At a glance
DDIV charges 0.6% a year, the same as the average of the 3 funds most like it (the cheapest of 4). It has $67.6M in assets, the 2nd largest of that group; it paid 1.61% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +15.8% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 2nd of those 4 funds; over three years it returned +22.2% a year. At its worst it fell 47.5% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 20.6% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 11 months and 17 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 36.4% of the fund, out of 50 in all.
The short version
First Trust Dorsey Wright Momentum & Dividend ETF (DDIV) tracks the Dorsey Wright Momentum Plus Dividend Yield Index. The index holds 50 US large and mid-size stocks that first pass a price-momentum screen and then rank highest on dividend yield. Two things set it apart. Stocks are weighted by yield rather than company size, and the portfolio changes heavily, with 157% turnover a year. It costs 0.60% a year, the same as similar Dorsey Wright funds.
Price history
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DDIV +15.8% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DDIV official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +12.18% | — | +13.92% | +10.56% | +9.35% |
| DDIV price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +10.1% | +15.8% | +22.2% | +9.5% | — | +9.9% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, DDIV returned +15.8%, 2nd of 4 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +9.5%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 47.5% and regained its old high 10.6 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-12.5%); its best was 2021 (+40.0%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 47.5% (Feb 20, 2020 to Mar 23, 2020), recovered by Feb 10, 2021.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +10.1% | — |
| 2025 | +12.2% | +12.18% |
| 2024 | +27.2% | +27.18% |
| 2023 | +9.9% | +9.95% |
| 2022 | -12.5% | -12.43% |
| 2021 | +40.0% | +39.66% |
| 2020 | -3.6% | -3.74% |
| 2019 | +32.4% | +32.27% |
| 2018 | — | -15.96% |
| 2017 | — | +13.56% |
| 2016 | — | +17.07% |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Before this security existed |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 47.3% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 47.5%, back to its old high 10.6 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 17.9% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 20.6%, back to its old high 17.2 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.4500 | |
| 2025 | $0.7900 | -6.0% |
| 2024 | $0.8400 | -13.4% |
| 2023 | $0.9700 | -5.8% |
| 2022 | $1.0300 | +24.1% |
| 2021 | $0.8300 | +25.8% |
| 2020 | $0.6600 | -15.4% |
| 2019 | $0.7800 | +16.4% |
| 2018 | $0.6700 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 50 securities; the ten largest made up 36.43% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| AGNC INVESTMENT CORP | 5.62% | |
| OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS INC | 4.64% | |
| EDISON INTERNATIONAL | 3.78% | |
| US BANCORP | 3.41% | |
| PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL INC | 3.37% | |
| INVESCO LTD | 3.36% | |
| IRON MOUNTAIN INC (REIT) | 3.18% | |
| ANTERO MIDSTREAM CORP | 3.07% | |
| HF SINCLAIR CORP | 3.01% | |
| WATSCO INC | 3.00% | |
| KINDER MORGAN INC | 2.67% | |
| OLD REPUBLIC INTERNATIONAL CORP | 2.53% | |
| ARCHER DANIELS MIDLAND COMPANY | 2.49% | |
| MERCK & COMPANY INC | 2.46% | |
| OLD NATIONAL BANCORP | 2.41% |
By country
United States 91.33%Bermuda 3.36%Switzerland 2.41%Puerto Rico 1.63%Liberia 1.03%By asset type
Stocks 99.76%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 53.6% of the fund in companies that have a stock page here; other holdings and cash aren't classified. Source: N-PORT holdings report as of Jun 30, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors withdrew a net $2.5M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +11.89%, -1.83%, +1.85%.
How it works
DDIV is an index fund. It puts at least 90% of its net assets into the stocks in the Dorsey Wright Momentum Plus Dividend Yield Index, which Nasdaq, Inc. owns and built. The starting pool is the Nasdaq US Large Mid Cap Index, after liquidity screens. Each stock then gets a proprietary "relative strength" score based on how its price has moved over the medium and long term compared with a market benchmark. This is momentum investing: it bets that stocks already rising will keep rising.
From the stocks that pass the momentum screen, the index picks the 50 with the highest dividend yields. Each stock's weight is its yield divided by the total yield of all 50, so the highest payers get the biggest slots. As of June 30, 2026, AGNC Investment made up 5.6% of the fund and Omega Healthcare Investors 4.6%. The index can include real estate investment trusts (REITs) and companies of various sizes.
