FESC vs SCHD

FESC vs SCHD

Which is better, FESC or SCHD?

Small Cap Blend against Large Cap Value.

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. FESC is less concentrated, with 11.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.5%.

Lower Fees: SCHDLess Concentrated: FESC

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

MetricFESCSCHD
Expense Ratio0.55%0.06%Best
AUM$2M$112.2B
Dividend Yield0.00%3.13%
Holdings1103
YTD Return-4.52%+28.59%Best
1Y Return-+31.77%
3Y Return (annualized)-+16.70%
5Y Return (annualized)-+10.09%
Top 10 Weight11.2%Best41.5%
Fund FamilyFirst Eagle InvestmentsCharles Schwab Asset Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleSmall Cap BlendLarge Cap Value
InceptionJun 30, 2026Oct 20, 2011

Not shown on this pair: Volatility (annualized), Max Drawdown, $10,000 over the window.

FESC 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 is available from the range buttons; it is not the opening view here because over the whole period one of these two funds moves so much further than the other that its line would sit flat on the axis.

FESC vs SCHD Performance

First Eagle Small Cap Equity ETF (FESC) is an ETF from First Eagle Investments and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management. Year to date, FESC is down 4.52% versus a gain of 28.59% for SCHD.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

FESC charges 0.55% per year while SCHD charges 0.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $55 vs $6 annually, a gap of $49 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, FESC currently yields 0.00% against 3.13% for SCHD.

Holdings Overlap

FESC already in SCHD2.7%
SCHD already in FESC0.7%

2.7% of FESC's money is in holdings SCHD also owns. 0.7% of SCHD's money is in holdings FESC also owns.

FESC and SCHD share little of their money.

5 positions in common, counted across the 184 positions we hold weights for in FESC and 100 in SCHD, against full books of 1 and 103.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 94 positions for SCHD that do not appear in our book for FESC (99.2% of the fund), and 172 for FESC that do not appear in SCHD (93.2%).

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 FESCWeight in SCHDDifference
MURMurphy Oil Corp0.94%0.11%0.83%
COLBColumbia Banking System Inc Common Stock0.61%0.23%0.38%
ORIOld Republic International Corp0.42%0.24%0.18%
WENWendy's Co/the0.49%0.03%0.46%
MCMoelis & Co_None_00.28%0.12%0.16%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of FESC and SCHD you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

FESCSCHD

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, FESC or SCHD?

FESC has an expense ratio of 0.55% while SCHD charges 0.06%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $49 a year on a $10,000 investment.

What is the holdings overlap between FESC and SCHD?

2.7% of FESC's money is in holdings SCHD also owns. 0.7% of SCHD's is in holdings FESC also owns. They hold 5 positions in common, counted across the 184 positions we hold weights for in FESC and 100 in SCHD.

Which pays a higher dividend, FESC or SCHD?

FESC yields 0.00% while SCHD yields 3.13%, so SCHD currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SCHD better than FESC?

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. FESC is less concentrated, with 11.2% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.5%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.