ETF Versus

COWZ vs SCHD

Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF vs Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-02

Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to us factor - cash flow securities. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.49%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.07%. Launched in 2016, the fund has a 10-year track record.

AUM: $18.0B ER: 0.49% Yield: 2.07% Since: Dec 16, 2016
SCHD Schwab

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Schwab that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a low expense ratio of 0.06%. The fund offers an attractive dividend yield of 3.46%. Launched in 2011, the fund has a 15-year track record.

AUM: $83.9B ER: 0.06% Yield: 3.46% Since: Oct 20, 2011

Quick Verdict

SCHD is significantly cheaper at 0.06% vs 0.49% expense ratio, saving you approximately $840 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. COWZ has edged ahead over the past year (14.1% vs 9.5%). Income investors may prefer SCHD for its higher yield (3.5% vs 2.1%).

Key Metrics

Metric COWZ SCHD
Expense Ratio 0.49% 0.06%
Dividend Yield 2.1% 3.5%
Fund Family N/A Schwab
Category US Factor - Cash Flow US Dividend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

90 104 118 132 146 160 2021-04 2022-06 2023-09 2024-12 2026-04
COWZ +50.8%
SCHD +23.3%

Performance Comparison

Period COWZ SCHD Difference
1 Month -3.81% -4.24% +0.43%
3 Months +3.13% +10.03% -6.90%
6 Months +7.80% +11.31% -3.51%
YTD +3.13% +10.03% -6.90%
1 Year +14.14% +9.47% +4.67%
3 Years +30.37% +24.43% +5.94%
5 Years +50.77% +23.27% +27.50%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period COWZ Fees SCHD Fees You Save
$10.000 10 years $960 $120 $840
$10.000 20 years $4.052 $515 $3.537
$10.000 30 years $12.832 $1.664 $11.169
$50.000 10 years $4.799 $598 $4.201
$50.000 30 years $64.162 $8.318 $55.843
$100.000 30 years $128.324 $16.637 $111.687

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric COWZ SCHD
Annualized Volatility 17.8% 14.6%
Max Drawdown -22.6% -18.9%
Sharpe Ratio 0.30 0.05

Dividend Comparison

Metric COWZ SCHD
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.29 $1.06
Dividend Yield 2.07% 3.46%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

2 of top 10 holdings overlap (20% overlap in top holdings)

COWZ Top Holdings

NameWeight
ConocoPhillipsCOP2.35%
Pfizer Inc.PFE2.12%
Altria Group, Inc.MO2.09%
AT&T Inc.T2.08%
Bristol-Myers Squibb CompanyBMY2.05%
Verizon Communications Inc.VZ2.04%
T-Mobile US, Inc.TMUS2.00%
Diamondback Energy, Inc.FANG1.97%
Gilead Sciences, Inc.GILD1.96%
QUALCOMM IncorporatedQCOM1.94%

SCHD Top Holdings

NameWeight
Chevron CorporationCVX4.66%
ConocoPhillipsCOP4.33%
Merck & Co., Inc.MRK4.08%
Verizon Communications Inc.VZ4.03%
The Coca-Cola CompanyKO3.98%
Texas Instruments IncorporatedTXN3.86%
PepsiCo, Inc.PEP3.83%
Amgen Inc.AMGN3.78%
Abbott LaboratoriesABT3.78%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG3.70%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose SCHD if...

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

Choose COWZ if...

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

Choose SCHD if...

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

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