AVEM vs VGK ETF Comparison
Compare AVEM and VGK across fund costs, diversification, holdings, performance, income, risk and current AlgovestIQ evidence.
What is the main difference between AVEM and VGK?
AVEM is Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF, while VGK is Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF. AVEM is tied to Equity; VGK is tied to International Equity. AVEM is broader by holdings count, with 3,761 positions versus 1,212 for VGK. AVEM is more concentrated at the top, based on top-10 holdings weight.
| Metric | AVEM | VGK | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.33% | 0.06% | Fund |
| Assets under management | $28.2B | $38.5B | Fund |
| Holdings | 3,761 | 1,212 | Fund |
| Top-10 concentration | 44.5% | 18.8% | Fund |
| Average volume | 707,826 | 5,554,429 | Fund |
| Underlying exposure | Equity | International Equity | Fund |
| Annualized volatility | 24.3% | 15.8% | Risk |
| Max drawdown | -14.3% | -12.5% | Risk |
| Beta | 1.46 | 0.91 | Risk |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.16 | 0.88 | Risk |
| Sortino ratio | 1.51 | 1.40 | Risk |
| AIQ Score | 66/100 | 69/100 | AlgovestIQ |
| AIQ Edge Score | 9/10 | 10/10 | AlgovestIQ |
| Momentum | 68/100 | 57/100 | AlgovestIQ |
| Risk Resilience | 79/100 | 84/100 | AlgovestIQ |
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF vs Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF
VGK leads
VGK leads by 3 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Risk Resilience, but the lead has narrowed from 11 points over 30 sessions.
Fragile: 1 of 3 evidence groups support VGK, its lead is narrowing, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF
Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors VGK over AVEM, 69 versus 66 as of Sep 5, 2026. VGK's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and risk resilience, while AVEM holds the stronger momentum profile. VGK also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 1 of 3 covered evidence groups favor VGK today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. VGK lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 11 to 3 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF and Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF across performance, expense ratio, dividend yield, drawdown, volatility and the Algovestiq AIQ Score.
Compare AVEM and VGK against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Momentum25%68 vs 57AVEM +11
- Quality30%63 vs 72VGK +9
- Risk Resilience15%79 vs 84VGK +5
1 of 3 evidence groups favor VGK. VGK’s edge is concentrated in quality and risk resilience; AVEM keeps a meaningful momentum edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-03, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-02.
Largest factor move: Momentum +2
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum +6
No new signals fired.
VGK's lead widened by 1 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — AVEM and VGK both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
VGK (Vanguard FTSE Europe ETF): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and risk resilience.
AVEM (Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF): the counter-case, on momentum, technicals — but at materially higher volatility, 15.5% against 8.5%.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
VGKVGK on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value at 30% each.
Growth
EvenGrowth figures are not covered for both names.
Value
EvenThe two are level on Value.
Momentum
AVEMAVEM on the Momentum factor, by 11 points.
Lower downside
VGKVGK on Risk Resilience, by 5 points.
Analyst upside
EvenAnalyst targets are level or not covered for both names.
Fund facts, side by side
Two funds tracking overlapping universes are separated by cost and risk far more than by holdings. Those lead here.
| Measure | AVEM | VGK | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expense ratio | 0.33% | 0.06% | Lower is better — it compounds against you every year you hold. |
| Assets under management | $28.2B | $38.5B | Larger funds generally carry tighter spreads. |
| Holdings | 3,991 | 1,247 | More holdings means broader diversification, not better returns. |
| Average volume | 707,826 | 5,554,429 | Liquidity — matters most if you trade size. |
| Annualized volatility | 24.3% | 15.8% | Lower is a steadier ride for the same exposure. |
| Max drawdown | -14.3% | -12.5% | The worst peak-to-trough loss on record for the fund. |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.16 | 0.88 | Return per unit of risk. Higher is better. |
| Beta | 1.46 | 0.91 | Sensitivity to the broad market. Neither direction is better — it depends on the role in your portfolio. |
Where the exposure actually sits
AVEM and VGK share 0.94% of their weighted exposure across 30 common holdings.
AVEM is the more concentrated of the two: its ten largest positions are 44.45% of the fund, against 18.8% for VGK (3761 holdings vs 1212). Concentration cuts both ways — it is what drives outperformance when the top names work, and what makes the drawdown deeper when they do not.
3731 holdings are unique to AVEM and 1182 to VGK. Owning both is genuinely additive — most of the capital sits in different securities.
Largest shared positions
| Holding | AVEM | VGK | Shared |
|---|---|---|---|
| PKO.WAPKO BANK POLSKI SA COMMON STOCK PLN1.0 | 0.14% | 0.16% | 0.14% |
| PKN.WAORLEN SA COMMON STOCK PLN1.25 | 0.35% | 0.14% | 0.14% |
| PEO.WABANK PEKAO SA COMMON STOCK PLN1.0 | 0.23% | 0.07% | 0.07% |
| KGH.WAKGHM POLSKA MIEDZ SA COMMON STOCK PLN10.0 | 0.18% | 0.07% | 0.07% |
| PZU.WAPOWSZECHNY ZAKLAD UBEZPIECZE COMMON STOCK PLN.1 | 0.06% | 0.07% | 0.06% |
| EBP.WAERSTE BANK POLSKA SA COMMON STOCK PLN10.0 | 0.09% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| LPP.WALPP SA COMMON STOCK PLN2.0 | 0.06% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| ALR.WAAlior Bank SA | 0.09% | 0.04% | 0.04% |
Shared weight is the lower of the two positions — the portion of capital both funds genuinely have in the same security.
