Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Should Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (SPHD) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Launched on October 18, 2012, the Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (SPHD - Free Report) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.

The fund is sponsored by Invesco. It has amassed assets over $3.07 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.

Why Large Cap Value

Companies that fall in the large cap category tend to 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.

Carrying lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, value stocks also have 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

Investors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain the same.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.3%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.85%.

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 Real Estate sector -- about 22.3% of the portfolio. Consumer Staples and Utilities round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Pfizer Inc (PFE) accounts for about 2.96% of total assets, followed by Altria Group Inc (MO) and Healthpeak Properties Inc (DOC).

The top 10 holdings account for about 26.12% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

SPHD seeks to match the performance of the S&P 500 Low Volatility High Dividend Index before fees and expenses. 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.

The ETF has added about 3.76% so far this year and is down about 2.33% in the last one year (as of 11/27/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $44.37 and $51.75.

The ETF has a beta of 0.72 and standard deviation of 13.51% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 53 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility 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, SPHD 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 Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) track a similar index. While Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has $70.84 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $152.90 billion. SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% and VTV charges 0.04%.

Bottom-Line

Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds 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.


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (SPHD) - free report >>

Published in