STRATEGY 101 | U.S.
The Importance of Dividends
CONTRIBUTORS
Vinit Srivastava
Senior Director
Strategy Indices
vinit.srivastava@spdji.com
Jane Kim
Associate Director
Strategy Indices
jane.kim@spdji.com
The percentage of dividends as a part of personal income has steadily
increased over time, making dividends an important source of income.
Dividend income has climbed from 2.85% in 1981 to 5.89% in 2014, whereas
interest income has declined from 13.5% to 8.6% over the same period (see
Exhibit 1).
Exhibit 1: Dividends and Interest as Percent of Personal Income
18%
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6%
4%
Since 1956,
dividends have
accounted for
approximately onethird of the total
equity return of the
S&P 500, with
capital appreciation
making up the other
two-thirds.
2%
0%
Dividend Income (Percent of Personal Income)
Interest Income (Percent of Personal Income)
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis. National Income Product Accounts. Data as of Dec. 31, 2014.
Past
performance is no guarantee of future results. Chart is provided for illustrative purposes.
Since 1956, dividends have accounted for approximately one-third of the total
equity return of the S&P 500®, with capital appreciation making up the other
two-thirds. Today, most market participants know that both sustainable
dividend income and the potential for capital appreciation form total return
expectations.
Exhibits 2 and 3 illustrate the historical importance of
dividends.
. The Importance of Dividends
October 2015
Exhibit 2: Percentage of Annualized Total Returns of the S&P 500 From
Dividends
Contribution of Dividends to Total Return of the S&P 500
160%
140%
120%
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
1940s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
1936-2014
Exhibit 3: Dividends and the Compounding Effect
10000.0
USD 2,648.69
1000.0
USD 132.19
100.0
USD
Today, most market
participants know
that both sustainable
dividend income and
the potential for
capital appreciation
form total return
expectations.
1950s
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Data as of Aug. 31, 2015. Past performance is no guarantee of future
results.
Chart is provided for illustrative purposes and reflects hypothetical historical performance. Please see the
Performance Disclosures at the end of this document for more information regarding the inherent limitations
associated with back-tested performance.
10.0
1.0
0.1
S&P 500 (TR)
S&P 500
Ratio
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Data as of Aug.
31, 2015. Past performance is no guarantee of future
results. Chart is provided for illustrative purposes and reflects hypothetical historical performance.
Please see the
Performance Disclosures at the end of this document for more information regarding the inherent limitations
associated with back-tested performance.
2
. The Importance of Dividends
October 2015
INDEX DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
The S&P 500 High Dividend Index aims to provide exposure to the highest quintile of
dividend-paying stocks in the S&P 500.
The constituents of S&P 500 High Dividend Index must be members of the S&P 500
and have an indicated dividend yield as of the rebalancing reference date. The index
ranks in descending order the indicated dividend yield and selects the top 80 equally
weighted by 1/(n=80). The index is rebalanced semiannually in January and July.
Exhibit 4: S&P 500 High Dividend Index Characteristics
Number of Constituents
80
Weight Largest Constituents (%)
1.7
Weight Top 10 Constituents (%)
14.2
Constituent Market Cap (USD Million)
Mean Total Market Cap
37,284.9
Largest Total Market Cap
254,631.9
Smallest Total Market Cap
4,008.1
Median Total Market Cap
17,434.0
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Data as of Aug.
31, 2015. Table is provided for illustrative purposes.
In the large-cap U.S.
equity space, we find
that over the past 24
years, firms that have
paid high dividends
relative to their peers
have outperformed
the broader market.
INDEX CHARACTERISTICS
In the large-cap U.S. equity space, we find that over the past 24 years, firms
that have paid high dividends relative to their peers have outperformed the
broader market (see Exhibits 5 and 6).
Such outperformance comes at a
slightly higher volatility over the total time period and higher drawdowns. This
can be expected, as there is no filter on the quality of the dividend payments,
but only on the magnitude of the payments relative to the price (dividend
yield).
Exhibit 5: Comparing Wealth Curves
2000
1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
S&P 500 High Dividend Index (TR)
S&P 500 (TR)
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Data as of Aug.
31, 2015. Index performance based on total return in USD.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Chart is provided for illustrative purposes and reflects
hypothetical historical performance.
Please see the Performance Disclosures at the end of this document for more
information regarding the inherent limitations associated with back-tested performance.
3
. The Importance of Dividends
October 2015
Exhibit 6: Comparing Wealth Curves
January 31, 1991 =
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
The yield of the S&P
500 High Dividend
Index is on average
200-300 bps higher
than the S&P 500.
0.4
S&P 500 High Dividend Index/S&P 500
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Data as of Aug. 31, 2015. Index performance based on total return in USD.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results.
