BTO vs SCHD
John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund vs Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF
Which is better, BTO or SCHD?
Mid Cap Value against Large Cap Value.
SCHD has a lower expense ratio. BTO led over 3Y, SCHD over 1Y, 5Y and the full window.
MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Metric | BTO | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 2.96% | 0.06%Best |
| AUM | $709M | $112.1B |
| Dividend Yield | 6.18% | 3.00% |
| Holdings | 184 | 103 |
| YTD Return | +15.96% | +24.59%Best |
| 1Y Return | +12.15% | +28.14%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +23.75%Best | +15.58% |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +7.15% | +9.90%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 27.8% | 13.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -69.7% | -33.4%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $14,124 | $16,032Best |
| Fund Family | John Hancock Investment Management | Charles Schwab Asset Management |
| Category | Equity | Equity |
| Style | Mid Cap Value | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Aug 18, 1994 | Oct 20, 2011 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Oct 20, 2011 to Sep 10, 2026 (14.9 years).
BTO vs SCHD growth
Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 14.9 years both funds cover.
BTO vs SCHD Performance
John Hancock Financial Opportunities Fund (BTO) is an ETF from John Hancock Investment Management and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management. Over the past year BTO returned +12.15% while SCHD returned +28.14%. Year to date, BTO is up 15.96% versus a gain of 24.59% for SCHD.
Over three years, BTO compounded at +23.75% per year against +15.58% for SCHD; over five years the annualized figures are +7.15% and +9.90% respectively. Across the full 15-year window we track, SCHD has the edge at +11.34% annualized vs +10.45%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
BTO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 27.8% compared with 13.6% for SCHD. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.
The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -69.7% for BTO and -33.4% for SCHD. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.
The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.71. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.
Fees and Cost Over Time
BTO charges 2.96% per year while SCHD charges 0.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $296 vs $6 annually, a gap of $290 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, BTO currently yields 6.18% against 3.00% for SCHD.
Holdings Overlap
At least 3.5% of SCHD's money is in holdings BTO also owns.
Only one direction is shown: for BTO, our book for it lists positions totalling 110.9% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.
SCHD and BTO share little of their money.
The two holdings books were reported 243 days apart, BTO as of Dec 31, 2025 and SCHD as of Aug 31, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
12 positions in common, counted across the 134 positions we hold weights for in BTO and 100 in SCHD, against full books of 184 and 103.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in BTO | Weight in SCHD | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| RFRegions Financial Corp. | 2.53% | 0.62% | 1.91% |
| FITBFifth Third Bancorp | 1.55% | 1.19% | 0.36% |
| ARESAres Management Corp Common Stock | 1.11% | 0.74% | 0.37% |
| COLBColumbia Banking System Inc Common Stock | 1.25% | 0.21% | 1.04% |
| EWBCEast West Bancorp, Inc. | 0.89% | 0.42% | 0.47% |
| SRCE1st Source Corp Common Stock | 1.04% | 0.04% | 1.00% |
| IBCPIndependent Bank Corp | 0.75% | 0.02% | 0.73% |
| GABCGerman American Bancorp Inc Common Stock | 0.68% | 0.05% | 0.63% |
| CVBFCvb Financial Corp | 0.58% | 0.09% | 0.49% |
| CPFCentral Pacific Financial Company | 0.63% | 0.02% | 0.61% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of BTO and SCHD you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.
Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is cheaper, BTO or SCHD?
BTO has an expense ratio of 2.96% while SCHD charges 0.06%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $290 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, BTO or SCHD?
Over the past year BTO returned +12.15% vs +28.14% for SCHD, so SCHD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (15 years), BTO annualized +10.45% vs +11.34% for SCHD. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, BTO or SCHD?
BTO has been the more volatile fund at 27.8% annualized versus 13.6% for SCHD. Worst drawdown: BTO -69.7% vs SCHD -33.4%.
Should I hold both BTO and SCHD?
BTO and SCHD have a monthly-return correlation of 0.71, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
What is the holdings overlap between BTO and SCHD?
At least 3.5% of SCHD's money is in holdings BTO also owns. Our book for BTO is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 12 positions in common, counted across the 134 positions we hold weights for in BTO and 100 in SCHD.
Which pays a higher dividend, BTO or SCHD?
BTO yields 6.18% while SCHD yields 3.00%, so BTO currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SCHD better than BTO?
SCHD has a lower expense ratio. BTO led over 3Y, SCHD over 1Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.