ETF Versus

DVY vs EEM

iShares Select Dividend ETF vs iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

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
EEM iShares

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to stocks in emerging market economies with higher growth potential. It charges a high expense ratio of 0.72%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.12%. Launched in 2003, the fund has a 23-year track record.

AUM: $24.5B ER: 0.72% Yield: 2.12% Since: Apr 7, 2003

Quick Verdict

DVY is significantly cheaper at 0.38% vs 0.72% expense ratio, saving you approximately $649 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, EEM has significantly outperformed with a 30.5% return vs 12.6%. Income investors may prefer DVY for its higher yield (3.5% vs 2.1%).

Key Metrics

Metric DVY EEM
Expense Ratio 0.38% 0.72%
Dividend Yield 3.5% 2.1%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US Dividend Emerging Markets

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

60 76 92 108 124 140 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
DVY +30.7%
EEM +5.8%

Performance Comparison

Period DVY EEM Difference
1 Month -3.15% -6.94% +3.79%
3 Months +5.89% +1.76% +4.13%
6 Months +5.53% +5.53% +0.00%
YTD +5.89% +1.76% +4.13%
1 Year +12.56% +30.54% -17.98%
3 Years +28.73% +44.74% -16.01%
5 Years +30.67% +5.84% +24.83%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period DVY Fees EEM Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $748 $1.397 $649
$10.000 20 years $3.173 $5.836 $2.664
$10.000 30 years $10.097 $18.296 $8.198
$50.000 10 years $3.739 $6.984 $3.246
$50.000 30 years $50.486 $91.478 $40.992
$100.000 30 years $100.972 $182.957 $81.985

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric DVY EEM
Annualized Volatility 15.5% 18.6%
Max Drawdown -22.1% -39.5%
Sharpe Ratio 0.13 -0.09

Dividend Comparison

Metric DVY EEM
Annual Dividend (per share) $5.24 $1.22
Dividend Yield 3.47% 2.12%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Semi-Annual or Annual

Top Holdings

0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in 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%

EEM Top Holdings

NameWeight
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited!tpe/233013.38%
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.!krx/0059305.37%
Tencent Holdings Limited!hkg/07003.82%
SK hynix Inc.!krx/0006603.17%
Alibaba Group Holding Limited!hkg/99882.55%
China Construction Bank Corporation!hkg/09390.95%
Delta Electronics, Inc.!tpe/23080.88%
HDFC Bank Limited!nse/HDFCBANK0.87%
Reliance Industries Limited!nse/RELIANCE0.82%
Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.!tpe/23170.75%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose DVY if...

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

Choose EEM if...

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

Choose DVY if...

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

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