Chart is provided for illustrative purposes and reflects
hypothetical historical performance. Please see the Performance Disclosures at the end of this document for more
information regarding the inherent limitations associated with back-tested performance.
As could be expected, the yield of the S&P 500 High Dividend Index is on
average 200-300 bps higher than the S&P 500 (see Exhibit 7).
Exhibit 7: Risk/Return Profiles
Annual Return (%)
S&P 500 High Dividend Index (TR)
S&P 500 (TR)
Past 1 Year
0.25
0.48
Past 3 Years
14.30
14.31
Past 5 Years
15.46
15.87
Past 7 Years
10.34
8.69
Past 10 Years
21.84
17.71
5.11
5.80
Annual Volatility (%)
Past 1 Year
Past 3 Years
9.75
9.56
Past 5 Years
10.01
11.91
Past 7 Years
20.53
16.53
Past 10 Years
16.74
15.25
Past 1 Year
0.05
0.08
Past 3 Years
1.47
1.50
Past 5 Years
1.54
1.33
Past 7 Years
0.50
0.53
Past 10 Years
1.30
1.16
-7.31
-6.03
Past 5 Years
-8.94
-16.26
Past 7 Years
-52.38
-36.13
Past 10 Years
-0.66
-0.51
Annualized Risk-Adjusted Return
Maximum Drawdown (%)
Past 3 Years
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Data as of Aug.
31, 2015. Index performance based on total return in USD.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. It is not possible to invest directly in an index, and index returns
do not reflect expenses an investor would pay.
Table is provided for illustrative purposes and reflects hypothetical
historical performance. Please see the Performance Disclosures at the end of this document for more information
regarding the inherent limitations associated with back-tested performance.
4
. The Importance of Dividends
October 2015
Exhibit 8: S&P 500 and S&P 500 High Dividend Index Historical Yield
14
12
S&P 500 High Dividend
Index Dividend Yield
10
S&P 500 Dividend Yield
8
6
4
2
0
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Monthly dividend yield data from Jan. 2, 2004, to Aug. 31, 2015.
Past
performance is no guarantee of future results. Chart is provided for illustrative purposes and reflects hypothetical
historical performance. Please see the Performance Disclosures at the end of this document for more information
regarding the inherent limitations associated with back-tested performance.
In times when interest
rates are low,
investors tend to seek
places where they
can receive a higher
yield for their
investment.
In times when interest rates are low, investors tend to seek places where they
can receive a higher yield for their investment.
Exhibit 8 shows that as of
Aug. 31, 2015, the S&P 500 High Dividend Index delivered the highest yield,
at 4.33%. The current low interest rate environment has made dividend
investing a compelling strategy.
Currently, the yield on the six-month U.S.
Treasury Bill is the lowest among the instruments observed. Recently,
equity- and dividend-based strategies have been offering higher yields
compared with many traditional fixed income options that are available to
income-seeking investors. Exhibit 9 compares the current yields on the
short-term fixed income instruments with equities and a portfolio of highdividend-paying securities.
Exhibit 9: Yield Comparison
5.00%
4.33%
4.50%
4.00%
3.50%
3.00%
2.20%
2.50%
2.14%
2.00%
1.50%
1.00%
0.50%
0.23%
0.00%
Six-Month U.S.
Treasury Bill
S&P U.S.
Aggregate
Bond Index
S&P 500 High
Dividend Index
S&P 500
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Data as of Aug. 31, 2015.
Past performance is no guarantee of future
results. Chart is provided for illustrative purposes and reflects hypothetical historical performance. Please see the
Performance Disclosures at the end of this document for more information regarding the inherent limitations
associated with back-tested performance.
5
.
The Importance of Dividends
October 2015
TURNOVER
To reduce turnover, there is a 20% buffer rule based on the indicated
dividend yield at each rebalancing.
Exhibit 10 illustrates a one-way turnover, with an average turnover rate of
about 37.4%. The highest turnover rates occurred during recessions,
including from 1998 to 2001 and again from 2008 to 2011. The highest
turnovers occurred during January and July, as these are the rebalancing
dates.
Exhibit 10: S&P 500 High Dividend Index Total Turnover
Since the index is
based on dividend
yield, it is highly
concentrated in the
utilities and financials
sectors.
70%
Average = 37.4%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Annual turnover data from Feb.
1, 1991, to Aug. 31, 2015. Past
performance is no guarantee of future results.
Chart is provided for illustrative purposes and reflects hypothetical
historical performance. Please see the Performance Disclosures at the end of this document for more information
regarding the inherent limitations associated with back-tested performance.
Since the index is based on dividend yield, it is highly concentrated in the
utilities and financials sectors, which can be expected (see Exhibit 11).
Despite the recession from 2008-2009, exposure to financials remained high
during this period, as the sector had transitioned from diversified banks in the
early 1990s to regional banks and specialized REITs. Sector exposure may
affect the index when interest rates rise.
