The international index that I have picked is the S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats Index. Its ETF is the SPDR S&P Global Dividend ETF, WDIV.
The Global Dividend Aristocrats Index is based on the S&P Global BMI (Broad Market Index). Stocks in the Global BMI must have a market cap of at least USD $100 million, must meet liquidity standards (at least 20% of a stock’s market cap should be traded in a twelve-month period for stocks based in developed markets, 10% for emerging markets), be in a developed or emerging market, have at least 50% of their shares available for public trading, and it only includes common stocks (no fixed-dividend shares, closed-end funds, investment trusts, convertible bonds, unit trusts, equity warrants, mutual fund shares, limited partnerships, business development companies (BDCs) and no preferred stock with a guaranteed fixed return).
The S&P Global Dividend Aristocrats Index is weighted by yield. The criteria are:
– The stocks are taken from the S&P Global BMI (Broad Market Index)
– It includes stocks with market caps of at least USD $1 billion.
– Stocks have a maximum payout ratio of 100%, or not have a negative EPS
– Max yield of 10%
– The goal is for the index to contain 100 stocks (there are rules for what happens if less that 100 meet the criteria)
– No more than 20 stocks can come from one country (right now, US and Canada each have 20)
– Stocks must have increased or at least maintained their dividend for at least 10 years (since the index is weighted by yield, I do not know if a dividend grower would take priority over a dividend maintainer)
I assume one reason they include dividend maintainers is that raising dividends may not be as common in some countries. In many countries, companies do not pay a set amount every quarter like American companies do.
There is an S&P International Dividend Aristocrats Index. It is the Global Aristocrats Index without any US stocks. Its ETF, FID, has a high expense ratio of 0.60%. I find it odd that the ETF page on ETFDB does not have a link to the actual ETF. Even though it has a high ratio, the website looks cheap and does not inspire confidence. I find it odd that index providers do not license their indexes (or at least related indexes) to one firm. Or at least reputable firms. Frankly, I don’t trust anybody from Wheaton.
“S&P”, “Dividend Aristocrats”, and possibly a few other terms are trademarks of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC.
Big Jim will invest his money with companies he thinks he can trust.
“Behold The Bridegroom” by Γύζης Νικόλαος (Nikolaos Gyzis) (1842 -1901), on exhibit at the National Gallery in Athens, assumed allowed under Fair Use.