FTDSvsVYMETF Comparison
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First Trust Dividend Strength ETF (FTDS) and Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) belong to the same industry segment: US High Dividend. FTDS's top 3 sector exposures are Financials, Energy and Industrials. In contrast, VYM's top sector exposures are Financials, Information Technology and Health Care. FTDS is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.88%, versus 0.04% for VYM. FTDS is up 9.56% year-to-date (YTD) with +$39K in YTD flows. VYM performs worse with 8.15% YTD performance, and +$1.90B in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of FTDS and VYM below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
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FTDS vs VYM performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 04/28/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | FTDS VYM | +2.60%+6.06% | +3.95%+4.40% | +9.56%+8.15% | +26.86%+27.84% | +57.54%+57.31% | +41.61%+73.09% |
| Flows | FTDS VYM | -+$444M | -+$1.82B | +$39K+$1.90B | +$75K+$5.18B | +$3M+$4.30B | +$3M+$16.68B |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | FTDS VYM | +11.40%+11.42% | +13.56%+10.63% | +15.55%+12.59% | +17.96%+13.96% |
| Max drawdown | FTDS VYM | -6.00%-6.75% | -6.00%-6.75% | -17.92%-14.42% | -23.56%-15.89% |
| Max drawdown duration | FTDS VYM | 57d70d | 57d70d | 239d128d | 854d223d |
Trading data
FTDS | VYM | |
Last sale 4/30/2026 at 1:30 PM | $62.31 | $157.19 |
| Previous close 04/29/2026 | $61.55 | $154.50 |
| Consolidated volume 04/29/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of March 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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FTDS | VYM | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 4/30/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
FTDS | VYM | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $62.31 | $157.19 |
| 1D performance | +1.23% | +1.74% |
| AuM | $30.72 M | $76.00 B |
| E/R | 0.88% | 0.04% |
Characteristics
FTDS | VYM | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | First Trust | Vanguard |
| Benchmark | The Dividend Strength Index | FTSE High Dividend Yield Index |
| N° of holdings | 50 | 589 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | December 5, 2006 | November 10, 2006 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
FTDS
USA
90.43%
Other
9.57%
VYM
USA
92.46%
Other
7.54%
Sectors
FTDS
Financials
29.09%
Energy
19.56%
Industrials
19.22%
Health Care
11.52%
Materials
10.25%
Other
10.36%
VYM
Financials
19.04%
Information Techn.
14.69%
Health Care
12.76%
Industrials
11.83%
Energy
10.43%
Consumer Staples
7.77%
Other
23.49%
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Diversification
FTDS
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
35.28%
VYM
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
30.59%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of March 31, 2026
FTDS
CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS
2.90%
DEVON ENERGY
2.63%
EOG RESOURCES
2.62%
COTERRA ENERGY
2.59%
CONOCOPHILLIPS
2.57%
DIAMONDBACK ENERGY
2.47%
HALLIBURTON
2.29%
BAKER HUGHES
2.29%
GARMIN
2.20%
JOHNSON&JOHNSON
2.19%
MERCK & CO INC
2.17%
SCHLUMBERGER
2.10%
POPULAR
2.09%
CME GROUP
2.09%
UNION PACIFIC U
2.08%
VYM
BROADCOM LIMITED
6.27%
JPMORGAN CHASE
3.27%
EXXON
3.15%
JOHNSON&JOHNSON
2.58%
CHEVRON TEXACO
1.70%
ABBVIE
1.69%
PROCTERGAMBLE
1.49%
CATERPILLAR
1.44%
HOME DEPOT
1.44%
CISCO-T
1.36%
BK OF AMERICA CO
1.34%
MERCK & CO INC
1.31%
COCA-COLA
1.30%
RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORD
1.13%
PHILLIP MORRIS
1.13%
Frequently asked questions about FTDS and VYM
How have the FTDS and VYM ETFs performed in 2026?
As of April 28, 2026, FTDS is up 9.56% year-to-date (YTD), while VYM has returned 8.15%. That puts FTDS better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: FTDS or VYM?
Year-to-date, the FTDS ETF saw +$39K in flows, compared to +$1.90B for VYM.
Which ETF is more volatile: FTDS or VYM?
Over the past year, FTDS had a volatility of 13.56%, while VYM experienced 10.63%.
Which ETF is bigger: FTDS or VYM?
As of April 28, 2026, FTDS holds $30.72 M in assets under management (AUM), while VYM manages $76.00 B.
What sectors do the FTDS and VYM ETFs invest in?
FTDS leans toward sectors like Financials, Energy and Industrials. Meanwhile, VYM focuses on Financials, Information Technology and Health Care.
What are the top holdings of the FTDS ETF and VYM ETF?
FTDS top holdings include CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS, DEVON ENERGY and EOG RESOURCES. VYM holds in its top three: BROADCOM LIMITED, JPMORGAN CHASE and EXXON.
Which ETF is more diversified: FTDS or VYM?
FTDS holds 50 securities with 35.28% of its assets in the top 15. VYM has 612 securities and a top 15 weight of 30.59%.
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