Dividend ETFs and low-cost value funds can help investors build a more resilient portfolio while collecting income along the way. For investors looking beyond the market’s hottest growth stocks, ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (BATS: NOBL), Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Value ETF (NYSEARCA: SCHV), and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEARCA: SCHD) offer three approaches worth understanding.
The goal is to build a portfolio you can comfortably hold through difficult markets. That’s where these three funds come in.
ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF
For investors who want exposure to dividend growers without choosing individual stocks, NOBL offers a straightforward approach. The fund follows the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index. Its expense ratio remains 0.35%, or about $35 annually for every $10,000 invested.
ProShares reported a 30-day SEC yield of 2.09% and a trailing 12-month yield of 2.01%, both as of August 31, 2026. Some of its top holdings to date include Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT), Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT), Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), Aflac (NYSE: AFL), and PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP), among others. That gives investors exposure to businesses across several industries through one purchase.
The appeal is easy to understand: These companies have demonstrated a willingness and ability to increase shareholder payments over time.
Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Value ETF
SCHV takes a broader approach, giving investors exposure to large U.S. companies classified as value stocks. It tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Value Total Stock Market Index and charges just 0.04% annually. That works out to about $4 per year on a $10,000 investment. Its 30-day SEC yield was 1.84% as of October 5, 2026.
Some of its top holdings include Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B), JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM), and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ). SCHV can appeal to investors who want broad value exposure at a very low cost.
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
For investors placing greater emphasis on income, SCHD offers another option.
The fund tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index and maintains an expense ratio of 0.06%. That’s approximately $6 annually for every $10,000 invested. Its 30-day SEC yield was 3.37% as of October 5, 2026. It also has a distribution yield of 3%. Its holdings included Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN), Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM), Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), Chevron (NYSE: CVX), and Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO).
That mix gives investors access to dividend-paying businesses across technology, consumer products, energy, and other industries.
Build a Portfolio You Can Stick With
Building a more resilient portfolio starts with understanding what you own and why you own it. NOBL emphasizes companies with long records of dividend increases. SCHV offers broad exposure to large value stocks at a low cost. SCHD puts greater emphasis on dividend income. Each offers a different way to approach the same goal: growing your money while collecting income along the way.
That doesn’t mean you need all three. Their holdings can overlap, so combining them won’t necessarily provide as much additional diversification as you might expect. A better starting point is to consider what your portfolio needs. Are you looking for income to help cover expenses, dividends to reinvest, or broader exposure beyond growth stocks?
It also helps to look beyond the yield. Fees, holdings, and the fund’s strategy all matter. An attractive payout means less if the investment takes on more risk than you’re comfortable holding through a downturn.
These ETFs won’t eliminate market losses, but they can be useful pieces of a long-term plan. Choose investments that fit your goals, keep your expectations realistic, and give your strategy time to work. A portfolio you understand and can stick with is often more useful than one built around whatever happens to be grabbing headlines.
