PDO vs SCHD
PIMCO Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund vs Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF
Which is better, PDO or SCHD?
SCHD has been ahead.
SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y, 3Y, 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 | PDO | SCHD |
|---|---|---|
| Expense Ratio | 5.22% | 0.06%Best |
| AUM | $1.9B | $112.2B |
| Dividend Yield | 12.02% | 3.13% |
| Holdings | 635 | 103 |
| YTD Return | -0.52% | +27.56%Best |
| 1Y Return | +2.74% | +30.29%Best |
| 3Y Return (annualized) | +12.07% | +16.37%Best |
| 5Y Return (annualized) | +2.14% | +10.23%Best |
| Volatility (annualized) | 17.2% | 14.6%Best |
| Max Drawdown | -36.8% | -16.9%Best |
| $10,000 over 5 years | $11,117 | $16,274Best |
| Fund Family | PIMCO (US) | Charles Schwab Asset Management |
| Category | Fixed Income | Equity |
| Style | - | Large Cap Value |
| Inception | Jan 29, 2021 | Oct 20, 2011 |
Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.
Volatility and max drawdown are measured over the window both funds cover: Jan 27, 2021 to Sep 4, 2026 (5.6 years).
PDO 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 5.6 years both funds cover.
PDO vs SCHD Performance
PIMCO Dynamic Income Opportunities Fund (PDO) is an ETF from PIMCO (US) and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management. Over the past year PDO returned +2.74% while SCHD returned +30.29%. Year to date, PDO is down 0.52% versus a gain of 27.56% for SCHD.
Over three years, PDO compounded at +12.07% per year against +16.37% for SCHD; over five years the annualized figures are +2.14% and +10.23% respectively. Across the full 6-year window we track, SCHD has the edge at +12.79% annualized vs +3.80%.
Past performance does not guarantee future results.
Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns
PDO has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 17.2% compared with 14.6% 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 -36.8% for PDO 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 0.47. They move together some of the time, and apart the rest.
Fees and Cost Over Time
PDO charges 5.22% per year while SCHD charges 0.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $522 vs $6 annually, a gap of $516 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, PDO currently yields 12.02% against 3.13% for SCHD.
Holdings Overlap
At least 0.1% of SCHD's money is in holdings PDO also owns.
Stated as a floor: for PDO, our book for it covers 9.4% of that fund, so a holding it does not list is one we cannot count as shared. The real figure is this or higher.
We cannot see either book well enough to say how much of this pair is duplicated.
The two holdings books were reported 311 days apart, PDO as of Sep 30, 2025 and SCHD as of Aug 7, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.
1 positions in common, counted across the 17 positions we hold weights for in PDO and 100 in SCHD, against full books of 635 and 103.
Top Shared Holdings
| Stock | Weight in PDO | Weight in SCHD | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVMXXState Street Institutional US Government Money Market Fund | 0.04% | 0.05% | 0.01% |
You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.
Whichever of PDO 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, PDO or SCHD?
PDO has an expense ratio of 5.22% while SCHD charges 0.06%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $516 a year on a $10,000 investment.
Which performed better, PDO or SCHD?
Over the past year PDO returned +2.74% vs +30.29% for SCHD, so SCHD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (6 years), PDO annualized +3.80% vs +12.79% for SCHD. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which is riskier, PDO or SCHD?
PDO has been the more volatile fund at 17.2% annualized versus 14.6% for SCHD. Worst drawdown: PDO -36.8% vs SCHD -16.9%.
Should I hold both PDO and SCHD?
PDO and SCHD have a monthly-return correlation of 0.47, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.
Which pays a higher dividend, PDO or SCHD?
PDO yields 12.02% while SCHD yields 3.13%, so PDO currently pays the higher dividend yield.
Is SCHD better than PDO?
SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y, 3Y, 5Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.