VXM: international value investing made easy with ETF and mutual fund

Whether it’s buying a vehicle, house, restaurant meal or just about anything else, everyone wants to get value for their money. The same type of rationale can apply to investing as well. Popularized by pioneer investors like Benjamin Graham and Warren Buffett, value investing is built on a simple but powerful idea: identify companies trading below their intrinsic worth and hold them as the market eventually recognizes their true value.

CI Morningstar International Value ETF (VXM) is designed precisely for this purpose. It targets developed international equities that combine attractive valuations with improving earnings outlooks, offering long-term investors disciplined exposure to the value factor.

VXM has a long track record of strong risk-adjusted returns, particularly in periods coming out of market drawdowns and recessions. In fact, VXM is the best-performing fund over the one-year, five-year and 10-year periods within the International Equity fund category (as at February 2026).

 1 Yr (%)3 Yr (%)5 Yr (%)10 Yr (%)15 Yr (%)S.I.* (%)
VXM55.130.119.514.5-11.8
International Equity Category Fund20.715.79.88.87.78.0
MSCI EAFE NR27.518.812.510.39.39.5

New ways to invest in VXM

Following strong investor adoption of VXM and VXM.B, which are the hedged and unhedged versions, respectively, of CI Morningstar International Value Index ETF, CI GAM is expanding access to this strategy with two new options:

Key benefits of VXM

Whichever fund structure you and your clients choose to gain access to VXM, several important benefits are universal across structures. Here are three key reasons to own VXM:

1. Targeted investment criteria

VXM’s approach is built on the Morningstar Target Value Index methodology, which screens for traditional value metrics to select companies that are considered good value, with an emphasis on upward earnings estimate revisions to avoid potential value traps.

2. Value and size premium

VXM applies this screen on a quarterly basis and equal weights its holdings to provide focused value exposure with additional exposure to the small size factor.

3. Complementary exposure to international markets

Factor performance is cyclical, and VXM can be an effective complement to global core strategies for investors looking to take advantage of the value premium.

Diagram of investment strategy funnel

+ Price to Earnings (20%)

Calculated by taking the current stock price and dividing it by the trailing earnings per share for the past 12 months. Low values are best.

+ Price to Cash Flow (20%)

Price to cash flow based on trailing cash flow is the ratio of a company’s price to its trailing four quarters of cash flows from operations. Low values are best.

+ Price to Book (20%)

Price to book is the ratio of a company’s latest price per share to the per share value of its common share equity. Low values are best.

+ Price to Latest Four Quarter Sales (20%)

Price to latest four quarters of sales. Low values are best.

+ Three Month Earnings per Share Estimate Revision (20%)

Three‑month earnings per share estimate revision measures the percentage change over the past three months in the median analysts’ fiscal earnings estimate for a company’s current fiscal year. High values are best.

+ Morningstar® Target Value Indices are Rebalanced Quarterly

Why Own VXM?

The Fund invests in equity securities of large, liquid issuers from developed market countries outside the U.S. and Canada, providing exposure to issuers deemed as "good value" based on a specific set of metrics. Consider the following three reasons for investing in VXM:

1. Diversification beyond U.S. growth

U.S. growth stocks have tended to outperform over long periods, while international markets, especially developed ex U.S., have often shown the opposite pattern, with value styles leading. This contrast reflects structural differences in market composition, economic drivers and sector leadership across regions.

S&P 500 EAFE Growth vs Value

Source: Morningstar Direct, as at February 28, 2026.

MSCI EAFE Growth vs Value

Graph illustrating MSCI Growth vs Value

Source: Morningstar Direct, as at February 28, 2026.

Having meaningful international market exposure to the value factor versus growth reduces reliance on U.S. growth equities while also leading to lower correlation, more attractive relative valuations, and enhanced resilience in an environment of rising interest rates and growing inflation.

Last 5 drawdowns of 10% of the S&P 500

Source: Morningstar Direct, as at February 28, 2026.

2. Pure value exposure

Historically, VXM has exhibited noticeably better valuations than the MSCI EAFE Index and the International Equity fund category, given the Fund’s rules-based methodology that screens for traditional value metrics while avoiding stocks with deteriorating fundamentals or potential value traps. The primary objective of VXM is to allow investors to own a portfolio of strong-performing international equities at attractive valuations.

Valuation metrics

Graph comparing valuation of VXM vs MSCI EAFE NR CAD vs Internation Equity Fund Category

Source: Morningstar Direct, as at February 28, 2026.

3. Potential to strengthen portfolios

Most portfolios today are heavily concentrated in North American growth stocks, particularly technology companies, leaving investors exposed to a narrow set of factors and market drivers. VXM helps address this concentration risk by providing diversification that goes beyond merely geographic breadth, adding significant differentiation through both size and sector exposures.

As shown in the table below, incorporating VXM has improved portfolio outcomes over the past five years, delivering higher absolute and risk-adjusted returns while also reducing volatility and maximum drawdown.

Diversifying beyond growth in international markets

Graph illustrating portfolio diversification

 Return (%)Standard deviation (%)Max drawdown (%)Sharpe ratioSortino ratio
VXM Global Portfolio18.310.7-14.30.91.4
Large Cap Global Portfolio15.111.4-17.90.71.0
S&P 500 TR CAD15.913.0-18.30.71.1

Source: Morningstar Direct, data as of December 31, 2025, 5-year trailing.
* VXM global portfolio 65% S&P 500, 30% VXM, 5% S&P/TSX Composite.
** Global Large Cap Portfolio 65% S&P 500, 30% MSCI EAFE, 5% S&P/TSX Composite.

Find out more

In today’s highly unpredictable markets, the time-tested value investing approach has been gaining interest given its relative steadiness and favourable long-term return profile. VXM is a convenient and cost-effective way to invest in a diversified portfolio of international value stocks.

To learn more about CI Morningstar International Value Index ETF, visit ci.com/ETFs or speak to your financial advisor.

About the Author

Tax, Retirement and Estate Planning (TREP)

The Investment Advisory team is a specialized group within CI Global Asset Management, organized by asset class coverage and focused on providing product expertise and strategic guidance across CI GAM’s advised and sub advised strategies. The team works closely with Portfolio Management, the Distribution team, and institutional partners to refine product positioning and deliver actionable, competitive insights for advisors and investors. With deep expertise in investment strategy, the team supports the continued growth of CI GAM’s investment solutions.

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