We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Performing Dividend ETFs In 2024.In this article, we are going to take a look at where FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund (NYSE:QDF) stands against the other dividend ETFs.
By the end of 2023, the global ETF market had reached $11.1 trillion in assets under management (AUM) and expanded to include 9,149 funds. This growth was driven by several milestones and the diversification of ETF offerings, which now cover equity, fixed income, active management, and alternative strategies. Despite unpredictable factors such as the rise of AI or policy changes, ETFs continue to be a vital investment tool. According to State Street Global Advisors, although only 45% of individual investors in the US use ETFs, nearly 70% of financial advisors and 67% of institutional investors recommend or use them frequently. However, ETFs still make up only 11.25% of the total global investable assets, suggesting there is significant potential for further growth.
Interest in ETFs is rising, particularly among retail investors, with 63% of US investors planning to purchase ETFs in 2024, a sharp increase from 37% during 2022. Active ETFs are experiencing considerable growth, with global inflows hitting a record $166 billion in 2023 and continuing to rise in 2024. Much of this growth is driven by fixed income and alternative investments, while AI-related ETFs, especially in robotics and semiconductors, are attracting large amounts of investment. These trends reflect the growing demand for ETFs as investors seek more flexible and efficient ways to respond to market changes.
A Reuters report from October 2024 highlighted that US ETFs focused on dividend-paying stocks have experienced a significant increase in inflows since the Federal Reserve began its rate-cutting cycle the prior month. In September, 135 US dividend ETFs tracked by Morningstar saw $3.05 billion in inflows, far higher than the average $424 million per month in the first eight months of 2024. However, this trend may slow as US Treasury yields have risen recently, with 10-year Treasury yields hitting a two-month high following strong employment data that suggests the economy is resilient and may not need further large rate cuts.
Dividend ETFs tend to offer stable payouts and potential for growth, addressing challenges regarding unpredictable yields and limited principal growth. However, high-dividend ETFs vary in stability. Some high yields come from struggling companies with weak fundamentals. Riskier ETFs focus on stocks with declining conditions, leading to volatility and potential dividend cuts. Hence, investors should prefer dividend ETFs that manage exposure to unstable companies.
Our Methodology
We curated our list of the best dividend ETFs by choosing consensus picks from multiple credible websites. We have mentioned the year-to-date (YTD) share price performance of each ETF as of December 30, 2024, ranking the list in ascending order of the share price performance. We have also discussed the top holdings of the ETFs to offer better insight to potential investors.
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FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund (NYSE:QDF)
YTD Share Price Performance as of December 30: 16.28%
FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund (NYSE:QDF) is one of the best performing ETFs to monitor. FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund (NYSE:QDF) aims to match the performance, in terms of price and yield, of the Northern Trust Quality Dividend Index, before fees and expenses. Established on December 14, 2012, the fund has an expense ratio of 0.37% and total assets of $1.84 billion. It holds 148 stocks and offers a distribution yield of 2.69%.
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) is one of the top holdings of FlexShares Quality Dividend Index Fund (NYSE:QDF). Retail investors poured nearly $30 billion in net investments in NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), making it the most-bought stock by this group. Nvidia has received almost double the net inflows compared to the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) and is on track to surpass Tesla, which was the top retail investor pick in 2023.
As of December 2024, Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore remains confident in NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA)’s long-term prospects, despite a recent pullback in its stock, viewing it as an opportunity. He believes Nvidia's Blackwell chip, set to dominate the AI market in 2025, will drive significant growth. Moore expects Nvidia to continue gaining market share with this next-generation GPU, predicting the stock could surpass $150. While NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) faces export restrictions in China that could impact sales, Moore expects the company to remain resilient by targeting other markets.
Insider Monkey’s Q3 database indicates that 193 hedge funds were bullish on NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), up from 179 funds in the preceding quarter. Ken Fisher’s Fisher Asset Management is one of the leading position holders of the company, with a stake worth nearly $12 billion.
Overall QDF ranks 6th on our list of the best performing dividend ETFs of 2024. While we acknowledge the potential of QDF as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that certain AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than QDF but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
