At a glance
CGXU charges 0.54% a year, above the 0.13% average of the 6 funds most like it (the most expensive of 7). It has $6.75B in assets, the 7th largest of that group; it paid 5.22% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, semiannual. Over the past year it returned +9.8% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), the weakest of those 7 funds; over three years it returned +18.4% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 33.8% of the fund, out of 77 in all.
The short version
Capital Group International Focus Equity ETF (CGXU) is an actively managed fund that holds about 77 stocks of companies based outside the US, including in emerging markets. Broad index funds such as VXUS track a whole market, but CGXU holds only its managers' picks. As of August 31, 2026, its largest positions were Taiwan Semiconductor, First Quantum Minerals and SoftBank Group. It charges 0.54% a year, compared with about 0.13% on average for similar funds.
Price history
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CGXU +9.8% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGXU official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +26.12% | — | — | — | +7.28% |
| CGXU price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +10.2% | +9.8% | +18.4% | — | — | +7.8% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, CGXU returned +9.8%, 7th of 7 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2024 (+4.4%); its best was 2025 (+26.2%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 25.6% (Apr 4, 2022 to Sep 27, 2022), recovered by Feb 22, 2024.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +10.2% | — |
| 2025 | +26.2% | +26.12% |
| 2024 | +4.4% | +4.75% |
| 2023 | +15.8% | +15.38% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.4100 | |
| 2025 | $1.5600 | +524.0% |
| 2024 | $0.2500 | +4.2% |
| 2023 | $0.2400 |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 77 securities; the ten largest made up 33.82% of assets, and 2.26% sat in cash and money-market holdings.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd | 6.51% | |
| First Quantum Minerals Ltd | 5.53% | |
| SoftBank Group Corp | 4.33% | |
| Recruit Holdings Co Ltd | 3.01% | |
| Cenovus Energy Inc | 2.59% | |
| Samsung Electronics Co Ltd | 2.58% | |
| SK hynix Inc | 2.50% | |
| Grupo Mexico SAB de CV | 2.32% | |
| Airbus SE | 2.32% | |
| ASML Holding NV | 2.13% | |
| Hitachi Ltd | 1.98% | |
| ARM Holdings PLC | 1.88% | |
| Novo Nordisk A/S | 1.87% | |
| Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA | 1.82% | |
| Mizuho Financial Group Inc | 1.64% |
By country
Japan 17.74%United Kingdom 11.25%Canada 11.17%South Korea 8.33%Taiwan 6.84%By asset type
Stocks 97.01%Preferred stock 0.66%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors added a net $492.5M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -0.42%, -1.49%, +3.58%.
How it works
CGXU does not track an index. Its adviser, Capital Group, looks for companies based outside the US that it believes can grow. The fund must hold stocks from at least three countries, and it may include emerging markets. The adviser's stated aim is to buy attractively valued companies that offer good long-term opportunities. At least 80% of assets go into equity securities, meaning shares of ownership. These include common stock, preferred stock, securities that convert into stock, and depositary receipts (certificates that represent shares of a foreign company).
Capital Group uses a multiple-manager system. The portfolio is split into segments, and each segment is run by an individual portfolio manager. There is no weighting formula or fixed rebalancing schedule. The managers decide what to buy and how much to hold, and they sell a stock when it no longer looks relatively attractive. Portfolio turnover was 68%, which means the fund trades its holdings fairly often.
As of August 31, 2026, the fund held 77 stocks, and its 10 largest made up 33.8% of assets. Japan was the biggest country at 17.7%, followed by the UK at 11.3%, Canada at 11.2% and South Korea at 8.3%. Cash was 2.3%, and the fund held no derivatives. Like any ETF, its shares trade at market prices, which can differ from the value of the holdings.
What it really costs
- CGXU charges 0.54% a year, versus an average of 0.13% for the similar funds below (7th of 7, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $55 in the first year and $677 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGXU | $55 | $173 | $302 | $677 |
In a retirement portfolio
About a third of its assets sit in its 10 largest stocks, it charges 0.54%, and its one-year beta (a measure of how much it swings compared with the market) was 1.5 as of October 27, 2026, so it works more like a side bet than a core holding.
