This Dividend ETF Is Up 12% in 2026 and Still Paying Retirees Well, but With a Catch

First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund (NYSEARCA: FDL) is up 12.3% year-to-date, moving from about $44 to nearly $50.

24/7 Wall Street • Apr 14, 2026

Should First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders ETF (FDL) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Designed to provide broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market, the First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders ETF (FDL) is a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on March 9, 2006.

Zacks Investment Research • Apr 2, 2026

FDL: Regular Yield Alongside Capital Appreciation, And Tactical Exposure

The First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders ETF offers a 4% yield, supported by underlying dividends rather than capital gains or option strategies. FDL's portfolio is heavily weighted toward energy (over 30%), positioning it to benefit from current macro tailwinds and elevated oil prices. While FDL has underperformed the S&P 500 over long horizons, it has outperformed during recent energy market rallies, making it attractive for tactical allocation.

Seeking Alpha • Mar 17, 2026

Retirees Are Quickly Moving Into These Dividend Funds

Shifting from higher-risk assets to consistent income sources is a natural progression for retirees.

24/7 Wall Street • Feb 26, 2026

'Actual Income' Is The Type Of AI Stock Investors Want Now

Move over artificial intelligence. The new AI investors want this year from the S&P 500 is "actual income.

Investors Business Daily • Feb 26, 2026

Dividend Stocks Keep Crushing The Market As AI Concerns Mount

Dividend ETFs like SCHD, FDL, and HDV are outperforming AI and SaaS stocks as investors favor moderate-yielding dividend payers over high-growth tech names.

Seeking Alpha • Feb 21, 2026

5 Dividend ETFs Beating the S&P 500 This Year

Five dividend ETFs -- DFJ, SCHD, FDL, HDV and EYLD -- have outpaced SPY in 2026 as investors rotate toward quality income plays.

Zacks Investment Research • Feb 20, 2026

Undisruptable: How Dividend Stocks Became Market Leaders - And Why That Scares Me

Dividend stocks and defensive sectors have dramatically outperformed as investors flee AI-vulnerable and AI-spending industries, but valuations now appear stretched. Consumer staples and energy sectors trade at historically high forward P/E multiples, often exceeding the S&P 500, despite lower long-term earnings growth prospects. Materials and industrials have also become extended, with valuations reflecting significant future earnings already priced in, especially given AI infrastructure spending.

Seeking Alpha • Feb 14, 2026

Revenge Of The Dividend Stocks

Dividend stocks have sharply outperformed AI-related tech stocks since November 2025, reversing a multi-year trend. I see the rally in dividend ETFs like SCHD as overextended, prompting a pause in new purchases despite recent gains. AI is likely to benefit users more than makers, with sectors like banks, energy, and consumer staples positioned as early winners.

Seeking Alpha • Feb 7, 2026

Morningstar's Dividend ETF Is Kind of Perfect for Retirees Right Now

When retirement income depends on dividends that actually arrive, sector concentration stops being a flaw and starts looking like conviction.

24/7 Wall Street • Jan 9, 2026