EFAV vs VDG: Grades, Fees and Holdings Compared

iShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF

EFAVACboe

Vanguard Developed Markets ex US Growth Index ETF

VDGBCboe

Overlap

22.0%by weight

Expense ratio

VDG −0.12pt a year

EFAV0.20%VDG0.08%

Avg volume · 30D

EFAV 77.3×the volume

EFAV510KVDG6.6K

EFAV vs VDG Performance

Jul 31, 2026 – Oct 30, 2026

+3.6%EFAV−3.5%VDG

Expense ratio: EFAV 0.20%; VDG 0.08%, better
Fund size: EFAV $5.53B; VDG $47M
1Y total return: EFAV +17.8%; VDG No data
Yield (12M): EFAV 2.97%; VDG No data
Holdings: EFAV 283; VDG 593
Avg volume (30D): EFAV 510K sh, better; VDG 6.6K sh
NAV per share: EFAV $96.22; VDG $75.96
52W range

ETF.net Grade

Pillar letters and Scores for EFAV, VDG, with each pillar’s weight
Pillar	EFAV	VDG
Cost30% weight	A89	A100Higher
Mission25% weight	B56	Not scored
Risk15% weight	A75Higher	D33
Tradability15% weight	A84Higher	F6
Holdings10% weight	B69Higher	B63
Durability5% weight	A83Higher	D27

Rank among International Factor Index funds

How we build Categories ›

Same Category. EFAV and VDG are both graded against the same 15 International Factor Index funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

International Factor Index⁠

Category · 15 funds

See all 15 ›

EFAV ranks 1st and VDG 7th of 15 funds in the International Factor Index Category.

Rank 1AEFAViShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETFScore 75
Rank 2BACWViShares MSCI Global Min Vol Factor ETFScore 68
Rank 7BIMTMiShares MSCI Intl Momentum Factor ETFScore 58
Rank 7BVDGVanguard Developed Markets ex US Growth Index ETFScore 58
Rank 9CGMOIGMO International Value ETFScore 52

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

EFAVAiShares MSCI EAFE Min Vol Factor ETF

VDGBVanguard Developed Markets ex US Growth Index ETF

In short

EFAV The 2011 original for overseas min vol: roughly 300 developed-market stocks outside the US and Canada, picked for lower-volatility traits, at 0.20% a year. One of the strongest builds in its international factor group.

VDG No data

Stated mandate

EFAV The fund seeks to track an index of developed-market equities outside the United States and Canada that have lower-volatility characteristics.

VDG No data

Why people hold it

EFAV Charges 0.20% a year, less than half the typical fee among international factor funds.
Running since 2011 and now a multi-billion-dollar fund that trades actively, one of the longer records in the international factor aisle.
Spreads across about 300 names and follows the MSCI EAFE Minimum Volatility Index, so the low-vol call is rules-based rather than a manager's hand-picked list.ishares.com
Stands among the strongest implementations in its 18-fund international factor peer group.

VDG No data

Worth knowing

EFAV The min-vol screen reshapes the lineup, so sector and country weights can sit well away from a plain EAFE index fund and results diverge from it.
QLVD runs a developed ex-US low-volatility mandate for 0.15%, so cheaper shelf-mates exist in the same aisle.
Coverage stops at developed markets outside the US and Canada, leaving emerging markets and Canadian stocks to other holdings.ishares.com

VDG No data

Full EFAV profile⁠

Full VDG profile⁠

EFAV vs VDG Holdings

How EFAV and VDG differ

Overlap by weight

22.0%

Shared holdings make up 50.0% of EFAV and 38.9% of VDG.

Level by level

Holdings135 in both22.0%
Countryby domicile69.1%
Asset classEquity100%

Sector

No Sector split for VDG.

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in EFAV and VDG, widest gap first
Country	More in EFAVMore in VDG	EFAV	VDG
Canada	VDG +9.7 points	0.0%	9.7%
South Korea	VDG +9.1 points	0.0%	9.1%
Japan	EFAV +8.0 points	29.2%	21.2%
Switzerland	EFAV +4.4 points	11.0%	6.6%
Hong Kong	EFAV +4.2 points	5.4%	1.2%
Singapore	EFAV +3.5 points	5.2%	1.7%
Sweden	VDG +3.2 points	0.0%	3.2%
Netherlands	VDG +2.9 points	2.2%	5.1%
Other countries (17)	EFAV +4.8 points	46.9%	42.1%

Outside the US: EFAV 97% developed, 3% emerging. VDG 90% developed, 10% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

