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Should SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY) Be on Your Investing Radar?

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The SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY - Free Report) was launched on 11/08/2005, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.

The fund is sponsored by State Street Global Advisors. It has amassed assets over $21.79 billion, making it one of the largest 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.

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. While 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 0.35%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.32%.

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 Industrials sector--about 19.20% of the portfolio. Consumer Staples and Utilities round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Realty Income Corp (O - Free Report) accounts for about 2.34% of total assets, followed by Chevron Corp (CVX - Free Report) and Kenvue Inc (KVUE - Free Report) .

The top 10 holdings account for about 18.05% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

SDY seeks to match the performance of the S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index before fees and expenses. The S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats Index measures the performance of the highest dividend yielding S&P Composite 1500 Index constituents that have followed a managed-dividends policy of consistently increasing dividends every year for at least 20 consecutive years.

The ETF has added about 16.92% so far this year and was up about 23.86% in the last one year (as of 11/28/2024). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $118.56 and $143.76.

The ETF has a beta of 0.86 and standard deviation of 14.53% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 136 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

SPDR S&P 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, SDY is a sufficient 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 - Free Report) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV - Free Report) track a similar index. While Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has $67.50 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $133.97 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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