VIG vs SCHD Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
VIG and SCHD are both low-cost dividend ETFs that require 10 consecutive years of dividend growth, but they differ significantly in current yield and sector composition. VIG emphasizes dividend growth quality across all sectors including technology, resulting in a lower yield (~2%) and more growth-oriented portfolio. SCHD emphasizes current yield through multi-factor quality screening, resulting in a higher yield (~4%) and more value-oriented portfolio tilted toward traditional dividend sectors.
VIG vs SCHD is a dividend growth (quality + appreciation) vs dividend yield (income + value) choice — VIG is for investors who want total return with dividend quality as a filter, while SCHD is for investors who need above-market current income from their equity portfolio.
SCHD holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. SCHD has delivered stronger 1-year price return (+31.80% vs +13.33% for VIG).
- prefer dividend growth quality over current yield, focusing on companies that consistently increase dividends
- value broad sector diversification including technology dividend growers like Microsoft and Apple
- want a total return vehicle where dividend income is secondary to capital appreciation from high-quality businesses
- are comfortable with a lower current yield (~2%) in exchange for portfolio quality and dividend growth durability
- prefer above-market current dividend yield (3.5–4.5%) as the primary selection criterion alongside quality screens
- value higher income generation from a dividend ETF versus total return optimization
- want concentrated exposure to traditional dividend sectors (consumer staples, healthcare, financials, industrials)
- are comfortable with low technology exposure and the resulting performance divergence during tech-led market rallies
| Metric | VIG | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 26.9 | 27.2 |
| Latest closei | $242.05 | $34.10 |
| 1M returni | +2.32% | +0.12% |
| 3M returni | +1.62% | +4.03% |
| 6M returni | +8.52% | +12.45% |
| 1Y returni | +13.33% | +31.80% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | VIG | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $11.52K (+15.2%) started 2025-10-15 | $13.65K (+36.5%) started 2025-10-15 |
| 5Y ago | $18.21K (+82.1%) started 2021-10-15 | $19.3K (+93.0%) started 2021-10-15 |
| 10Y ago | $43.77K (+337.7%) started 2016-10-17 | $51.49K (+414.9%) started 2016-10-17 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | VIG | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.04% | 0.06% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $127.6B | $107.89B |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.56% | 3.24% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 25.37 | 19.05 |
| Betai | 0.82 | 0.71 |
| 52-week change | 13.33% | 31.80% |
| Metric | VIG | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | +13.33% | +31.80% |
| 6M returni | +8.52% | +12.45% |
| 3M returni | +1.62% | +4.03% |
| 1M returni | +2.32% | +0.12% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | 0.86 | 2.14 |
| Betai | 0.82 | 0.71 |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.56% | 3.24% |
| 5Y CAGR | +10.60% | +9.69% |
Over the past year, VIG and SCHD have moved moderately in the same direction (correlation of 0.61), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | VIG | SCHD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | +13.33% | +31.80% |
| CAGRi | +13.34% | +31.83% | |
| Volatilityi | 9.94% | 11.16% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.86 | 2.14 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 1.28 | 3.62 | |
| Max drawdowni | 7.91% | 6.87% | |
| Current drawdowni | 1.46% | 2.38% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 1.53% | 1.41% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 2.30% | 2.12% | |
| Max daily dropi | 1.69% | 1.84% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 2.71% | 2.91% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +65.50% | +58.81% |
| CAGRi | +10.60% | +9.69% | |
| Volatilityi | 14.12% | 14.35% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.47 | 0.41 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.67 | 0.58 | |
| Max drawdowni | 20.39% | 16.84% | |
| Current drawdowni | 1.46% | 2.38% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 4.22% | 4.45% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 6.24% | 5.73% | |
| Max daily dropi | 5.69% | 5.42% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 10.30% | 12.74% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +256.09% | +245.53% |
| CAGRi | +13.55% | +13.21% | |
| Volatilityi | 16.00% | 16.73% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.60 | 0.56 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.84 | 0.79 | |
| Max drawdowni | 31.72% | 33.37% | |
| Current drawdowni | 1.46% | 2.38% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 3.55% | 4.01% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 5.71% | 5.85% | |
| Max daily dropi | 10.66% | 9.95% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 16.11% | 18.00% |
| Category | VIG | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares | Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.04% | 0.06% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $127.6B | $107.89B |
| Dividend yieldi | 1.56% | 3.24% |
- 10-consecutive-year dividend growth requirement filters for financially durable companies with consistent earnings power
- Very low 0.06% expense ratio with Vanguard's structural cost advantages
- Broad 300+ holding diversification across large-cap U.S. companies in technology, healthcare, industrials, and consumer staples
- Highest yield among major dividend ETFs (typically 3.5–4.5%), providing meaningful current income for dividend investors
- Multi-factor quality screen (cash flow, ROE, dividend history) selects financially sound dividend payers
- Very low 0.06% expense ratio at Schwab, equivalent to VIG's cost advantage
- Lower current yield than SCHD — investors who need income now may find VIG's ~2% yield insufficient
- Includes technology (Microsoft, Apple) and healthcare at higher weights than SCHD, making VIG less of a 'traditional dividend' fund
- During market downturns, VIG does not offer as much defensive income cushion as higher-yielding SCHD
- Low technology exposure means SCHD significantly underperforms during technology-led bull markets (e.g., 2023 AI rally)
- High energy and financials weights create sector concentration that can hurt performance during oil price or credit downturns
- 100-stock concentrated portfolio means individual stock selection and removal decisions have larger impacts than in broader ETFs
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