What this ETF is trying to do

The Vanguard Total International Stock Index Fund ETF (VXUS) is designed to provide investors with exposure to stocks outside of the United States. It holds a variety of international companies to spread out investment across different global markets.

What the numbers show

As of October 6, 2026, the share price of VXUS was $85.80. To understand how the price has changed, we can look at the price return (which only tracks the share price) and the total return (which includes distributions).

• Year-to-Date: The price return is 13.73%, while the total return is 14.57%.

• One Year: The price return is 14.68%, and the total return is 17.63%.

• Three Years: The price return is 61.40%, and the total return is 76.33%.

For a simple example, if you had invested $10,000 based on the estimated price from roughly one year ago ($74.82), the price-only increase of 14.68% would mean your investment grew to approximately $11,468 (before considering distributions).

Income and Distribution Explanation

VXUS pays out cash to investors, which is called a distribution. It usually does this quarterly. Over the last 12 months, it had four payouts totaling $1.98 per share. This results in a distribution yield of 2.31%.

It is important for beginners to remember that a distribution yield is not the same as a total return. While distributions provide cash income, they do not guarantee that the original investment value will stay the same.

NAV Erosion Explanation

"NAV erosion" happens when the actual value of the fund's underlying assets drops significantly over time. StockValueFinder uses an erosion-risk score to track this. VXUS has an erosion score of 100, and the label states "No price erosion detected." Additionally, the severe erosion-risk flag is false, meaning the price trend did not trigger a warning.

Top Holdings

This ETF holds many different companies. As of October 7, 2026, some of its top holdings include:

• Royal Bank of Canada: 0.54%

• Shopify (SHOP): 0.41%

• Enbridge Inc: 0.30%

• The Toronto-Dominion Bank: 0.30%

• Bank of Montreal: 0.23%

These weights represent a partial list of the fund's holdings, and they can change over time.

Pros

• Strong three-year total return of 76.33%.

• No detected price erosion.

• Provides a way to own many international companies in one fund.

Cons

• The distribution yield is relatively low compared to some income-focused funds.

• International stocks can be subject to different market risks than US stocks.

Beginner Takeaway

VXUS is a fund for those who want to own stocks from around the world. It has shown growth in both share price and total return over the last three years. While it provides some cash income through quarterly distributions, its primary movement is driven by the price of the international stocks it holds.