Positioning no disclosures inside 60 days, left as found
Options no verdict drawn today, left as found
Ethical does not pass the values gate
Price26.16 USD
Ethical score30.0/100
Our investment reviews on this name
2026-10-11Read Markdown28.68-8.8% to today ✓Accumulation gives way to Markdown while volume still accumulates
2026-09-16Read Accumulation28.00-6.6% to today Distribution gives way to Accumulation with volume flow in agreement
2026-08-16Read Distribution28.00-6.6% to today ✓Markup gives way to Distribution
2026-07-02Read Markup28.00-6.6% to today First review on file: Markup
Our analytic regime reads on this name, dated and marked against the screened price. Small sample per name, and separate from the daily-framework accuracy on the Track Record page.
Virtus Emerging Markets Dividend ETF holds its Markdown at $26.16. The statistical read favours the buyers, held for 153 days.
As held on the ledger · 2026-10-26
Phase
Markdown · caution
Quantitative state
The statistical read favours the buyers, held for 153 days
Price at the screen
$26.16
Valuation
13.48 trailing · N/A forward price to earnings
Values screen
FAIL· score 30.0
The Workings
Five Screens, Shown in Full
Does not pass. Financial sector: Financial
Test
Figure
Limit
What it means
Status
Business activity
Excluded
Core business clean
Financial sector: Financial
Fail
Debt load
Excluded
Below 33%
Interest-bearing debt is of its assets, above the one-third ceiling the screen allows.
Fail
Interest-bearing cash
Excluded
Below 33%
Interest-bearing cash and securities are of assets, above the one-third limit.
Fail
Receivables
Excluded
Below 49%
Money owed to the company is of assets, above the 49% limit.
Fail
Revenue purity
Excluded
Below 5%
of revenue comes from non-compliant sources, over the 5% line.
Fail
Five checks adapted from AAOIFI screening standards: business activity plus four balance-sheet ratios. All five must pass for ethical clearance. Every figure is arithmetic on public accounts, not judgement.
The Ethical Read
Why It Falls Short, in Plain English
Virtus Emerging Markets Dividend ETF does not clear the screen at the business-activity stage. It operates in conventional financial services, which the screen treats as interest-based, so the financial ratios are not the deciding factor here.
Read as at 2026-10-28. It updates when the underlying figures move, and past reads are kept below.
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Get an email when VEM's ethical verdict changes
Today VEM does not pass the screen. If new figures move it to a pass, we send you one short email with the before and after. Verdicts change rarely, so you may not hear from us for a long time.
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The risks · The main risks here are ordinary market swings and the chance our fair-value read proves too optimistic.
Plain-English interpretation of our own screen data. Analysis, not advice.
The Dated Journal · Newest First, Never Edited
Every Entry, As Written
2026-10-27Markdown$27.76-3.2%Entry 8
The analysis reads markdown. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 3.2% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows modest positive risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it C, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading oversold. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 29%.
2026-10-11Markdown · changed$28.68+0.0%Entry 7
The framework has shifted from accumulation to markdown since the last review. Price is trending lower. Sellers are in control and the prior trend has reversed. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it B, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 29%.
2026-10-02Accumulation$28.68+2.4%Entry 6
Our analysis reads accumulation. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved up 2.4% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 29%.
The framework has shifted from distribution to accumulation since the last review. Smart money appears to be quietly building positions. This typically precedes a markup phase. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 29%.
The framework has shifted from markup to distribution since the last review. Smart money appears to be selling into strength. Institutional holders may be rotating out. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows good risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 29%.
2026-07-18Markup$28.00+0.0%Entry 3
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns. Our composite framework grades it A, carrying a low risk profile. Technically it is momentum reading neutral. Our forward projection puts the odds of a 10% gain over the next month near 29%.
2026-07-03Markup$28.00+0.0%Entry 2
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Price has moved down 0.0% since our last review. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns.
2026-07-02Markup$28.00Entry 1
Our analysis reads markup. Price is trending higher with momentum. The crowd has caught on and buyers are in control. Ethical screening: FAIL. This security does not pass our values-based screening criteria. The risk-adjusted return profile shows excellent risk-adjusted returns.
Each entry above was written on its date, before the outcome. A journal you can prune is not a journal.
The Political Ledger · Congressional Disclosures
Disclosures naming VEM
Date
Politician
Party
Type
Amount
2026-09-15
Kevin Hern
Republican
buy
15K–50K
2026-09-15
Kevin Hern
Republican
buy
15K–50K
2026-09-15
Kevin Hern
Republican
buy
15K–50K
2026-09-14
Kevin Hern
Republican
buy
15K–50K
2026-09-14
Kevin Hern
Republican
buy
15K–50K
What Holding Actually Paid · Price Plus Dividends
If $1,000 had been placed · historical, not a promise
Period
Price then
Price return
Divs per share
$1,000 became
Total return
1 month
$27.77
-2.2%
·
$978
-2.2%
2 months
$25.60
+6.1%
·
$1,061
+6.1%
3 months
$24.71
+10.0%
·
$1,100
+10.0%
Historical returns from market close data. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
The Ledger's Promise
This entry now belongs to the ledger. Whatever VEM does next, these words stay.
Virtus Emerging Markets Dividend ETF · VEM · Markdown · $26.16
Recorded 2026-10-26 · before the outcome · scored mechanically