Designed to provide broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market, the Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHD Quick QuoteLVHD - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 12/28/2015.

The fund is sponsored by Franklin Templeton Investments. It has amassed assets over $1.12 billion, 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. 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. Value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in nearly all markets when you consider long-term performance, growth stocks are more likely to outpace value stocks in strong bull markets.

Costs

Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are 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 3.32%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

ETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Utilities sector--about 23.70% of the portfolio. Consumer Staples and Industrials round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD Quick QuoteGILD - Free Report) accounts for about 2.93% of total assets, followed by Air Products & Chemicals (APD Quick QuoteAPD - Free Report) and Philip Morris Internation (PM Quick QuotePM - Free Report) .

The top 10 holdings account for about 26.55% 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 lost about -2.92% so far this year and is down about -4.57% in the last one year (as of 03/31/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $33.74 and $41.12.

The ETF has a beta of 0.76 and standard deviation of 17.81% for the trailing three-year period. With about 100 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 2 (Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, LVHD is an outstanding option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.

The iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD Quick QuoteIWD - Free Report) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV Quick QuoteVTV - Free Report) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $49.94 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $100.07 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.18% and VTV charges 0.04%.

Bottom-Line

Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are 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.