EFAV15.2%
VDG22.4%

Securities held

EFAV265
VDG578

Asset class

EFAV: Equity
VDG: Equity

Holdings

Only in EFAV130
In both135
Only in VDG443

Only in EFAV

130 securities, 49.1% of EFAV by weight

Takeda Pharmaceutical1.68%
Equinor1.64%
Eni1.54%
Secom1.49%
Totalenergies1.45%
Swisscom AG1.34%
Zurich Insurance Group AG1.32%
Sampo Class A1.11%
Softbank1.07%
Japan Tobacco1.06%
Nestle SA1.02%
Kddi1.01%
Ntt0.99%
Swiss Prime Site AG0.92%
Orange SA0.87%
Bridgestone0.75%
Koninklijke Kpn NV0.74%
Kao0.73%
Bp PLC0.71%
Koninklijke Ahold Delhaize0.71%
Helvetia Baloise Holding N AG0.67%
Sanofi SA0.66%
British American Tobacco0.64%
Tryg0.62%
Schindler Holding AG0.62%
Omv0.62%
Canon0.55%
Otsuka Corp0.55%
Daito Trust Construction Ltd0.51%
Nippon Building Fund Reit0.50%
Kone0.50%
Tesco PLC0.49%
National Grid PLC0.48%
Mitsubishi0.48%
Astellas Pharma0.47%
Snam0.47%
Groupe Bruxelles Lambert NV0.46%
Deutsche Telekom N AG0.45%
Singapore Telecommunications Ltd0.45%
Kyocera0.44%
Pearson PLC0.41%
Muenchener Rueckversicherungs-Gese0.41%
Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd0.40%
Osaka Gas0.40%
Bc Vaud N0.39%
Japan Post Bank Ltd0.39%
Repsol0.39%
Galp Energia Sgps SA Class B0.39%
Nordea Bank0.38%
Swire Pacific Ltd A0.37%

Only in VDG

443 securities, 61.1% of VDG by weight

SK hynix Inc4.84%
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd2.34%
HSBC Holdings PLC2.18%
Royal Bank of Canada1.75%
Siemens AG1.43%
Shopify Inc1.15%
Schneider Electric SE1.14%
Rolls-Royce Holdings PLC1.03%
Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA1.00%
SoftBank Group Corp0.99%
UBS Group AG0.93%
UniCredit SpA0.90%
Mizuho Financial Group Inc0.87%
Airbus SE0.85%
Kioxia Holdings Corp0.83%
Safran SA0.83%
Banco Santander SA0.81%
Cie Financiere Richemont SA0.74%
LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE0.71%
Toronto-Dominion Bank/The0.65%
BHP Group Ltd0.61%
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd0.59%
Infineon Technologies AG0.56%
Lloyds Banking Group PLC0.52%
Barclays PLC0.52%
Spotify Technology SA0.49%
SK Square Co Ltd0.48%
NatWest Group PLC0.46%
Siemens Energy AG0.40%
Wheaton Precious Metals Corp0.39%
Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing Ltd0.37%
Macquarie Group Ltd0.37%
Atlas Copco AB0.35%
National Bank of Canada0.35%
Fujikura Ltd0.35%
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce0.34%
Hermes International SCA0.34%
Standard Chartered PLC0.34%
Intesa Sanpaolo SpA0.33%
Bank of Montreal0.33%
Rheinmetall AG0.32%
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd0.32%
Prosus NV0.31%
Ferrari NV0.30%
Celestica Inc0.29%
Canadian Pacific Kansas City Ltd0.29%
Erste Group Bank AG0.28%
Constellation Software Inc/Canada0.28%
Murata Manufacturing Co Ltd0.27%
Prysmian SpA0.27%

Weight gaps

The 100 widest of 135 Holdings in both funds.

