This High-Yield Vanguard ETF Has 15% of Its Portfolio Invested in Just 3 Dividend Stocks. Here's Why That's a Good Thing.

Core Insights - The increasing popularity of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is largely due to their ability to provide diversification, with many ETFs holding thousands of bonds or stocks, thus offering deep-bench portfolios [1] - However, diversification can be misleading, as capitalization-weighted index funds and ETFs may be heavily concentrated in a few stocks, particularly with the rise of the "Magnificent Seven" stocks, where just five stocks account for over 27% of S&P 500 ETFs [2] - This high level of concentration raises concerns among investors, yet the index's returns remain strong due to the prominence of a small number of stocks [3] ETF Analysis - The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF, with $98 billion in assets under management, is a leading dividend ETF, but it is concentrated with just three stocks—Broadcom, Microsoft, and JPMorgan Chase—making up approximately 15% of its portfolio [5] - The ETF's benchmark, the S&P U.S. Dividend Growers Index, includes companies that have increased dividends for at least 10 consecutive years while excluding the top 25% with the highest yields, with components weighted by market capitalization [6] - Broadcom, Microsoft, and JPMorgan are reliable dividend growers, maintaining manageable payout ratios while allowing for long-term growth, which justifies their significant presence in the ETF [7]