Dividend comparison

SCHD vs ULTY: Which Is Better for Income?

Fees, yield, total returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history for Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF and YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF, side by side. Updated October 21, 2026.

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SCHD vs ULTY: key differences
The short answer, from the latest data on this page.
  • Fees. SCHD is cheaper at 0.06% a year versus 1.40% for ULTY. On $10,000 that is $134 a year less in fees.
  • Income. ULTY pays more income, yielding 98.01% over the last twelve months versus 3.04% for SCHD. That is about $9,498 more a year on $10,000. SCHD pays quarterly, ULTY pays weekly.
  • Performance. Over the last 1 year, SCHD returned 33.0% versus -8.8% for ULTY, with dividends reinvested. $10,000 would have grown to $13,301 in SCHD and $9,116 in ULTY.
  • Risk. ULTY has been the bumpier ride. Its worst peak-to-trough decline over the last 1 year was -28.3%, against -16.8% for SCHD.
  • Diversification. ULTY holds 112 positions and SCHD holds 102. The ten largest positions make up 41.7% of SCHD and 43.9% of ULTY.
  • Overlap. SCHD and ULTY share no holdings, so they behave as separate building blocks.
  • Size. SCHD is the larger fund with $114.7 billion in assets, against $654 million for ULTY.

Bottom line: SCHD fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 1-year returns and smaller drawdowns. ULTY fits better if you care most about more income today.

Side-by-side snapshot
Trailing twelve-month figures where available. Higher yield is highlighted — not a buy recommendation.
MetricSCHD
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF
ULTY
YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF
Dividend yield (TTM)3.04%98.01%
Dividend / share (TTM)$1.05$23.25
Payout frequencyQuarterlyWeekly
Last dividend$0.2665 on Sep 28, 2026$0.2955 on Oct 15, 2026
Ex-dividend dateSep 23, 2026Oct 14, 2026
Next payment—$0.2772 on Oct 22, 2026
Dividend growth (CAGR)8.7% over 4 yrs—
Price$34.69$23.72
Dividend growth streak13 years—
Beta0.581.45
Max drawdown (5Y)-16.8%-28.3%
Market cap$98.31B$1.53B
ExchangeAMEXAMEX
Expense ratio0.06%1.40%
Assets under management$114.71B$653.5M
Number of holdings102112
Top 10 concentration41.7%43.9%
Income on a $10,000 investment
Illustrative only — assumes current TTM yield stays constant. Actual distributions change.

SCHD

$25.32/mo

$304 /yr at 3.04% yield

ULTY

$816.79/mo

$9801 /yr at 98.01% yield

Dividend history
Total dividends paid per share in each calendar year. SCHD pays quarterly; ULTY pays weekly.
YearSCHDULTY
2025$1.0476$52.6126
2024$0.9944—
2023$0.8862—
2022$0.8540—
2021$0.7499—
Strategy: Dividend equity
Rules-based equity funds that screen for companies paying sustainable or rising dividends, aiming at income plus long-term share-price participation. The screen is what defines the fund: yield-ranked indexes deliver more cash now, dividend-growth indexes deliberately exclude the highest payers in favor of durability. Both approaches produce a sector mix that looks nothing like the broad market, typically heavier in financials, healthcare, staples and industrials.

Expect stretches of underperformance versus the broad market whenever leadership comes from the high-growth, low-yield companies these screens exclude.

What SCHD vs ULTY actually do

SCHD
An index ETF holding about 100 US dividend payers screened for balance-sheet strength and a long payment record.

It tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which first requires at least ten consecutive years of dividends, then ranks the survivors on a composite of cash flow to total debt, return on equity, dividend yield and five-year dividend growth. The top 100 are held at market-cap weights with a 4% cap per stock and 25% per sector, reconstituted annually and rebalanced quarterly. Those quality screens push the portfolio toward mature value sectors and largely out of high-growth technology, which is the single biggest reason its return diverges from the S&P 500 in either direction.

Suits an investor who wants a growing dividend stream plus share-price participation and can sit out technology-led rallies without changing course. Not a match for someone who needs the highest available current yield or wants full market exposure.

