HELS vs SCHD

HELS vs SCHD

Which is better, HELS or SCHD?

Large Cap Blend against Large Cap Value.

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD is less concentrated, with 41.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 43.5%.

Lower Fees: SCHDLess Concentrated: SCHD

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

MetricHELSSCHD
Expense Ratio0.70%0.06%Best
AUM$19M$112.1B
Dividend Yield0.02%3.00%
Holdings51103
YTD Return-6.26%+24.59%Best
1Y Return-+28.14%
3Y Return (annualized)-+15.58%
5Y Return (annualized)-+9.90%
Top 10 Weight43.5%41.8%Best
Fund FamilyHedgeye Asset ManagementCharles Schwab Asset Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Value
InceptionDec 10, 2025Oct 20, 2011

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

HELS 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.

HELS vs SCHD Performance

Hedgeye 130/30 Equity ETF (HELS) is an ETF from Hedgeye Asset Management and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management. Year to date, HELS is down 6.26% versus a gain of 24.59% for SCHD.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Fees and Cost Over Time

HELS charges 0.70% per year while SCHD charges 0.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $70 vs $6 annually, a gap of $64 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, HELS currently yields 0.02% against 3.00% for SCHD.

Holdings Overlap

HELS already in SCHD4.7%
SCHD already in HELS12.8%

4.7% of HELS's money is in holdings SCHD also owns. 12.8% of SCHD's money is in holdings HELS also owns.

SCHD and HELS share little of their money.

3 positions in common, counted across the 48 positions we hold weights for in HELS and 100 in SCHD, against full books of 51 and 103.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 96 positions for SCHD that do not appear in our book for HELS (87.2% of the fund), and 44 for HELS that do not appear in SCHD (91.1%).

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 HELSWeight in SCHDDifference
MRKMerck & Co. Inc.1.56%4.77%3.21%
KOCoca Cola Co.1.57%4.17%2.60%
UNHUnitedhealth Group Inc.1.57%3.82%2.25%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

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

HELSSCHD

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, HELS or SCHD?

HELS has an expense ratio of 0.70% while SCHD charges 0.06%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $64 a year on a $10,000 investment.

What is the holdings overlap between HELS and SCHD?

12.8% of SCHD's money is in holdings HELS also owns. 12.8% of SCHD's is in holdings HELS also owns. They hold 3 positions in common, counted across the 48 positions we hold weights for in HELS and 100 in SCHD.

Which pays a higher dividend, HELS or SCHD?

HELS yields 0.02% while SCHD yields 3.00%, so SCHD currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SCHD better than HELS?

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD is less concentrated, with 41.8% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 43.5%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.