ECAT vs SCHD

ECAT vs SCHD

Which is better, ECAT or SCHD?

Equity-oriented Balanced against Large Cap Value.

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. ECAT led over 3Y, SCHD over 1Y, 5Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: SCHDHigher Returns: split

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

MetricECATSCHD
Expense Ratio1.43%0.06%Best
AUM$1.5B$112.1B
Dividend Yield22.11%3.00%
Holdings1,008103
YTD Return+8.33%+23.46%Best
1Y Return+8.67%+27.20%Best
3Y Return (annualized)+19.07%Best+15.41%
5Y Return (annualized)+8.32%+10.16%Best
Volatility (annualized)17.7%14.9%Best
Max Drawdown-32.2%-16.9%Best
$10,000 over 5 years$14,912$16,223Best
Fund FamilyBlackRock, Inc. (US)Charles Schwab Asset Management
CategoryAllocation/BalancedEquity
StyleEquity-oriented BalancedLarge Cap Value
InceptionSep 28, 2021Oct 20, 2011

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 28, 2021 to Sep 18, 2026 (5 years).

ECAT 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 5 years both funds cover.

ECAT vs SCHD Performance

BlackRock ESG Capital Allocation Term Trust (ECAT) is an ETF from BlackRock, Inc. (US) and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management. Over the past year ECAT returned +8.67% while SCHD returned +27.20%. Year to date, ECAT is up 8.33% versus a gain of 23.46% for SCHD.

Over three years, ECAT compounded at +19.07% per year against +15.41% for SCHD; over five years the annualized figures are +8.32% and +10.16% respectively.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

ECAT has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.7% compared with 14.9% 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 -32.2% for ECAT and -16.9% 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 0.63. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.

Fees and Cost Over Time

ECAT charges 1.43% per year while SCHD charges 0.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $143 vs $6 annually, a gap of $137 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, ECAT currently yields 22.11% against 3.00% for SCHD.

Holdings Overlap

SCHD already in ECAT20.5%

At least 20.5% of SCHD's money is in holdings ECAT also owns.

Stated as a floor: for ECAT, our book for it covers 79.4% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.

SCHD and ECAT share little of their money.

The two holdings books were reported 243 days apart, ECAT 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.

7 positions in common, counted across the 549 positions we hold weights for in ECAT and 100 in SCHD, against full books of 1,008 and 103.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in ECATWeight in SCHDDifference
MRKMerck & Company Inc0.25%4.77%4.52%
ABTAbbott Laboratories0.27%4.69%4.42%
HDHome Depot Inc/The0.75%3.88%3.13%
UNHUnitedhealth Group Incorporated0.21%3.82%3.61%
TGTTarget Corp Common Stock Usd.08330.02%1.78%1.76%
FITBFifth Third Bancorp0.03%1.19%1.16%
BBYBest Buy Co. Inc.0.02%0.38%0.36%

20.5% of SCHD is already inside ECAT.

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

ECATSCHD

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, ECAT or SCHD?

ECAT has an expense ratio of 1.43% while SCHD charges 0.06%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $137 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, ECAT or SCHD?

Over the past year ECAT returned +8.67% vs +27.20% for SCHD, so SCHD leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, ECAT or SCHD?

ECAT has been the more volatile fund at 17.7% annualized versus 14.9% for SCHD. Worst drawdown: ECAT -32.2% vs SCHD -16.9%.

Should I hold both ECAT and SCHD?

ECAT and SCHD have a monthly-return correlation of 0.63, 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 ECAT and SCHD?

At least 20.5% of SCHD's money is in holdings ECAT also owns. Our book for ECAT is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 7 positions in common, counted across the 549 positions we hold weights for in ECAT and 100 in SCHD.

Which pays a higher dividend, ECAT or SCHD?

ECAT yields 22.11% while SCHD yields 3.00%, so ECAT currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SCHD better than ECAT?

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. ECAT 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.