Should First Trust SMID Cap Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (SDVY) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Core Viewpoint - The First Trust SMID Cap Rising Dividend Achievers ETF (SDVY) is a significant player in the Mid Cap Value segment of the US equity market, with over $8.30 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in this category [1]. Group 1: Mid Cap Value Characteristics - Mid cap companies, with market capitalizations between $2 billion and $10 billion, typically offer higher growth prospects than large cap companies while being less volatile than small cap companies, providing a stable and growth-oriented investment [2]. - Value stocks are characterized by lower price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, but they also exhibit lower sales and earnings growth rates compared to growth stocks. Historically, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in nearly all markets, although growth stocks tend to perform better in strong bull markets [3]. Group 2: Costs and Performance - The annual operating expenses for SDVY are 0.59%, which is relatively high compared to other ETFs in the space. The ETF has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.07% [4]. - SDVY aims to match the performance of the NASDAQ US Small Mid Cap Rising Dividend Achievers Index, which includes 100 small and mid-cap companies known for raising their dividends [7]. - As of July 22, 2025, SDVY has returned approximately 1.12% year-to-date and 3.84% over the past year, with a trading range between $29.52 and $40.33 in the last 52 weeks. The ETF has a beta of 1.09 and a standard deviation of 21.43% over the trailing three-year period, indicating effective diversification with about 185 holdings [8]. Group 3: Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF has a significant allocation to the Financials sector, comprising about 32.40% of the portfolio, followed by Industrials and Consumer Discretionary [5]. - Woodward, Inc. (WWD) represents approximately 1.11% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for about 10.12% of total assets under management [6]. Group 4: Alternatives and Market Position - SDVY holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating it is a viable option for investors seeking exposure to the Mid Cap Value segment [10]. - Alternatives in the market include the iShares Russell Mid-Cap Value ETF (IWS) with $13.49 billion in assets and an expense ratio of 0.23%, and the Vanguard Mid-Cap Value ETF (VOE) with $18.07 billion in assets and a lower expense ratio of 0.07% [11].