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

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The Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF (SPHD - Free Report) made its debut on 10/18/2012, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund that provides broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

Products that are based on market cap weighted indexes, which are strategies designed to reflect a specific market segment or the market as a whole, have traditionally dominated the ETF industry.

Because market cap weighted indexes provide a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, they work well for investors who believe in market efficiency.

If you're the kind of investor who would rather try and beat the market through good stock selection, then smart beta funds are your best choice; this fund class is known for tracking non-cap weighted strategies.

This kind of index follows this same mindset, as it attempts to pick stocks that have better chances of risk-return performance; non-cap weighted strategies base selection on certain fundamental characteristics, or a mix of such characteristics.

Even though this space provides many choices to investors--think one of the simplest methodologies like equal-weighting and more complicated ones like fundamental and volatility/momentum based weighting--not all have been able to deliver first-rate results.

Fund Sponsor & Index

SPHD is managed by Invesco, and this fund has amassed over $3.28 billion, which makes it one of the larger ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Value. This particular fund, before fees and expenses, 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

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 cousins, other things remaining the same.

Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.30% for SPHD, making it on par with most peer products in the space.

SPHD's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 4.31%.

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 19.5% of the portfolio --while Consumer Staples and Financials round out the top three.

Taking into account individual holdings, Verizon Communications Inc (VZ) accounts for about 3.59% of the fund's total assets, followed by Altria Group Inc (MO) and Pfizer Inc (PFE).

The top 10 holdings account for about 28.71% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

Year-to-date, the Invesco S&P 500 High Dividend Low Volatility ETF return is roughly 4.62% so far, and was up about 6.26% over the last 12 months (as of 04/06/2026). SPHD has traded between $44.37 $52.63 in this past 52-week period.

The ETF has a beta of 0.66 and standard deviation of 12.77% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 60 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 Index Fund ETF Shares (VTV) tracks CRSP U.S. Large Cap Value Index. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has $84.43 billion in assets, Vanguard Value Index Fund ETF Shares has $164.62 billion. SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% and VTV changes 0.03%.

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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