CSTK vs SCHD

CSTK vs SCHD

Which is better, CSTK or SCHD?

SCHD has been ahead.

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y and the full window. CSTK is less concentrated, with 30.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.8%.

Lower Fees: SCHDHigher Returns: SCHDLess Concentrated: CSTK

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

MetricCSTKSCHD
Expense Ratio0.35%0.06%Best
AUM$180M$112.1B
Dividend Yield2.14%3.00%
Holdings55103
YTD Return+13.45%+23.60%Best
1Y Return+19.28%+28.29%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+16.25%
5Y Return (annualized)-+10.25%
Volatility (annualized)10.7%Best12.6%
Max Drawdown-9.3%-4.6%Best
$10,000 over 1.4 years$13,499$13,851Best
Top 10 Weight30.5%Best41.8%
Fund FamilyInvesco (US)Charles Schwab Asset Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap ValueLarge Cap Value
InceptionMay 7, 2025Oct 20, 2011

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.4 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: May 7, 2025 to Sep 21, 2026 (1.4 years).

CSTK 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 1.4 years both funds cover.

CSTK vs SCHD Performance

Invesco Comstock Contrarian Equity ETF (CSTK) is an ETF from Invesco (US) and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management. Over the past year CSTK returned +19.28% while SCHD returned +28.29%. Year to date, CSTK is up 13.45% versus a gain of 23.60% for SCHD.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

SCHD has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 12.6% compared with 10.7% for CSTK. 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 -9.3% for CSTK and -4.6% 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 0.61. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

CSTK charges 0.35% per year while SCHD charges 0.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $35 vs $6 annually, a gap of $29 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, CSTK currently yields 2.14% against 3.00% for SCHD.

Holdings Overlap

CSTK already in SCHD16.4%
SCHD already in CSTK25.8%

16.4% of CSTK's money is in holdings SCHD also owns. 25.8% of SCHD's money is in holdings CSTK also owns.

SCHD and CSTK share little of their money.

8 positions in common, counted across the 57 positions we hold weights for in CSTK and 100 in SCHD, against full books of 55 and 103.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 91 positions for SCHD that do not appear in our book for CSTK (74.1% of the fund), and 47 for CSTK that do not appear in SCHD (82.4%).

Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in CSTKWeight in SCHDDifference
MRKMerck & Company Inc3.03%4.77%1.74%
CVXChevron Corp2.83%4.02%1.19%
KOCoca Cola Co.1.93%4.17%2.24%
COPConocophillips Common Stock USD 0.012.02%3.94%1.92%
UNHUnitedhealth Group Incorporated1.83%3.82%1.99%
QCOMQualcomm Inc.1.15%2.52%1.37%
DVNDevon Energy Corporation1.84%1.36%0.48%
FITBFifth Third Bancorp1.81%1.19%0.62%

25.8% of SCHD is already inside CSTK.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

CSTKSCHD

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, CSTK or SCHD?

CSTK has an expense ratio of 0.35% while SCHD charges 0.06%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $29 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, CSTK or SCHD?

Over the past year CSTK returned +19.28% vs +28.29% for SCHD, so SCHD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), CSTK annualized +23.90% vs +26.20% for SCHD. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, CSTK or SCHD?

SCHD has been the more volatile fund at 12.6% annualized versus 10.7% for CSTK. Worst drawdown: CSTK -9.3% vs SCHD -4.6%.

Should I hold both CSTK and SCHD?

CSTK and SCHD have a monthly-return correlation of 0.61, 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 CSTK and SCHD?

25.8% of SCHD's money is in holdings CSTK also owns. 25.8% of SCHD's is in holdings CSTK also owns. They hold 8 positions in common, counted across the 57 positions we hold weights for in CSTK and 100 in SCHD.

Which pays a higher dividend, CSTK or SCHD?

CSTK yields 2.14% while SCHD yields 3.00%, so SCHD currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SCHD better than CSTK?

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y and the full window. CSTK is less concentrated, with 30.5% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.8%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.