders.

The benefit of economies of scale

The board of trustees concluded that Vanguard’s low-cost arrangement with the Target Retirement Funds and their underlying funds ensures that the funds will realize economies of scale as they grow, with the cost to shareholders declining as fund assets increase.

The board will consider whether to renew the advisory arrangement again after a one-year period.

 

63

 

Glossary

 

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. Funds that invest in other Vanguard funds incur no direct expenses, but they do bear proportionate shares of the operating, administrative, and advisory expenses of the underlying funds, and they must pay any fees charged by those funds. The figure for acquired fund fees and expenses represents a weighted average of these underlying costs. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

Beta. A measure of the magnitude of a fund’s past share-price fluctuations in relation to the ups and downs of a given market index. The index is assigned a beta of 1.00. Compared with a given index, a fund with a beta of 1.20 typically would have seen its share price rise or fall by 12% when the index rose or fell by 10%. A fund’s beta should be reviewed in conjunction with its R-squared (see definition below). The lower the R-squared, the less correlation there is between the fund and the index, and the less reliable beta is as an indicator of volatility.

Expense Ratio. The percentage of a fund’s average net assets used to pay its annual administrative and advisory expenses. These expenses directly reduce returns to investors.

Inception Date. The date on which the assets of a fund (or one of its share classes) are first invested in accordance with the fund’s investment objective. For funds with a subscription period, the inception date is the day after that period ends. Investment performance is measured from the inception date.

R-Squared. A measure of how much of a fund’s past returns can be explained by the returns from the market in general, as measured by a given index. If a fund’s total returns were precisely synchronized with an index’s returns, its R-squared would be 1.00. If the fund’s returns bore no relationship to the index’s returns, its R-squared would be 0.

Yield. A snapshot of a fund’s income from interest and dividends. The yield, expressed as a percentage of the fund’s net asset value, is based on income earned over the past 30 days and is annualized, or projected forward for the coming year.

 

 

 

64

 

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The People Who Govern Your Fund

 

The trustees of your mutual fund are there to see that the fund is operated and managed in your best interests since, as a shareholder, you are a part owner of the fund. Your fund’s trustees also serve on the board of directors of The Vanguard Group, Inc., which is owned by the Vanguard funds and provides services to them on an at-cost basis.

 

A majority of Vanguard’s board members are independent, meaning that they have no affiliation with Vanguard or the funds they oversee, apart from the sizable personal investments they have made as private individuals.

 

Our independent board members bring distinguished backgrounds in business, academia, and public service to their task of working with Vanguard officers to establish the policies and oversee the activities of the funds. Among board members’ responsibilities are selecting investment advisors for the funds; monitoring fund operations, performance, and costs; reviewing contracts; nominating and selecting new trustees/directors; and electing Vanguard officers.

 

Each trustee serves a fund until its termination; or until the trustee’s retirement, resignation, or death; or otherwise as specified in the fund’s organizational documents. Any trustee may be removed at a shareholders’ meeting by a vote representing two-thirds of the net asset value of all shares of the fund together with shares of other Vanguard funds organized within the same trust. The table on these two pages shows information for each trustee and executive officer of the fund. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482.

 

 

Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Trustee

 

 

John J. Brennan1

 

Born 1954

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Chairman of the Board, Chief

Trustee since May 1987;

Executive Officer, and Director/Trustee of The Vanguard Group, Inc., and of each

Chairman of the Board and

of the investment companies served by The Vanguard Group.

Chief Executive Officer

 

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

 

 

Independent Trustees

 

 

 

Charles D. Ellis

 

Born 1937

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Applecore Partners (pro bono ventures

Trustee since January 2001

in education); Senior Advisor to Greenwich Associates (international business strategy

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

consulting); Successor Trustee of Yale University; Overseer of the Stern School of Business

 

at New York University; Trustee of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.

 

 

Rajiv L. Gupta

 

Born 1945

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Trustee since December 20012

of Rohm and Haas Co. (chemicals); Board Member of the American Chemistry Council;

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Director of Tyco International, Ltd. (diversified manufacturing and services) since 2005;

 

Trustee of Drexel University and of the Chemical Heritage Foundation.

 

 

Amy Gutmann

 

Born 1949

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: President of the University of

Trustee since June 2006

Pennsylvania since 2004; Professor in the School of Arts and Sciences, Annenberg School

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

for Communication, and Graduate School of Education of the University of Pennsylvania

 

since 2004; Provost (2001–2004) and Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Politics and the

 

University Center for Human Values (1990–2004), Princeton University; Director of Carnegie

 

Corporation of New York since 2005 and of Schuylkill River Development Corporation and

 

Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce (since 2004).

 

JoAnn Heffernan Heisen

 

Born 1950

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Corporate Vice President and Chief

Trustee since July 1998

Global Diversity Officer since 2006, Vice President and Chief Information

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Officer (1997–2005), and Member of the Executive Committee of Johnson & Johnson

 

(pharmaceuticals/consumer products); Director of the University Medical Center at

 

Princeton and Women’s Research and Education Institute.

 

 

André F. Perold

 

Born 1952

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: George Gund Professor of Finance and

Trustee since December 2004

Banking, Harvard Business School; Senior Associate Dean, Director of Faculty

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Recruiting, and Chair of Finance Faculty, Harvard Business School; Director and Chairman

 

of UNX, Inc. (equities trading firm) since 2003; Director of registered investment

 

companies advised by Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and affiliates (1985–2004),

 

Genbel Securities Limited (South African financial services firm) (1999–2003), Gensec

 

Bank (1999–2003), Sanlam, Ltd. (South African insurance company) (2001–2003), and

 

Stockback, Inc. (credit card firm) (2000–2002).

 

 

Alfred M. Rankin, Jr.

 

Born 1941

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Chairman, President, Chief Executive

Trustee since January 1993

Officer, and Director of NACCO Industries, Inc. (forklift trucks/housewares/ lignite);

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Director of Goodrich Corporation (industrial products/aircraft systems and services).

 

 

J. Lawrence Wilson

 

Born 1936

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Retired Chairman and Chief Executive

Trustee since April 1985

Officer of Rohm and Haas Co. (chemicals); Director of Cummins Inc. (diesel engines),

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

and AmerisourceBergen Corp. (pharmaceutical distribution); Trustee of Vanderbilt University

 

and of Culver Educational Foundation.

 

 

Executive Officers1

 

 

 

Heidi Stam

 

Born 1956

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Managing Director of the Vanguard

Secretary since July 2005

Group, Inc., since 2006; General Counsel of The Vanguard Group since 2005; Secretary of

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

The Vanguard Group, and of each of the investment companies served by The Vanguard

 

Group, since 2005; Principal of The Vanguard Group (1997-2006).

 

 

Thomas J. Higgins

 

Born 1957

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Principal of The Vanguard Group, Inc.;

Treasurer since July 1998

Treasurer of each of the investment companies served by The Vanguard Group.

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

 

 

 

Vanguard Senior Management Team

 

 

R. Gregory Barton

Kathleen C. Gubanich

Michael S. Miller

Mortimer J. Buckley

Paul A. Heller

Ralph K. Packard

James H. Gately

F. William McNabb, III

George U. Sauter

 

 

Founder

 

 

 

John C. Bogle

 

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, 1974–1996

 

 

1 Officers of the funds are “interested persons” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

2 December 2002 for Vanguard Equity Income Fund, Vanguard Growth Equity Fund, the Vanguard Municipal Bond Funds, and the Vanguard State Tax-Exempt Funds.

More information about the trustees is in the Statement of Additional Information, available from The Vanguard Group.

