--- title: "NavPoint Loads Up on Bonds -- Adding $3.5 Million Worth of VPLS in Q1" type: "News" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/news/284371467.md" description: "NavPoint Financial, Inc. increased its position in the Vanguard Core-Plus Bond ETF (VPLS) by 45,086 shares, valued at $3.5 million, during Q1 2026. This brings their total holdings to 132,233 shares, representing 4.2% of their total assets under management (AUM). Despite VPLS trailing the S&P 500, the firm’s significant increase in shares indicates a strong confidence in active bond management. The ETF offers a competitive 4.55% dividend yield, making it an attractive option for investors seeking income and stability in their portfolios." datetime: "2026-04-28T11:15:35.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/284371467.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/284371467.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/284371467.md) --- # NavPoint Loads Up on Bonds -- Adding $3.5 Million Worth of VPLS in Q1 ## Key Points - NavPoint Financial, Inc. increased its Vanguard Core-Plus Bond ETF (VPLS) position by 45,086 shares during Q1 2026, with an estimated trade value of $3.5 million based on quarterly average pricing. - After the transaction, NavPoint holds 132,233 shares of VPLS valued at $10.3 million -- representing 4.2% of the firm's total assets under management (AUM). - 10 stocks we like better than Vanguard Malvern Funds - Core Plus Bond Fund › ## What happened According to an SEC filing dated April 24, 2026, NavPoint Financial, Inc. purchased 45,086 additional shares of **Vanguard Core-Plus Bond Fund** (NASDAQ:VPLS) during the first quarter. The estimated value of the trade was $3.5 million, based on average closing prices during the period. The transaction represents a 1.43% change in the firm's reportable assets under management (AUM). ## What else to know - Post-trade, VPLS represents 4.2% of NavPoint's 13F assets under management (AUM), placing it outside the firm's top five holdings. - Top fund holdings as of the Q1 2026 filing: - NYSE: GLDM: $23.84 million (9.6% of AUM) - NYSE: JPIE: $22.98 million (9.3% of AUM) - NYSE: CGCP: $15.32 million (6.2% of AUM) - NYSE: FPAG: $14.61 million (5.9% of AUM) - NYSE: JPST: $13.41 million (5.4% of AUM) - As of April 24, 2026, VPLS shares were trading at $77.99, up about 6% over the past year -- lagging the S&P 500 by roughly 23 percentage points over the same period. ## ETF overview Metric Value AUM $1.4 billion Expense ratio 0.20% Dividend yield 4.55% 1-year total return 6.37% ## ETF snapshot Vanguard Core-Plus Bond ETF (VPLS) is a low-cost, actively managed fixed income fund designed to provide broad exposure to the U.S. investment-grade bond market, with selective allocations to below-investment-grade and international debt. - **Portfolio composition:** U.S. Treasuries, mortgage-backed securities, corporate bonds, and emerging markets debt across a range of maturities and credit qualities. - **Strategy:** The fund uses disciplined security selection and sector allocation to seek outperformance versus its benchmark -- while maintaining risk controls consistent with a core bond mandate. - **Cost efficiency:** Structured as a low-expense ETF, VPLS aims to serve as a competitive core fixed income holding for institutional and individual investors seeking diversified income and moderate risk exposure. ## What this transaction means for investors For NavPoint, adding more than 45,000 shares of VPLS is more than a tiny portfolio tweak -- it looks like a deliberate vote of confidence in active bond management. NavPoint grew its VPLS position by more than 50% this quarter (from roughly 87,000 to 132,000 shares), suggesting this isn't passive rebalancing so much as a meaningful increase in conviction. Interest rates remain elevated by historical standards, which cuts two ways for bond investors: it pressures existing bond prices, but it also means new fixed income allocations are locking in relatively attractive yields. VPLS's current 4.55% dividend yield is competitive in that context -- and for a firm managing wealth across a diversified book, that kind of income generation can serve as a useful ballast. Yes, VPLS has trailed the S&P 500 by a wide margin over the past year. But comparing a core bond ETF to an equity index is a bit like faulting a reliable sedan for not keeping up with a sports car. These are different vehicles for different jobs. For investors already well-exposed to equities, a broadly diversified bond fund with active management and a solid yield profile can play a stabilizing role in a portfolio. For everyday investors curious about the space, VPLS offers a relatively straightforward way to access active fixed income management at low cost -- something that has historically been harder to find in an ETF wrapper. That makes VPLS a potential core portfolio building block -- one that appeals most to investors who already have broad equity exposure and are looking to add income and stability to the mix. ## Should you buy stock in Vanguard Malvern Funds - Core Plus Bond Fund right now? Before you buy stock in Vanguard Malvern Funds - Core Plus Bond Fund, consider this: The _Motley Fool Stock Advisor_ analyst team just identified what they believe are the **10 best stocks** for investors to buy now… and Vanguard Malvern Funds - Core Plus Bond Fund wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when **Netflix** made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, **you’d have $498,522**!\* Or when **Nvidia** made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, **you’d have $1,276,807**!\* Now, it’s worth noting _Stock Advisor’s_ total average return is 983% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 200% for the S&P 500. **Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with _Stock Advisor_, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors.** See the 10 stocks » _\*Stock Advisor returns as of April 28, 2026._ _Andy Gould has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy._ The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. ### Related Stocks - [VPLS.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/VPLS.US.md) - [GLDM.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/GLDM.US.md) - [JPIE.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/JPIE.US.md) - [CGCP.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/CGCP.US.md) - [FPAG.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/FPAG.US.md) - [JPST.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/JPST.US.md) - [.SPX.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/.SPX.US.md) ## Related News & Research - [1 Rapidly Deteriorating ETF Screams That ‘Shop ‘Til You Drop’ Americans Have All But Keeled Over](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286429552.md) - [Bond ETFs Are Having A Banner Year As Investors Rush To Lock In High Yields](https://longbridge.com/en/news/287124290.md) - [Harvard slashes Bitcoin ETF stake, exits Ethereum entirely](https://longbridge.com/en/news/286850527.md) - [This ETF Is Flying High Again. 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