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Is ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (SMDV) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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The ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (SMDV - Free Report) made its debut on 02/03/2015, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund that provides broad exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Value category of the market.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

The ETF industry has long been dominated by products based on market cap weighted indexes, a strategy created to reflect the market or a particular market segment.

Market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, and are a good option for investors who believe in market efficiency.

There are some investors, though, who think it's possible to beat the market with great stock selection; this group likely invests in another class of funds known as smart beta, which track non-cap weighted strategies.

Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.

This area offers many different investment choices, such as simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies; however, not all of these strategies can deliver superior results.

Fund Sponsor & Index

Because the fund has amassed over $809.16 million, this makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Small Cap Value. SMDV is managed by Proshares. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the Russell 2000 Dividend Growth Index.

The Russell 2000 Dividend Growth Index targets companies that are currently members of the Russell 2000 Index and have increased dividend payments each year for at least 10 years.

Cost & Other Expenses

Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins if all other fundamentals are the same.

Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.40% for SMDV, making it on par with most peer products in the space.

The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.73%.

Performance and Risk

The ETF has lost about -2.08% so far this year and it's up approximately 1.62% in the last one year (as of 09/06/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $55.50 and $66.96.

The fund has a beta of 0.79 and standard deviation of 19.76% for the trailing three-year period, which makes SMDV a medium risk choice in this particular space. With about 103 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Small Cap Value segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.

IShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO - Free Report) tracks Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index and the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG - Free Report) tracks NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index. IShares Core Dividend Growth ETF has $23.90 billion in assets, Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF has $68.76 billion. DGRO has an expense ratio of 0.08% and VIG charges 0.06%.

Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Style Box - Small Cap Value.

Bottom Line

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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