Holding weights in EFAV and VDG, widest gap first
Holding	More in EFAVMore in VDG	EFAV	VDG
Asml Holding	VDG +4.18 points	0.26%	4.44%
Mitsubishi Ufj Financial Group	VDG +1.42 points	0.35%	1.77%
Iberdrola	EFAV +1.11 points	1.54%	0.43%
Obic Ltd	EFAV +1.05 points	1.09%	0.04%
Tokyo Electron	VDG +1.01 points	0.12%	1.13%
Advantest	VDG +0.99 points	0.05%	1.04%
Clp Holdings	EFAV +0.95 points	0.99%	0.04%
Oversea-Chinese Banking	EFAV +0.90 points	1.22%	0.32%
Power Assets Holdings	EFAV +0.90 points	0.92%	0.02%
Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group	VDG +0.83 points	0.25%	1.08%
ShellSHEL.L	EFAV +0.79 points	1.69%	0.90%
Bank Hapoalim Bm	EFAV +0.79 points	0.86%	0.07%
Recruit Holdings Ltd	VDG +0.78 points	0.17%	0.95%
Roche Ps Par AG	VDG +0.78 points	0.32%	1.10%
Boc Hong Kong Holdings Ltd	EFAV +0.79 points	0.94%	0.15%
East Japan Railway	EFAV +0.76 points	0.82%	0.06%
Novo Nordisk Class B	VDG +0.72 points	0.05%	0.77%
Commonwealth Bank of Australia	VDG +0.69 points	0.43%	1.12%
Abb Ltd	VDG +0.68 points	0.25%	0.93%
Sap	VDG +0.66 points	0.71%	1.37%
Unilever PLCULVR.L	EFAV +0.64 points	1.17%	0.53%
Poste Italiane	EFAV +0.64 points	0.71%	0.07%
Shionogi	EFAV +0.61 points	0.66%	0.05%
Singapore Exchange	EFAV +0.60 points	0.67%	0.07%
Dbs Group Holdings Ltd	EFAV +0.60 points	1.39%	0.79%
Medibank Private	EFAV +0.60 points	0.63%	0.03%
Danone SA	EFAV +0.58 points	0.71%	0.13%
Tokio Marine Holdings	VDG +0.57 points	0.06%	0.63%
Transurban Group Stapled Units	EFAV +0.52 points	0.70%	0.18%
United Overseas Bank	EFAV +0.52 points	0.68%	0.16%
Central Japan Railway	EFAV +0.51 points	0.65%	0.14%
National Australia Bank	VDG +0.49 points	0.05%	0.54%
Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holding	EFAV +0.47 points	0.48%	<0.01%
Telstra Group	EFAV +0.47 points	0.50%	0.03%
Hkt Trust and Hkt Units	EFAV +0.45 points	0.46%	0.01%
Hitachi	VDG +0.43 points	0.07%	0.50%
Verbund AG	EFAV +0.43 points	0.46%	0.03%
Haleon PLCHLN.L	EFAV +0.42 points	0.57%	0.15%
Aena Sme SA	EFAV +0.39 points	0.53%	0.14%
Itochu	EFAV +0.39 points	0.68%	0.29%
Nomura Research Institute	EFAV +0.39 points	0.44%	0.05%
Novartis AG	EFAV +0.38 points	1.41%	1.03%
Oriental Land	EFAV +0.38 points	0.53%	0.15%
Coles Group Ltd	EFAV +0.37 points	0.45%	0.08%
Keyence	VDG +0.37 points	0.28%	0.65%
Bank Leumi Le Israel	EFAV +0.37 points	0.60%	0.23%
Hong Kong and China Gas Ltd	EFAV +0.36 points	0.39%	0.03%
Mtr Corporation	EFAV +0.35 points	0.37%	0.02%
Sony Group	VDG +0.35 points	0.05%	0.40%
Roche Holding AG	EFAV +0.35 points	0.40%	0.05%
Pan Pacific International Holdings	EFAV +0.33 points	0.37%	0.04%
E.on N	EFAV +0.32 points	0.43%	0.11%
Otsuka Holdings	EFAV +0.32 points	0.44%	0.12%
The Sage GroupSGE.L	EFAV +0.31 points	0.38%	0.07%
Inpex	EFAV +0.30 points	0.36%	0.06%
Singapore Technologies Engineering	EFAV +0.30 points	0.36%	0.06%
Anheuser-Busch Inbev SA	EFAV +0.28 points	0.54%	0.26%
Kawasaki Kisen Ltd	EFAV +0.28 points	0.30%	0.02%
Investor Class B	VDG +0.26 points	0.07%	0.33%
Ana Holdings	EFAV +0.26 points	0.27%	<0.01%
Terna Rete Elettrica Nazionale	EFAV +0.26 points	0.31%	0.05%
Deutsche Boerse AG	EFAV +0.25 points	0.64%	0.39%
Elbit Systems	EFAV +0.24 points	0.36%	0.12%
Novozymes B	EFAV +0.23 points	0.31%	0.08%
Lair Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour	EFAV +0.23 points	0.72%	0.49%
Compass Group PLCCPG.L	EFAV +0.20 points	0.52%	0.32%
Singapore Airlines Ltd	EFAV +0.20 points	0.23%	0.03%
Check Point Software TechnologiesCHKP	EFAV +0.20 points	0.22%	0.02%
London Stock Exchange Group PLCLSEG.L	VDG +0.19 points	0.11%	0.30%
Industria De Diseno Textil SA	EFAV +0.18 points	0.62%	0.44%
Insurance Australia Group	EFAV +0.17 points	0.25%	0.08%
Fujitsu	EFAV +0.16 points	0.32%	0.16%
Lonza Group AG	VDG +0.16 points	0.06%	0.22%
Alcon AG	VDG +0.15 points	0.05%	0.20%
Fisher and Paykel Healthcare Corpo	EFAV +0.16 points	0.23%	0.07%
Auckland International Airport	EFAV +0.16 points	0.21%	0.05%
Caixabank SA	EFAV +0.15 points	0.38%	0.23%
Hankyu Hanshin Holdings	EFAV +0.14 points	0.16%	0.02%
Galderma Group N AG	VDG +0.14 points	0.09%	0.23%
Ryohin Keikaku	EFAV +0.14 points	0.23%	0.09%
Phoenix Financial Ltd	EFAV +0.13 points	0.17%	0.04%
Azrieli Group Ltd	EFAV +0.13 points	0.14%	0.01%
Essilorluxottica SA	VDG +0.13 points	0.07%	0.20%
Westpac Banking Corporation	VDG +0.13 points	0.09%	0.22%
Beiersdorf AG	EFAV +0.12 points	0.17%	0.05%
Ucb SA	EFAV +0.12 points	0.25%	0.13%
Kikkoman Corp	EFAV +0.12 points	0.16%	0.04%
The Lottery Corporation Ltd	EFAV +0.12 points	0.17%	0.05%
Wesfarmers	EFAV +0.12 points	0.40%	0.28%
Brambles	EFAV +0.11 points	0.23%	0.12%
Relx PLCREL.L	VDG +0.11 points	0.26%	0.37%
Nec	EFAV +0.11 points	0.24%	0.13%
Sgs SA	EFAV +0.12 points	0.24%	0.12%
Sigma Healthcare	EFAV +0.12 points	0.16%	0.04%
Thales SA	VDG +0.10 points	0.04%	0.14%
Reckitt Benckiser Group PLCRKT.L	VDG +0.10 points	0.08%	0.18%
Chugai Pharmaceutical Ltd	EFAV +0.09 points	0.20%	0.11%
Givaudan SA	EFAV +0.10 points	0.31%	0.21%
Admiral Group PLCADM.L	EFAV +0.09 points	0.17%	0.08%
Qbe Insurance Group	EFAV +0.08 points	0.15%	0.07%

