The risks and rewards of high-yielding ETFs

Article Excerpt

Exchange-traded funds offering regular income have grown in popularity lately, especially during the low interest rate years of 2020 to 2021. But with interest rates moving higher over the past 18 months, ETF managers have to become more creative in their efforts to offer appealing yields to investors. Here we look at four of the main strategies employed by ETF managers to generate income for their funds. We also analyze the rewards and risks of each strategy. 1) Companies with consistent dividend growth ETFs that focus on companies with strong dividend-growth track records mostly end up with better-quality portfolios. The companies that fall into this category also tend to be able to consistently grow their profits, produce ample cash flows, and have strong balance sheets. These ETFs normally offer lower dividend yields but compensate for the moderate starting yield by offering faster dividend and share-price growth. The table highlights the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (New York symbol VIG). This fund invests in U.S. companies with track…