Is Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) a Strong ETF Right Now?
The Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) was launched on 11/10/2006, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
The ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on market capitalization weighted indexes that are designed to represent the market or a particular segment of the market.
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.
On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta.
Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other 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
The fund is managed by Vanguard. VYM has been able to amass assets over $42.67 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Value. Before fees and expenses, VYM seeks to match the performance of the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index.
The FTSE High Dividend Yield Index which is consists of common stocks of companies that pay dividends that generally are higher than average.
Cost & Other Expenses
Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins if all other fundamentals are the same.
With one of the least expensive products in the space, this ETF has annual operating expenses of 0.06%.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.92%.
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 VYM, it has heaviest allocation in the Financials sector --about 20.20% of the portfolio --while Healthcare and Consumer Staples round out the top three.
Taking into account individual holdings, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) accounts for about 3.23% of the fund's total assets, followed by Jpmorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and Home Depot Inc. (HD).
Performance and Risk
The ETF has lost about -4.95% and is up about 3.01% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 05/12/2022), respectively. VYM has traded between $102.30 and $115.01 during this last 52-week period.
The fund has a beta of 0.85 and standard deviation of 22.40% for the trailing three-year period, which makes VYM a medium risk choice in this particular space. With about 410 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.
IShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) tracks Russell 1000 Value Index and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) tracks CRSP U.S. Large Cap Value Index. IShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $52.13 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $95.85 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VTV charges 0.04%.
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.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM): ETF Research Reports
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Vanguard Value ETF (VTV): ETF Research Reports
iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD): ETF Research Reports
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
Zacks Investment Research
