At a glance
HIDV charges 0.35% a year, above the 0.11% average of the 8 funds most like it (the most expensive of 9). It has $205.2M in assets, the 9th largest of that group; it paid 2.53% 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%), the best of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +24.2% a year. Its ten largest positions make up 34.4% of the fund, out of 105 in all.
The short version
AB US High Dividend ETF (HIDV) is an actively managed AllianceBernstein fund. It uses computer-driven models to pick about 100 US stocks, with a focus on dividends, and aims for both income and growth. Despite the name, its largest holdings as of August 31, 2026 were NVIDIA, Apple and Microsoft. Its 0.35% expense ratio is higher than that of any of eight similar large-cap funds, which averaged 0.11%.
Price history
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HIDV +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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIDV official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +14.60% | — | — | — | +21.80% |
| S And P500Index index, same period | — | +17.88% | — | — | — | +22.97% |
| HIDV price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +14.1% | +15.8% | +24.2% | — | — | +21.5% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, HIDV returned +15.8%, 1st of 9 among similar funds.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2025 (+14.6%); its best was 2024 (+26.0%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 18.8% (Feb 19, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025), recovered by Jul 2, 2025.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +14.1% | — |
| 2025 | +14.6% | +14.60% |
| 2024 | +26.0% | +25.95% |
| 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 | Before this security existed |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Before this security existed |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $1.6800 | |
| 2025 | $1.7900 | +7.8% |
| 2024 | $1.6600 |
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 105 securities; the ten largest made up 34.4% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| NVIDIA Corp | 8.06% | |
| Apple Inc | 6.47% | |
| Microsoft Corp | 4.95% | |
| Amazon.com Inc | 3.04% | |
| Alphabet Inc | 2.99% | |
| Micron Technology Inc | 2.51% | |
| Broadcom Inc | 1.95% | |
| Alphabet Inc | 1.61% | |
| Cisco Systems Inc | 1.44% | |
| Palantir Technologies Inc | 1.36% | |
| Chevron Corp | 1.35% | |
| Lam Research Corp | 1.33% | |
| Home Depot Inc | 1.26% | |
| Meta Platforms Inc | 1.20% | |
| Wells Fargo & Co | 1.19% |
By country
United States 94.78%Netherlands 1.47%United Kingdom 0.83%Jersey 0.83%Guernsey 0.71%By asset type
Stocks 99.72%By sector
Sectors of the companies held, for the 68% 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 Aug 31, 2026. Cash, money-market funds and derivatives are shown separately from the securities list.What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors added a net $6.7M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -0.66%, +1.48%, +2.88%.
How it works
HIDV does not track an index. Its adviser, AllianceBernstein, manages it actively. Under normal conditions, the fund puts at least 80% of its net assets in stocks of US companies. These are mostly mid-size and large companies, which the fund defines as those worth $2 billion or more. It can also own some non-US stocks. About 95% of the portfolio was in US companies as of August 31, 2026.
Stock picking is systematic, meaning it relies on quantitative (computer-based) models rather than a manager's case-by-case judgment. The models screen thousands of companies across sectors. They score each one on factors such as dividend yield, balance sheet strength and price momentum, which is how strongly a stock's price has been rising. The focus is on dividend payers, but the fund may also buy stocks that pay no dividend. The prospectus does not set out a fixed weighting formula or a rebalancing schedule.
Two other points matter for holders. First, the fund trades often. Turnover was 181%, so it replaced the equivalent of its whole portfolio nearly twice in a year. That adds trading costs and can create taxable short-term gains. Second, the fund is "non-diversified," which means it can put more money into fewer stocks. NVIDIA alone was about 8% of assets. The fund may use options, futures and swaps, but it held none as of August 31, 2026.
What it really costs
- HIDV charges 0.35% a year, versus an average of 0.11% for the similar funds below (9th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $36 in the first year and $443 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIDV | $36 | $113 | $197 | $443 |
In a retirement portfolio
Its stated goal is current income plus long-term growth, and it pays quarterly, but its yield is modest and its holdings lean heavily toward large technology stocks.