Core dividend holding

Performance
Total returns with dividends reinvested, from the adjusted closing price series. $10,000 invested on Feb 29, 2024 would now be worth $14,687 in SCHD and $9,137 in ULTY.
PeriodSCHDULTY
1 month3.83%-3.73%
3 months6.77%1.32%
Year to date29.59%5.89%
1 year33.01%-8.84%
3 years66.22%—
5 years57.90%—
  • SCHD
  • ULTY
7711515320242025202614791

Both series indexed to 100 on 2024-02-29 using the adjusted closing price series. Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Sector allocation
Weight of each sector within the fund. Sectors are aligned on the same row so the two funds can be read against each other directly.
  • SCHD
  • ULTY
0%12%24%37%49%Technology16.0%48.9%Healthcare19.3%3.4%Industrials7.3%14.8%Consumer Defensive20.1%0.0%Energy15.3%2.3%Financial Services9.2%7.2%Consumer Cyclical6.7%8.0%Communication Services6.0%7.1%Basic Materials8.3%Cash & Others0.0%0.3%Other0.1%
SCHD vs ULTY holdings overlap
0% overlap by weight, with 0 holdings in common. Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for every stock both funds own, so 100% would mean identical portfolios.
Top 10 holdings
Largest positions by portfolio weight.

SCHD102 holdings total

NameWeight
TXNTEXAS INSTRUMENT4.40%
PGPROCTER & GAMBLE4.34%
CVXCHEVRON4.31%
KOCOCA-COLA4.30%
COPCONOCOPHILLIPS4.30%
QCOMQUALCOMM4.15%
UNHUNITEDHEALTH GROUP4.14%
HDHOME DEPOT3.95%
AMGNAMGEN INC3.90%
PEPPEPSICO3.86%

ULTY112 holdings total

NameWeight
GOOGLAlphabet Inc4.76%
ADIAnalog Devices Inc4.74%
SHOPShopify Inc4.57%
PLTRPalantir Technologies Inc4.48%
SPCXSpace Exploration Technologies Corp4.39%
MELIMercadoLibre Inc4.33%
BABAAlibaba Group Holding Ltd4.29%
LRCXLam Research Corp4.23%
AMZNAmazon.com Inc4.08%
GDXVanEck Gold Miners ETF/USA4.06%

Quick verdict

SCHD fits better if you care most about lower fees, stronger 1-year returns and smaller drawdowns. ULTY fits better if you care most about more income today. Model the holding inside your real portfolio before deciding.

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Frequently asked questions

Is SCHD or ULTY better for dividend income?
It depends on your goals. SCHD currently yields 3.04% Trailing Twelve Months (TTM) while ULTY yields 98.01%. Higher yield means more current income per dollar invested, but may come with different risk, growth, or NAV characteristics. Compare total return and payout sustainability — not just the headline yield.
What is the difference between SCHD and ULTY?
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF listed on AMEX. YieldMax Ultra Option Income Strategy ETF (ULTY) is an ETF listed on AMEX. Side-by-side metrics on this page cover yield, fees, returns, drawdowns, holdings overlap and dividend history when available.
Which is cheaper, SCHD or ULTY?
SCHD has the lower expense ratio. SCHD charges 0.06% a year and ULTY charges 1.40%, a difference of $134 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which has performed better, SCHD or ULTY?
Over the last 1 year, SCHD has the higher total return with dividends reinvested: SCHD returned 33.0% and ULTY returned -8.8%. Past performance does not predict future returns.
Which is riskier, SCHD or ULTY?
Measured by the worst peak-to-trough decline over the last five years, ULTY has been riskier: SCHD fell as much as 16.8% and ULTY as much as 28.3%. Their betas are 0.58 and 1.45.
How often do SCHD and ULTY pay dividends?
SCHD pays quarterly and ULTY pays weekly.
How much income does $10,000 in SCHD vs ULTY generate?
At current TTM yields, $10,000 in SCHD would generate roughly $25.32 per month ($304 annually). The same amount in ULTY would produce about $816.79 per month ($9801 annually). Actual payouts vary with distribution changes and reinvestment.
Can I hold both SCHD and ULTY?
Yes. Many income investors hold both to diversify strategy or index exposure. Whether the combination actually diversifies depends on overlapping holdings and factor exposure. Model both inside Dividend Wealth to see combined income, sector mix, and forecast impact.
Where can I compare SCHD vs ULTY with my full portfolio?
Create a free Dividend Wealth account to import or enter holdings, forecast dividend income, and see how SCHD and ULTY fit alongside the rest of your portfolio. A 14-day free trial of Standard is available with no credit card required; a limited Free plan is also available.

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For informational and educational purposes only. Not investment advice. Past performance and current yields do not guarantee future results. Verify figures independently before making investment decisions.