 

 

 

 

 


 

P.O. Box 2600

 

Valley Forge, PA 19482-2600

 

 

Connect with Vanguard™ > www.vanguard.com

 

 

Fund Information > 800-662-7447

Vanguard, Connect with Vanguard, and the ship

 

logo are trademarks of The Vanguard Group, Inc.

Direct Investor Account Services > 800-662-2739

 

 

All other marks are the exclusive property of their

Institutional Investor Services > 800-523-1036

respective owners.

 

 

Text Telephone for the

 

Hearing-Impaired > 800-952-3335

All comparative mutual fund data are from Lipper Inc.

 

or Morningstar, Inc., unless otherwise noted.

 

 

 

 

 

You can obtain a free copy of Vanguard’s proxy voting

This material may be used in conjunction

guidelines by visiting our website, www.vanguard.com,

with the offering of shares of any Vanguard

and searching for “proxy voting guidelines,” or by calling

fund only if preceded or accompanied by

Vanguard at 800-662-2739. They are also available from

the fund’s current prospectus.

the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. In addition, you may

 

obtain a free report on how your fund voted the proxies for

 

securities it owned during the 12 months ended June 30.

 

To get the report, visit either www.vanguard.com

 

or www.sec.gov.

 

 

 

 

 

You can review and copy information about your fund

 

at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C.

 

To find out more about this public service, call the SEC

 

at 202-551-8090. Information about your fund is also

 

available on the SEC’s website, and you can receive

 

copies of this information, for a fee, by sending a

 

request in either of two ways: via e-mail addressed to

 

publicinfo@sec.gov or via regular mail addressed to the

 

Public Reference Section, Securities and Exchange

 

Commission, Washington, DC 20549-0102.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2007 The Vanguard Group, Inc.

 

All rights reserved.

 

Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

 

 

 

Q3082 052007

 

 

 

 




 

 

Vanguard® Target Retirement Funds

 

 

> Semiannual Report

 

 

 

 

 

March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

>

For the five Target Retirement Funds included in this report, six-month returns

 

ranged from 8.9% for the Target Retirement 2030 Fund to 9.2% for the 2035 and

 

2045 Funds.

 

>

Bond returns were modest for the half-year period, while the U.S. and

 

international stock markets produced healthy gains.

 

>

Among the underlying Vanguard funds represented in this portion of the Target

 

Retirement series, the best performance belonged to the Emerging Markets Stock

 

Index Fund. The Total Bond Market Index Fund delivered the most modest result.

 

 

 

 

 

Contents

 

 

 

Your Fund’s Total Returns

1

Chairman’s Letter

2

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

7

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

16

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

25

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

34

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

43

About Your Fund’s Expenses

52

Trustees Approve Advisory Arrangement

54

Glossary

55

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please note: The opinions expressed in this report are just that—informed opinions. They should not be considered promises or advice. Also, please keep in mind that the information and opinions cover the period through the date on the cover of this report. Of course, the risks of investing in your fund are spelled out in the prospectus.

Your Fund’s Total Returns

 

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

Total

 

Returns

Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund

8.9%

Target 2030 Composite Index1

9.0

Target 2030 Composite Average2

9.5

 

 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund

9.2%

Target 2035 Composite Index1

9.3

Target 2035 Composite Average2

9.7

 

 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund

9.1%

Target 2040 Composite Index1

9.3

Target 2040 Composite Average2

9.7

 

 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund

9.2%

Target 2045 Composite Index1

9.3

Target 2045 Composite Average2

9.7

 

 

 

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund

9.1%

Target 2050 Composite Index1

9.3

Target 2050 Composite Average2

9.7

 

 

 

 

1

Returns for the composite indexes are derived by applying the funds’ target allocations to the results of the following benchmarks: for U.S. stocks, the Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) US Broad Market Index; for international stocks, the MSCI Europe, Australasia, Far East Index and the MSCI Emerging Markets Index; and for bonds, the Lehman Brothers Aggregate Bond Index. Each composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

2

Each composite average weights the average returns of the appropriate mutual fund peer groups in proportion with the targeted weighting of the specific Target Retirement Fund. All together, the composites use returns for the average fixed income fund, the average general equity fund, the average international fund, and the average emerging markets fund. These returns are derived from data provided by Lipper Inc.

 

1

 


 

Chairman’s Letter

 

Dear Shareholder,

During the fiscal half-year ended March 31, 2007, the Vanguard Target Retirement Funds enjoyed a period of healthy performance. Returns for bonds were modest, but the performance of domestic stocks was strong. Those Target Retirement Funds with a bit more exposure to international markets fared best during the period, as foreign stocks continued to outpace domestic equities.

Five of the 11 Target Retirement Funds are included in this report. For all of the portfolios, robust gains from both U.S. and international equities helped to boost performance.

Three of the five funds in this report are not yet one year old—the 2030, 2040, and 2050 Funds were added to the Target Retirement series in June 2006.

Six-month stock market return reflected disparate market moods

The broad U.S. stock market stitched together a solid six-month return from patches of strength and weakness. Stock prices rallied at the start of the period, pulled back in February—in part a reaction to the Chinese market’s swoon—then recovered in March, buoyed by generally benign economic and corporate-profit reports.

 

 

2

Small-capitalization stocks outpaced large-caps, and international stocks outperformed their U.S. counterparts—patterns that have been in place for much of the past few years.

As the Fed sat tight, bonds produced coupon-like returns

The Federal Reserve Board remained offstage during the six months, keeping its target for the federal funds rate at 5.25% throughout the period. Despite some interim back-and-forth, longer-term bond yields finished the period pretty much where they started. With rates—and prices—more or less stable, bonds’ returns were consistent with their coupons.

The broad taxable bond market returned 2.8% for the six-month period. The municipal securities market posted a return of 1.9%. Money market instruments, one of the fixed income market’s bright spots in recent months, returned 2.5% for the half-year, as measured by the Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Bill Index.

The funds’ performances were very similar

Each of the Target Retirement Funds includes a mix of stock and bond funds that is appropriate for its maturity date. Over time, these allocations shift to become more bond-oriented as the investor’s retirement date approaches.

 

Market Barometer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Returns

 

 

Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

Six Months

One Year

Five Years1

Stocks

 

 

 

Russell 1000 Index (Large-caps)

8.2%

11.8%

6.9%

Russell 2000 Index (Small-caps)

11.0

5.9

10.9

Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index (Entire market)

8.9

11.4

7.8

MSCI All Country World Index ex USA (International)

15.5

20.3

17.4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bonds

 

 

 

Lehman Aggregate Bond Index (Broad taxable market)

2.8%

6.6%

5.4%

Lehman Municipal Bond Index

1.9

5.4

5.5

Citigroup 3-Month Treasury Bill Index

2.5

5.0

2.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CPI

 

 

 

Consumer Price Index

1.2%

2.8%

2.8%

 

 

1

Annualized.

 

 

3

 

For all of the funds covered in this report, the target date for retirement is some way off—about 25 years for the 2030 Fund, and almost 45 years for the 2050 Fund—so their asset allocations are for now quite similar. The Target Retirement 2030 Fund, which has a slightly higher allocation to bonds, and less allotted to domestic and foreign equities, returned 8.9% for the six-month period, modestly trailing the other funds.

Over the long term, we would expect the 11 Target Retirement Funds’ performance to reflect a ladder-like progression based on their allocations—namely, modest but stable returns among the more conservative, income-oriented funds, and higher returns (albeit with occasional downturns) among the funds with a higher exposure to equities.

Among the underlying Vanguard funds represented in this portion of the Target Retirement series, the best performers during the period were the international funds: Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund (+19.8%), European Stock Index Fund (+15.8%), and Pacific Stock Index Fund (+12.6%). The lowest-returning portfolio was the Total Bond Market Index Fund, which returned 2.8%.

