At a glance
SCHY charges 0.08% a year, below the 0.36% average of the 3 funds most like it (the cheapest of 4). It has $2.61B in assets, the 3rd largest of that group; it paid 3.58% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +19.7% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 3rd of those 4 funds; over three years it returned +19.6% a year. At its worst it fell 24.0% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 15 months after the low. Its ten largest positions make up 39.4% of the fund, out of 102 in all.
The short version
Schwab International Dividend Equity ETF (SCHY) tracks the Dow Jones International Dividend 100 Index. That index holds 100 companies outside the United States that have paid dividends for at least 10 straight years and pass screens for financial strength and lower price swings. Its expense ratio of 0.08% is the lowest of the similar funds compared, which average 0.36%. Its trailing 12-month yield was 3.58% as of October 27, 2026.
Price history
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SCHY +19.7% 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCHY official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2024 | — | -1.75% | — | — | — | +1.75% |
| SCHY price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +13.6% | +19.7% | +19.6% | +9.6% | — | +9.1% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, SCHY returned +19.7%, 3rd of 4 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +9.6%.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2022 (-9.4%); its best was 2025 (+34.0%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 24% (Feb 9, 2022 to Sep 27, 2022), recovered by Dec 26, 2023.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +13.6% | — |
| 2025 | +34.0% | — |
| 2024 | -1.8% | -1.75% |
| 2023 | +14.3% | +14.68% |
| 2022 | -9.4% | -9.35% |
| 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 | Lost 22.2% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 24%, back to its old high 14.9 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $0.8600 | |
| 2025 | $1.0600 | -0.9% |
| 2024 | $1.0700 | +9.2% |
| 2023 | $0.9800 | +18.1% |
| 2022 | $0.8300 |
Living on SCHY: its income record, cuts, and how much a $1,000 monthly income takes →
What's inside
As of Aug 31, 2026, the fund held 102 securities; the ten largest made up 39.42% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| Unilever PLC | 4.48% | |
| Roche Holding AG | 4.24% | |
| Deutsche Post AG | 4.09% | |
| BHP Group Ltd | 3.92% | |
| GSK PLC | 3.86% | |
| Wesfarmers Ltd | 3.86% | |
| Enel SpA | 3.81% | |
| Eni SpA | 3.81% | |
| TotalEnergies SE | 3.73% | |
| British American Tobacco PLC | 3.62% | |
| Vinci SA | 3.52% | |
| Allianz SE | 2.66% | |
| Cie Generale des Etablissements Michelin SCA | 2.63% | |
| Publicis Groupe SA | 2.50% | |
| Infosys Ltd | 2.49% |
By country
France 13.48%United Kingdom 13.29%Australia 9.83%Switzerland 8.56%Italy 8.34%By asset type
Stocks 98.97%Preferred stock 0.44%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Aug 31, 2026, investors added a net $273.2M (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: -0.99%, +5.18%, -0.33%.
How it works
The fund follows the Dow Jones International Dividend 100 Index from S&P Dow Jones Indices. The index starts with large and mid-sized companies outside the United States, in both developed and emerging countries. It leaves out real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are companies that own property. To qualify, a stock needs at least 10 straight years of dividends, a market value of at least $500 million in shares available to trade, and enough trading volume. Stocks are then ranked on four measures: cash flow compared with total debt, return on equity (profit compared with shareholders' money), dividend yield and five-year dividend growth. The top 400 go through a screen that removes the 200 most volatile. The 100 highest-scoring stocks left make up the index.
Holdings are weighted mostly by company size, with limits. No stock can be more than 4% of the index, no sector more than 15%, and emerging-market stocks no more than 15%. The list is reviewed once a year and rebalanced every quarter, and the rules favor keeping existing members.
Schwab uses sampling: it may hold a representative group of index stocks rather than every one. It must keep at least 80% of its assets in index stocks or their depositary receipts. It may use futures to invest spare cash and may lend out its securities. It does not hedge currencies, so a stronger dollar can reduce returns for US investors.
