Schd Tops Dividend ETF Peer Group With 3.31% Yield
schd led a May 2026 comparison with a 3.31% yield and a 23.49% one-year return. That put the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF ahead of DGRO and VIG on both income and 12-month performance. For income-focused investors, the gap now sits in the numbers: higher current payout, stronger trailing return, and a lower expense ratio than one peer.
SCHD’s 3.31% yield
SCHD pays $0.331 per share each quarter and manages about $91.28 billion in assets. Its expense ratio is 0.06%, and TipRanks rated it a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $35.55, implying about 11.57% upside over the next 12 months. The ETF focuses on 100 high-quality U.S. companies with a consistent dividend track record, which keeps the income stream tied to established payers rather than broader yield hunting.
23.49% was SCHD’s one-year gain, ahead of DGRO’s 21.29% and VIG’s 18.71%. That matters because the fund was not leading only on yield; it also posted the strongest trailing total return in the group. SCHD’s top two holdings with the highest upside were Broadridge Financial and Accenture, giving the fund a mix of income and price appreciation that supported its lead in the comparison.
DGRO’s 2.00% middle ground
2.00% was DGRO’s yield, with a $0.331 quarterly dividend and about $39.70 billion in assets. Its 0.08% expense ratio is higher than SCHD’s but still low, and TipRanks rated it a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $84.05, implying 14.46% upside over 12 months. DGRO tracks an index of U.S. companies with a strong record of growing dividends and focuses on firms with consistent earnings and sustainable payout ratios.
21.29% was DGRO’s one-year gain, close to SCHD but still behind it on both return and yield. Its top two holdings with the highest upside were Hamilton Lane and Wingstop, which points to a portfolio built around dividend growers rather than the higher current income that SCHD delivered.
VIG’s 1.51% yield
1.51% was VIG’s yield, the lowest of the three, even though it paid $0.884 per share each quarter and posted an 18.71% one-year gain. It has the lowest expense ratio at 0.04%, a contrast that may appeal to investors who put cost ahead of current income. TipRanks rated VIG a Moderate Buy, with an average price target of $264.27 and implied upside of 15.68% over the next 12 months.
VIG tracks the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index and requires at least 10 consecutive years of dividend increases, while excluding companies that rank among the top 25% of highest-yielding eligible stocks. That screen pushes the fund toward long-term dividend growers rather than the highest current payouts, and its top two holdings with the highest upside were Dolby Laboratories and Texas Pacific Land. SCHD was described as the primary choice for investors seeking strong current income, DGRO as the middle option between yield and stability, and VIG as better suited for investors who prefer a more conservative approach.