 

Asset Allocations on March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Short-Term

 

Stocks1

Bonds

Investments

2030

87%

13%

0%

2035

90

10

0

2040

90

10

0

2045

90

10

0

2050

90

10

0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

As of March 31, 2007, international stock weightings for the 2030, 2035, 2040, 2045, and 2050 Funds were 17%, 18%, 18%, 18% and 18% of assets, respectively.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4

 

The funds provide a one-stop, age-appropriate solution

The Vanguard Target Retirement Funds gradually march toward more conservative, age-appropriate asset allocations. In the process, the funds rely on cost-efficient Vanguard funds, primarily index funds, to capture the returns of the stock and bond markets. As a shareholder in a Target Retirement Fund, you own a single investment that—given your retirement target-date—appropriately diversifies your assets and gradually modifies your portfolio as retirement nears.

 

Because these funds simplify the investment process, the Target Retirement series can help investors avoid two of the most common behavioral pitfalls that can derail long-term performance: namely, inattention to one’s portfolio and thus a failure to rebalance it, or—at the other extreme—overzealous involvement characterized by too much trading, performance-chasing, and a restless search for the next “best” thing.

As we have counseled through the years, choosing and sticking with a carefully considered, balanced portfolio of stock, bond, and money market funds suited to

 

 

Annualized Expense Ratios

 

 

Your fund compared with its peer group

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Acquired” Fund

Peer-Group

 

Fees and

Expense

 

Expenses1

Ratio2

2030

0.21%

1.41%

2035

0.21

1.43

2040

0.21

1.43

2045

0.21

1.43

2050

0.21

1.43

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the Target Retirement Funds invest. The Target Retirement Funds do not charge any expenses or fees of their own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

 

2

Peer groups are (from top to bottom) the Target 2030 Composite Average, the Target 2035 Composite Average, the Target 2040 Composite Average, the Target 2045 Composite Average, and the Target 2050 Composite Average. Each average is a blended composite that weights the return of the average comparable mutual fund for each asset class in proportion to the target weighting of the appropriate Target Retirement fund. Peer-group expense ratios are derived from data provided by Lipper Inc. and capture information through year-end 2006.

 

 

 

5

 

your unique circumstances and time horizon can be critical to your long-term success. The Vanguard Target Retirement Funds put this counsel into practice for retirement investing, giving you a one-stop solution that does it all.

Thank you for investing with Vanguard.

Sincerely,


John J. Brennan

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

April 16, 2007

 

 

Your Fund’s Performance at a Glance

 

 

 

 

 

September 30, 2006–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting

Ending

Distributions Per Share

 

 

Share

Share

Income

Capital

SEC

 

Price

Price

Dividends

Gains

Yield1

2030

$21.25

$22.95

$0.190

$0.000

2.11%

2035

13.18

14.13

0.260

0.000

2.04

2040

21.13

22.87

0.180

0.000

2.00

2045

13.60

14.59

0.250

0.010

2.03

2050

21.24

22.96

0.220

0.000

2.03

 

 

 

1

Thirty-day advertised yield net of expenses at month-end.

 

 

 

6

 

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

2.1%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Stock Market Index Fund

69.7%

Total Bond Market Index Fund

13.0

European Stock Index Fund

10.1

Pacific Stock Index Fund

4.5

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

2.7

Total

100.0%

 

 

Fund Asset Allocation


Equity Investment Focus


 

Fixed Income Investment Focus

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

See page 55 for a glossary of investment terms.

 

 

7

 

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

 

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): June 7, 20061–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

2030

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2006

6.3%

0.0%

6.3%

6.3%

20073

8.0

0.9

8.9

9.0

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Period Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

6/7/2006

14.75%

0.96%

15.71%

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target 2030 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 69% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 15% MSCI EAFE Index, 13% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, and 3% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 13 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

 

8

 

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (99.7%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (69.3%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

10,279,131

353,705

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

8,600

1,216

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (17.3%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

1,377,231

51,674

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

1,783,879

23,155

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

555,761

13,783

 

 

 

Bond Fund (13.0%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

6,649,190

66,558

 

 

 

Money Market Fund (0.1%)

 

 

1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 5.288%

271,308

271

Total Investment Companies (Cost $497,640)

 

510,362

Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.3%)

 

1,749

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 22,312,188 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

512,111

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$22.95

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 

 

Assets

 

 

Investments in Securities, at Value

 

510,362

Receivables for Capital Shares Issued

 

58,634

Other Assets

 

235

Total Assets

 

569,231

Liabilities

 

 

Payables for Investment Securities Purchased

 

57,035

Other Liabilities

 

85

Total Liabilities

 

57,120

Net Assets

 

512,111

 

9

 

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

 

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:2

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

497,573

$22.30

Undistributed Net Investment Income

1,800

.08

Accumulated Net Realized Gains

16

Unrealized Appreciation

12,722

.57

Net Assets

512,111

$22.95

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

Affiliated money market fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown is the 7-day yield.

2

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

10

 

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

3,455

Net Investment Income—Note B

3,455

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

20

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

20

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

11,279

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

14,754

 

 

 

 

11

 

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

June 7,

 

Six Months Ended

20061 to

 

March 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

3,455

189

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

20

(4)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

11,279

1,443

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

14,754

1,628

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(1,844)

Realized Capital Gain

Total Distributions

(1,844)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

444,699

67,835

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

1,842

Redeemed

(16,000)

(803)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

430,541

67,032

Total Increase (Decrease)

443,451

68,660

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

68,660

End of Period2

512,111

68,660

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $1,800,000 and $189,000.

 

 

12

 

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

Six Months

June 7,

 

Ended

20061 to

 

March 31,

Sept. 30,

For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$21.25

$20.00

Investment Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

.302

.172

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments

1.59

1.08

Total from Investment Operations

1.89

1.25

Distributions

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.19)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

Total Distributions

(.19)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$22.95

$21.25

 

 

 

Total Return

8.91%

6.25%

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$512

$69

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets—Note B

0%3

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

2.36%*

1.81%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

10%*

13%

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

3

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

 

 

13

 

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

Vanguard Target Retirement 2030 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, and bonds.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes.

The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year. For tax purposes, at September 30, 2006, the fund had available realized losses of $4,000 to offset future net capital gains through September 30, 2014. The fund will use these capital losses to offset net taxable capital gains, if any, realized during the year ending September 30, 2007; should the fund realize net capital losses for the year, the losses will be added to the loss carryforward balance above.

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $497,640,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $12,722,000, consisting entirely of unrealized gains on securities that had risen in value since their purchase.

 

 

14

 

Target Retirement 2030 Fund

 

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $443,078,000 of investment securities and sold $12,823,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

June 7, 20061 to

 

Mar. 31, 2007

Sept. 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

19,706

3,271

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

81

Redeemed

(707)

(39)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

19,080

3,232

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

 

 

 

15

 

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

2.0%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

Volatility Measures2

 

 

Fund Versus

 

Composite Index3

R-Squared

1.00

Beta

1.00

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Stock Market Index Fund

72.0%

European Stock Index Fund

10.6

Total Bond Market Index Fund

10.0

Pacific Stock Index Fund

4.6

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

2.8

Total

100.0%

 

Fund Asset Allocation

 


Equity Investment Focus

 


Fixed Income Investment Focus

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

2

For an explanation of R-squared, beta, and other terms used here, see the Glossary on page 55.