What it really costs
- SCHY charges 0.08% a year, versus an average of 0.36% for the similar funds below (1st of 4, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $8 in the first year and $103 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCHY | $8 | $26 | $45 | $103 |
In a retirement portfolio
It pays quarterly dividends from established non-US companies, with a 3.58% trailing yield as of October 27, 2026, at a low cost.
SCHY can add dividend income and holdings outside the US, mostly in France, the UK and Australia. It charges 0.08% a year, which works out to about $103 over 10 years in the SEC's standard $10,000 example. It paid $1.18 per share in the 12 months to October 27, 2026, a 3.58% yield, in quarterly payments. The fund launched in April 2021, so it has no record from the 2008 or 2020 crashes. In the 2022 bear market it fell 24% between February and September 2022. It took about 15 months to recover, by December 2023. Its worst calendar year was 2022, at -9.35%. Anyone who had to sell shares near that low would have locked in losses, and companies can cut dividends in hard times. Past results don't predict the future, and a plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Investors who want quarterly dividends from established non-US companies such as Unilever, Roche and Deutsche Post, with a 3.58% yield as of October 27, 2026.
- Cost-conscious investors: its 0.08% expense ratio was the lowest of the similar funds compared, which averaged 0.36%.
- People who want international stocks screened for lower volatility. Its one-year beta, a measure of how much it moves with the market, was 0.46.
Look elsewhere if
- Those who want protection from currency swings. The fund does not hedge foreign currencies, so a stronger dollar can reduce returns.
- Investors who want growth stocks or broad international exposure. It holds about 100 dividend payers, and the top 10 made up about 39% of assets.
- Anyone who wants a long track record. It launched in April 2021 and has no history through the 2008 or 2020 downturns.
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
Does SCHY pay monthly dividends?
No. SCHY pays dividends quarterly, not monthly. It paid $1.18 per share over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, a trailing yield of 3.58%. The payments come from dividends on its stocks, so the amounts change from quarter to quarter. They can fall if companies cut their dividends or if the dollar strengthens against the currencies those dividends are paid in, because the fund does not hedge currencies.
What's the difference between SCHY and HDEF?
Both own high-dividend stocks outside the US, and about 33% of their holdings overlap. SCHY tracks the Dow Jones International Dividend 100 Index and costs 0.08% a year. HDEF, the Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF, follows an MSCI index and costs 0.09%. As of October 27, 2026, SCHY returned 19.7% over one year against 17.8% for HDEF. Over three years HDEF was ahead, at 21% a year against 19.6% for SCHY.
Is SCHY good for retirement income?
It may suit retirees who want dividend income from outside the US at a low cost. It yielded 3.58% as of October 27, 2026, pays quarterly and charges 0.08% a year. The drawbacks: it fell 24% during 2022 and took about 15 months to recover. Currency swings also affect both its price and its income. Its prospectus showed a modest 1.75% a year from its 2021 launch through December 31, 2024.
What are SCHY's top holdings?
As of August 31, 2026, the largest holdings were Unilever (4.5%), Roche (4.2%), Deutsche Post (4.1%), BHP (3.9%), GSK (3.9%) and Wesfarmers (3.9%). The top 10 made up about 39% of assets. France (13.5%) and the UK (13.3%) were the largest countries, followed by Australia, Switzerland, Italy and Germany. The index caps any one stock at 4% when it rebalances, but prices can push weights above that between rebalances.
What is SCHY's expense ratio?
SCHY's expense ratio is 0.08%, according to its December 2025 prospectus. In the SEC's standard example, $10,000 invested with a 5% yearly return would cost about $8 after one year, $45 after five years and $103 after ten. Among similar funds, HDEF charges 0.09%, LVHI 0.40% and GCOW 0.60%. The average for the group compared is 0.36%.