All 265 EFAV holdings⁠All VDG holdings⁠

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

EFAV vs VDG Cost

Overpaying EFAV vs VDG

$2,466

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

EFAV 0.20%
$4,155
VDG 0.08%
$1,689

Amount$10,000

Years30 years

Cost over time

EFAV 0.20%
VDG 0.08%
Overpaying

Year by year

Year	EFAV	VDG	Overpaying
10	$365	$147	$218
20	$1,421	$575	$846
30	$4,155	$1,689	$2,466

Expense ratio

0.20%EFAV
0.08%VDG, cheaper

VDG0.08%EFAV0.20%

0.08%0.65%

Middle half of International Factor Index funds
Median 0.34%

VDG cheapest of 15 funds

EFAV 2nd cheapest of 15 funds

EFAV vs VDG Dividends

Last 12 months to Oct 30, 2026

Yield (12M): EFAV 2.97%; VDG No data
Payout (12M): EFAV $2.86; VDG No data
Last payment: EFAV $1.68; VDG $0.27
Ex-dividend: EFAV Jun 15, 2026; VDG Sep 18, 2026
Paid on: EFAV Jun 18, 2026; VDG Sep 22, 2026
Frequency: EFAV Twice a year; VDG Quarterly

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

EFAVTwice a year · 18 paymentsAll EFAV payments⁠

VDGQuarterly · 2 paymentsAll VDG payments⁠

EFAV vs VDG Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years: EFAV 10.5%VDG No data
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years: EFAV 1.24VDG No data
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years: EFAV −26.0%VDG No data
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years: EFAV 0.48VDG 0.94; Market = 1

EFAV and VDG in the news

All news⁠

ETF Filings
First Trust to liquidate HDMV, a $15 million international low-volatility ETF
Sep 14, 2026EFAV

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EFAV vs VDG

In short

Stated mandate

Why people hold it

Worth knowing

How EFAV and VDG differ

Level by level

Sector

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Concentration

Asset class

Holdings

Only in EFAV

Only in VDG

Weight gaps

Cost over time

Year by year

Distribution history

Fall from peak · 5 years

Risk facts

First Trust to liquidate HDMV, a $15 million international low-volatility ETF

How EFAV and VDG differ

Level by level

Sector

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Concentration

Asset class

Holdings

Only in EFAV

Only in VDG

Weight gaps