Typically, when interest rates rise,
defensive sectors such as utilities tend to be more heavily affected.
6
. The Importance of Dividends
October 2015
Exhibit 11: Sector Allocation of the S&P 500 High Dividend Index
100%
90%
Utilities
80%
Telecommunication
Services
Technology
70%
Materials
60%
50%
Information
Technology
Industrials
40%
Health Care
30%
20%
10%
0%
As we go from the
S&P 500 Dividend
Aristocrats (which
employs a stringent
dividend growth
screen) to the S&P
500 High Dividend
Index, which doesn’t
employ a quality
screen, yields and
volatility get higher, as
would be expected.
Financials
Energy
Consumer Staples
Consumer
Discretionary
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Data from Jan. 31, 1991, to Aug. 31, 2015.
Chart is provided for illustrative
purposes.
Exhibit 12: Sector Allocation of the S&P 500
100.00%
90.00%
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
Utilities
Telecommunication
Services
Materials
Information
Technology
Industrials
50.00%
Health Care
40.00%
Financials
30.00%
Energy
20.00%
Consumer Staples
10.00%
0.00%
Consumer
Discretionary
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Data from Jan. 31, 1991, to Aug.
31, 2015. Chart is provided for illustrative
purposes.
7
. The Importance of Dividends
October 2015
Since Jan. 31, 1991, sector exposures for the S&P 500 have remained
relatively stable over time and through various economic cycles (see Exhibit
12). The index has consistently shown large concentrations in financials and
information technology. This is in contrast with the S&P 500 High Dividend
Index, for which sector exposures have changed more dynamically and have
been heavily concentrated in financials and utilities.
Since the S&P 500 does
not have a dividend yield requirement, there is broader sector representation
in comparison to the S&P 500 High Dividend Index.
FUNDAMENTAL DATA COMPARISON
The performance of high-yielding stocks in the S&P 500 High Dividend Index
is further illustrated in Exhibits 13 and 14 in the breakdown of fundamentals.
The biggest gap is evident in the price-to-cash-flow ratio, marking a
difference of approximately 14% between the two indices. Large, highyielding U.S. stocks also have stronger earnings, as illustrated by the higher
price-to-earnings ratios (P/E; trailing and forward) in comparison with its
benchmark (see Exhibit 13).
Since 2009, the P/E of the S&P 500 High
Dividend Index has been on average 1.2 times higher than that of S&P 500.
Furthermore, the constituents of the S&P 500 High Dividend Index tend to
have higher cash flow, enabling them to pay out higher in comparison to the
S&P 500 (see Exhibit 14).
Exhibit 13: P/E Ratios
35.0000
30.0000
25.0000
P/E Trailing
S&P 500
High
Dividend
Index
20.0000
15.0000
P/E Trailing
S&P 500
10.0000
5.0000
0.0000
December 2009
March 2010
June 2010
September 2010
December 2010
March 2011
June 2011
September 2011
December 2011
March 2012
June 2012
September 2012
December 2012
March 2013
June 2013
September 2013
December 2013
March 2014
June 2014
September 2014
December 2014
March 2015
June 2015
Since 2009, the P/E
of the S&P 500 High
Dividend Index has
been on average 1.2
times higher than that
of S&P 500.
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Chart is provided for illustrative purposes.
8
. The Importance of Dividends
October 2015
Exhibit 14: Price/Cash Flow Ratios
35.0000
30.0000
25.0000
Price/Cash Flow
S&P 500 High
Dividend Index
20.0000
15.0000
10.0000
Price/Cash Flow
S&P 500
5.0000
April 2015
December 2014
April 2014
August 2014
August 2013
December 2013
April 2013
December 2012
April 2012
August 2012
August 2011
December 2011
April 2011
December 2010
April 2010
August 2010
0.0000
December 2009
The constituents of
the S&P 500 High
Dividend Index tend
to have higher cash
flow, enabling them to
pay out higher in
comparison to the
S&P 500.
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Chart is provided for illustrative purposes.
COMPARISON OF S&P 500 HIGH DIVIDEND INDEX VERSUS OTHER S&P 500
DIVIDEND INDICES
Exhibit 15 reflects the differences in the index construction of three different S&P
®
500-based dividend strategies: the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats , the S&P 500 Low
Volatility High Dividend Index, and the S&P 500 High Dividend Index. As we go from
the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats (which employs a stringent dividend growth screen)
to the S&P 500 High Dividend Index (which doesn’t employ a quality screen), yields
and volatility get higher, as would be expected.
9
. The Importance of Dividends
The S&P 500 High
Dividend Index is
more of a pure-yieldpursuit strategy,
catered toward
investors who are
seeking current
income.