3

The Target 2035 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 72% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 15% MSCI EAFE Index, 10% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, and 3% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

 

 

 

16

 

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

 

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): October 27, 20031–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

2035

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2004

9.2%

0.7%

9.9%

9.9%

2005

11.9

1.6

13.5

13.6

2006

7.9

1.8

9.7

9.9

20073

7.2

2.0

9.2

9.3

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

One Year

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

10/27/2003

12.36%

10.62%

1.83%

12.45%

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target 2035 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 72% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 15% MSCI EAFE Index, 10% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, and 3% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 22 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17

 

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (99.7%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (71.7%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

71,322,887

2,454,220

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

587,700

83,101

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (18.0%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

9,917,447

372,103

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

12,620,224

163,810

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

4,018,650

99,663

 

 

 

Bond Fund (10.0%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

35,369,534

354,049

 

 

 

Money Market Fund (0.0%)

 

 

1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 5.288%

370,109

370

Total Investment Companies (Cost $3,122,802)

 

3,527,316

Other Assets and Liabilities (0.3%)

 

 

Other Assets

 

21,078

Liabilities

 

(9,595)

 

 

11,483

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 250,510,880 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

3,538,799

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$14.13

 

 

 

18

 

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:2

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

3,129,759

$12.50

Undistributed Net Investment Income

14,397

.06

Accumulated Net Realized Losses

(9,871)

(.04)

Unrealized Appreciation

404,514

1.61

Net Assets

3,538,799

$14.13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

Affiliated money market fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown is the 7-day yield.

2

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

 

 

 

 

19

 

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

 

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

40,562

Net Investment Income—Note B

40,562

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

434

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

434

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

210,621

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

251,617

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

March 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

40,562

41,439

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

434

(10,382)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

210,621

139,747

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

251,617

170,804

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(55,710)

(22,348)

Realized Capital Gain

Total Distributions

(55,710)

(22,348)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

874,100

1,523,484

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

55,512

22,296

Redeemed

(149,043)

(223,582)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

780,569

1,322,198

Total Increase (Decrease)

976,476

1,470,654

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

2,562,323

1,091,669

End of Period1

3,538,799

2,562,323

 

 

 

1

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $14,397,000 and $29,545,000.

 

 

 

21

 

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months

 

Sept. 1,

Oct. 27,

 

Ended

Year Ended

2004, to

20032 to

 

March 31,

September 30,

Sept. 30,

Aug. 31,

For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

2005

20041

2004

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$13.18

$12.22

$10.92

$10.76

$10.00

Investment Operations

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

.183

.283

.273

.03

.115

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

 

 

 

 

 

on Investments

1.03

.89

1.20

.13

.710

Total from Investment Operations

1.21

1.17

1.47

.16

.825

Distributions

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.26)

(.21)

(.17)

(.065)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

Total Distributions

(.26)

(.21)

(.17)

(.065)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$14.13

$13.18

$12.22

$10.92

$10.76

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Return

9.21%

9.70%

13.53%

1.49%

8.27%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$3,539

$2,562

$1,092

$236

$211

Ratio of Expenses to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets—Note B

0%4

0%

0%

0%

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets

2.25%*

2.21%

2.33%

1.97%*

1.70%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

1%*

14%

0%

0%

2%

 

 

 

 

1

The fund’s fiscal year-end changed from August 31 to September 30, effective September 30, 2004.

2

Inception.

3

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

4

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

22

 

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2035 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, and bonds.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF Shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes.

The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year. For tax purposes, at September 30, 2006, the fund had available realized losses of $10,268,000 to offset future net capital gains through September 30, 2015. The fund will use these capital losses to offset net taxable capital gains, if any, realized during the year ending September 30, 2007; should the fund realize net capital losses for the year, the losses will be added to the loss carryforward balance above.

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $3,122,802,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $404,514,000, consisting of unrealized gains of $404,670,000 on securities that had risen in value since their purchase and $156,000 in unrealized losses on securities that had fallen in value since their purchase.

 

23

 

Target Retirement 2035 Fund

 

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $771,699,000 of investment securities and sold $13,735,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

March 31, 2007

September 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

62,848

120,932

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

3,985

1,811

Redeemed

(10,723)

(17,683)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

56,110

105,060

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

24

 

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

2.0%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Stock Market Index Fund

72.0%

European Stock Index Fund

10.5

Total Bond Market Index Fund

10.0

Pacific Stock Index Fund

4.7

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

2.8

Total

100.0%

 

 

Fund Asset Allocation


 

Equity Investment Focus


Fixed Income Investment Focus


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

See page 55 for a glossary of investment terms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25

 

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

 

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): June 7, 20061–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

2040

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2006

5.7%

0.0%

5.7%

5.7%

20073

8.2

0.9

9.1

9.3

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Period Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

6/7/2006

14.35%

0.91%

15.26%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target 2040 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 72% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 15% MSCI EAFE Index, 10% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, and 3% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 31 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

26

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (99.4%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (71.5%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

4,770,318

164,147

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

7,000

990

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (17.9%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

640,837

24,044

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

830,672

10,782

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

258,218

6,404

 

 

 

Bond Fund (10.0%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

2,299,955

23,022

Total Investment Companies (Cost $223,735)

 

229,389

Other Assets and Liabilities—Net (0.6%)

 

1,401

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 10,090,461 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

230,790

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$22.87

 

 

 

 

 

 

Statement of Assets and Liabilities

 

 

Assets

 

 

Investments in Securities, at Value

 

229,389

Receivables for Capital Shares Issued

 

37,385

Other Assets

 

80

Total Assets

 

266,854

Liabilities

 

 

Payables for Investment Securities Purchased

 

35,997

Other Liabilities

 

67

Total Liabilities

 

36,064

Net Assets

 

230,790

 

27

 

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

 

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:1

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

224,424

$22.24

Undistributed Net Investment Income

710

.07

Accumulated Net Realized Gains

2

Unrealized Appreciation

5,654

.56

Net Assets

230,790

$22.87

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

 

 

28

 

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

1,420

Net Investment Income—Note B

1,420

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

2

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

2

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

4,987

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

6,409

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

29

 

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

June 7,

 

Six Months Ended

20061 to

 

March 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

1,420

84

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

2

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

4,987

667

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

6,409

751

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(794)

Realized Capital Gain

Total Distributions

(794)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

200,243

31,632

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

793

Redeemed

(7,779)

(465)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

193,257

31,167

Total Increase (Decrease)

198,872

31,918

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

31,918

End of Period2

230,790

31,918

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $710,000 and $84,000.

 

30

 

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

Six Months

June 7,

 

Ended

20061 to

 

March 31,

Sept. 30,

For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$21.13

$20.00

Investment Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

.282

.162

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments

1.64

.97

Total from Investment Operations

1.92

1.13

Distributions

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.18)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

Total Distributions

(.18)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$22.87

$21.13

 

 

 

Total Return

9.10%

5.65%

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$231

$32

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets—Note B

0%3

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

2.23%*

1.72%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

14%*

0%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

3

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

31

 

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2040 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, and bonds.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF Shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes. The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year.

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $223,735,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $5,654,000, consisting entirely of unrealized gains on securities that had risen in value since their purchase.

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $200,666,000 of investment securities and sold $8,090,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

 

 

32

 

Target Retirement 2040 Fund

 

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

June 7, 20061 to

 

March 31, 2007

September 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

8,890

1,532

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

35

Redeemed

(345)

(22)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

8,580

1,510

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

33

 

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

2.0%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

Volatility Measures2

 

 

Fund Versus

 

Composite Index3

R-Squared

1.00

Beta

0.99

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Stock Market Index Fund

72.0%

European Stock Index Fund

10.6

Total Bond Market Index Fund

10.0

Pacific Stock Index Fund

4.6

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

2.8

Total

100.0%

 

 

Fund Asset Allocation


 

Equity Investment Focus


Fixed Income Investment Focus

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

2

For an explanation of R-squared, beta, and other terms used here, see the Glossary on page 55.

