The Best Dividend Funds

Dividend stocks are the Dolly Parton of investing: Everyone seems to like them.

Many retirees rely (at least somewhat) on the regular income that dividend stocks generate. Nonretirees, meanwhile, enjoy “getting paid to wait”—which means collecting regular income from quarterly dividends while holding on for stock price appreciation.

So far in 2024, the returns of the Morningstar Dividend Yield Focus Index (a collection of quality stocks with stable dividends) are running neck and neck with the returns of the broad-based Morningstar US Market Index: Both are up more than 17% for the year to date through Aug. 28, 2024.

Reports Morningstar’s Chief US Market Strategist David Sekera: “High-dividend-paying stocks lagged the market earlier this year as artificial intelligence plays soared; however, as valuations for AI stocks reached new highs, market sentiment has shifted. Over the past month, dividend-paying stocks caught a bid and returns have converged toward the market return.”

21 Best Dividend ETFs and Mutual Funds

Investors interested in getting exposure to dividend stocks through a managed product can pick among many dividend exchange-traded funds and mutual funds.

These mutual funds and ETFs focus on US dividend stocks and had at least one share class that earned top Morningstar Medalist Ratings of Silver or Gold with 100% analyst coverage as of Aug. 28, 2024.

1. BlackRock Equity Dividend MADVX
2. Capital Group Dividend Value ETF CGDV
3. ClearBridge Dividend Strategy LCBOX
4. Columbia Dividend Income CDIRX
5. Fidelity High Dividend ETF FDVV
6. FlexShares Quality Dividend ETF QDF
7. Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend ETF LVHD
8. Invesco Diversified Dividend LCEYX
9. Invesco Dividend Income FSIUX
10. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF SCHD
11. SPDR S&P Dividend ETF SDY
12. T. Rowe Price Dividend Growth PRDGX
13. T. Rowe Price Dividend Growth ETF TDVG
14. Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF VIG
15. Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index VDADX
16. Vanguard Dividend Growth VDIGX
17. Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF VYM
18. Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index VHYAX
19. WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend ETF DLN
20. WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend ETF DON
21. WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend ETF DES

High-Dividend Stocks vs. Dividend-Growth Stocks

Most funds on our list of the best dividend ETFs and mutual funds take one of two approaches to investing.

The first group invests in high-dividend stocks. High-dividend stocks typically come from more-mature businesses that choose to pay out profits rather than reinvest them. Investors will often find these companies in the financials, energy, utilities, and industrials sectors. High-dividend stocks come with tantalizing yields but carry some risk. Most notably, high-dividend stocks in economically sensitive sectors may be vulnerable during an economic slowdown. Moreover, high-yielding stocks can face interest-rate risk: When rates trend up, investors may swap high-income-producing stocks for bonds.

The second group of names on our list of the best dividend ETFs and mutual funds focuses on dividend-growth stocks. Dividend-growth stocks don’t usually boast robust yields like high-dividend stocks do, but they come from companies that are usually financially healthy and that have raised their dividends over time. As such, dividend-growth stocks generally exhibit some resilience during market downturns and economic slowdowns.

When researching dividend-stock mutual funds and ETFs, be sure to understand which approach the fund takes. You can find this information in a Morningstar fund or ETF report on Morningstar.com. Look under the Fund Analysis tab.

Do Investors Need Dividend ETFs or Mutual Funds?

Dividend-paying companies are often larger firms whose stocks are popular holdings among large-cap mutual funds and ETFs. As a result, investors who own large-cap funds may already hold a sizable position in dividend stocks. For example, Vanguard Dividend Appreciation and the broad-based large-cap Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF VTI both count Microsoft MSFT and Apple AAPL as top-three holdings.

That doesn’t mean investors shouldn’t add a dividend fund to their portfolios if they already have exposure to large-company stocks. However, investors should be aware of what adding a dividend-stock fund may do to the complexion of their current portfolio mix.

How to Find More of the Best Dividend ETFs and Mutual Funds for the Long Term

Given their high Morningstar Medalist Ratings, we expect the top-rated mutual funds and ETFs on our list to outperform over a full market cycle.

That being said, investors may want to expand their search for dividend-stock funds beyond this list, using parameters that matter to them. Here are two additional ways to find dividend ETFs and mutual funds to investigate further.

• Some investors may prefer a list of highly rated funds that invest in dividend stocks around the globe, not just in US names. Using the Morningstar Investor Screener, select Investment Type (either ETF or Mutual Fund), enter the Keyword dividend in the Search Securities section, set Asset Class to International Equity, and check both Gold and Silver beneath Morningstar Medalist Rating.
• Want to find a complete list of dividend-stock ETFs or mutual funds available today, not just those with our highest Medalist Ratings? Using the Morningstar Investor Screener tool, select Investment Type (either ETF or Mutual Fund) and enter the Keyword dividend in the Search Securities section.