ETF Versus

AGG vs DVY

iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF vs iShares Select Dividend ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

AGG iShares

iShares Core US Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to the broad U.S. investment-grade bond market. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.03%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.94%. Launched in 2003, the fund has a 23-year track record.

AUM: $137.9B ER: 0.03% Yield: 3.94% Since: Sep 22, 2003
DVY iShares

iShares Select Dividend ETF (DVY) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.38%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.47%. Launched in 2003, the fund has a 23-year track record.

AUM: $22.0B ER: 0.38% Yield: 3.47% Since: Nov 3, 2003

Quick Verdict

AGG is significantly cheaper at 0.03% vs 0.38% expense ratio, saving you approximately $688 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, DVY has significantly outperformed with a 12.6% return vs 0.0%.

Key Metrics

Metric AGG DVY
Expense Ratio 0.03% 0.38%
Dividend Yield 3.9% 3.5%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US Aggregate Bond US Dividend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

80 92 104 116 128 140 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
AGG -13.0%
DVY +30.7%

Performance Comparison

Period AGG DVY Difference
1 Month -1.67% -3.15% +1.48%
3 Months -0.85% +5.89% -6.74%
6 Months -1.18% +5.53% -6.71%
YTD -0.85% +5.89% -6.74%
1 Year +0.04% +12.56% -12.52%
3 Years -0.82% +28.73% -29.55%
5 Years -13.01% +30.67% -43.68%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period AGG Fees DVY Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $60 $748 $688
$10.000 20 years $258 $3.173 $2.914
$10.000 30 years $835 $10.097 $9.262
$50.000 10 years $299 $3.739 $3.439
$50.000 30 years $4.176 $50.486 $46.310
$100.000 30 years $8.352 $100.972 $92.620

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric AGG DVY
Annualized Volatility 6.1% 15.5%
Max Drawdown -21.4% -22.1%
Sharpe Ratio -1.17 0.13

Dividend Comparison

Metric AGG DVY
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.90 $5.24
Dividend Yield 3.94% 3.47%
Distribution Frequency Monthly Quarterly

Top Holdings

DVY Top Holdings

NameWeight
Pfizer Inc.PFE2.33%
Altria Group, Inc.MO2.17%
Verizon Communications Inc.VZ2.01%
ONEOK, Inc.OKE1.93%
Prudential Financial, Inc.PRU1.81%
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc.TROW1.75%
LyondellBasell Industries N.V.LYB1.70%
General Mills, Inc.GIS1.62%
Edison InternationalEIX1.60%
Kimberly-Clark CorporationKMB1.57%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose AGG if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose DVY if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Choose AGG if...

you prioritize dividend income and want higher regular distributions from your portfolio.

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