3

The Target 2045 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 72% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 15% MSCI EAFE Index, 10% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, and 3% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

 

 

34

 

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

 

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): October 27, 20031–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

2045

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2004

9.8%

0.7%

10.5%

10.6%

2005

13.6

1.5

15.1

15.2

2006

9.1

1.6

10.7

10.8

20073

7.4

1.8

9.2

9.3

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Periods Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

One Year

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

10/27/2003

12.27%

11.68%

1.72%

13.40%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target 2045 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 72% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 15% MSCI EAFE Index, 10% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, and 3% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI US Broad Market Index replaced the Dow Jones Wilshire 5000 Index in the composite index on April 23, 2005. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 40 for dividend and capital gains information.

35

 

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (99.7%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (71.7%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

34,602,931

1,190,687

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

266,500

37,683

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (18.0%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

4,811,864

180,541

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

6,095,458

79,119

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

1,940,920

48,135

 

 

 

Bond Fund (10.0%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

17,066,401

170,834

 

 

 

Money Market Fund (0.0%)

 

 

1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 5.288%

547,754

548

Total Investment Companies (Cost $1,518,945)

 

1,707,547

Other Assets and Liabilities (0.3%)

 

 

Other Assets

 

9,640

Liabilities

 

(5,049)

 

 

4,591

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 117,357,611 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

1,712,138

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$14.59

 

 

36

 

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:2

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

1,517,307

$12.93

Undistributed Net Investment Income

6,343

.05

Accumulated Net Realized Losses

(114)

Unrealized Appreciation

188,602

1.61

Net Assets

1,712,138

$14.59

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

Affiliated money market fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown is the 7-day yield.

2

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

37

 

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

19,290

Net Investment Income—Note B

19,290

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

(102)

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

(102)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

98,740

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

117,928

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

38

 

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

Mar. 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

19,290

17,071

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

(102)

1,211

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

98,740

65,100

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

117,928

83,382

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(24,576)

(9,135)

Realized Capital Gain1

(983)

Total Distributions

(25,559)

(9,135)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

508,811

741,765

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

25,473

9,100

Redeemed

(100,298)

(131,331)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

433,986

619,534

Total Increase (Decrease)

526,355

693,781

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

1,185,783

492,002

End of Period2

1,712,138

1,185,783

 

 

 

 

1

Includes fiscal 2007 short-term gain distributions totaling $983,000. Short-term gain distributions are treated as ordinary income dividends for tax purposes.

2

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $6,343,000 and $11,629,000.

 

39

 

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Six Months

 

 

Sept. 1,

Oct. 27,

 

Ended

Year Ended

2004, to

20032 to

 

March 31,

September 30,

Sept. 30,

Aug. 31,

For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

2005

20041

2004

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$13.60

$12.47

$10.98

$10.80

$10.00

Investment Operations

 

 

 

 

 

Net Investment Income

.193

.273

.243

.03

.11

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss)

 

 

 

 

 

on Investments

1.06

1.05

1.41

.15

.76

Total from Investment Operations

1.25

1.32

1.65

.18

.87

Distributions

 

 

 

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.25)

(.19)

(.16)

(.07)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

(.01)

Total Distributions

(.26)

(.19)

(.16)

(.07)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$14.59

$13.60

$12.47

$10.98

$10.80

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Return

9.22%

10.70%

15.09%

1.67%

8.72%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

 

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$1,712

$1,186

$492

$85

$76

Ratio of Expenses to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets—Note B

0%4

0%

0%

0%

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to

 

 

 

 

 

Average Net Assets

2.26%*

2.03%

2.07%

1.65%*

1.38%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

1%*

3%

7%

0%

7%

 

 

 

1

The fund’s fiscal year-end changed from August 31 to September 30, effective September 30, 2004.

2

Inception.

3

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

4

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

 

40

 

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2045 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, and bonds.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF Shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes. The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year.

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $1,518,945,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $188,602,000, consisting of unrealized gains of $189,378,000 on securities that had risen in value since their purchase and $776,000 in unrealized losses on securities that had fallen in value since their purchase.

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $433,930,000 of investment securities and sold $7,654,000 of investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

 

41

 

Target Retirement 2045 Fund

 

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

Year Ended

 

March 31, 2007

September 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

35,411

57,087

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

1,771

720

Redeemed

(7,000)

(10,084)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

30,182

47,723

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

42

 

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

 

Fund Profile

As of March 31, 2007

 

Financial Attributes

 

 

 

Yield

2.0%

Expense Ratio

0%

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses1

0.21%

 

Allocation to Underlying Vanguard Funds

 

 

 

Total Stock Market Index Fund

72.0%

European Stock Index Fund

10.5

Total Bond Market Index Fund

10.0

Pacific Stock Index Fund

4.7

Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund

2.8

Total

100.0%

 

Fund Asset Allocation

 


 

Equity Investment Focus

 


Fixed Income Investment Focus

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

This figure represents an annualized weighted average of the expense ratios and any fees charged by the underlying mutual funds in which the fund invests. The fund does not charge any expenses or fees of its own. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

See page 55 for a glossary of investment terms.

 

 

43

 

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

 

Performance Summary

 

All of the returns in this report represent past performance, which is not a guarantee of future results that may be achieved by the fund. (Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data cited. For performance data current to the most recent month-end, visit our website at www.vanguard.com/performance.) Note, too, that both investment returns and principal value can fluctuate widely, so an investor’s shares, when sold, could be worth more or less than their original cost. The returns shown do not reflect taxes that a shareholder would pay on fund distributions or on the sale of fund shares.

 

Fiscal-Year Total Returns (%): June 7, 20061–March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Target

 

 

 

 

2050

Fiscal

Capital

Income

Total

Composite

Year

Return

Return

Return

Index2

2006

6.2%

0.0%

6.2%

6.2%

20073

8.1

1.0

9.1

9.3

 

Average Annual Total Returns: Period Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since Inception

 

Inception Date

Capital

Income

Total

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

6/7/2006

14.80%

1.12%

15.92%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

The Target 2050 Composite Index is derived by applying the fund’s target allocation to a set of unmanaged benchmarks, weighted as follows: 72% MSCI US Broad Market Index, 15% MSCI EAFE Index, 10% Lehman Aggregate Bond Index, and 3% MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index replaced the Select Emerging Markets Index on August 24, 2006. The composite index changes over time with the fund’s asset allocation.

3

Six months ended March 31, 2007.

Note: See Financial Highlights table on page 49 for dividend and capital gains information.

 

 

44

 

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

 

Financial Statements (unaudited)

 

Statement of Net Assets

As of March 31, 2007

 

The fund provides a complete list of its holdings four times in each fiscal year, at the quarter-ends. For the second and fourth fiscal quarters, the lists appear in the fund’s semiannual and annual reports to shareholders. For the first and third fiscal quarters, the fund files the lists with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form N-Q. Shareholders can look up the fund’s Forms N-Q on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Forms N-Q may also be reviewed and copied at the SEC’s Public Reference Room (see the back cover of this report for further information).

 

 

 

Market

 

 

Value

 

Shares

($000)

Investment Companies (99.9%)

 

 

U.S. Stock Funds (71.7%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund Investor Shares

1,628,345

56,031

Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

2,900

410

 

 

 

International Stock Funds (17.9%)

 

 

Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

219,005

8,217

Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

283,703

3,683

Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Investor Shares

88,346

2,191

 

 

 

Bond Fund (10.0%)

 

 

Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund Investor Shares

786,586

7,874

 

 

 

Money Market Fund (0.3%)

 

 

1 Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, 5.288%

257,102

257

Total Investment Companies (Cost $76,516)

 

78,663

Other Assets And Liabilities (0.1%)

 

 

Other Assets

 

735

Liabilities

 

(637)

 

 

98

Net Assets (100%)

 

 

Applicable to 3,430,880 outstanding $.001 par value shares of

 

 

beneficial interest (unlimited authorization)

 

78,761

Net Asset Value Per Share

 

$22.96

 

 

45

 

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

 

 

 

At March 31, 2007, net assets consisted of:2

 

 

 

Amount

Per

 

($000)

Share

Paid-in Capital

76,328

$22.25

Undistributed Net Investment Income

286

.08

Accumulated Net Realized Gains

Unrealized Appreciation

2,147

.63

Net Assets

78,761

$22.96

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See Note A in Notes to Financial Statements.

