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SCHD vs. ARKK: What’s The Difference?

The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) are both among the Top 100 ETFs. SCHD is a Schwab ETFs Large Value fund and ARKK is a ARK ETF Trust Mid-Cap Growth fund. So, what’s the difference between SCHD and ARKK? And which fund is better?

The expense ratio of SCHD is 0.69 percentage points lower than ARKK’s (0.06% vs. 0.75%). SCHD also has a higher exposure to the financial services sector and a lower standard deviation. Overall, SCHD has provided lower returns than ARKK over the past 5 years.

In this article, we’ll compare SCHD vs. ARKK. We’ll look at performance and risk metrics, as well as at their industry exposure and holdings. Moreover, I’ll also discuss SCHD’s and ARKK’s fund composition, annual returns, and portfolio growth and examine how these affect their overall returns.

Summary

SCHDARKK
NameSchwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETFARK Innovation ETF
CategoryLarge ValueMid-Cap Growth
IssuerSchwab ETFsARK ETF Trust
AUM26B25.52B
Avg. Return14.80%55.45%
Div. Yield2.89%0.0%
Expense Ratio0.06%0.75%

The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is a Large Value fund that is issued by Schwab ETFs. It currently has 26B total assets under management and has yielded an average annual return of 14.80% over the past 10 years. The fund has a dividend yield of 2.89% with an expense ratio of 0.06%.

The ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) is a Mid-Cap Growth fund that is issued by ARK ETF Trust. It currently has 25.52B total assets under management and has yielded an average annual return of 55.45% over the past 10 years. The fund has a dividend yield of 0.0% with an expense ratio of 0.75%.

SCHD’s dividend yield is 2.89% higher than that of ARKK (2.89% vs. 0.0%). Also, SCHD yielded on average 40.65% less per year over the past decade (14.80% vs. 55.45%). The expense ratio of SCHD is 0.69 percentage points lower than ARKK’s (0.06% vs. 0.75%).

Fund Composition

Industry Exposure

SCHD vs. ARKK - Industry Exposure

SCHDARKK
Technology16.26%30.5%
Industrials18.05%2.11%
Energy1.87%0.0%
Communication Services4.96%25.01%
Utilities0.0%0.0%
Healthcare12.64%29.47%
Consumer Defensive14.04%0.93%
Real Estate0.0%0.51%
Financial Services21.69%0.04%
Consumer Cyclical8.36%11.42%
Basic Materials2.13%0.0%

The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) has the most exposure to the Financial Services sector at 21.69%. This is followed by Industrials and Technology at 18.05% and 16.26% respectively. Utilities (0.0%), Energy (1.87%), and Basic Materials (2.13%) only make up 4.00% of the fund’s total assets.

SCHD’s mid-section with moderate exposure is comprised of Communication Services, Consumer Cyclical, Healthcare, Consumer Defensive, and Technology stocks at 4.96%, 8.36%, 12.64%, 14.04%, and 16.26%.

The ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) has the most exposure to the Technology sector at 30.5%. This is followed by Healthcare and Communication Services at 29.47% and 25.01% respectively. Utilities (0.0%), Energy (0.0%), and Financial Services (0.04%) only make up 0.04% of the fund’s total assets.

ARKK’s mid-section with moderate exposure is comprised of Real Estate, Consumer Defensive, Industrials, Consumer Cyclical, and Communication Services stocks at 0.51%, 0.93%, 2.11%, 11.42%, and 25.01%.

SCHD is 21.65% more exposed to the Financial Services sector than ARKK (21.69% vs 0.04%). SCHD’s exposure to Industrials and Technology stocks is 15.94% higher and 14.24% lower respectively (18.05% vs. 2.11% and 16.26% vs. 30.5%). In total, Utilities, Energy, and Basic Materials also make up 4.00% more of the fund’s holdings compared to ARKK (4.00% vs. 0.00%).

Holdings

SCHD - Holdings

SCHD HoldingsWeight
Merck & Co Inc4.24%
The Home Depot Inc4.19%
Texas Instruments Inc4.16%
Broadcom Inc4.15%
Amgen Inc4.11%
PepsiCo Inc4.09%
BlackRock Inc4.05%
Pfizer Inc3.97%
Verizon Communications Inc3.96%
Cisco Systems Inc3.96%

SCHD’s Top Holdings are Merck & Co Inc, The Home Depot Inc, Texas Instruments Inc, Broadcom Inc, and Amgen Inc at 4.24%, 4.19%, 4.16%, 4.15%, and 4.11%.

