Core Insights - The Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (VT) includes both U.S. and international equities, while the Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) focuses solely on non-U.S. stocks, leading to differences in returns, yield, and sector exposure [1][2]. Cost & Size Comparison - VT has an expense ratio of 0.06% and a 1-year return of 15.2% with a dividend yield of 1.7% [3] - VXUS has a slightly lower expense ratio of 0.05% and a higher 1-year return of 22.7% with a dividend yield of 2.7% [3][4]. Performance & Risk Metrics - Over the past five years, VT experienced a maximum drawdown of 26.38%, while VXUS had a higher drawdown of 29.44% [5]. - An investment of $1,000 in VT would have grown to $1,520, compared to $1,247 for VXUS over the same period [5]. Portfolio Composition - VXUS provides exposure to 8,663 international stocks, with top holdings including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Tencent, and ASML [6]. - VT encompasses 9,957 stocks, with major positions in Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, reflecting significant U.S. tech sector representation [7][10]. Investment Implications - The choice between VT and VXUS depends on the investor's desire for U.S. exposure in their global holdings, with VT being suitable for comprehensive global exposure and VXUS for adding international diversification to existing U.S. investments [8][11].

Core Insights - Beacon Financial Strategies increased its position in Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) by purchasing 21,624 shares, valued at approximately $2.04 million, during Q3 2025 [1][2] - The total position in VXUS now stands at 126,033 shares, with a total value of $9.26 million, representing 5.5% of Beacon Financial's reportable assets under management (AUM) [2][3] ETF Overview - Vanguard Total International Stock ETF tracks the FTSE Global All Cap ex US Index, providing exposure to international equities while excluding U.S. stocks [4] - As of October 3, 2025, VXUS shares were priced at $74.66, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 16.4% and a one-year alpha of 1.34 percentage points compared to the S&P 500 [3] - The ETF has a total net asset value of $546.1 billion and a dividend yield of 2.71% as of August 31, 2025 [3] Investment Trends - Beacon Financial's purchase of VXUS, while a small percentage of its total AUM, indicates a broader trend of investors seeking to diversify their portfolios and increase global exposure [7][8] - The combined stake in VXUS and Vanguard Tax Managed Fund FTSE Developed Markets ETF now represents 13.5% of Beacon's holdings, up from 9.6% in Q2 2025 [7]

Core Insights - Financial literacy is a significant issue in the U.S., costing individuals an average of $1,015 and totaling over $243 billion in 2024 [1] - A majority of Americans, 62%, own stocks, indicating a growing interest in investing despite existing confusion [1] Investment Strategies for Middle-Class Investors - Middle-class investors are encouraged to take investing seriously without assuming substantial risks [2] - Simple, passive, long-term investing is recommended, focusing on three ETFs: the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI), Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS), and Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND) [4][5] - Low-beta, dividend-paying blue-chip stocks are suggested for capital preservation and modest growth, with recommendations including Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), PepsiCo (PEP), and Procter & Gamble (PG) [6] - Sector-specific ETFs are highlighted as a means to achieve diversification, which is essential for minimizing risk [7]

Core Insights - Investing in ETFs provides instant diversification and simplifies the investment process, especially during uncertain market conditions [1][2] Group 1: Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) - SCHD tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, focusing on companies with consistent cash flow and a strong balance sheet, requiring at least 10 years of dividend payouts [4][5] - The ETF offers a dividend yield of over 3.7%, which is above its decade average and nearly three times that of the S&P 500 [5] - SCHD has increased its dividend payout by over 160% in the past decade, enhancing the compounding effect through reinvested dividends [7] - Consistent dividends provide dual benefits: they boost returns during upward trends and cushion losses during downturns [8] Group 2: Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) - VXUS offers geographic diversification by providing exposure to companies from both developed and emerging markets, covering thousands of companies globally [9][10] - The ETF's regional allocation includes 39% in Europe, 27.2% in emerging markets, 25.4% in the Pacific, 7.7% in North America, and 0.7% in the Middle East [11] - Although VXUS has underperformed the S&P 500 over the past decade, it has nearly doubled the S&P 500's returns this year [12] - With the S&P 500 at historically high levels, VXUS serves as a hedge against potential market pullbacks, suggesting a target allocation of around 10% in international stocks for many investors [14]