1

Affiliated money market fund available only to Vanguard funds and certain trusts and accounts managed by Vanguard. Rate shown is the 7-day yield.

2

See Note C in Notes to Financial Statements for the tax-basis components of net assets.

 

 

46

 

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

 

Statement of Operations

 

 

Six Months Ended

 

March 31, 2007

 

($000)

Investment Income

 

Income

 

Income Distributions Received

571

Net Investment Income—Note B

571

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

 

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Investment Securities Sold

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investment Securities

1,785

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

2,356

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

47

 

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

 

Statement of Changes in Net Assets

 

 

 

June 7,

 

Six Months Ended

20061 to

 

March 31,

Sept. 30,

 

2007

2006

 

($000)

($000)

Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets

 

 

Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

571

43

Realized Net Gain (Loss)

Change in Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation)

1,785

362

Net Increase (Decrease) in Net Assets Resulting from Operations

2,356

405

Distributions

 

 

Net Investment Income

(328)

Realized Capital Gain

Total Distributions

(328)

Capital Share Transactions—Note E

 

 

Issued

70,900

12,301

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

326

Redeemed

(6,757)

(442)

Net Increase (Decrease) from Capital Share Transactions

64,469

11,859

Total Increase (Decrease)

66,497

12,264

Net Assets

 

 

Beginning of Period

12,264

End of Period2

78,761

12,264

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

Net Assets—End of Period includes undistributed net investment income of $286,000 and $43,000.

 

48

 

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

 

Financial Highlights

 

 

Six Months

June 7,

 

Ended

20061 to

 

March 31,

Sept. 30,

For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period

2007

2006

Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period

$21.24

$20.00

Investment Operations

 

 

Net Investment Income

.312

.172

Capital Gain Distributions Received

Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments

1.63

1.07

Total from Investment Operations

1.94

1.24

Distributions

 

 

Dividends from Net Investment Income

(.22)

Distributions from Realized Capital Gains

Total Distributions

(.22)

Net Asset Value, End of Period

$22.96

$21.24

 

 

 

Total Return

9.15%

6.20%

 

 

 

Ratios/Supplemental Data

 

 

Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)

$79

$12

Ratio of Expenses to Average Net Assets—Note B

0%3

0%

Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets

2.44%*

1.88%*

Portfolio Turnover Rate

0%*

0%

 

 

 

1

Inception.

2

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

3

The acquired fund fees and expenses were 0.21% (annualized).

*

Annualized.

See accompanying Notes, which are an integral part of the Financial Statements.

 

 

 

49

 

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

 

Notes to Financial Statements

 

Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as an open-end investment company, or mutual fund. The fund files reports with the SEC under the company name Vanguard Chester Funds. The fund follows a balanced investment strategy by investing in selected Vanguard funds to achieve its targeted allocation of assets to U.S. stocks, international stocks, and bonds.

A. The following significant accounting policies conform to generally accepted accounting principles for U.S. mutual funds. The fund consistently follows such policies in preparing its financial statements.

1. Security Valuation: Securities are valued as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (generally 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on the valuation date. Investments in other Vanguard funds (with the exception of ETF Shares) are valued at that fund’s net asset value. ETFs are valued at the latest quoted sales prices or official closing prices taken from their primary market or, if not traded on the valuation date, at the mean of the latest quoted bid and asked prices.

2. Federal Income Taxes: The fund intends to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company and distribute all of its taxable income. Accordingly, no provision for federal income taxes is required in the financial statements.

3. Distributions: Distributions to shareholders are recorded on the ex-dividend date.

4. Other: Income and capital gain distributions received are recorded on the ex-dividend date. Security transactions are accounted for on the date securities are bought or sold. Costs used to determine realized gains (losses) on the sale of investment securities are those of the specific securities sold.

B. Under a service agreement, The Vanguard Group furnishes corporate management, administrative, marketing, and distribution services to the fund. The service agreement provides that Vanguard will reimburse the fund’s expenses to the extent of savings in administrative and marketing costs realized by Vanguard in the operation of the fund. Accordingly, all expenses incurred by the fund during the six months ended March 31, 2007, were reimbursed by Vanguard. The fund’s trustees and officers are also directors and officers of Vanguard.

C. Distributions are determined on a tax basis and may differ from net investment income and realized capital gains for financial reporting purposes. Differences may be permanent or temporary. Permanent differences are reclassified among capital accounts in the financial statements to reflect their tax character. Temporary differences arise when certain items of income, expense, gain, or loss are recognized in different periods for financial statement and tax purposes; these differences will reverse at some time in the future. Differences in classification may also result from the treatment of short-term gains as ordinary income for tax purposes. The fund’s tax-basis capital gains and losses are determined only at the end of each fiscal year.

At March 31, 2007, the cost of investment securities for tax purposes was $76,516,000. Net unrealized appreciation of investment securities for tax purposes was $2,147,000, consisting entirely of unrealized gains on securities that had risen in value since their purchase.

D. During the six months ended March 31, 2007, the fund purchased $64,387,000 of investment securities and sold no investment securities, other than temporary cash investments.

 

 

50

 

Target Retirement 2050 Fund

 

E. Capital shares issued and redeemed were:

 

 

Six Months Ended

June 7, 20061 to

 

March 31, 2007

September 30, 2006

 

Shares

Shares

 

(000)

(000)

Issued

3,139

598

Issued in Lieu of Cash Distributions

14

Redeemed

(299)

(21)

Net Increase (Decrease) in Shares Outstanding

2,854

577

 

F. In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued Interpretation No. 48 (“FIN 48”), “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes.” FIN 48 establishes the minimum threshold for recognizing, and a system for measuring, the benefits of tax-return positions in financial statements. FIN 48 will be effective for the fund’s fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007. Management is in the process of analyzing the fund’s tax positions for purposes of implementing FIN 48; based on the analysis completed to date, management does not believe the adoption of FIN 48 will result in any material impact to the fund’s financial statements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 Inception

 

 

51

 

About Your Fund’s Expenses

 

As a shareholder of the fund, you incur ongoing costs, which include costs for portfolio management, administrative services, and shareholder reports (like this one), among others. Operating expenses, which are deducted from a fund’s gross income, directly reduce the investment return of the fund.

A typical fund’s expenses are expressed as a percentage of its average net assets. The Target Retirement Funds have no direct expenses, but each fund bears its proportionate share of the costs for the underlying funds in which it invests. These indirect expenses make up the acquired fund fees and expenses, also expressed as a percentage of average net assets.

The following examples are intended to help you understand the ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in your fund and to compare these costs with those of other mutual funds. The examples are based on an investment of $1,000 made at the beginning of the period shown and held for the entire period. The costs were calculated using the acquired fund fees and expenses for each Target Retirement Fund listed.

The table below illustrates your fund’s costs in two ways:

• Based on actual fund return. This section helps you to estimate the actual expenses that you paid over the period. The “Ending Account Value” shown is derived from the fund’s actual return, and the third column shows the dollar amount that would have been paid by an investor who started with $1,000 in the fund. You may use the information here, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period.

To do so, simply divide your account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number given for your fund under the heading “Expenses Paid During Period.”

