Compare Vanguard international funds

From Bogleheads

These are Vanguard's three broad international index funds. Any of the three is a good core international holding, and all are eligible for the foreign tax credit, should have very low capital gains, and are thus suitable for taxable accounts. You might also add Vanguard Emerging Markets Index Fund if you hold Developed Markets Index (or a non-Vanguard international fund) which has no emerging markets.

Feature comparison table

Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund
Symbol VFWAX VTIAX VTMGX
ETF ticker VEU VXUS VEA
Europe[1] 43.1% 42.5% 53.0%
Pacific[1] 30.0% 29.9% 37.6%
Emerging Mkts[1] 20.8% 20.3% 00.4%
North America[1] 05.9% (includes Canada) 06.6% (includes Canada) 08.3% (includes Canada)
Middle East[1] 00.4% 00.4% 00.5%
Small Cap[1] no yes yes
Inception Date 3/8/2007 4/29/1996 12/19/2013
Initial Amount $3,000 $3,000 $3,000
Expense Ratio 00.11% 00.11% 00.07%
ETF Expense Ratio 00.07% 00.07% 00.05%
2017 Qualified Dividends 72.24% 66.60% 71.28%
Purchase fee 00.00% 00.00% 00.00%
Redemption fee 00.00% 00.00% 00.00%

Diagram representation

Comparison of the different Vanguard International Funds
VanguardIntlFunds.jpg
Source: Bogleheads forum post: "Differences among Vanguard International funds?". 25 December, 2014. (No guarantees of accuracy.)

Changes

2010 changes

On September 24th, 2010, Vanguard announced a change in the index tracked by the Total International fund to the MSCI All Country World ex USA Investable Market Index, and introduced five additional share classes with lower expense ratios for larger holdings. The index change and introduction of admiral shares was completed in December 2010.[2]. On June 3, 2013 the fund switched the tracking index to the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index.

As of 2018, the share class breakdown for the Vanguard Total International Fund is tabulated below.

Vanguard Total International Fund share classes[3]
Share Class Minimum Balance Expense Ratio
Investor 0,000,00$3,000.00 0.17%0
Admiral 0,000,0$10,000.00 0.11%0
ETF Not applicable 0.11%0
Institutional 0,00$5,000,000.00 0.09%0
Institutional Plus 0,$100,000,000.00 0.07%0
Institutional Select $3,000,000,000.00 0.045%

The change in index means that Total International has regional coverage similar to FTSE All-World Ex-US, but with an added mixture of small-capitalization stocks not present in FTSE All-World Ex-US.

Small cap additions to funds

On June 02, 2015, Vanguard announced that four international equity index funds and ETFs would broaden their diversification by adding small-capitalization stocks to their investment portfolios. The funds included the Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund (VWO and VEMAX), the Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund (VEA and VTMGX), the Vanguard European Stock Index Fund (VGK and VEUSX), and the Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund (VPL and VPADX). According to Vanguard the transition to more broadly diversified FTSE all-capitalization benchmarks, completed in the fourth quarter of 2015, increased the allocation to small-cap stocks to approximately 9% to 11% of each fund and brought the funds closer to global market-cap weightings.[4][5]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 All Holdings as of September 30, 2018.
  2. New ETF share class planned for Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund, September 24, 2010.
  3. Total International Stock ETF (VXUS), Vanguard Institutional Investors. Admiral shares are available to personal investors: Total International Stock Admiral (VTIAX). Viewed August 11, 2012.
  4. "Developed Markets Index Fund moves to transition index". Vanguard. 21 December 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  5. "Vanguard announces 4 international index funds to broaden diversification". Vanguard. June 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2016.