Wealth Manager Bets Big on International ETF
Key Points
Financial Council bought 159,189 shares of iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF; estimated trade value $10.55 million based on quarterly average pricing.
Quarter-end position value rose by $10.80 million, reflecting both trading activity and market price movement.
Transaction represented a 4.21% change in Financial Council, LLC’s reportable U.S. equity assets under management.
Post-trade holding: 210,729 shares, valued at $14.15 million as of Dec. 31, 2025.
The ETF now comprises 5.65% of the fund’s 13F assets, which places it outside the fund’s top five holdings.
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On Feb. 4, 2026, Financial Council, LLC disclosed a buy of 159,189 shares of iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (NASDAQ:ACWX), an estimated $10.55 million trade based on quarterly average pricing.
What happened
According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing dated Feb. 4, 2026, Financial Council, LLC increased its position in iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF (NASDAQ:ACWX) by 159,189 shares during the fourth quarter of 2025. The estimated value of the buy was $10.55 million, based on the quarterly average price. The quarter-end value of the position increased by $10.80 million, reflecting both new purchases and changes in share price.
What else to know
- Following the buy, ACWX accounts for 5.65% of Financial Council, LLC’s reportable assets under management
- Fund’s top five holdings after the filing:
- NYSEMKT:CGGO: $51.40 million (20.5% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT:CGGR: $20.43 million (8.2% of AUM)
- NASDAQ:IUSG: $14.44 million (5.8% of AUM)
- NASDAQ:AAPL: $12.89 million (5.1% of AUM)
- NYSEMKT:SPYV: $12.85 million (5.1% of AUM)
- As of Feb. 4, 2026, shares were priced at $71.20, down 1.6% from the 52-week high
- One-year total return for ACWX is 35.4%, outperforming the S&P 500 by 21.4 percentage points over the same period
- Dividend yield stands at 2.7% as of Feb. 5, 2026
ETF overview
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| AUM | N/A |
| Price (as of market close Feb. 4, 2026) | $71.20 |
| Dividend yield | 2.7% |
| 1-year total return | 35.4% |
ETF snapshot
- Investment strategy seeks to track the performance of the MSCI ACWI ex U.S. Index, providing broad exposure to developed and emerging markets outside the United States.
- Portfolio is diversified across international equities, with holdings spanning multiple sectors and regions, reflecting the composition of the underlying index.
- Structured as an exchange-traded fund.
The iShares MSCI ACWI ex U.S. ETF offers investors access to a globally diversified portfolio of non-U.S. equities, capturing both developed and emerging markets. The fund's strategy leverages a market capitalization-weighted index methodology to mirror the performance of international equity markets while excluding U.S. exposure. With significant assets under management and a competitive dividend yield, the ETF is positioned as a core international equity holding for institutional portfolios seeking broad diversification and efficient market access.
What this transaction means for investors
This is a sizable purchase for Financial Council, adding some $10 million to its position in ACWX and making the ETF a top-five holding in the entire portfolio.
It really reflects a larger trend in the market as investors look for better value and growth opportunities outside the U.S., where many large-cap stocks are overvalued.
Over the past year, ACWX blew away the S&P 500, returning about 30%. The S&P 500 has gained roughly 11% over the past 12 months, as of Feb. 19.
This all-world ETF is a great diversifier, tracking more than 1,700 large- and mid-cap stocks from both developed countries and emerging markets. The largest holdings are Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE:TSM), Samsung, and ASML (NASDAQ:ASML),
The ETF is already up 8% year-to-date, offsetting the flat returns for the S&P 500 so far this year. With international and emerging markets expected to perform relatively well versus U.S. stocks again this year, this looks like a good buy and an excellent diversifier.
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Dave Kovaleski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends ASML, Apple, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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