Motley Fool Favors Vanguard VT Over iShares EEM on 0.06% Fee, 10,070-Stock Reach
Updated
Updated · The Motley Fool · Jul 18
Motley Fool Favors Vanguard VT Over iShares EEM on 0.06% Fee, 10,070-Stock Reach
1 articles · Updated · The Motley Fool · Jul 18
Summary
VT emerged as the stronger default choice for long-term investors because it offers whole-world equity exposure at a 0.06% expense ratio, versus EEM’s 0.72% fee for a narrower emerging-markets bet.
That cost gap comes with a strategy split: VT holds 10,070 stocks across developed and emerging markets, while EEM owns 1,225 stocks concentrated in economies such as China, Taiwan and South Korea.
EEM has led recently, returning 33.8% over the past year versus VT’s 22.8%, but it has also suffered a deeper five-year max drawdown of 35.0% compared with 26.4% for VT.
Over five years, $1,000 grew to $1,675 in VT versus $1,348 in EEM, reinforcing the report’s view that broad diversification has been the steadier long-term foundation.
The analysis frames EEM as a targeted satellite holding for investors seeking higher-growth emerging-market exposure, while VT is positioned as a one-fund global core portfolio.