Is ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (SMDV) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Core Insights - The ProShares Russell 2000 Dividend Growers ETF (SMDV) is designed to provide broad exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Value category and was launched on February 3, 2015 [1] - The fund has accumulated over $643.67 million in assets, making it an average-sized ETF in its category [5] - SMDV seeks to match the performance of the Russell 2000 Dividend Growth Index, targeting companies that have increased dividend payments for at least 10 consecutive years [5] Fund Characteristics - The annual operating expenses for SMDV are 0.40%, which is competitive within its peer group [6] - The ETF has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.68% [6] - The fund has a beta of 0.83 and a standard deviation of 19.57% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [10] Sector Exposure - The ETF has the highest allocation in the Financials sector, comprising approximately 32% of the portfolio [7] - The top three sectors also include Industrials and Utilities [7] - Spartannash Co (SPTN) is the largest individual holding at about 1.31% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 9.4% of total assets [8] Performance Metrics - SMDV has experienced a loss of about -2.99% year-to-date and a gain of approximately 0.91% over the past year as of August 7, 2025 [10] - The fund has traded between $58.95 and $75.88 in the past 52 weeks [10] - With around 108 holdings, SMDV effectively diversifies company-specific risk [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the same space include iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG), with assets of $32.68 billion and $93.36 billion respectively [12] - DGRO has a lower expense ratio of 0.08% compared to SMDV, while VIG has an expense ratio of 0.05% [12]