PepsiCo Inc (4.09%), BlackRock Inc (4.05%), and Pfizer Inc (3.97%) have a slightly smaller but still significant weight. Verizon Communications Inc and Cisco Systems Inc are also represented in the SCHD’s holdings at 3.96% and 3.96%.

ARKK - Holdings

ARKK HoldingsWeight
Tesla Inc9.56%
Roku Inc Class A6.48%
Teladoc Health Inc5.76%
Square Inc A4.37%
Zoom Video Communications Inc4.36%
Shopify Inc A4.27%
Spotify Technology SA3.68%
Twilio Inc A3.66%
Coinbase Global Inc Ordinary Shares – Class A3.65%
Unity Software Inc Ordinary Shares3.41%

ARKK’s Top Holdings are Tesla Inc, Roku Inc Class A, Teladoc Health Inc, Square Inc A, and Zoom Video Communications Inc at 9.56%, 6.48%, 5.76%, 4.37%, and 4.36%.

Shopify Inc A (4.27%), Spotify Technology SA (3.68%), and Twilio Inc A (3.66%) have a slightly smaller but still significant weight. Coinbase Global Inc Ordinary Shares – Class A and Unity Software Inc Ordinary Shares are also represented in the ARKK’s holdings at 3.65% and 3.41%.

Risk Analysis

SCHDARKK
Mean Return00
R-squared00
Std. Deviation00
Alpha00
Beta00
Sharpe Ratio00
Treynor Ratio00

The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) has a Treynor Ratio of 0 with a Alpha of 0 and a R-squared of 0. Its Beta is 0 while SCHD’s Sharpe Ratio is 0. Furthermore, the fund has a Standard Deviation of 0 and a Mean Return of 0.

The ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK) has a Alpha of 0 with a Sharpe Ratio of 0 and a Standard Deviation of 0. Its Beta is 0 while ARKK’s Mean Return is 0. Furthermore, the fund has a Treynor Ratio of 0 and a R-squared of 0.

SCHD’s Mean Return is 0.00 points lower than that of ARKK and its R-squared is 0.00 points lower. With a Standard Deviation of 0, SCHD is slightly less volatile than ARKK. The Alpha and Beta of SCHD are 0.00 points lower and 0.00 points lower than ARKK’s Alpha and Beta.

Performance

Annual Returns

SCHD vs. ARKK - Annual Returns

YearSCHDARKK
202015.11%152.52%
201927.28%35.73%
2018-5.46%3.58%
201720.88%87.38%
201616.25%-1.96%
2015-0.21%3.76%
201411.66%0.0%
201332.9%0.0%
201211.4%0.0%
20110.0%0.0%
20100.0%0.0%

SCHD had its best year in 2013 with an annual return of 32.9%. SCHD’s worst year over the past decade yielded -5.46% and occurred in 2018. In most years the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF provided moderate returns such as in 2012, 2014, and 2020 where annual returns amounted to 11.4%, 11.66%, and 15.11% respectively.

The year 2020 was the strongest year for ARKK, returning 152.52% on an annual basis. The poorest year for ARKK in the last ten years was 2016, with a yield of -1.96%. Most years the ARK Innovation ETF has given investors modest returns, such as in 2011, 2010, and 2018, when gains were 0.0%, 0.0%, and 3.58% respectively.

Portfolio Growth

SCHD vs. ARKK - Portfolio Growth

FundInitial BalanceFinal BalanceCAGR
SCHD$10,000$19,46414.80%
ARKK$10,000$65,21855.45%

A $10,000 investment in SCHD would have resulted in a final balance of $19,464. This is a profit of $9,464 over 5 years and amounts to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.80%.

With a $10,000 investment in ARKK, the end total would have been $65,218. This equates to a $55,218 profit over 5 years and a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 55.45%.

SCHD’s CAGR is 40.65 percentage points lower than that of ARKK and as a result, would have yielded $45,754 less on a $10,000 investment. Thus, SCHD performed worse than ARKK by 40.65% annually.


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