HIDV may add quarterly dividend income to the stock part of a portfolio. Its trailing 12-month yield was 2.53% as of October 27, 2026. The fund is too new to show how it handles a severe bear market. It launched in March 2023, after the 2008, 2020 and 2022 declines. Its deepest drop was 18.8%, from February 19 to April 8, 2025. It recovered by July 2, 2025, in under three months. Its weakest calendar year, 2025, still returned 14.6%.
Someone drawing income in a bad year could face bigger and longer losses than this short record shows. The fund's tech-heavy holdings are likely to fall along with the broad market. The 0.35% expense ratio adds up to $443 over 10 years in the SEC's standard $10,000 example. Past results don't predict future ones, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors seeking stock growth with modest income: yield over the prior 12 months was 2.53% as of October 27, 2026, paid quarterly.
- Dividend investors who still want big tech: NVIDIA (8.1%), Apple (6.5%) and Microsoft (5.0%) were the largest holdings as of August 31, 2026.
- Investors wanting slightly milder swings than the market: beta (sensitivity to market moves) was 0.91 over one year to October 27, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-focused investors: the 0.35% annual expense ratio ranks last of 9 similar funds; Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) charges 0.03%, with 45% holdings overlap.
- Those expecting a traditional high-dividend fund: tech giants lead, non-dividend payers are allowed, and heavy trading (181% turnover) may create taxable short-term gains.
- Those wanting a long record: it launched in March 2023, after the 2022 stock slump, and trailed the S&P 500 in 2025, 14.6% to 17.9%.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HIDV this fund | — | 0.35% | $205.2M | +15.8% | +24.2% |
| IWL iShares Russell Top 200 ETF | 47% | 0.15% | $2.19B | +12.5% | +25.5% |
| MGC Vanguard Mega Cap ETF | 46% | 0.07% | $10.90B | +13.5% | +26.0% |
| SPY SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust | 45% | 0.0945% | $781.19B | +11.5% | +21.9% |
| IVV iShares Core S&P 500 ETF | 45% | 0.03% | $888.13B | +11.5% | +22.0% |
| VOO Vanguard S&P 500 ETF | 45% | 0.03% | $1.67T | +12.4% | +23.6% |
| FYEE Fidelity Yield Enhanced Equity ETF | 45% | 0.28% | $218.3M | +15.1% | — |
| SPYX SPDR S&P 500 Fossil Fuel Reserves Free ETF | 44% | 0.2% | $2.74B | +12.6% | +24.8% |
Questions investors ask
Is HIDV good for retirement income?
It can add some income, but it is not a high-yield fund. HIDV pays dividends quarterly, and its trailing 12-month yield was 2.53% as of October 27, 2026. Its objective pairs current income with long-term growth, and its biggest holdings are technology companies such as NVIDIA, Apple and Microsoft. Its history starts in March 2023, so it hasn't been through a deep bear market. It may suit retirees as one part of a broader mix.
What's the difference between HIDV and VOO?
HIDV is actively managed with quantitative models and costs 0.35% a year. VOO, Vanguard's S&P 500 ETF, costs 0.03%. They share about 45% of their holdings. HIDV returned 15.8% over one year and 24.2% a year over three years as of October 27, 2026. VOO returned 12.4% and 23.6% as of October 30, 2026. In 2025, HIDV returned 14.6% while the S&P 500 Index returned 17.88%.
Why does a high dividend ETF hold NVIDIA?
HIDV's stock-picking models look at more than dividend yield. They also score balance sheet strength and price momentum, and the fund may own some stocks that pay no dividend. As of August 31, 2026, NVIDIA was 8.1% of assets, Apple 6.5% and Microsoft 5.0%, and technology was the largest sector. As a result, the fund looks more like a broad large-company stock fund than a traditional high-yield fund.
How often does HIDV pay dividends?
HIDV pays dividends quarterly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $2.28 per share, a yield of 2.53%. The prospectus warns that the companies it owns may cut or stop their dividends, so payments aren't guaranteed. The fund trades a lot, with 181% turnover, and that can produce short-term capital gains. Those gains may be taxed less favorably in a regular brokerage account.
What is HIDV's expense ratio?
HIDV's expense ratio is 0.35%, according to its prospectus filed March 27, 2026. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 earning 5% a year would cost about $36 in fees after one year and $443 after 10 years. That makes it the most expensive of nine similar large-cap funds. The other eight averaged 0.11%, and S&P 500 funds such as IVV and VOO charge 0.03%.