The iShares Global 100 ETF (ASX: IOO) rose by 16.47% to $188.06 per unit, and produced a total return of 17.87% last year.
ASX IOO outperformed some of the most popular exchanged-traded funds (ETFs) holding international shares.
For example, the iShares Core S&P 500 AUD ETF (ASX: IVV) rose 8.24% and delivered a total return of 10.13%.
The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) rose 9.81% and gave a total return of 13.34%.
It's worth noting that the indices that these ETFs track returned more than this, but the stronger AUD against the USD reduced the net outcome for ASX ETF holders.
We explain more about this impact here.
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What makes IOO ETF unique?
IOO ETF provides Aussies with an easy way of investing in large-cap stocks all over the world.
Many investors prefer large-caps because they are larger, more established companies that typically pay reliable dividends.
IOO provides exposure the 100 largest companies in developed and emerging markets by tracking the S&P Global 100 Index.
However, as most of the world's biggest companies are US businesses, the geographic diversification provided by IOO is limited.
Just over 80% of IOO's investments are US companies.
The next biggest geographic exposures are the United Kingdom 4%, Switzerland and Germany at 3% each, France 2%, Japan 2%, and China and the Netherlands at 1% each.
IOO also has a narrow sector diversification, given most of the largest listed companies in the US are in the technology arena.
About 44% of IOO ETF's investments are in tech, followed by 11% in communications, 10% in financials, 9% each in consumer discretionary and healthcare, 6% in consumer staples, and 5% in industrials.
The top six holdings are Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA) at 12%, Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) at 10%, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) at 9.5%, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) at 6.5%, Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL) at 5%, and Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ: AVGO) at 4%.
Other global businesses that IOO invests in include Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (FRA: SSU), Toyota Motor Corp (TYO: 7203), Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (FRA: MFZ), and Nestle SA (FRA: NESN).
The index that IOO tracks, the S&P Global 100 Index, returned 27.16% last year, but as stated earlier, the currency impact reduced that to 17.87% for Aussie investors.
Last week, IOO ETF paid a final 2025 distribution of 56.02 cents per unit.
Investors who chose to reinvest their dividends via the distribution reinvestment plan (DRP) paid $187.62 per unit.
