Should Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF (LVHD) Be on Your Investing Radar?
The Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF (LVHD) was launched on 12/28/2015, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Franklin Templeton Investments. It has amassed assets over $726.47 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Value
Large cap companies typically have a market capitalization above $10 billion. They tend to be stable companies with predictable cash flows and are usually less volatile than mid and small cap companies.
While value stocks have lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, they also have lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. Looking at their long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in almost all markets. They are however likely to underperform growth stocks in strong bull markets.
Costs
Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts, other things remaining the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.27%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.89%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
While ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
Looking at individual holdings, Eaton Corp Plc accounts for about 2.64% of total assets, followed by Philip Morris Internation and Emerson Electric Co.
The top 10 holdings account for about 25.47% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
LVHD seeks to match the performance of the QS Low Volatility High Dividend Index before fees and expenses. The QS Low Volatility High Dividend Index provides stable income through investment in stocks of profitable U.S. companies with relatively high dividend yields, lower price and earnings volatility.
The ETF has added roughly 14.99% so far this year and was up about 28.29% in the last one year (as of 09/22/2021). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $28.63 and $38.25.
The ETF has a beta of 0.80 and standard deviation of 21.70% for the trailing three-year period. With about 87 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, LVHD is a good option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
The iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $53 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $81.80 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VTV charges 0.04%.
Bottom-Line
Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are excellent vehicles for long term investors.
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
Legg Mason Low Volatility High Dividend ETF (LVHD): ETF Research Reports
Vanguard Value ETF (VTV): ETF Research Reports
iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD): ETF Research Reports
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
