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Is Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIGI) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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The Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIGI - Free Report) made its debut on 03/03/2016, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund that provides broad exposure to the World ETFs category of the market.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

Market cap weighted indexes were created to reflect the market, or a specific segment of the market, and the ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on this strategy.

Market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, and are a good option for investors who believe in market efficiency.

If you're the kind of investor who would rather try and beat the market through good stock selection, then smart beta funds are your best choice; this fund class is known for tracking non-cap weighted strategies.

Based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such, these indexes attempt to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance.

The smart beta space gives investors many different choices, from equal-weighting, one of the simplest strategies, to more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting. However, not all of these methodologies have been able to deliver remarkable returns.

Fund Sponsor & Index

VIGI is managed by Vanguard, and this fund has amassed over $4.78 billion, which makes it one of the largest ETFs in the World ETFs. VIGI seeks to match the performance of the NASDAQ International Dividend Achievers Select Index before fees and expenses.

The S&P Global Ex-U.S. Dividend Growers Index focuses on high quality companies located in developed and emerging markets, excluding the United States, that have both the ability and the commitment to grow their dividends over time.

Cost & Other Expenses

When considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor. And, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins in the long term if all other factors remain equal.

Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.15% for VIGI, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.

VIGI's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 2.01%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

When you look at individual holdings, Novo Nordisk A/s (NOVO) accounts for about 5.73% of the fund's total assets, followed by Novartis Ag and Tencent Holdings Ltd.

Performance and Risk

Year-to-date, the Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF has added roughly 9.26% so far, and it's up approximately 3.44% over the last 12 months (as of 05/04/2023). VIGI has traded between $61.33 and $76.15 in this past 52-week period.

VIGI has a beta of 0.77 and standard deviation of 16.18% for the trailing three-year period. With about 309 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the World ETFs segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.

Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS - Free Report) tracks FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index and the Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA - Free Report) tracks FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. Vanguard Total International Stock ETF has $54.96 billion in assets, Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF has $111.06 billion. VXUS has an expense ratio of 0.07% and VEA charges 0.05%.

Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the World ETFs.

Bottom Line

To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.

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