The index is rebuilt and rebalanced every quarter, and the fund follows shortly after. This produced 157% portfolio turnover. Sector weights follow the index wherever it goes. As of December 31, 2025, the fund had significant investments in financial companies. It holds plain stocks (99.76% as of June 30, 2026) and uses no derivatives. Nasdaq may use discretion to adjust the index.
What it really costs
- DDIV charges 0.6% a year, versus an average of 0.6% for the similar funds below (1st of 4, cheapest first).
In a retirement portfolio
Its momentum-driven, yield-weighted 50-stock portfolio has had deep drops and changes heavily each quarter, so it fits better as a small add-on than as a foundation.
As a satellite, DDIV adds a rules-based tilt toward higher-yielding stocks with strong price trends, at 0.60% a year. Its swings can be sharp. In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 47.5% between February 20 and March 23, 2020, and took about 10.6 months to recover. In the 2022 bear market it dropped 20.6% and needed about 17 months to regain its peak, in March 2024. Its worst calendar year from 2016 to 2025 was 2018, down 15.96%. The fund launched in 2014, so it has no 2008 record. Anyone forced to sell during such a stretch would lock in losses. Income is modest: the trailing 12-month yield was 1.61% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should weigh the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want a rules-based blend of momentum and dividend yield across 50 US large and mid-size stocks, weighted by yield.
- People adding a small satellite position next to a broad core fund who can live through drops like the 47.5% plunge in early 2020.
- Investors comfortable with quarterly reshuffles and 157% turnover in holdings such as AGNC Investment, Omega Healthcare and Edison International.
Look elsewhere if
- Income seekers who need a high payout: the trailing 12-month yield was 1.61% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly.
- Cost-focused investors: 0.60% a year matches DVLU and DVOL but is higher than many plain market-cap-weighted index funds.
- Anyone who may need to sell in a slump: after the 2022 decline, the fund took about 17 months to regain its prior peak.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
Net assets from each fund's latest N-PORT or annual report where available. Returns through Oct 27, 2026.Questions investors ask
Is DDIV good for retirement income?
DDIV pays income, but not much. The trailing 12-month yield was 1.61% as of October 27, 2026, or about $0.73 per share, paid quarterly. The "dividend" in its name describes how it picks stocks: it applies a momentum screen first and then ranks by yield. The companies it owns can cut or stop dividends. The fund can also fall sharply, as it did with a 47.5% drop in early 2020, so its income and value can both change.
What's the difference between DDIV and DVLU?
Both are First Trust Dorsey Wright funds that cost 0.60% a year and start with a momentum screen. DDIV then ranks stocks by dividend yield, while DVLU pairs momentum with value. About 44% of their holdings overlap. As of October 27, 2026, DDIV returned 15.8% over one year against 14.4% for DVLU. Over three years it returned 22.2% a year against 23.8%. As of June 30, 2026, DDIV had $67.6 million in net assets and DVLU had $45.6 million.
What is DDIV's expense ratio?
DDIV's expense ratio is 0.60% a year, according to its prospectus filed January 28, 2026. All of it is the management fee, and no fee waiver is listed. That matches the 0.60% average of the similar funds it's compared with: DVLU, DVOL and the Invesco Dorsey Wright Energy Momentum ETF (PXI). The fund's 157% turnover also creates trading costs. Those aren't in the expense ratio, but they still reduce returns.
How has DDIV performed over 10 years?
As of December 31, 2025, DDIV returned an average of 10.56% a year over 10 years, 13.92% over five years and 12.18% over one year. Since its 2014 launch it has averaged 9.35% a year. Results have swung widely from year to year. The fund gained 39.66% in 2021 and lost 15.96% in 2018. Its worst quarter was the first quarter of 2020, when it fell 32.28%.
What are DDIV's top holdings?
As of June 30, 2026, DDIV's largest holdings were AGNC Investment (5.6%), Omega Healthcare Investors (4.6%), Edison International (3.8%), US Bancorp (3.4%), Philip Morris International (3.4%) and Invesco (3.4%). Its top 10 made up 36.4% of a 50-stock portfolio. The list also included Iron Mountain, Antero Midstream and HF Sinclair. Because the index is rebuilt every quarter by momentum and yield, these names can change often.