Should SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) Be on Your Investing Radar?
If you're interested in broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market, look no further than the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 01/13/1998.
The fund is sponsored by State Street Global Advisors. It has amassed assets over $34.62 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Value
Large cap companies typically have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Overall, they are usually a stable option, with less risk and more sure-fire cash flows 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. Considering long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in almost all markets; however, they are more likely to underperform growth stocks in strong bull markets.
Costs
Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.16%, making it one of the cheaper products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.73%.
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 Financials sector--about 22.80% of the portfolio. Information Technology and Healthcare round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Unitedhealth Group Inc (UNH) accounts for about 9.43% of total assets, followed by Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS) and Microsoft Corp (MSFT).
The top 10 holdings account for about 57.53% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
DIA seeks to match the performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average before fees and expenses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is composed of thirty blue-chip U.S. stocks.
The ETF return is roughly 6.01% so far this year and it's up approximately 24.96% in the last one year (as of 03/29/2024). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $324.19 and $397.76.
The ETF has a beta of 0.93 and standard deviation of 14.71% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 31 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.
Alternatives
SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, DIA is an excellent option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.
The iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $56.36 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $115.83 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VTV charges 0.04%.
Bottom-Line
While an excellent vehicle for long term investors, passively managed ETFs are a popular choice among institutional and retail investors due to their low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency.
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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SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA): ETF Research Reports
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Vanguard Value ETF (VTV): ETF Research Reports
iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD): ETF Research Reports
