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Is Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (SPHD) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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A smart beta exchange traded fund, the Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (SPHD - Free Report) debuted on 10/18/2012, and offers broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

Market cap weighted indexes were created to reflect the market, or a specific segment of the market, and the ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on this strategy.

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

On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta.

These indexes attempt to select stocks that have better chances of risk-return performance, based on certain fundamental characteristics or a combination of such characteristics.

The smart beta space gives investors many different choices, from equal-weighting, one of the simplest strategies, to more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting. However, not all of these methodologies have been able to deliver remarkable returns.

Fund Sponsor & Index

SPHD is managed by Invesco, and this fund has amassed over $3.15 billion, which makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Value. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the S&P 500 Low Volatility High Dividend Index.

The S&P 500 Low Volatility High Dividend Index comprises of 50 securities traded on the S&P 500 Index that historically have provided high dividend yields and low volatility.

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.

Annual operating expenses for SPHD are 0.30%, which makes it on par with most peer products in the space.

SPHD's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 3.58%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

ETFs offer 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.

For SPHD, it has heaviest allocation in the Real Estate sector --about 23.9% of the portfolio --while Consumer Staples and Utilities round out the top three.

Taking into account individual holdings, Altria Group Inc (MO) accounts for about 3.25% of the fund's total assets, followed by Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc (ARE) and Pfizer Inc (PFE).

Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 27.14% of SPHD's total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

So far this year, SPHD return is roughly 4.18%, and is up about 0.69% in the last one year (as of 09/30/2025). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $44.37 and $51.75.

The fund has a beta of 0.73 and standard deviation of 14.27% for the trailing three-year period, which makes SPHD a medium risk choice in this particular space. With about 51 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .

Alternatives

Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) tracks CRSP U.S. Large Cap Value Index. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has $70.88 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $146.9 billion. SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% and VTV changes 0.04%.

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 - Large 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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