MFSI: MFS ACTIVE INTERNATIONAL ETF
ETF Education Report: MFS Active International ETF (MFSI)
What this ETF is trying to do
The MFS Active International ETF (ticker: MFSI) is an exchange-traded fund that focuses on international investments. It holds a variety of different companies from around the world. Based on its top holdings, it includes large names like TSM, Samsung Electronics Co Ltd, and Tencent Holdings Ltd ADR. Because this is a partial list, it does not show every company the fund owns, but it gives an idea of where the money is placed.
What the numbers show
When looking at how an ETF performs, it is important to look at two different types of returns: price return and total return.
• Price Return: This measures only the change in the share price. For MFSI, the year-to-date (YTD) price return is approximately 7.98%. Over the last year, the price return was approximately 9.24%.
• Total Return: This includes both the price change and any cash distributions (dividends) paid out. The YTD total return is approximately 8.02%, and the one-year total return is approximately 10.15%.
The current price of the ETF is $32.88. An estimated price from roughly one year ago was approximately $30.10.
Income and distribution explanation
Some investors look for ETFs that pay out cash, known as distributions. The distribution yield for MFSI is approximately 0.77%. This number describes the cash distributions relative to the current ETF price. It is important to remember that a distribution yield is not the same as total return. This fund has an irregular or less frequent distribution schedule, with two payouts recorded over the last 12 months.
NAV erosion explanation
"NAV erosion" is a term used to describe when the value of the underlying assets in a fund decreases significantly over time. It is important to distinguish between a falling share price and NAV erosion. While a share price can go up or down due to market changes, NAV erosion refers to a more structural loss of value. For MFSI, the erosion-risk score is 100, and the label indicates "No price erosion detected." There is no severe erosion-risk flag for this ETF.
Pros
• The fund has shown positive price returns both year-to-date and over the last year.
• The total return is higher than the price return, meaning distributions added value to the overall performance.
• The erosion-risk measurement is rated as "good."
Cons
• The distribution frequency is irregular, meaning investors cannot rely on a steady, predictable schedule of cash payments.
• The distribution yield is relatively low at approximately 0.77%.
Beginner takeaway
MFSI is an international ETF that has seen its share price and total value grow over the past year. It provides a small amount of cash through distributions, but it is not primarily designed as a high-income fund. When looking at this or any ETF, always check the difference between the price return and the total return to see the full picture of performance.
Top Holdings
Structured portfolio holdings supplied by the ETF data provider. These figures are not generated by the AI article.
| # | Holding | Ticker | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | n/a | TSM | 8.28% |
| 2 | SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD | n/a | 3.77% |
| 3 | TENCENT HOLDINGS LTD ADR | TCEHY | 2.23% |
| 4 | HITACHI LTD | n/a | 2.12% |
| 5 | SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SE | n/a | 2.08% |
| 6 | ING GROEP NV COMMON STOCK EUR.01 | n/a | 1.93% |
| 7 | ROLLS-ROYCE HOLDINGS PLC | n/a | 1.91% |
| 8 | n/a | n/a | 1.87% |
| 9 | ROCHE HOLDING AG | n/a | 1.84% |
| 10 | NOVARTIS AG REGISTERED SHARES | n/a | 1.83% |