Group 1 - The Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) has a low expense ratio of 0.04% and manages nearly $200 billion in total fund assets, making it a preferred choice for investors seeking exposure to U.S. large-cap value stocks [1] - The Sunday Investor has completed educational requirements for the Chartered Investment Manager designation and is on track to become a licensed options and derivatives trading advisor, focusing on U.S. Equity ETFs [1] - The Sunday Investor maintains a comprehensive ETF Database that tracks performance and fundamentals for nearly 1,000 funds, indicating a robust analytical framework [1]

Inflation and Tariffs - Inflation in the United States accelerated in June, with the Consumer Price Index growing 2.7% year over year, up from 2.4% in May, marking the highest level since February [1] - Month over month, inflation climbed 0.3%, an increase from a 0.1% rise the previous month [1] - Tariffs imposed under President Trump are raising costs for everyday goods, with core prices (excluding food and energy) increasing to 2.9% from 2.8% [2] Impact of Tariffs - The inflation increase coincides with tariffs enacted by the Trump administration, including a 10% levy on all imports, 50% duties on steel and aluminum, 30% on Chinese goods, and 25% on imported automobiles [3] - Gasoline prices rose 1% from May to June, grocery prices climbed 0.35%, and appliance prices increased for the third consecutive month [3] - Major companies like Walmart, Nike, and Mitsubishi have acknowledged passing higher costs onto consumers, with some firms previously stockpiling inventory to delay price hikes [4] Dividend Investing Strategy - Dividend investing is highlighted as a viable strategy due to its income generation, providing a steady stream of income even amid market volatility [4] - Companies with a strong history of dividend growth may continue to increase dividends, which can help offset rising interest rates [5] - Dividend-paying stocks are often found in defensive sectors such as utilities, consumer staples, and healthcare, which can provide stability during economic downturns [6] Benefits of Dividend Stocks - Reinvesting dividends can enhance compounding returns, leading to exponential growth over the long term [7] - Dividend-paying stocks can serve as a hedge against inflation, as companies that can pass on increased costs to customers may maintain or increase profitability [7] ETFs for Dividend Investing - Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) is the largest in the dividend space with an AUM of $93 billion, holding 337 stocks and charging 5 bps in annual fees [9] - Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) has an AUM of $61.8 billion, holding 582 stocks and charging 6 bps in annual fees [11] - iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) tracks 397 companies with sustained dividend growth, has an AUM of $32.5 billion, and charges 8 bps in fees [12] - SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (SPYD) provides exposure to high dividend income stocks with an AUM of $7 billion, holding 77 stocks and charging 7 bps in annual fees [13] - Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) offers exposure to 103 high-dividend-yielding U.S. companies, with an AUM of $71.3 billion and charging 6 bps in annual fees [14]

Core Insights - The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) is a smart beta ETF launched on April 21, 2006, providing broad exposure to the large-cap blend market segment [1] - VIG aims to match the performance of the NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index, focusing on companies with a history of increasing dividends [5] Fund Overview - VIG has amassed over $92.31 billion in assets, making it one of the largest ETFs in its category [5] - The ETF has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.05%, positioning it as one of the least expensive options available [6] - The 12-month trailing dividend yield for VIG is 1.72% [6] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF has a significant allocation in the Information Technology sector, comprising approximately 25.9% of the portfolio, followed by Financials and Healthcare [7] - Broadcom Inc (AVGO) represents about 5.11% of the fund's total assets, with Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and Jpmorgan Chase & Co (JPM) also among the top holdings [8] Performance Metrics - VIG has increased by roughly 5.27% year-to-date and has risen about 10.67% over the past year as of July 16, 2025 [9] - The ETF has traded between $173.71 and $207.81 in the past 52 weeks [9] - VIG has a beta of 0.85 and a standard deviation of 14.24% over the trailing three-year period, indicating a medium risk profile [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the same space include WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth ETF (DGRW) and iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO), with assets of $15.95 billion and $32.19 billion respectively [12] - DGRW has an expense ratio of 0.28%, while DGRO has a lower expense ratio of 0.08% [12]

Core Insights - The Invesco S&P 500 Quality ETF (SPHQ) is a smart beta ETF launched on December 6, 2005, designed to provide broad exposure to the large-cap blend category of the market [1] Fund Overview - SPHQ is managed by Invesco and has accumulated over $14.16 billion in assets, making it one of the largest ETFs in its category [5] - The ETF aims to match the performance of the S&P 500 Quality Index, which tracks stocks in the S&P 500 with the highest quality scores based on return on equity, accruals ratio, and financial leverage ratio [5] Cost Structure - The annual operating expenses for SPHQ are 0.15%, positioning it as one of the cheaper options in the ETF space [6] - The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.05% [6] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The Information Technology sector represents 24.6% of the portfolio, followed by Industrials and Financials [7] - Visa Inc accounts for approximately 5.88% of the fund's total assets, with the top 10 holdings making up about 48.04% of total assets under management [8] Performance Metrics - As of July 14, 2025, SPHQ has increased by approximately 6.76% year-to-date and around 12% over the past year [10] - The fund has traded between $59.24 and $72.11 in the last 52 weeks, with a beta of 0.92 and a standard deviation of 15.97% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium 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 $32.48 billion and $92.92 billion respectively [12] - DGRO has an expense ratio of 0.08% and VIG has an expense ratio of 0.05% [12]

Core Insights - The ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) is a smart beta ETF launched on October 9, 2013, providing exposure to the Large Cap Value category [1] - NOBL has accumulated over $11.6 billion in assets, making it one of the larger ETFs in its category [5] - The ETF aims to match the performance of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index, which includes companies that have increased dividend payments for at least 25 consecutive years [5] Fund Characteristics - NOBL has an annual operating expense ratio of 0.35%, which is competitive within its peer group [6] - The ETF's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 2.07% [6] - The fund has a beta of 0.84 and a standard deviation of 14.52% over the trailing three-year period, indicating medium risk [10] Sector Exposure and Holdings - The ETF has a significant allocation in the Industrials sector, comprising approximately 23.5% of the portfolio, followed by Consumer Staples and Financials [7] - Emerson Electric Co (EMR) is the largest individual holding at about 1.79% of total assets, with the top 10 holdings accounting for approximately 14.94% of total assets [8] Performance - NOBL has experienced a year-to-date increase of about 10.3% and a total increase of roughly 4.3% [10] - The ETF has traded within a range of $90.85 to $108.47 over the past 52 weeks [10] Alternatives - Other ETFs in the same space include iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) and Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG), with assets of $32.43 billion and $93.11 billion respectively [12] - DGRO has a lower expense ratio of 0.08%, while VIG has an expense ratio of 0.05% [12]