Why One Fund Sold $3 Million From This International Dividend ETF After a 17% Year

On January 23, Financial Connections Group reported selling 34,146 shares of the Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF (NASDAQ:VIGI), an estimated $3.09 million trade based on quarterly average pricing.

What happened

According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated January 23, Financial Connections Group reduced its stake in the Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF (NASDAQ:VIGI) by 34,146 shares during the fourth quarter. The estimated value of the sale is $3.09 million based on the period’s average price. Meanwhile, the end-of-quarter value of the position fell by $2.90 million, reflecting share sales and price movement.

What else to know

Following the sale, the Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF accounts for 2.66% of the fund’s 13F reportable assets. The ETF was previously 4.1% of fund assets in the prior quarter.

Top holdings after the filing:

• NYSEMKT:DFAU: $45.21 million (15.5% of AUM)
• NYSEMKT:ESGV: $21.13 million (7.3% of AUM)
• NYSEMKT:DFIV: $16.59 million (5.7% of AUM)
• NYSEMKT:JCPB: $15.79 million (5.4% of AUM)
• NYSEMKT:VUG: $15.56 million (5.3% of AUM)

As of January 22, VIGI shares were priced at $92.66, up 13% over the past year, compared to a 14% gain for the S&P 500.

ETF overview

ETF snapshot

• VIGI’s investment strategy focuses on tracking an index of high-quality international companies (excluding the U.S.) with a consistent record of growing dividends.
• The portfolio comprises a diversified selection of developed and emerging market equities, weighted to closely replicate the underlying benchmark index.
• It’s structured as an exchange-traded fund with a passive management approach, offering broad international exposure.

The Vanguard International Dividend Appreciation ETF provides investors with access to a diversified portfolio of non-U.S. companies that have demonstrated a strong commitment to dividend growth. The fund is designed to closely mirror the performance of its target index by holding constituent stocks in similar proportions. Its disciplined, rules-based approach and focus on dividend growth companies offer investors a blend of income and international equity diversification.

What this transaction means for investors

After a strong run for international equities, trimming exposure can be a way to manage concentration rather than signal a loss of conviction. The sale reduced the position from roughly 4.1% of assets to 2.66%, freeing capital while keeping a meaningful allocation to overseas dividend growers.

The ETF itself has done its job. Shares were up about 13% over the past year, nearly matching the S&P 500, while delivering exposure to non-U.S. companies with consistent dividend growth (leading to a 17% total one-year return) and a low 0.10% expense ratio. That makes it a steady, portfolio-level tool, not a return-chasing vehicle.

What stands out is where the capital sits now. Post-filing, the portfolio leans heavily toward U.S. equity and ESG-tilted strategies, suggesting a preference for domestic growth and thematic exposure over incremental international income. In that context, paring back a rules-based dividend ETF looks like a reweighting decision, not a directional call on global markets.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Vanguard Index Funds - Vanguard Growth ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.