ETF comparison questions
Short answers to the fund-specific questions behind this comparison.
Which ETF is more diversified, AVEM or VGK?
AVEM currently has more reported holdings, with 3,761 positions versus 1,212.
Which has the lower expense ratio?
VGK has the lower reported expense ratio in the current fund profile.
Which ETF has the higher distribution yield?
The current dataset does not show a higher-yield winner.
Which ETF has been more volatile?
AVEM has the higher annualized volatility in the current risk snapshot.
Which ETF has had the smaller drawdown?
VGK has the less severe max drawdown in the current risk snapshot.
Which ETF has the stronger current AlgovestIQ evidence?
VGK currently leads on supporting AlgovestIQ evidence, 69 to 66.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
1 of 3 covered evidence groups favor VGK. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | Even | 66 vs 69 |
| Fundamentals | Not covered | Not covered |
| Valuation | Not covered | Not covered |
| Technicals | AVEM | Price vs 50-day 4.6% vs 1.6%; vs 200-day 9.6% vs 5.6% |
| Risk Resilience | VGK | Risk Resilience 79 vs 84 |
| Analyst expectations | Not covered | Not covered |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of AVEM and VGK and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 1 of 3 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's advantage has been narrowing. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on VGK.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Apr 22 – Sep 3VGK lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 11 to 3 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- VGK +3
- 66 vs 69
- 7 sessions ago
- VGK +3
- 67 vs 70
- 30 sessions ago
- VGK +11
- 65 vs 76
- 90 sessions ago
- VGK +8
- 62 vs 70
The lead changed hands 2 times in this window, most recently on Apr 30 when VGK moved ahead of AVEM.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
4 bullish / 0 bearish / 2 neutral
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (6.43%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
4 bullish / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (3.96%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
VGK leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +1.52%, AIQ +1 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price 0%, AIQ +2 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1AVEM closes the Quality gap — currently 9 points behind, the largest single contributor to VGK's edge.
- 2AVEM's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend.
- 3VGK's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 4 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4The narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 8 points over 30 sessions, and a further 3-point move would eliminate VGK's advantage entirely.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Technicals
AVEM has the stronger structure| Metric | AVEM | VGK |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 57.7 | 45.2 |
| ADX (14) | 11.3 | 17.7 |
| Price vs 50-day | 4.6% | 1.6% |
| Price vs 200-day | 9.6% | 5.6% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 15.5% | 8.5% |
Risk
VGK is the more resilient| Metric | AVEM | VGK |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 1.46 | 0.91 |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.16 | 0.88 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.51 | 1.4 |
| Max drawdown | -14.3% | -12.5% |
| Current drawdown | -4.8% | -1.6% |
| Annualized volatility | 24.3% | 15.8% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.4% | -1.4% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, AVEM or VGK?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, VGK is the stronger of the two as of Sep 5, 2026, scoring 69 against AVEM's 66. The edge comes from quality and risk resilience. AVEM is not without a case — it holds the better momentum profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is AVEM or VGK the better buy right now?
VGK carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 5, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 1 of 3 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 3 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor VGK over AVEM?
The composite weights Quality at 30%, Value at 30%, Momentum at 25% and Risk Resilience at 15%. AVEM leads Momentum by 11 points; VGK leads Quality by 9 points; VGK leads Risk Resilience by 5 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which is better value, AVEM or VGK?
Neither name separates on the peer-relative Value factor. The two are level on Value. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, AVEM or VGK?
Growth figures are not covered for both names. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, AVEM or VGK?
AVEM on the Momentum factor, by 11 points. Momentum carries 25% of the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, AVEM or VGK?
VGK is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. VGK on Risk Resilience, by 5 points. The Risk Resilience factor weights 15% of the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is AVEM more profitable than VGK?
Margin data is not comparable for both names in the current snapshot.
Is VGK's lead over AVEM getting stronger or weaker?
VGK lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 11 to 3 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-04-22 and 2026-09-03. The lead has changed hands 2 times in that window, most recently on 2026-04-30, when VGK moved ahead of AVEM.
What would change the AVEM vs VGK verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: AVEM closes the Quality gap — currently 9 points behind, the largest single contributor to VGK's edge; AVEM's Bollinger Band Squeeze turns directional — it is neutral today and would confirm a change in trend; VGK's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 4 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; the narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 8 points over 30 sessions, and a further 3-point move would eliminate VGK's advantage entirely.
What do the current signals say about AVEM and VGK?
AVEM: 4 bullish / 0 bearish / 2 neutral. VGK: 4 bullish / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on AVEM is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On VGK it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare AVEM and VGK with others
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality (30%), Value (30%), Momentum (25%) and Risk (15%). Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.