 

Six Months Ended March 31, 2007

 

 

 

 

Beginning

Ending

Expenses

 

Account Value

Account Value

Paid During

Target Retirement Fund

9/30/2006

3/31/2007

Period1

Based on Actual Fund Return

 

 

 

2030

$1,000.00

$1,089.07

$1.09

2035

1,000.00

1,092.09

1.10

2040

1,000.00

1,090.99

1.09

2045

1,000.00

1,092.19

1.10

2050

1,000.00

1,091.49

1.10

Based on Hypothetical 5% Yearly Return

 

 

 

2030

$1,000.00

$1,023.88

$1.06

2035

1,000.00

1,023.88

1.06

2040

1,000.00

1,023.88

1.06

2045

1,000.00

1,023.88

1.06

2050

1,000.00

1,023.88

1.06

 

 

 

1

The calculations are based on the acquired fund fees and expenses for the most recent six-month period. The funds’ annualized expense figures for that period are (in order as listed from top to bottom above) 0.21%, 0.21%, 0.21%, 0.21% and 0.21%. The dollar amounts shown as “Expenses Paid” are equal to the annualized expense figures for the underlying funds, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by the number of days in the most recent six-month period, then divided by the number of days in the most recent 12-month period.

 

52

 

• Based on hypothetical 5% yearly return. This section is intended to help you compare your fund’s costs with those of other mutual funds. It assumes that the fund had a yearly return of 5% before expenses, but that the expense ratio is unchanged. In this case—because the return used is not the fund’s actual return—the results do not apply to your investment. The example is useful in making comparisons, because the Securities and Exchange Commission requires all mutual funds to calculate expenses based on a 5% return. You can assess your fund’s costs by comparing this hypothetical example with the hypothetical examples that appear in shareholder reports of other funds.

Please note that the expenses shown in the table on page 52 are meant to highlight and help you compare ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs or account maintenance fees. They do not include your fund’s low-balance fee, which is described in the prospectus. If this fee were applied to your account, your costs would be higher. Your fund does not charge transaction fees, such as purchase or redemption fees, nor does it carry a “sales load.”

The calculations assume no shares were bought or sold during the period. Your actual costs may have been higher or lower, depending on the amount of your investment and the timing of any purchases or redemptions.

For additional information on operating expenses and other shareholder costs, please refer to the appropriate fund prospectus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

53

 

Trustees Approve Advisory Arrangement

 

The board of trustees of Vanguard Target Retirement Funds has renewed the funds’ investment advisory arrangement with The Vanguard Group, Inc. Vanguard—through its Quantitative Equity Group—serves as the investment advisor for each of the funds. The board determined that continuing the funds’ internalized management structure was in the best interests of the funds and their shareholders.

The board based its decision upon an evaluation of the advisor’s investment staff, portfolio management process, and performance. The trustees considered the factors discussed below, among others; however, no single factor determined whether or not the board approved the arrangement. Rather, it was the totality of the circumstances that drove the board’s decision.

Nature, extent, and quality of services

The board considered the quality of the funds’ investment management over both the short and long term, and took into account the organizational depth and stability of the advisor. Vanguard has been managing investments for more than two decades. George U. Sauter, Vanguard managing director and chief investment officer, has been in the investment management business since 1985, and has led the Quantitative Equity Group since 1987. Duane Kelly, the Vanguard principal responsible for the day-to-day management of the funds, has been with Vanguard since 1989. The Quantitative Equity Group adheres to a sound, disciplined investment management process; the team has considerable experience, stability, and depth.

The board concluded that Vanguard’s experience, stability, depth, and performance, among other factors, warranted continuation of the advisory arrangement.

Investment performance

The board considered the performance of the funds, including any periods of outperformance or underperformance compared with relevant benchmarks and peer groups. The board noted that the funds have performed in line with expectations, and that their results have been consistent with their investment strategies. Information about the most recent performance of the funds is contained in the Performance Summary pages of this report.

Cost

The board noted that the funds’ average weighted expense ratios (or acquired fund fees and expenses) were far below the average expense ratios for the funds’ composite peer groups. The funds do not incur advisory expenses directly; however; the board noted that each of the underlying funds in which the Target Retirement Funds invest has advisory expenses well below the relevant peer-group average. Information about the Target Retirement Funds’ acquired fund fees and expenses appears in the About Your Fund’s Expenses section of this report as well as in the Financial Statements pages for each fund.

The board does not conduct a profitability analysis of Vanguard because of Vanguard’s unique “at-cost” structure. Unlike most other mutual fund management companies, Vanguard is owned by the funds it oversees, and produces “profits” only in the form of reduced expenses for fund shareholders.

The benefit of economies of scale

The board of trustees concluded that Vanguard’s low-cost arrangement with the Target Retirement Funds and their underlying funds ensures that the funds will realize economies of scale as they grow, with the cost to shareholders declining as fund assets increase.

The board will consider whether to renew the advisory arrangement again after a one-year period.

 

 

54

 

Glossary

 

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. Funds that invest in other Vanguard funds incur no direct expenses, but they do bear proportionate shares of the operating, administrative, and advisory expenses of the underlying funds, and they must pay any fees charged by those funds. The figure for acquired fund fees and expenses represents a weighted average of these underlying costs. Acquired is a term that the Securities and Exchange Commission applies to any mutual fund whose shares are owned by another fund.

Beta. A measure of the magnitude of a fund’s past share-price fluctuations in relation to the ups and downs of a given market index. The index is assigned a beta of 1.00. Compared with a given index, a fund with a beta of 1.20 typically would have seen its share price rise or fall by 12% when the index rose or fell by 10%. A fund’s beta should be reviewed in conjunction with its R-squared (see definition below). The lower the R-squared, the less correlation there is between the fund and the index, and the less reliable beta is as an indicator of volatility.

Expense Ratio. The percentage of a fund’s average net assets used to pay its annual administrative and advisory expenses. These expenses directly reduce returns to investors.

Inception Date. The date on which the assets of a fund (or one of its share classes) are first invested in accordance with the fund’s investment objective. For funds with a subscription period, the inception date is the day after that period ends. Investment performance is measured from the inception date.

R-Squared. A measure of how much of a fund’s past returns can be explained by the returns from the market in general, as measured by a given index. If a fund’s total returns were precisely synchronized with an index’s returns, its R-squared would be 1.00. If the fund’s returns bore no relationship to the index’s returns, its R-squared would be 0.

Yield. A snapshot of a fund’s income from interest and dividends. The yield, expressed as a percentage of the fund’s net asset value, is based on income earned over the past 30 days and is annualized, or projected forward for the coming year.

 

 

 

55

The People Who Govern Your Fund

 

The trustees of your mutual fund are there to see that the fund is operated and managed in your best interests since, as a shareholder, you are a part owner of the fund. Your fund’s trustees also serve on the board of directors of The Vanguard Group, Inc., which is owned by the Vanguard funds and provides services to them on an at-cost basis.

 

A majority of Vanguard’s board members are independent, meaning that they have no affiliation with Vanguard or the funds they oversee, apart from the sizable personal investments they have made as private individuals.

 

Our independent board members bring distinguished backgrounds in business, academia, and public service to their task of working with Vanguard officers to establish the policies and oversee the activities of the funds. Among board members’ responsibilities are selecting investment advisors for the funds; monitoring fund operations, performance, and costs; reviewing contracts; nominating and selecting new trustees/directors; and electing Vanguard officers.

 

Each trustee serves a fund until its termination; or until the trustee’s retirement, resignation, or death; or otherwise as specified in the fund’s organizational documents. Any trustee may be removed at a shareholders’ meeting by a vote representing two-thirds of the net asset value of all shares of the fund together with shares of other Vanguard funds organized within the same trust. The table on these two pages shows information for each trustee and executive officer of the fund. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482.

