Vanguard Global ex-US Real Estate ETF

VNQI

Market cap $3.48B

The internationally focused VNQI ETF has outperformed its U.S.-focused VNQ peer so far in 2025, benefiting from low starting valuations and a weak U.S. dollar.. Both ETFs have shown weak (or even negative) dividend growth over the past decade, impacted by elevated interest rates. Looking ahead, I estimate VNQI should outperform the VNQ by about 2% annually, buoyed by a higher current yield and a currency tailwind from a weaker U.S. dollar.

VNQI offers US investors broad, low-cost exposure to international REITs, enhancing diversification and reducing concentration risk in US real estate. The ETF is attractively valued versus US REITs, with a much lower P/E and P/B ratio, and avoids problematic countries, focusing on developed markets. VNQI's performance has been mediocre long-term but has outperformed peers recently; its low expense ratio is a key advantage over alternatives.

To say there's uncertainty in the market right now would be an understatement. The volatility stemming from President Donald Trump's tariffs is, understandably, causing many people to look for investments that are more diversified than buying individual stocks.

The Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares invests in international real estate stocks, primarily in Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom. VNQI has outperformed the VNQ so far in 2025, helped by a weak U.S. dollar. I estimate VNQI offers a total return close to 9% before factoring in currency moves.

Many investors are scanning the investment horizon right now, trying to decipher what's coming down the road. President Donald Trump's tariffs are causing panic among many and have spurred economists to revise their recession predictions upward.

When it comes to the markets, U.S. exceptionalism reigned supreme for more than two years, as the broader benchmark S&P 500 outpaced most markets around the world. Recent weakening economic data, concerns about rising inflation, and President Donald Trump's efforts to initiate multiple trade wars have stalled this market run (at least for now).

Real estate has been one of the worst-performing stock market sectors in recent years, mainly thanks to interest rate headwinds. While this hasn't exactly been a great catalyst for real estate investment trust (REIT) returns lately, it has created opportunities for long-term investors to add top-quality real estate exchange-traded funds (ETFs) at relatively cheap valuations.

Global equities ex-US are the leaders, along with a broad measure of commodities, based on a set of ETFs through Friday's close. Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF has rallied 7.2% so far this year.

U.S. REITs have outperformed global peers significantly, driven by valuation multiple expansion, stronger dollar, and higher real GDP growth. U.S. REITs benefited from stronger real GDP growth, supported by population increases and productivity gains, while international REITs faced challenges like weaker growth and demographic issues in certain regions. VNQI trades at significantly lower valuation multiples than VNQ, despite a comparable return on equity, suggesting potential undervaluation of international real estate.

Exclude China and broadly defined EM stocks are posting substantially softer results, based on a set of ETFs through Friday's close. US shares are effectively neck and next with EM so far in 2024.