US dividend ETFs bask in investor attention after jumbo Fed rate cut
By Suzanne McGee
Oct 4 (Reuters) -U.S. exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that invest in dividend-paying stocks have enjoyed a rush of inflows since the Federal Reserve kicked off its rate cutting cycle last month, though a jump in U.S. Treasury yields could slow the deluge of investor funds.
The group of 135 U.S. dividend ETFs tracked by Morningstar pulled in $3.05 billion in September, the same month the Fed cut interest rates by 50 basis points, its first reduction since 2020. That compares to average monthly inflows of $424 million in the first eight months of 2024.
Their newfound popularity has been driven by investors seeking income-generating products ahead of declines in yields that are expected to occur as the Fed continues cutting interest rates.
"The pivot in monetary policy translates into cash looking for new homes, and dividend-yielding stocks will be one of the beneficiaries," said Nick Kalivas, head of factor and equity ETF strategy at Invesco IVZ.N.
Whether the trend continues remains to be seen: benchmark 10-year Treasury yields have shifted higher in recent weeks and hit two-month highs on Friday, after a blowout U.S. employment number pointed to a resilient economy that likely does not need the Fed to deliver more large cuts this year.
Still, Josh Strange, founder and president of Good Life Financial Advisors of NOVA, said the revival of interest in dividend stocks is a reaction to rising valuations in sectors such as tech as well as in broader markets, in addition to shifts in monetary policy.
At 21.5 times future 12-month earnings estimates, the S&P 500's valuation is nearits highest level in three years and is well above its long-term average of 15.7, according to LSEG Datastream.
"The S&P 500 has become increasingly concentrated in just a few names, and the momentum has all concentrated around AI, making these stocks look frothy," Strange said.
Yields offered by dividend ETFs vary by strategy, but can range from just under 2% to as much as 3.6%. By comparison, benchmark 10-year Treasuries yield fell to around 3.6% in September.
Energy and financial stocks often appear in dividend ETFs, including Chevron Corp. CVX.N, JP Morgan Chase JPM.N and Exxon Mobil XOM.N. But they also feature pharmaceutical companies like Proctor & Gamble PG.N, utilities such as Verizon
VZ.N> or Southern Co. SO.N and retailers like Home Depot ND.N.
"If you seek out high dividend payouts, you're making a tradeoff: you also want to own companies that will grow and be capable of increasing those payouts," said Sean O'Hara, president of Pacer ETFs, discussing the outlook for dividend ETFs and related products in the latest edition of Inside ETFs.
To lessen the risk of owning companies with deteriorating fundamentals, Pacer builds ETF portfolios based on companies' free cash flows, such as the $24.8 billion Pacer US Cash Cows ETF COWZ.Z, launched in 2016. It has attracted $7.1 billion in inflows in the last 12 months.
(Reporting by Suzanne McGee; Editing by Ira Iosebashvili and Deepa Babington
</body></html>Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
