Launched on 03/09/2006, the First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders ETF (FDL) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by First Trust Advisors. It has amassed assets over $5.43 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 find themselves in the large cap category typically 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. Considering long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in almost all markets; however, they are more likely to underperform growth stocks in strong bull markets.
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 0.45%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 4.79%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Healthcare sector--about 18.30% of the portfolio. Financials and Consumer Staples round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) accounts for about 8.43% of total assets, followed by Abbvie Inc. (ABBV) and Chevron Corporation (CVX).
The top 10 holdings account for about 55.53% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
FDL seeks to match the performance of the Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index before fees and expenses. The Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index consists of stocks listed on one of the three major exchanges, NYSE, NYSE Amex or Nasdaq, that have shown dividend consistency and dividend sustainability.
The ETF has added roughly 5.66% so far this year and it's up approximately 13.31% in the last one year (as of 05/20/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $37.48 and $43.95.
The ETF has a beta of 0.74 and standard deviation of 15.48% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 96 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders 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, FDL is a reasonable 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 $68.90 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $134.67 billion. SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% and VTV charges 0.04%.
Bottom-Line
An increasingly popular option among retail and institutional investors, passively managed ETFs offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; they 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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First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders ETF (FDL): ETF Research Reports Chevron Corporation (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ): Free Stock Analysis Report AbbVie Inc. (ABBV): 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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