October 2015
Exhibit 15. S&P 500 Dividend Indices Comparison
S&P 500 High
Category
Dividend
S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats®
Index
Index
S&P 500
S&P 500
Universe
Securities with increased dividends
Top 80% of
every year for at least 25 years while
Constituent
highest-yielding
meeting minimum float-adjusted
Selection
securities from
market cap and liquidity requirements
the S&P 500
selected from the S&P 500
Current
Constituent
Floating–80
Floating–52 (minimum 40)
Number
Equally
Weighting
Equally weighted
weighted
Sector Weight
30
30
Cap (%)
Semiannual
Reconstituted annually in January;
Review
(January and
reweighted quarterly (April, July,
Frequency
July)
October)
10-Year
Annualized
21.84
10.17
Return (%)
10-Year
Annualized
16.74
13.76
Risk (%)
Current Yield
4.33
2.47
(%)
Base Date
Jan. 18, 1991
Dec. 31, 1989
S&P 500 Low Volatility
High Dividend Index
S&P 500
50 least-volatile names
from the top 75 highestyielding securities from
the S&P 500
Fixed–50
Historical annual
dividend yield
25
Semiannual (January
and July)
10.91
13.58
4.12
Jan.
31, 1990
Source: S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. Data as of Aug. 31, 2015.
Index performance based on total return in USD.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Table is provided for illustrative purposes and reflects
hypothetical historical performance. Please see the Performance Disclosures at the end of this document for more
information regarding the inherent limitations associated with back-tested performance.
CONCLUSION
The S&P 500 High Dividend Index is more of a pure-yield-pursuit strategy, catered
toward investors who are seeking current income.
As we have seen, the index does
exhibit slightly higher volatility than the benchmark S&P 500, but it has a current yield
that is an average of 200-300 bps higher than that of the S&P 500. Income-seeking
investors could employ this strategy in conjunction with other quintile-based S&P 500
factor strategies, based on their investment objective.
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10
. The Importance of Dividends
October 2015
PERFORMANCE DISCLOSURES
The S&P 500 High Dividend Index was launched on September 21, 2015. The S&P 500 was launched on March
4, 1957. All information for an index prior to the launch date is back-tested. However, it should be noted that the
historic calculations of an Economic Index may change from month to month based on revisions to the underlying
economic data used in the calculation of the index.
Complete index methodology details are available at
www.spdji.com. It is not possible to invest directly in an index.
S&P Dow Jones Indices defines various dates to assist our clients in providing transparency on their products.
The First Value Date is the first day for which there is a calculated value (either live or back-tested) for a given
index. The Base Date is the date at which the Index is set at a fixed value for calculation purposes.
The Launch
Date designates the date upon which the values of an index are first considered live: index values provided for
any date or time period prior to the index’s Launch Date are considered back-tested. S&P Dow Jones Indices
defines the Launch Date as the date by which the values of an index are known to have been released to the
public, for example via the company’s public website or its datafeed to external parties. For Dow Jones-branded
indicates introduced prior to May 31, 2013, the Launch Date (which prior to May 31, 2013, was termed “Date of
introduction”) is set at a date upon which no further changes were permitted to be made to the index
methodology, but that may have been prior to the Index’s public release date.
Past performance of the Index is not an indication of future results.
Prospective application of the methodology as
well as revisions to economic data used to calculate the Index may not result in performance commensurate with
the back-test returns shown. The back-test period does not necessarily correspond to the entire available history
of the Index. Please refer to the methodology paper for the Index, available at www.spdji.com for more details
about the index, including the manner in which it is rebalanced, the timing of such rebalancing, criteria for
additions and deletions, as well as all index calculations.
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of hindsight.
Back-tested data reflect the application of the index methodology and selection of index constituents
in hindsight. No hypothetical record can completely account for the impact of financial risk in actual trading. For
example, there are numerous factors related to the equities, fixed income, or commodities markets in general
which cannot be, and have not been accounted for in the preparation of the index information set forth, all of
which can affect actual performance.
The Index returns shown do not represent the results of actual trading of investable assets/securities.
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Jones Indices LLC maintains the Index and calculates the Index levels and performance shown or discussed, but
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performance of the securities/fund to be lower than the Index performance shown.
As a simple example, if an
index returned 10% on a US $100,000 investment for a 12-month period (or US $10,000) and an actual assetbased fee of 1.5% was imposed at the end of the period on the investment plus accrued interest (or US $1,650),
the net return would be 8.35% (or US $8,350) for the year. Over a three year period, an annual 1.5% fee taken at
year end with an assumed 10% return per year would result in a cumulative gross return of 33.10%, a total fee of
US $5,375, and a cumulative net return of 27.2% (or US $27,200).
11
. The Importance of Dividends
October 2015
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