It's usually a good idea not to put all of one's investment eggs in one basket. Different ASX shares can provide investors with both good returns and exposure to a variety of sectors, enabling diversification.
Owning a portfolio of just two businesses isn't very diversified. But owning two investments that each have a diversified portfolio could be a smart move, particularly if they provide exposure to assets that Aussies don't typically own.
In this article, I will discuss one exchange-traded fund (ETF) and one ASX share that's best known as a listed investment company (LIC).
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Vanguard FTSE Europe Shares ETF (ASX: VEQ)
There are several different markets that investors can invest in, including the US stock market, the global stock market, emerging markets, Asian shares, and others.
European shares could be an underrated option for Aussie investors who don't necessarily want (more) exposure to some areas of the global share market.
The VEQ ETF provides exposure to companies listed in major European markets.
It has more than 1,200 holdings, which is a lot of businesses and good diversification. Some of the world's most compelling companies are in the portfolio, including ASML, SAP, Astrazeneca, HSBC, Nestle, Roche, Novartis, Shell, Siemens and LVMH.
The returns of the VEQ ETF have been solid – over the last three years, it has returned an average annual rate of 19%, and in the past five years, it has returned an average annual rate of 14.5%. Of course, past performance is not a guarantee of future returns.
I should note that I'm calling this an ASX share because it's about investing in shares, and we can buy it on the ASX.
I view its sector allocation as more compelling than the ASX 200, with the VEQ ETF having the following weightings: financials (23.1%), industrials (19.8%), healthcare (12.9%), consumer discretionary (9.4%), technology (8.6%), consumer staples (8%), energy (5.1%), basic materials (4.5%), utilities (4.4%), telecommunications (2.7%) and real estate (1.6%).
Finally, I'll note the country allocation is pleasing because of how many markets it's invested in such as the UK (23.3% of the portfolio), France (14.5%), Germany (13.9%), Switzerland (13.7%), the Netherlands (7%), Sweden (5.6%), Spain (5.5%), Italy (5.4%), Denmark (2.9%), Belgium (1.8%), Finland (1.8%), Norway (1.2%) and more.
MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF)
MFF has spent most of its life as a pure LIC, but it recently acquired a funds management business called Montaka, so it now has an operational element (and a broader investment research team).
The main value of the business is based on its portfolio of mostly international shares. Some of its largest holdings include Mastercard, Visa, Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms and Microsoft.
The ASX share has the flexibility to invest in various markets and different-sized businesses. For example, it recently invested in L1 Group Ltd (ASX: L1G), a promising fund manager that is significantly smaller than Microsoft and the other major tech companies.
It has been trading at a discount of around 10% to its net tangible assets (NTA) in recent times, which I believe is an appealing valuation for purchase.
With a growing dividend, there's a lot to like about the business for diversification and potential returns.
