SCHD vs PFM: Dividend Achievers Showdown

Quality-focused dividend growth vs broad dividend achievers strategy. Which approach delivers superior risk-adjusted returns?

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, focusing on high dividend yield with rigorous quality screens. Requires 10+ years of dividend payments and screens for financial health metrics.

High Yield Quality Screens Low-Cost Value Focus Large-Cap
PFM

PFM

Invesco Dividend Achievers ETF

2.15%
Dividend Yield
0.52%
Expense Ratio
9.8%
5-Year Return
324
Holdings

PFM tracks the NASDAQ US Broad Dividend Achievers Index, focusing on companies with 10+ consecutive years of dividend increases. Offers broad diversification across market caps.

Dividend Growth Broad Diversification 10+ Years Increases All-Cap Dividend Consistency

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric SCHD PFM Winner
Dividend Yield 3.27% 2.15% SCHD (+1.31%)
Expense Ratio 0.06% 0.52% SCHD (-0.46%)
5-Year Annual Return 11.2% 9.8% SCHD (+1.4%)
Dividend Growth (5Y) 8.5% 7.9% SCHD (+0.6%)
Number of Holdings 104 324 PFM
Assets Under Management $95.2B $1.8B SCHD
P/E Ratio 15.2 19.8 SCHD
Beta (5-Year) 0.85 0.92 SCHD

Performance Comparison

SCHD Performance

Higher total returns with better risk-adjusted performance. Quality-focused approach provides superior yield and lower volatility.

11.2%
5-Year Return
0.85
Beta
3.27%
Yield
48.2B
AUM

PFM Performance

Solid returns with exceptional dividend growth consistency. Broader diversification across market caps provides different risk profile.

9.8%
5-Year Return
0.92
Beta
7.9%
Div Growth
1.8B
AUM

Strategy Analysis

SCHD Approach

Quality-focused high-yield dividend growth:

  • Minimum 10 years of dividend payments
  • Dividend yield > 2.5% requirement
  • Cash flow to total debt > 50%
  • Return on equity > 15%
  • Market cap > $500 million
  • Focus on financial health and stability
  • Value-oriented, large-cap focus

PFM Approach

Broad dividend achievers diversification:

  • Minimum 10 years of consecutive dividend increases
  • No minimum yield requirements
  • Broad market cap diversification
  • 324 holdings for maximum diversification
  • Focus on dividend growth consistency
  • Includes small and mid-cap companies
  • Pure dividend growth focus

Yield vs Diversification Trade-off

SCHD focuses on high-yield quality screens (3.27% yield, 11.2% returns) with rigorous financial filters, while PFM focuses on broad dividend growth diversification (2.15% yield, 9.8% returns) across all market caps. This represents the trade-off between concentrated quality (SCHD) vs broad consistency (PFM).

Dividend Analysis

SCHD Dividend Profile

Higher current yield with quality growth. Focus on financially healthy companies with strong dividend histories.

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

PFM Dividend Profile

Lower current yield but proven growth consistency. Focus on companies with 10+ years of dividend increases.

Current Yield 2.15%
5-Year Growth 7.9%
Payout Ratio 45%
Years Required 10+ Increases

Sector Allocation

SCHD Sectors

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

PFM Sectors

Financials 19.2%
Industrials 18.5%
Consumer Staples 15.8%
Healthcare 14.2%
Information Technology 12.5%

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%

PFM Top Holdings

Microsoft Corp. 3.2%
Apple Inc. 2.8%
Johnson & Johnson 2.5%
Procter & Gamble 2.3%
JPMorgan Chase 2.1%

Investment Recommendation

🎯 Choose SCHD If:

  • Higher current income is important (3.27% vs 2.15%)
  • You want better total returns (11.2% vs 9.8%)
  • Lower expenses matter (0.06% vs 0.52%)
  • Quality screens for financial health are valuable
  • You prefer large-cap value exposure
  • Lower volatility is a priority (beta 0.85 vs 0.92)

📊 Choose PFM If:

  • Maximum diversification is your goal (324 holdings)
  • You want all-cap exposure (large, mid, small)
  • Pure dividend growth focus matters most
  • You value 10+ years of dividend increases requirement
  • Broader sector diversification is important
  • You're comfortable with higher expense ratio
Back to All ETF compare

Which should you choose: SCHD vs PFM?

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.
PFM
Choose PFM if you want a simple basket of Dividend Achievers (10+ years of increases) at low cost.
Bottom line: Both SCHD and PFM 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.