Analyst IMS Loads Up on AAXJ With a $112.7 Million Buy

Key PointsAnalyst IMS Investment Management Services purchased 1,125,430 shares of AAXJ for an estimated trade value of $112.7 million, based on quarterly average pricing. The post-trade holding now stands at 2,221,114 shares valued at $213.9 million.AAXJ is now the funds fourth-largest position, representing 6.5% of the fund's reported assets under management (AUM).10 stocks we like better than iShares Trust - iShares Msci All Country Asia Ex Japan ETF ›What happenedAccording to an SEC filing dated April 23, 2026, Analyst IMS Investment Management Services Ltd. increased its position in iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan ETF (NASDAQ:AAXJ) by 1,125,430 shares. The estimated transaction value was $112.7 million, based on the average closing price during the first quarter.What else to knowThe position now accounts for 6.5% of the fund's 13F reportable AUM -- making it the fund's fourth-largest holding.Top five holdings after the filing:NASDAQ: QQQ: $1.0 billion (31.2% of AUM)NYSE: SPY: $562.3 million (17.0% of AUM)NYSE: VOO: $357.7 million (10.8% of AUM)NASDAQ: AAXJ $213.9 million (6.5% of AUM)NYSE: IVV: $203.4 million (6.2% of AUM)As of April 21, 2026, shares were trading at $106.13, up about 53% over the past year, outperforming the S&P 500 by roughly 18 percentage pointsETF overviewMetricValueAUM$3.3 billionExpense ratio0.72%Dividend yield1.76%1-year price change53.3%ETF snapshotThe iShares MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan ETF (AAXJ) is a passively managed fund that seeks to track the MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index.Provides broad exposure to large- and mid-cap equities across Asian markets, excluding Japan, with country allocations typically spanning China, South Korea, Taiwan, India, and other regional economies.Offers institutional and retail investors efficient, low-cost access to Asian equity markets through a single, liquid security.What this transaction means for investorsIMS's decision to more than double its AAXJ position -- adding over $112 million worth of shares in a single quarter -- is a meaningful signal worth noting. This was a conviction-sized move.Asian equities have been on a strong run, with AAXJ up more than 53% over the past year, handily beating the S&P 500 by roughly 18 percentage points. For a large institutional manager, adding aggressively after that kind of run suggests a continued belief in the region's growth trajectory.Much of that optimism likely centers on China, India, Taiwan, and South Korea, which together make up the bulk of AAXJ's holdings. India, in particular, has attracted significant institutional interest in recent years, driven by its expanding consumer class and long-term GDP growth prospects. Meanwhile, Taiwan and South Korea provide exposure to the global semiconductor supply chain -- a theme that has powered much of the ETF's recent outperformance.For everyday investors, AAXJ offers a straightforward way to gain diversified exposure to Asia's growth story without having to pick individual countries or companies. With a dividend yield of 1.76% and a transparent, index-tracking structure, it's a practical building block for portfolios seeking geographic diversification beyond U.S. and Japanese equities. IMS's latest move suggests institutional money continues to see plenty of runway in this corner of the world.Should you buy stock in iShares Trust - iShares Msci All Country Asia Ex Japan ETF right now? Before you buy stock in iShares Trust - iShares Msci All Country Asia Ex Japan ETF, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and iShares Trust - iShares Msci All Country Asia Ex Japan ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $499,277!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,225,371!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 972% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 198% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 23, 2026. Andy Gould has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Vanguard S&P 500 ETF and iShares Trust - iShares Semiconductor ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.