Is HVLU a good ETF?
HVLU is the VanEck MSCI International Value (AUD Hedged) ETF from VanEck. We classify it under Intl, Thematic, Value, and Factor. With about $137 million in assets it is a solidly established fund.
On a total-return basis, HVLU has delivered 68.19% a year over 1 year (ranked 4th of 308 ETFs we track). Its strongest showing is over 1 year, where it sits in the top 1% of all ETFs we track.
The management fee of 0.43% is on the higher side. That's cheaper than the typical 0.45% for similar ETFs. If cost is your priority, IVLU (0.3%) and VLUE (0.4%) cover similar ground for less. It pays a high 17.59% yield — generous income, but check it isn't a sign of a narrow or higher-risk portfolio. Bear in mind distributions are taxed each year at your marginal rate, so a high yield is less tax-efficient for higher earners and during the accumulation phase.
Strengths
- Top-1% returns over 1 year (4th of 308 ETFs we track).
- High 17.59% income yield — good for investors who want regular cash flow.
Things to watch
- Cheaper alternatives exist: IVLU and VLUE.
- That income is taxed yearly at your marginal rate, so it's less efficient for higher earners.
- Highly concentrated single-theme bet — keep the position size small.
What HVLU's categories mean for you
How each category this ETF belongs to tends to behave across market cycles.
Global and international shares from outside Australia — broadening you into thousands of companies and the sectors (tech, healthcare) the local market lacks.
- Market regime
- Essential diversification away from the bank-and-resources-heavy ASX. Unhedged versions carry currency risk; hedged versions remove it at a small cost.
- In a portfolio
- A core holding for almost every long-term Australian portfolio.
A concentrated bet on a single trend — AI, battery tech, cybersecurity, robotics and the like. High conviction, high concentration, and often high fees.
- Market regime
- Frequently launched after a theme is already hot, which has historically been a poor entry point. Expect very large swings in both directions.
- In a portfolio
- A small satellite position at most. Treat it as a speculative tilt, never as a core holding.
Stocks that look cheap relative to their fundamentals (earnings, book value, cash flow). One of the oldest and best-documented return premiums.
- Market regime
- Rewarded over the very long run and especially in rising-rate, reflation and early-recovery regimes — but endured a long, painful stretch of lagging growth through the 2010s.
- In a portfolio
- A long-term tilt that requires patience and a tolerance for extended underperformance versus the growth side of the market.
Tilts toward academically-backed drivers of return — value, quality, momentum, size or low volatility — aiming to beat plain market-cap weighting over a full cycle.
- Market regime
- Any single factor can underperform the broad market for years before rewarding patient holders. Multi-factor funds smooth this out somewhat.
- In a portfolio
- A long-term tilt that demands discipline: the edge only shows up if you hold through the inevitable lean stretches.
General information only, generated from the fund's published data — not personal financial advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns. Consider your own circumstances or seek licensed advice before investing.