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Should Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF (LVHD) Be on Your Investing Radar?

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Looking for broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market? You should consider the Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF (LVHD - Free Report) , a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 12/28/2015.

The fund is sponsored by Franklin Templeton Investments. It has amassed assets over $776.97 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.

Why Large Cap Value

Large cap companies usually have a market capitalization above $10 billion. They tend to be stable companies with predictable cash flows and are usually less volatile than mid and small cap companies.

Value stocks are known for their lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, but investors should also note their 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

Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts, other things remaining the same.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.27%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.56%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

Looking at individual holdings, Pfizer Inc accounts for about 2.78% of total assets, followed by Eaton Corp Plc and Kroger Co.

The top 10 holdings account for about 26.41% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

LVHD seeks to match the performance of the QS Low Volatility High Dividend Index before fees and expenses. The QS Low Volatility High Dividend Index provides stable income through investment in stocks of profitable U.S. companies with relatively high dividend yields, lower price and earnings volatility.

The ETF has added about 0.53% so far this year and is up about 25.92% in the last one year (as of 01/12/2022). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $32.17 and $40.18.

The ETF has a beta of 0.82 and standard deviation of 21.34% for the trailing three-year period. With about 86 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

Legg Mason Low Volatility 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, LVHD 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 iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD - Free Report) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV - Free Report) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $60.32 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $94.24 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VTV charges 0.04%.

Bottom-Line

While an excellent vehicle for long term investors, passively managed ETFs are a popular choice among institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency.

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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