Sit Out Market Drama With These 3 Dividend Funds
Impact of Tariffs on Investment Trends: The new trade war initiated by President Trump's tariffs has shifted investor focus towards companies with stable revenues and low exposure to international trade, particularly those offering high dividends like Verizon and Altria. Dividend stocks have shown less volatility compared to the broader market, making them appealing during uncertain economic times.
Recommended Dividend ETFs: Financial experts recommend several dividend exchange-traded funds (ETFs) such as SPDR S&P Dividend ETF, Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, and iShares Core High Dividend ETF for investors seeking steady income and lower risk. These funds typically hold reliable companies that consistently raise dividends, providing a hedge against inflation and market volatility.
Trade with 70% Backtested Accuracy
Analyst Views on SDY
About the author
Nvidia Is Thriving, While These Dividend ETFs Are Outperforming.
Market Rally: The market rally is expanding beyond just tech stocks, indicating a broader recovery.
Dividend-Paying Stocks: Companies like Exxon Mobil, Walmart, Ford, and Coca-Cola are outperforming traditional tech favorites.
"Dow's Top Dividend Stocks Delivered Impressive Returns This Year"
- Performance of Dog of the Dow: The ten highest-yielding stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average have seen an average increase of 17.8% in 2025 through December 26.
- Comparison with Dow 30: This performance surpasses the overall gain of 14.5% for the Dow 30 during the same period.
- Appeal for Dividend Investors: The strong performance of these stocks highlights the attractiveness of dividend investing this year.
- Market Trends: The trend indicates a favorable environment for dividend-focused investment strategies within the Dow.
Dogs of the Dow Enjoyed a Successful Year: Discover the 10 Stocks for 2026.
- Performance of Dog of the Dow: The ten highest-yielding stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average have seen an average increase of 17.8% in 2025 as of December 26.
- Comparison with Dow 30: This performance surpasses the overall gain of 14.5% for the Dow 30 index during the same period.
- Focus on Dividend Investors: The year has been particularly favorable for dividend investors who focus on these high-yielding stocks.
- Market Trends: The trend indicates a strong preference for dividend-paying stocks among investors in the current market environment.
S&P 500 Q3 Share Buybacks Increase 6.2% to $249 Billion Following Q2 Drop
S&P 500 Buybacks Overview: In Q3 2025, S&P 500 share repurchases reached $249.0 billion, marking a 6.2% increase from Q2 2025 and a 9.9% rise from Q3 2024, with total buybacks surpassing $1 trillion for the second time in history.
Company Participation and Trends: A total of 333 companies reported buybacks of at least $5 million, a slight decrease from the previous quarter, while the top four companies (Apple, NVIDIA, Alphabet, and Meta) accounted for over 22% of the total buybacks.
Sector Spending Changes: Health Care and Financials saw significant increases in buyback spending, up 32.2% and 26.3% respectively, while Materials and Real Estate reduced their expenditures by 21.0% and 40.3%.
Dividends Update: S&P 500 dividends rose by 1.8% to $168.1 billion in Q3 2025, compared to $165.2 billion in Q2 2025, and were 7.0% higher than the $157.0 billion reported in Q3 2024.
Dollar Stores Surpass Mag-7 in 2025: Is It Time to Consider Value and Dividend ETFs?
AI vs. Value Stocks: Despite the hype around AI, value stocks like Dollar Tree and Dollar General have significantly outperformed major tech companies, indicating a shift in consumer behavior towards affordability amid economic pressures.
Consumer Trends: Dollar Tree and Dollar General reported increases in same-store sales, with a notable trend of wealthier consumers "trading down" to dollar stores, reflecting growing affordability concerns among various income groups.
Investment Strategies: In light of economic uncertainty, there is a growing interest in dividend-focused investments, as investors seek stable cash flow and predictable earnings from value stocks, particularly in sectors like consumer staples and utilities.
ETF Recommendations: Investors are encouraged to consider ETFs that include Dollar Tree and Dollar General, such as Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Consumer Staples ETF and Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF, as well as other dividend-focused ETFs for potential steady income.
"Impressive 21% Dividend Yield, But This One Disturbing Chart Tells a Different Story"
Total Return Focus: Investors should prioritize total return, which combines sustainable dividends and capital gains, rather than being lured by high dividend yields that may not provide long-term value.
Balanced Yield Strategy: Aiming for a yield around 8% to 10% is recommended, as it tends to be more sustainable and can deliver significant income while still allowing for capital appreciation.
