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Is VanEck Morningstar International Moat ETF (MOTI) a Strong ETF Right Now?
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The VanEck Morningstar International Moat ETF (MOTI - Free Report) made its debut on 07/13/2015, 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.
Because market cap weighted indexes provide a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, they work well for investors who believe in market efficiency.
On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta.
This kind of index follows this same mindset, as it attempts to pick stocks that have better chances of risk-return performance; non-cap weighted strategies base selection on certain fundamental characteristics, or a mix of such characteristics.
Methodologies like equal-weighting, one of the simplest options out there, fundamental weighting, and volatility/momentum based weighting are all choices offered to investors in this space, but not all of them can deliver superior returns.
Fund Sponsor & Index
The fund is sponsored by Van Eck. It has amassed assets over $219.38 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs in the World ETFs. Before fees and expenses, MOTI seeks to match the performance of the Morningstar Global ex-US Moat Focus Index.
The Morningstar Global ex-US Moat Focus Index tracks the overall performance of 50 attractively priced companies outside the U.S. with sustainable competitive advantages.
Cost & Other Expenses
For ETF investors, expense ratios are an important factor when considering a fund's return; in the long-term, cheaper funds actually have the ability to outperform their more expensive cousins if all other things remain the same.
Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.58% for MOTI, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 2.34%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk, but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
Looking at individual holdings, Mediatek Inc accounts for about 2.32% of total assets, followed by Other/cash and Infineon Technologies Ag (IFX).
MOTI's top 10 holdings account for about 21.33% of its total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
Year-to-date, the VanEck Morningstar International Moat ETF has lost about -0.07% so far, and is up about 0.94% over the last 12 months (as of 04/01/2024). MOTI has traded between $28.08 and $33.57 in this past 52-week period.
The ETF has a beta of 0.82 and standard deviation of 17.64% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 78 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
VanEck Morningstar International Moat 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 $67.84 billion in assets, Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF has $130.36 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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Is VanEck Morningstar International Moat ETF (MOTI) a Strong ETF Right Now?
The VanEck Morningstar International Moat ETF (MOTI - Free Report) made its debut on 07/13/2015, 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.
Because market cap weighted indexes provide a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, they work well for investors who believe in market efficiency.
On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta.
This kind of index follows this same mindset, as it attempts to pick stocks that have better chances of risk-return performance; non-cap weighted strategies base selection on certain fundamental characteristics, or a mix of such characteristics.
Methodologies like equal-weighting, one of the simplest options out there, fundamental weighting, and volatility/momentum based weighting are all choices offered to investors in this space, but not all of them can deliver superior returns.
Fund Sponsor & Index
The fund is sponsored by Van Eck. It has amassed assets over $219.38 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs in the World ETFs. Before fees and expenses, MOTI seeks to match the performance of the Morningstar Global ex-US Moat Focus Index.
The Morningstar Global ex-US Moat Focus Index tracks the overall performance of 50 attractively priced companies outside the U.S. with sustainable competitive advantages.
Cost & Other Expenses
For ETF investors, expense ratios are an important factor when considering a fund's return; in the long-term, cheaper funds actually have the ability to outperform their more expensive cousins if all other things remain the same.
Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.58% for MOTI, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 2.34%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk, but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
Looking at individual holdings, Mediatek Inc accounts for about 2.32% of total assets, followed by Other/cash and Infineon Technologies Ag (IFX).
MOTI's top 10 holdings account for about 21.33% of its total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
Year-to-date, the VanEck Morningstar International Moat ETF has lost about -0.07% so far, and is up about 0.94% over the last 12 months (as of 04/01/2024). MOTI has traded between $28.08 and $33.57 in this past 52-week period.
The ETF has a beta of 0.82 and standard deviation of 17.64% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 78 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
VanEck Morningstar International Moat 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 $67.84 billion in assets, Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF has $130.36 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.