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Vanguard VEA ETF Boasts Broader Portfolio Than State Street's SPDR SPDW
The Motley Foolยท2025-11-02 18:02

Core Insights - The SPDR Portfolio Developed World ex-US ETF (SPDW) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) are both low-cost options for investors seeking international equity exposure outside the U.S. [1] - VEA is distinguished by its broader portfolio and significantly larger assets under management (AUM) compared to SPDW [1] Cost & Size Comparison - Both SPDW and VEA have an expense ratio of 0.03% [2] - As of October 28, 2025, SPDW has a 1-year return of 21.4% while VEA has a return of 21.2% [2] - VEA offers a slightly higher dividend yield of 2.7% compared to SPDW's 2.6% [2] - AUM for SPDW is $32.0 billion, while VEA has $250.8 billion [2] Performance & Risk Metrics - Over a 5-year period, SPDW experienced a maximum drawdown of 30.20%, while VEA had a drawdown of 29.71% [3] - An investment of $1,000 would grow to $1,546 in SPDW and $1,555 in VEA over the same period [3] Portfolio Composition - VEA tracks nearly 3,900 developed-market stocks, with significant allocations in financial services (24%), industrials (19%), and technology (11%) [4] - SPDW holds about 2,400 securities, focusing on developed markets outside the U.S., with similar sector allocations: financial services (23%), industrials (19%), and technology (10%) [5] - The top three holdings for both funds are identical, but VEA has a broader range of stocks [6] Regional Allocation - VEA's regional allocation is 52% in Europe, 35% in the Pacific, and 11% in North America [6] - SPDW has a concentration in Japan, the U.K., Canada, and France, with more than half of its holdings in these countries [7]