It may surprise you that in 2021, the technology sector was the largest payer of dividends among sectors in the S&P 500 Index, according to investment research firm CFRA.
Tech stocks contributed more than 17% of the overall income for the broad-market benchmark. That's more than the contribution from healthcare (15%), financials (14%) and consumer staples (11%), notes CFRA.
And yet, many exchange-traded funds that invest in companies with a track record of hiking dividends have relatively limited exposure to tech. The ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats (NOBL), for example, which tracks an index requiring firms to have posted at least 25 consecutive years of dividend increases, holds 1.5% of assets in tech, compared with 22% in consumer staples.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
The ProShares S&P Technology Dividend Aristocrats (TDV) holds 77% of assets in tech stocks. Tracking an index that requires a minimum of just seven years of dividend hikes allows the fund to home in on tech names with the wherewithal to consistently return cash to shareholders. Holdings are equally weighted, so behemoths with giant market values can't dominate. The 40 stocks in the portfolio range from household names such as Apple (AAPL) and Broadcom (AVGO) to water-meter manufacturer Badger Meter (BMI) and pet pharmacy PetMed Express (PETS).
The ETF, yielding 1.2%, might be worth a look by dividend investors who want to balance out sector exposure or by tech investors who prefer the cushion of a dividend in an often-volatile sector.
-
RV Living or Vacation Home? What's Best for Your Retirement?You may fantasize about RV living or owning a cabin in the mountains or by the beach. Both options can be affordable and fun, but kick the tires first!
-
Four Ways to Help Prevent a Market Downturn From Scrambling Your Nest EggYou may not be able to avoid a market decline when you're newly retired and starting to rely on your nest egg for income, but you can plan for that risk.
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks Rise as Treasury Yields DropA round of not-too-terrible economic data helped boost the bond market Thursday.
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks Lose Steam After CPI, US-China Trade DealWall Street initially cheered soft inflation data and hopeful tariff news, but momentum stalled in late-day trading.
-
Stock Market Today: Wall Street Is Standing ByThe waiting is the hardest part with trade war truce talks underway and inflation data on the way.
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks Stable as Inflation, Tariff Fears EbbConstructive trade war talks and improving consumer expectations are a healthy combination for financial markets.
-
Stock Market Today: Good Feelings and Solid Data Lift StocksResilience and de-escalation defined another generally positive day for financial markets.
-
Stock Market Today: Tesla Drags on Stocks Amid Musk-Trump FeudSentiment has soured between President Trump and his once-loyal ally, Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks Brush Off Weak Jobs DataThe yields on the 2-year and 10-year Treasury notes fell sharply after a pair of weak economic reports.
-
Stock Market Today: Rally Extends on Good-Enough ExpectationsFiscal policy still has markets' attention, but taxes rather than tariffs and deficits rather than inflation are participants' primary focus.