 

 

Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Trustee

 

 

John J. Brennan1

 

Born 1954

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Chairman of the Board, Chief

Trustee since May 1987;

Executive Officer, and Director/Trustee of The Vanguard Group, Inc., and of each

Chairman of the Board and

of the investment companies served by The Vanguard Group.

Chief Executive Officer

 

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

 

 

Independent Trustees

 

 

 

Charles D. Ellis

 

Born 1937

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Applecore Partners (pro bono ventures

Trustee since January 2001

in education); Senior Advisor to Greenwich Associates (international business strategy

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

consulting); Successor Trustee of Yale University; Overseer of the Stern School of Business

 

at New York University; Trustee of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.

 

 

Rajiv L. Gupta

 

Born 1945

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Trustee since December 20012

of Rohm and Haas Co. (chemicals); Board Member of the American Chemistry Council;

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Director of Tyco International, Ltd. (diversified manufacturing and services) since 2005;

 

Trustee of Drexel University and of the Chemical Heritage Foundation.

 

 

Amy Gutmann

 

Born 1949

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: President of the University of

Trustee since June 2006

Pennsylvania since 2004; Professor in the School of Arts and Sciences, Annenberg School

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

for Communication, and Graduate School of Education of the University of Pennsylvania

 

since 2004; Provost (2001–2004) and Laurance S. Rockefeller Professor of Politics and the

 

University Center for Human Values (1990–2004), Princeton University; Director of Carnegie

 

Corporation of New York since 2005 and of Schuylkill River Development Corporation and

 

Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce (since 2004).

 

JoAnn Heffernan Heisen

 

Born 1950

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Corporate Vice President and Chief

Trustee since July 1998

Global Diversity Officer since 2006, Vice President and Chief Information

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Officer (1997–2005), and Member of the Executive Committee of Johnson & Johnson

 

(pharmaceuticals/consumer products); Director of the University Medical Center at

 

Princeton and Women’s Research and Education Institute.

 

 

André F. Perold

 

Born 1952

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: George Gund Professor of Finance and

Trustee since December 2004

Banking, Harvard Business School; Senior Associate Dean, Director of Faculty

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Recruiting, and Chair of Finance Faculty, Harvard Business School; Director and Chairman

 

of UNX, Inc. (equities trading firm) since 2003; Director of registered investment

 

companies advised by Merrill Lynch Investment Managers and affiliates (1985–2004),

 

Genbel Securities Limited (South African financial services firm) (1999–2003), Gensec

 

Bank (1999–2003), Sanlam, Ltd. (South African insurance company) (2001–2003), and

 

Stockback, Inc. (credit card firm) (2000–2002).

 

 

Alfred M. Rankin, Jr.

 

Born 1941

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Chairman, President, Chief Executive

Trustee since January 1993

Officer, and Director of NACCO Industries, Inc. (forklift trucks/housewares/ lignite);

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

Director of Goodrich Corporation (industrial products/aircraft systems and services).

 

 

J. Lawrence Wilson

 

Born 1936

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Retired Chairman and Chief Executive

Trustee since April 1985

Officer of Rohm and Haas Co. (chemicals); Director of Cummins Inc. (diesel engines),

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

and AmerisourceBergen Corp. (pharmaceutical distribution); Trustee of Vanderbilt University

 

and of Culver Educational Foundation.

 

 

Executive Officers1

 

 

 

Heidi Stam

 

Born 1956

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Managing Director of the Vanguard

Secretary since July 2005

Group, Inc., since 2006; General Counsel of The Vanguard Group since 2005; Secretary of

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

The Vanguard Group, and of each of the investment companies served by The Vanguard

 

Group, since 2005; Principal of The Vanguard Group (1997-2006).

 

 

Thomas J. Higgins

 

Born 1957

Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years: Principal of The Vanguard Group, Inc.;

Treasurer since July 1998

Treasurer of each of the investment companies served by The Vanguard Group.

147 Vanguard Funds Overseen

 

 

 

Vanguard Senior Management Team

 

 

R. Gregory Barton

Kathleen C. Gubanich

Michael S. Miller

Mortimer J. Buckley

Paul A. Heller

Ralph K. Packard

James H. Gately

F. William McNabb, III

George U. Sauter

 

 

Founder

 

 

 

John C. Bogle

 

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, 1974–1996

 

 

1 Officers of the funds are “interested persons” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

2 December 2002 for Vanguard Equity Income Fund, Vanguard Growth Equity Fund, the Vanguard Municipal Bond Funds, and the Vanguard State Tax-Exempt Funds.

More information about the trustees is in the Statement of Additional Information, available from The Vanguard Group.

 

 

 

 

 


 

P.O. Box 2600

 

Valley Forge, PA 19482-2600

 

 

Connect with Vanguard™ > www.vanguard.com

 

 

Fund Information > 800-662-7447

Vanguard, Connect with Vanguard, and the ship

 

logo are trademarks of The Vanguard Group, Inc.

Direct Investor Account Services > 800-662-2739

 

 

All other marks are the exclusive property of their

Institutional Investor Services > 800-523-1036

respective owners.

 

 

Text Telephone for the

 

Hearing-Impaired > 800-952-3335

All comparative mutual fund data are from Lipper Inc.

 

or Morningstar, Inc., unless otherwise noted.

 

 

 

 

 

You can obtain a free copy of Vanguard’s proxy voting

This material may be used in conjunction

guidelines by visiting our website, www.vanguard.com,

with the offering of shares of any Vanguard

and searching for “proxy voting guidelines,” or by calling

fund only if preceded or accompanied by

Vanguard at 800-662-2739. They are also available from

the fund’s current prospectus.

the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov. In addition, you may

 

obtain a free report on how your fund voted the proxies for

 

securities it owned during the 12 months ended June 30.

 

To get the report, visit either www.vanguard.com

 

or www.sec.gov.

 

 

 

 

 

You can review and copy information about your fund

 

at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C.

 

To find out more about this public service, call the SEC

 

at 202-551-8090. Information about your fund is also

 

available on the SEC’s website, and you can receive

 

copies of this information, for a fee, by sending a

 

request in either of two ways: via e-mail addressed to

 

publicinfo@sec.gov or via regular mail addressed to the

 

Public Reference Section, Securities and Exchange

 

Commission, Washington, DC 20549-0102.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

© 2007 The Vanguard Group, Inc.

 

All rights reserved.

 

Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

 

 

 

Q3082B 052007

 

 

 

 




Item 2: Not Applicable

Item 3: Not Applicable

Item 4: Not Applicable

Item 5: Not applicable.

Item 6: Not applicable.

Item 7: Not applicable.

Item 8: Not applicable.

Item 9: Not applicable.

Item 10: Not applicable.

Item 11: Controls and Procedures

        (a) Disclosure Controls and Procedures. The Principal Executive and Financial Officers concluded that the Registrant's Disclosure Controls and Procedures are effective based on their evaluation of the Disclosure Controls and Procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this report.

        (b) Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. There were no significant changes in Registrant‘s Internal Control Over Financial Reporting or in other factors that could significantly affect this control subsequent to the date of the evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

Item 12: Exhibits.

        Certifications.

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

VANGUARD CHESTER FUNDS

BY: (signature)
(HEIDI STAM)
JOHN J. BRENNAN*
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Date:   May 16, 2007

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

VANGUARD CHESTER FUNDS

BY: (signature)
(HEIDI STAM)
JOHN J. BRENNAN*
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Date:   May 16, 2007

VANGUARD CHESTER FUNDS

BY: (signature)
(HEIDI STAM)
THOMAS J. HIGGINS*
TREASURER

Date:   May 16, 2007

*By Power of Attorney. See File Number 002-65955-99, filed on July 27, 2006. Incorporated by Reference.