Franklin US Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF

LVHD

Market cap $599M

Designed to provide broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market, the Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHD) is a smart beta exchange traded fund launched on 12/28/2015.

Launched on December 28, 2015, the Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHD) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.

Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHD) offers high dividends and low volatility but fails to deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns. LVHD's sector concentration in utilities, consumer staples, and real estate limits exposure to growth sectors, especially IT, hindering long-term performance. Despite lower volatility and higher yield than IWV, LVHD underperforms on total and risk-adjusted returns, making it a yield trap for investors.

FatCamera / iStock via Getty Images Balancing income and capital preservation is central for retirees.

Designed to provide broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market, the Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHD) is a smart beta exchange traded fund launched on 12/28/2015.

Designed to provide broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market, the Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHD) is a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 12/28/2015.

Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF offers a differentiated, low-volatility, high-dividend strategy focused on profitable U.S. companies with durable dividends, with sector and single-stock diversification caps. The LVHD ETF underweights tech and communication sectors, favoring consumer staples and utilities, which provides defensive positioning but may miss high-growth opportunities. LVHD charges a low fee, yields 3.47%, and has outperformed peers over 1- and 5-year periods, making it attractive for income-focused investors.

LVHD shows inconsistent performance during market corrections but lags consistently during this bull market. With a turnover rate of 65% this ETF contradicts the promise of stability and adds unnecessary transaction fees. The 3.68% yield isn't truly high yield, and the payout ratio of 74% raises concerns about safety in major downturns.

Making its debut on 12/28/2015, smart beta exchange traded fund Franklin U.S. Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF (LVHD) provides investors broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market.

With all of the uncertainty swirling around the economy, the stock market has been moving one step forward and two steps back.