Looking for broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market? You should consider the iShares Core High Dividend ETF (HDV), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 03/29/2011.
The fund is sponsored by Blackrock. It has amassed assets over $10.96 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Value
Companies that fall in the large cap category tend to have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Considered a more stable option, large cap companies boast more predictable cash flows and are less volatile than their mid and small cap counterparts.
While value stocks have lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, they also have lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. When you look at long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in nearly all markets. But in strong bull markets, growth stocks are more likely to be winners.
Costs
Investors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.08%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.55%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
It is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Consumer Staples sector--about 22.30% of the portfolio. Energy and Healthcare round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM) accounts for about 8.31% of total assets, followed by Chevron Corp (CVX) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).
The top 10 holdings account for about 48.49% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
HDV seeks to match the performance of the Morningstar Dividend Yield Focus Index before fees and expenses. The Morningstar Dividend Yield Focus Index offers exposure to high quality U.S. domiciled companies that have had strong financial health and an ability to sustain above average dividend payouts.
The ETF return is roughly 2.85% so far this year and was up about 9.35% in the last one year (as of 04/29/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $106.73 and $121.28.
The ETF has a beta of 0.69 and standard deviation of 13.92% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 82 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
IShares Core High Dividend ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, HDV is a good option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) track a similar index. While Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has $66.58 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $128.55 billion. SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% and VTV charges 0.04%.
Bottom-Line
Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
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iShares Core High Dividend ETF (HDV): ETF Research Reports Chevron Corporation (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): Free Stock Analysis Report Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report Vanguard Value ETF (VTV): ETF Research Reports Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD): ETF Research ReportsThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).
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