Action Alert: Added VWOB and RIET In My Personal Portfolio

Diversifying my sources of monthly income.

Just a quick alert that I added shares of Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond ETF (VWOB) in my personal portfolio. This is the first time I have owned shares in this ETF.

Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash

In a previous article, after reviewing Hoya Capital High Dividend Yield ETF (RIET), I disclosed that I had added an initial position in my personal portfolio. Today, I made my first addition to this position. My overall weightings will next be revealed when I pen my year-end update on my personal portfolio. As I have mentioned previously, the only medium where I share updates on my personal portfolio is here on Substack. If you would like to see where I stood at the end of Q3, here is that update.

Here are just a couple of brief comments on my decisions.

Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond ETF (VWOB)

Recently, I was invited by Alex Pettee of Hoya Capital Real Estate to team up with him on Hoya Capital Income Builder, a new Marketplace service on Seeking Alpha.

In addition to writing articles, both for publication on the service and to Seeking Alpha readers in general, Alex asked me to come up with what we are calling the ETF Reliable Retirement Portfolio. While the specific weightings assigned to each ETF in the portfolio are proprietary to marketplace subscribers, here is the public version of the article shared with Seeking Alpha readers.

I described VWOB to subscribers as “perhaps the most adventurous ETF in the portfolio.” To provide more color around that, here is a detailed follow-up article I wrote about this ETF.

Long story short, as I often do, I decided that I would “put my money where my mouth is” and add a position in my personal portfolio. I believe it offers a nice complement to Vanguard Total International Bond ETF (BNDX), my other position in foreign bonds. I had previously written about that particular ETF here.

See what you think. Between the two, they make for an intriguing combination if you wish a little income diversification beyond the shores of the U.S.

Hoya Capital High Dividend Yield ETF (RIET)

In addition to the previous article I linked above, which in turn will link you to my actual review of RIET, just a couple of quick comments about my decision to add a little more.

RIET has gotten off to quite a nice start out of the gate. As featured on its website, as I write this RIET has already accumulated over $15 million in assets. Perhaps driven by investors’ desire for high income during these inflationary times, RIET has bolted out of the gate even more strongly than Hoya Capital Housing ETF (HOMZ), Hoya Capital’s first ETF offering. (NOTE: For any interested, here is my review of that particular ETF.)

A little further down that same page, you will notice that RIET has also now paid its first two monthly dividends.

Based on this solid start, I decided to add to my own holdings this morning. Now, please bear in mind, I feel like I am much like you, my readers. In a spirit of full disclosure, RIET is still my smallest ETF holding. In this, I hope you can see that I am cautious, just as I am sure you would be. Still, I believe this ETF at least deserves a look.

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Until next time, I wish you . . .

Happy investing!