Closed-End Funds (CEFs): The Liberty All-Star Equity Fund (USA) exemplifies a successful CEF strategy, offering a high yield while maintaining dividend growth and trading at a discount to its net asset value.
Investment Opportunities: The article suggests exploring four high-yielding CEFs that currently offer an average yield of 9.5%, emphasizing the potential for both income and capital gains through strategic buying and selling.
Nvidia Is Thriving, While These Dividend ETFs Are Outperforming.
Market Rally: The market rally is expanding beyond just tech stocks, indicating a broader recovery.
Dividend-Paying Stocks: Companies like Exxon Mobil, Walmart, Ford, and Coca-Cola are outperforming traditional tech favorites.
"Dow's Top Dividend Stocks Delivered Impressive Returns This Year"
- Performance of Dog of the Dow: The ten highest-yielding stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average have seen an average increase of 17.8% in 2025 through December 26.
- Comparison with Dow 30: This performance surpasses the overall gain of 14.5% for the Dow 30 during the same period.
- Appeal for Dividend Investors: The strong performance of these stocks highlights the attractiveness of dividend investing this year.
- Market Trends: The trend indicates a favorable environment for dividend-focused investment strategies within the Dow.
Dogs of the Dow Enjoyed a Successful Year: Discover the 10 Stocks for 2026.
- Performance of Dog of the Dow: The ten highest-yielding stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average have seen an average increase of 17.8% in 2025 as of December 26.
- Comparison with Dow 30: This performance surpasses the overall gain of 14.5% for the Dow 30 index during the same period.
- Focus on Dividend Investors: The year has been particularly favorable for dividend investors who focus on these high-yielding stocks.
- Market Trends: The trend indicates a strong preference for dividend-paying stocks among investors in the current market environment.
S&P 500 Q3 Share Buybacks Increase 6.2% to $249 Billion Following Q2 Drop
S&P 500 Buybacks Overview: In Q3 2025, S&P 500 share repurchases reached $249.0 billion, marking a 6.2% increase from Q2 2025 and a 9.9% rise from Q3 2024, with total buybacks surpassing $1 trillion for the second time in history.
Company Participation and Trends: A total of 333 companies reported buybacks of at least $5 million, a slight decrease from the previous quarter, while the top four companies (Apple, NVIDIA, Alphabet, and Meta) accounted for over 22% of the total buybacks.
Sector Spending Changes: Health Care and Financials saw significant increases in buyback spending, up 32.2% and 26.3% respectively, while Materials and Real Estate reduced their expenditures by 21.0% and 40.3%.
Dividends Update: S&P 500 dividends rose by 1.8% to $168.1 billion in Q3 2025, compared to $165.2 billion in Q2 2025, and were 7.0% higher than the $157.0 billion reported in Q3 2024.
Dollar Stores Surpass Mag-7 in 2025: Is It Time to Consider Value and Dividend ETFs?
AI vs. Value Stocks: Despite the hype around AI, value stocks like Dollar Tree and Dollar General have significantly outperformed major tech companies, indicating a shift in consumer behavior towards affordability amid economic pressures.
Consumer Trends: Dollar Tree and Dollar General reported increases in same-store sales, with a notable trend of wealthier consumers "trading down" to dollar stores, reflecting growing affordability concerns among various income groups.
Investment Strategies: In light of economic uncertainty, there is a growing interest in dividend-focused investments, as investors seek stable cash flow and predictable earnings from value stocks, particularly in sectors like consumer staples and utilities.
ETF Recommendations: Investors are encouraged to consider ETFs that include Dollar Tree and Dollar General, such as Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Consumer Staples ETF and Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF, as well as other dividend-focused ETFs for potential steady income.
"Impressive 21% Dividend Yield, But This One Disturbing Chart Tells a Different Story"
Total Return Focus: Investors should prioritize total return, which combines sustainable dividends and capital gains, rather than being lured by high dividend yields that may not provide long-term value.
Balanced Yield Strategy: Aiming for a yield around 8% to 10% is recommended, as it tends to be more sustainable and can deliver significant income while still allowing for capital appreciation.
Closed-End Funds (CEFs): The Liberty All-Star Equity Fund (USA) exemplifies a successful CEF strategy, offering a high yield while maintaining dividend growth and trading at a discount to its net asset value.
Investment Opportunities: The article suggests exploring four high-yielding CEFs that currently offer an average yield of 9.5%, emphasizing the potential for both income and capital gains through strategic buying and selling.
