ETF Versus

HDV vs IEFA

iShares Core High Dividend ETF vs iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

HDV iShares

iShares Core High Dividend ETF (HDV) 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 a low expense ratio of 0.08%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 2.96%. Launched in 2011, the fund has a 15-year track record.

AUM: $13.5B ER: 0.08% Yield: 2.96% Since: Mar 29, 2011
IEFA iShares

iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) is an exchange-traded fund issued by iShares that provides exposure to equities in developed international markets outside the U.S.. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.07%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.46%. Launched in 2012, the fund has a 14-year track record.

AUM: $164.3B ER: 0.07% Yield: 3.46% Since: Oct 18, 2012

Quick Verdict

Both funds have nearly identical expense ratios (0.07% vs 0.08%), so fees are not a differentiator here. Over the past year, IEFA has significantly outperformed with a 21.2% return vs 11.2%.

Key Metrics

Metric HDV IEFA
Expense Ratio 0.08% 0.07%
Dividend Yield 3.0% 3.5%
Fund Family iShares iShares
Category US Dividend International Developed

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

70 85 100 115 130 145 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
HDV +39.8%
IEFA +24.0%

Performance Comparison

Period HDV IEFA Difference
1 Month -4.43% -4.68% +0.25%
3 Months +9.57% +1.73% +7.84%
6 Months +9.49% +3.46% +6.03%
YTD +9.57% +1.73% +7.84%
1 Year +11.17% +21.19% -10.02%
3 Years +30.22% +36.36% -6.14%
5 Years +39.76% +23.97% +15.79%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period HDV Fees IEFA Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $159 $140 $20
$10.000 20 years $686 $600 $85
$10.000 30 years $2.212 $1.938 $274
$50.000 10 years $797 $698 $99
$50.000 30 years $11.061 $9.692 $1.370
$100.000 30 years $22.123 $19.383 $2.739

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric HDV IEFA
Annualized Volatility 13.0% 16.6%
Max Drawdown -16.9% -33.1%
Sharpe Ratio 0.24 0.07

Dividend Comparison

Metric HDV IEFA
Annual Dividend (per share) $3.96 $3.18
Dividend Yield 2.96% 3.46%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Semi-Annual or Annual

Top Holdings

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

HDV Top Holdings

NameWeight
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM9.48%
Chevron CorporationCVX7.13%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ6.04%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV5.48%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG4.40%
Philip Morris International Inc.PM4.20%
Merck & Co., Inc.MRK4.20%
The Home Depot, Inc.HD4.05%
The Progressive CorporationPGR3.80%
The Coca-Cola CompanyKO3.77%

IEFA Top Holdings

NameWeight
ASML Holding N.V.!ams/ASML2.18%
AstraZeneca PLC!lon/AZN1.25%
Novartis AG!swx/NOVN1.21%
Roche Holding AG!swx/ROP1.17%
HSBC Holdings plc!lon/HSBA1.16%
Shell plc!lon/SHEL1.12%
Nestlé S.A.!swx/NESN1.05%
Toyota Motor Corporation!tyo/72030.85%
Commonwealth Bank of Australia!asx/CBA0.85%
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc.!tyo/83060.81%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose IEFA if...

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

Choose IEFA if...

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

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