CGXU could add stocks from Japan, Europe, Canada and Asia to a US-heavy portfolio. Its record is short. It launched on February 22, 2022, so it missed the 2008 and 2020 crashes and the start of the 2022 bear market. Its deepest drop was 25.6%, from April 4 to September 27, 2022, and it took about 17 months to recover. Anyone who sold shares to cover spending during that slide would have locked in losses. Its weakest full calendar year, 2024, still gained 4.75%. The trailing 12-month yield was 5.22% as of October 27, 2026, but the fund pays only twice a year. Its cost is high for the category: the SEC's standard example puts expenses at $677 over 10 years on $10,000. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want an actively managed international stock fund with about 77 holdings, run by Capital Group's multiple-manager system instead of an index.
- Investors comfortable with large single bets, such as 6.5% in Taiwan Semiconductor and 5.5% in First Quantum Minerals as of August 31, 2026.
- Investors seeking stocks from Japan, the UK, Canada, South Korea and Taiwan, which together made up about 55% of assets as of August 31, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors. Its 0.54% expense ratio compares with 0.05% for VXUS, 0.04% for VEU and a 0.13% average for similar funds.
- Investors who want broad international market returns. Through late October 2026, it trailed all six similar funds over one and three years.
- Investors uneasy with sharp swings or irregular income. It fell 25.6% in 2022, and it pays distributions only twice a year.
Close alternatives
Matched by closest holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports (no similar fund shares 20% or more of its holdings).
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGXU this fund | — | 0.54% | $6.75B | +9.8% | +18.4% |
| JIRE JPMorgan International Research Enhanced Eq… | 19% | 0.24% | $11.18B | +11.6% | +19.5% |
| VEU Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund | 19% | 0.04% | $95.84B | +13.4% | +20.6% |
| IXUS iShares Core MSCI Total International Stock… | 19% | 0.07% | $58.39B | +13.8% | +19.5% |
| SCHF Schwab International Equity ETF | 19% | 0.06% | $69.68B | +17.7% | +20.4% |
| VXUS Vanguard Total International Stock ETF | 18% | 0.05% | $645.86B | +12.9% | +20.3% |
| EFA iShares MSCI EAFE ETF | 17% | 0.32% | $77.98B | +13.5% | +18.2% |
Questions investors ask
Is CGXU actively managed?
Yes. CGXU does not track an index. Capital Group splits the portfolio into segments, and each one is run by an individual manager. The managers pick companies based outside the US that they see as attractively valued and able to grow. As of August 31, 2026, the largest holdings were Taiwan Semiconductor (6.5%), First Quantum Minerals (5.5%), SoftBank Group (4.3%) and Recruit Holdings (3.0%). Portfolio turnover of 68% shows it trades fairly often.
What is the CGXU expense ratio?
CGXU's expense ratio is 0.54% a year, all of it management fee, according to its prospectus filed July 31, 2026. The SEC's standard example assumes $10,000 invested and a 5% annual return. On that basis, costs come to about $55 after one year and $677 over 10 years. The similar funds we compared averaged 0.13%, and VXUS charges 0.05%. That makes CGXU the most expensive of the group.
Does CGXU pay dividends?
Yes, but only twice a year. Over the 12 months through October 27, 2026, it paid $1.68 per share, a trailing yield of 5.22%. Payouts from stock funds can change a lot from one year to the next, so a past yield does not promise future income. Retirees who prefer regular monthly cash flow would need to plan around the long gaps between payments.
CGXU vs VXUS: what's the difference?
The main differences are approach and cost. VXUS is a Vanguard index fund that holds a broad basket of international stocks for 0.05% a year. CGXU is actively managed, holds about 77 stocks and charges 0.54%. Only about 18% of their holdings overlap. Over one year, VXUS returned 14.0% to CGXU's 9.8%. Over three years, it returned 21.4% a year to CGXU's 18.4%. These figures run through late October 2026.
How has CGXU performed since it launched?
It has made money, though it lagged similar index funds over one and three years. Its prospectus shows an average annual return of 7.28% from its February 2022 launch through December 31, 2025. Calendar-year returns were 15.38% in 2023, 4.75% in 2024 and 26.12% in 2025. Based on price, it returned 10.2% year to date through October 27, 2026, which is a partial year. Its worst quarter was a 7.78% drop in late 2024.