What is the dividend ETF strategy?
What are dividend ETFs? These ETFs (exchange-traded funds) typically hold stocks that have a history of distributing dividends to their shareholders. However, it's important to remember that, unlike the coupon payments on bonds, dividend payments are not guaranteed.
Investing in dividend ETFs is an income-investing strategy as the stocks pay dividends, also known as income. Dividend ETFs are passively managed, meaning the fund manager follows an index and does not have to make trading decisions often.
Ticker | Name | Annual dividend yield |
---|---|---|
RDIV | Invesco S&P Ultra Dividend Revenue ETF | 4.87% |
SPYD | SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF | 4.49% |
FDL | First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 4.36% |
DJD | Invesco Dow Jones Industrial Average Dividend ETF | 4.25% |
Are dividend ETFs a good investment for you? An investment approach focused on dividends can make sense for many people at different stages of their investing lives: Dividends can be a great way to build wealth over time, as growing companies distribute earnings to their shareholders.
A dividend is typically a cash payout for investors made quarterly but sometimes annually. Stocks and mutual funds that distribute dividends are generally on sound financial ground, but not always. Stocks that pay dividends typically provide stability to a portfolio but may not outperform high-quality growth stocks.
Cons. No guarantee of future dividends. Stock price declines may offset yield. Dividends are taxed in the year they are distributed to shareholders.
Dividend ETFs or Dividend Stocks: Which Is Better? Dividend ETFs can be a good option for investors looking for a low-cost, diversified and reliable source of income from their investments. Dividend stocks may be a better option for investors who prefer to choose their own investments.
ETF issuers collect any dividends paid by the companies whose stocks are held in the fund, and they then pay those dividends to their shareholders. They may pay the money directly to the shareholders, or reinvest it in the fund.
Dividend-paying exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have been growing in popularity, especially among investors looking for high yields and more stability from their portfolios. As with stocks and many mutual funds, most ETFs pay their dividends quarterly—once every three months.
ETF | Assets Under Management | Expense Ratio |
---|---|---|
Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT) | $70 billion | 0.10% |
VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) | $16.3 billion | 0.35% |
Invesco S&P MidCap Momentum ETF (XMMO) | $1.6 billion | 0.34% |
SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF (XHB) | $1.8 billion | 0.35% |
Can you live off ETF dividends?
Over time, the cash flow generated by those dividend payments can supplement your Social Security and pension income. Perhaps, it can even provide all the money you need to maintain your preretirement lifestyle. It is possible to live off dividends if you do a little planning.
You'll also get some excellent income starting from day one. The Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF pays out 3.0% annually, or more than double the 1.4% yield you would get from an S&P 500 index fund. So invest $5,000 in the ETF, for example, and you can expect $150 per year of passive income.
VIG handily beats SCHD for 1-year performance. This is not a surprise, as stocks with a history of increasing dividends tend to be stable performers, which was a bonus for most of 2023. Returns for VIG and SCHD are similar in the long term with SCHD slightly edging out VIG for 10-year performance.
To have a perfect portfolio to generate $1000/month in dividends, one should have at least 30 stocks in at least 10 different sectors. No stock should not be more than 3.33% of your portfolio. If each stock generates around $400 in dividend income per year, 30 of each will generate $12,000 a year or $1000/month.
You Can Build a Dividend Portfolio for Regular Income
Hold between 20 and 60 stocks to reduce company-specific risk. Roughly equal-weight each position. Invest no more than 25% of your portfolio in any one sector. Target companies with Safe or Very Safe Dividend Safety Scores™
One downside to investing in stocks for the dividend is an eventual cap on returns. The dividend stock may pay out a sizable rate of return, but even the highest yielding stocks with any sort of stability don't pay out more than ~10% annually in today's low interest rate environment, except in rare circ*mstances.
Lower Dividend Yields
But if an investor can take on the risk, then owning individual stocks can mean much higher dividend yields. While you can pick the stock with the highest dividend yield, ETFs track a broader market, so the overall yield will average out to be lower.
ETFs are subject to market fluctuation and the risks of their underlying investments. ETFs are subject to management fees and other expenses. Unlike mutual funds, ETF shares are bought and sold at market price, which may be higher or lower than their NAV, and are not individually redeemed from the fund.
Dividend ETFs are ultra-cheap, they can reduce overall portfolio risk and they account for a surprisingly large percentage of total returns. Dividend ETFs are ultra-cheap, they can reduce overall portfolio risk and they account for a surprisingly large percentage of total returns.
What Is a Good Dividend Yield? Yields from 2% to 6% are generally considered to be a good dividend yield, but there are plenty of factors to consider when deciding if a stock's yield makes it a good investment. Your own investment goals should also play a big role in deciding what a good dividend yield is for you.
Do ETFs pay dividends monthly?
Stock ETFs usually only pay out their dividends quarterly. Sure, you can sell some of your shares every month to create a pseudo-income stream, but that can start to get messy, especially from a tax planning standpoint.
If you are looking to create wealth and have a longer time horizon, staying invested in growth will enable you to enjoy longer returns. But if you are looking for a more immediate return and steady cash flow, dividend investing could be the best choice for you.
Types of dividends
Moreover, the investor must own the shares in the ETF paying the dividend for more than 60 days during the 121-day period that begins 60 days before the ex-dividend date. This means if you actively trade ETFs, you probably can't meet this holding requirement.
QQQ Dividend Information
QQQ has a dividend yield of 0.64% and paid $2.64 per share in the past year. The dividend is paid every three months and the last ex-dividend date was Mar 18, 2024.
Overall, SCHD remains an attractive option for investors looking to balance income and growth in their portfolio. Its focus on quality large cap dividend payers, low expense ratio, and strong historical performance make it a solid choice for diversification and long-term investing.
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