SCHD vs VOO: The Ultimate Core Holding Decision

Quality dividend growth investing vs S&P 500 total market exposure. Which makes a better foundation for your portfolio?

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.

Quality Screens Low-Cost Value Focus Dividend Growth Large-Cap
VOO

VOO

Vanguard S&P 500 ETF

1.34%
Dividend Yield
0.03%
Expense Ratio
14.8%
5-Year Return
503
Holdings

VOO tracks the S&P 500 Index, representing 500 of the largest U.S. companies. Provides broad market exposure across all sectors with extremely low costs. The classic benchmark for U.S. equity investing.

S&P 500 Ultra Low-Cost Broad Market Core Holding Market-Cap Weighted

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric SCHD VOO Winner
Dividend Yield 3.27% 1.34% SCHD (+2.12%)
Expense Ratio 0.06% 0.03% VOO (-0.03%)
5-Year Annual Return 11.2% 14.8% VOO (+3.6%)
Number of Holdings 104 503 VOO
Assets Under Management $95.2B $928B VOO
P/E Ratio 15.2 23.8 SCHD
P/B Ratio 2.8 4.2 SCHD
Volatility (5-Year) 15.2% 17.5% SCHD

Performance Comparison

SCHD Performance

Strong total returns with higher income and lower volatility. Value-oriented approach has outperformed in certain market environments.

11.2%
5-Year Return
15.2%
Volatility
3.27%
Yield
8.5%
Div Growth

VOO Performance

Higher total returns with broad market exposure. Tech-heavy concentration has driven strong performance in recent years.

14.8%
5-Year Return
17.5%
Volatility
1.34%
Yield
6.2%
Div Growth

Strategy Analysis

SCHD Approach

Quality-focused dividend growth investing:

  • 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, defensive sectors
  • Full participation in market upside

VOO Approach

Broad market S&P 500 indexing:

  • Tracks S&P 500 Index exactly
  • 500 largest U.S. companies by market cap
  • Market-cap weighted (largest companies dominate)
  • Extremely low-cost passive strategy
  • Full U.S. market representation
  • No active stock selection
  • Technology sector is largest (30%+)
  • Classic "set it and forget it" investment

Value vs Growth Analysis

SCHD represents value investing (11.2% returns, 3.27% yield, P/E 15.2) with quality screens and income focus, while VOO represents growth/market-cap investing (14.8% returns, 1.34% yield, P/E 23.8). This represents the classic value vs growth debate in investing.

SCHD Value Advantages

Lower valuation: P/E 15.2 vs 23.8

Higher income: 3.27% yield vs 1.34%

Quality screens: Financial health filters

Lower volatility: 15.2% vs 17.5%

VOO Growth Advantages

Higher returns: 14.8% vs 11.2% (5-year)

Broader diversification: 503 vs 104 holdings

Lower cost: 0.03% vs 0.06% expense ratio

Tech exposure: Full participation in tech growth

Valuation Comparison

Relative Valuation Metrics

SCHD trades at a significant discount to VOO across all major valuation metrics, reflecting its value orientation vs VOO's growth/market-cap weighting.

15.2
SCHD P/E Ratio
23.8
VOO P/E Ratio
2.8
SCHD P/B Ratio
4.2
VOO P/B Ratio

Income Analysis

SCHD Income Profile

High dividend income with growth potential. Focus on sustainable dividends from financially healthy companies.

Current Yield 3.27%
5-Year Growth 8.5%
Distribution Quarterly
Payout Ratio 45%

VOO Income Profile

Lower yield with growth focus. Broad market dividends from S&P 500 companies.

Current Yield 1.34%
5-Year Growth 6.2%
Distribution Quarterly
Payout Ratio 32%

Sector Allocation

SCHD Sectors

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

VOO S&P 500 Sectors

Information Technology 30.2%
Healthcare 13.5%
Financials 12.8%
Consumer Discretionary 10.5%
Communication Services 8.2%

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%

VOO Top Holdings

Microsoft Corp. 7.2%
Apple Inc. 6.8%
NVIDIA Corp. 6.5%
Amazon.com Inc. 3.8%
Meta Platforms 2.5%

Investment Recommendation

🏦 Choose SCHD If:

  • Higher current income is important (3.27% vs 1.34%)
  • You prefer value-oriented, defensive companies
  • Lower valuations appeal to you (P/E 15.2 vs 23.8)
  • You want quality screens for financial health
  • Lower volatility matters (15.2% vs 17.5%)
  • You're in or near retirement and need income
  • You believe value will outperform growth
  • Dividend growth is a priority (8.5% vs 6.2%)

📈 Choose VOO If:

  • Maximum total return is your primary goal
  • You want broad S&P 500 market exposure
  • Ultra-low costs matter (0.03% vs 0.06%)
  • You believe in market-cap weighted indexing
  • Tech sector growth exposure is important
  • You're building a long-term portfolio foundation
  • Simplicity and ease of management matter
  • You're comfortable with higher valuations

💡 Expert Insight: Consider Both

Many investors use both SCHD and VOO in their portfolios. VOO provides growth and broad market exposure, while SCHD adds income, value tilt, and quality screens. A 50/50 or 60/40 split can give you the best of both worlds.

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Which should you choose: SCHD vs VOO?

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.
VOO
Choose VOO if you want rock-bottom-cost (0.03%) S&P 500 exposure for long-term, hands-off growth.
Bottom line: SCHD tilts toward income, value and quality, while VOO captures the entire market — including the high-growth names SCHD screens out. Choose SCHD for an income/quality focus; choose VOO for maximum diversification and growth participation. They also pair well together.