SCHD vs DGRW: Quality Dividend Growth Showdown

Traditional dividend screening vs modern fundamental weighting. Which approach delivers superior quality dividend growth?

SCHD

SCHD

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF

3.27%
Dividend Yield
0.06%
Expense Ratio
11.2%
5-Year Return
104
Holdings

SCHD tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, using traditional dividend screens: 10+ years of payments, financial health metrics, and dividend yield requirements. Market-cap weighted.

Traditional Screens Dividend Growth Low-Cost Market-Cap Weighted Value Focus
DGRW

DGRW

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund

1.85%
Dividend Yield
0.28%
Expense Ratio
12.5%
5-Year Return
296
Holdings

DGRW tracks the WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index, using fundamental weighting based on long-term earnings growth forecasts. No dividend history requirements, focuses on quality and growth.

Fundamental Weighting Quality Focus Growth Emphasis Earnings-Based Modern Approach

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric SCHD DGRW Winner
Dividend Yield 3.27% 1.85% SCHD (+1.61%)
Expense Ratio 0.06% 0.28% SCHD
5-Year Annual Return 11.2% 12.5% DGRW (+1.3%)
Dividend Growth (5Y) 8.5% 9.2% DGRW (+0.7%)
Number of Holdings 104 296 DGRW
Assets Under Management $95.2B $12.8B SCHD
P/E Ratio 15.2 22.8 SCHD
Beta (5-Year) 0.85 0.95 SCHD

Performance Comparison

SCHD Performance

Strong performance with lower volatility. Higher dividend yield provides better income, but slightly lower total returns than DGRW.

11.2%
5-Year Return
12.8%
3-Year Return
8.5%
Div Growth
0.85
Beta

DGRW Performance

Higher total returns with faster dividend growth. Lower yield but better capital appreciation due to growth focus.

12.5%
5-Year Return
14.2%
3-Year Return
9.2%
Div Growth
0.95
Beta

Strategy Analysis

SCHD Approach

Traditional dividend screening with historical focus:

  • Minimum 10 years of dividend payments
  • Market cap > $500 million
  • Dividend yield > 2.5% requirement
  • Cash flow to total debt > 50%
  • Return on equity > 15%
  • Market-cap weighting
  • Focus on proven dividend payers

DGRW Approach

Modern fundamental weighting with growth focus:

  • No dividend history requirements
  • Fundamental weighting based on earnings
  • Long-term earnings growth forecasts
  • Return on equity and return on assets screens
  • Quality and growth metrics prioritized
  • Higher growth, lower yield companies
  • Forward-looking approach

Fundamental Weighting Explained

DGRW uses fundamental weighting based on long-term earnings growth forecasts rather than market capitalization. This means companies with better growth prospects get higher weights, regardless of their dividend history. This modern approach has delivered better total returns but sacrifices current yield.

Dividend Analysis

SCHD Dividend Profile

High current yield with steady growth. Traditional approach focuses on established dividend payers with strong financials.

Current Yield 3.27%
5-Year Growth 8.5%
Payout Ratio 48%
Years Required 10+

DGRW Dividend Profile

Lower current yield but faster growth. Modern approach focuses on quality companies with growth potential, regardless of dividend history.

Current Yield 1.85%
5-Year Growth 9.2%
Payout Ratio 35%
Years Required None

Sector Allocation

SCHD Sectors

Healthcare 18.5%
Financials 15.2%
Information Technology 14.8%
Consumer Staples 13.2%
Industrials 12.5%
Energy 8.2%

DGRW Sectors

Information Technology 28.5%
Healthcare 18.2%
Consumer Discretionary 15.8%
Industrials 12.5%
Financials 10.2%
Consumer Staples 8.5%

Top 5 Holdings

SCHD Top Holdings

Broadcom Inc. 4.8%
AbbVie Inc. 4.5%
Amgen Inc. 4.3%
Home Depot Inc. 4.2%
Texas Instruments 4.1%

DGRW Top Holdings

Microsoft Corp. 5.8%
Apple Inc. 5.5%
Alphabet Inc. 4.2%
Visa Inc. 3.8%
Johnson & Johnson 3.5%

Investment Recommendation

💰 Choose SCHD If:

  • Current income is your priority (3.27% yield)
  • You want significantly lower costs (0.06% expense ratio)
  • You prefer lower volatility (beta 0.85)
  • Traditional dividend history matters to you
  • You want better value exposure (P/E 15.2)
  • You prefer established dividend payers

🚀 Choose DGRW If:

  • Total return is your primary goal (12.5% 5-year)
  • You want faster dividend growth (9.2%)
  • Modern fundamental weighting appeals to you
  • You want heavy technology exposure (28.5%)
  • Dividend history is less important than quality
  • You're willing to accept lower current yield
Back to All ETF compare

Which should you choose: SCHD vs DGRW?

SCHD
Choose SCHD if you want a low-cost (0.06%) blend of an above-average ~3.27% yield and a strong dividend-growth record from screened, quality U.S. companies.
DGRW
Choose DGRW if you want quality dividend growers and value DGRW's monthly distributions for smoother cash flow.
Bottom line: Both SCHD and DGRW are dividend-growth funds, so the decision comes down to the finer details — expense ratio, exact holdings, yield and dividend-growth rate. Compare the figures in the table above and pick the one whose costs and composition fit your plan.