Should SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) Be on Your Investing Radar?
Designed to provide broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market, the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) is a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 01/13/1998.
The fund is sponsored by State Street Global Advisors. It has amassed assets over $30.20 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Value
Companies that fall in the large cap category tend to have a market capitalization above $10 billion. They tend to be stable companies with predictable cash flows and are usually less volatile than mid and small cap companies.
Value stocks have lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios. They also have lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. When you look at long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in nearly all markets. But in strong bull markets, growth stocks are more likely to be winners.
Costs
Since cheaper funds tend to produce better results than more expensive funds, assuming all other factors remain equal, it is important for investors to pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.16%, making it one of the cheaper products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.85%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
While ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund's holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Healthcare sector--about 20.40% of the portfolio. Information Technology and Financials round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Unitedhealth Group Incorporated (UNH) accounts for about 10.58% of total assets, followed by Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) and Home Depot Inc. (HD).
The top 10 holdings account for about 56.08% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
DIA seeks to match the performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average before fees and expenses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is composed of thirty blue-chip U.S. stocks.
The ETF has gained about 3.22% so far this year and is down about -4.03% in the last one year (as of 01/13/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $287.30 and $359.14.
The ETF has a beta of 0.95 and standard deviation of 25.02% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 31 holdings, it has more concentrated exposure than peers.
Alternatives
SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, DIA is a great option for investors seeking exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well.
The iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $55.51 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $100.61 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.18% and VTV charges 0.04%.
Bottom-Line
Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.
To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.
Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA): ETF Research Reports
The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS) : Free Stock Analysis Report
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) : Free Stock Analysis Report
The Home Depot, Inc. (HD) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Vanguard Value ETF (VTV): ETF Research Reports
iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD): ETF Research Reports