Core Insights - The iShares International Equity Factor ETF (INTF) is a smart beta ETF launched on April 28, 2015, providing broad exposure to the Foreign Large Blend ETF category [1] Group 1: Smart Beta ETFs - Smart beta ETFs track non-cap weighted strategies, appealing to investors seeking to outperform the market by selecting stocks based on specific fundamental characteristics [3] - Traditional ETFs are based on market cap weighted indexes, which replicate market returns in a low-cost and transparent manner [2] Group 2: Fund Details - Managed by Blackrock, INTF has assets exceeding $2.41 billion, positioning it as an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - The fund aims to match the performance of the MSCI World ex USA Diversified Multi-Factor Index [5] - INTF has an annual operating expense of 0.16%, making it one of the cheaper options in the market [6] - The fund offers a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.75% [6] Group 3: Holdings and Performance - Novartis Ag (NOVN) is the largest holding at approximately 1.85%, followed by Asml Holding Nv (ASML) and Sap (SAP) [7] - The top 10 holdings constitute about 10.59% of INTF's total assets [8] - The ETF has gained approximately 27.02% year-to-date and 20.65% over the past year, with a trading range of $27.60 to $36.07 in the last 52 weeks [9] - INTF has a beta of 0.80 and a standard deviation of 15.75% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [10] Group 4: Alternatives - Other ETFs in the Foreign Large Blend segment include Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA), with VXUS having $105.43 billion in assets and VEA $175.94 billion [12] - VXUS has an expense ratio of 0.05% and VEA charges 0.03% [12]

Core Insights - The Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIGI) is designed to provide broad exposure to the Foreign Large Blend ETF category and was launched on March 3, 2016 [1] - VIGI is managed by Vanguard and has accumulated over $8.4 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [5] - The ETF seeks to match the performance of the NASDAQ International Dividend Achievers Select Index [5] Investment Strategy - Smart beta ETFs, like VIGI, track non-cap weighted strategies and aim to select stocks based on specific fundamental characteristics to enhance risk-return performance [3] - The S&P Global Ex-U.S. Dividend Growers Index focuses on high-quality companies in developed and emerging markets that are committed to growing dividends over time [6] Cost and Performance - VIGI has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.10%, making it one of the least expensive options in the ETF space [7] - The ETF's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 1.84% [7] - As of August 14, 2025, VIGI has gained approximately 12.51% year-to-date and 8.08% over the past year, with a trading range between $75.29 and $91.16 in the last 52 weeks [9] Holdings and Diversification - The ETF holds about 341 different stocks, effectively diversifying company-specific risk [9] - Major holdings include SAP Se (4.02% of total assets), Novartis Ag, and Royal Bank Of Canada [8] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the same space include Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA), which have larger asset bases and lower expense ratios [11]

Group 1: ETF Inflows and Performance - ETFs across various categories attracted $34.1 billion in capital last week, with U.S. equity ETFs leading at $11.9 billion in inflows [1] - International equity ETFs received $8 billion, while U.S. fixed income ETFs saw $7.7 billion in inflows [1] - Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS), SPDR Gold Trust ETF (GLD), SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY), and BlackRock U.S. Equity Factor Rotation ETF (DYNF) were the top asset creators [2] Group 2: Market Trends and Economic Indicators - Wall Street experienced an upward trend, with the S&P 500 achieving its fifth consecutive record close, driven by solid corporate earnings and resilient economic data [3] - Optimism regarding easing trade tensions and the booming AI sector contributed to market strength [3] - The second-quarter earnings season showed robust results, with total earnings for 117 S&P 500 companies up 8.3% year-over-year on 5.3% higher revenues, and 87.2% of companies beating EPS estimates [4] Group 3: Investor Sentiment and Fed Expectations - Investor sentiment improved with growing confidence that the Federal Reserve may start cutting interest rates by the end of 2025 [5] Group 4: ETF Details - **Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO)**: Top asset creator with $2.4 billion in capital, AUM of $711.7 billion, and charges 3 bps in annual fees [6] - **Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS)**: Attracted $1.5 billion, AUM of $100.4 billion, and charges 5 bps in fees [7] - **SPDR Gold Trust ETF (GLD)**: Gained $1.5 billion, AUM of $103 billion, and charges 40 bps in fees [8] - **SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY)**: Pulled in $1.4 billion, AUM of $655.9 billion, and charges 9 bps in annual fees [9] - **BlackRock U.S. Equity Factor Rotation ETF (DYNF)**: Accumulated $1.4 billion, AUM of $21.3 billion, and charges 27 bps in fees [11]