MCOW vs SCHD

MCOW vs SCHD

Which is better, MCOW or SCHD?

Mid Cap Blend against Large Cap Value.

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y and the full window. MCOW is less concentrated, with 33.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.6%.

Lower Fees: SCHDHigher Returns: SCHDLess Concentrated: MCOW

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricMCOWSCHD
Expense Ratio0.49%0.06%Best
AUM$1M$111.6B
Dividend Yield0.25%3.24%
Holdings158206
YTD Return+12.64%+25.99%Best
1Y Return+10.50%+31.80%Best
3Y Return (annualized)-+17.07%
5Y Return (annualized)-+9.69%
Volatility (annualized)13.1%Best14.5%
Max Drawdown-15.1%-6.9%Best
$10,000 over 1.1 years$10,881$12,722Best
Top 10 Weight33.7%Best41.6%
Fund FamilyPacer ETFsCharles Schwab Asset Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleMid Cap BlendLarge Cap Value
InceptionAug 27, 2025Oct 20, 2011

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 1.1 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Aug 28, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026 (1.1 years).

MCOW vs SCHD growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 1.1 years both funds cover.

MCOW vs SCHD Performance

Pacer S&P MidCap 400 Quality FCF Aristocrats ETF (MCOW) is an ETF from Pacer ETFs and Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) is an ETF from Charles Schwab Asset Management. Over the past year MCOW returned +10.50% while SCHD returned +31.80%. Year to date, MCOW is up 12.64% versus a gain of 25.99% for SCHD.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

SCHD has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 14.5% compared with 13.1% for MCOW. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -15.1% for MCOW and -6.9% for SCHD. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.19. They move largely independently of each other.

Fees and Cost Over Time

MCOW charges 0.49% per year while SCHD charges 0.06%. On a $10,000 position that is $49 vs $6 annually, a gap of $43 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, MCOW currently yields 0.25% against 3.24% for SCHD.

Holdings Overlap

MCOW already in SCHD1.8%
SCHD already in MCOW0.5%

1.8% of MCOW's money is in holdings SCHD also owns. 0.5% of SCHD's money is in holdings MCOW also owns.

MCOW and SCHD share little of their money.

3 positions in common, counted across the 76 positions we hold weights for in MCOW and 98 in SCHD, against full books of 158 and 206.

What only one of them owns

Our book lists 94 positions for SCHD that do not appear in our book for MCOW (99.2% of the fund), and 71 for MCOW that do not appear in SCHD (95.4%).

Some of those will be the same company recorded under a different code in one of the two books, so the real difference in what you would own is no larger than this and may be smaller. We do not name the individual positions here for that reason.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in MCOWWeight in SCHDDifference
WSOWatsco Inc0.90%0.27%0.63%
NXSTNexstar Media Group Inc0.52%0.12%0.40%
MTNVail Resorts Inc.0.42%0.13%0.29%

You are not choosing between two funds in isolation.

Whichever of MCOW and SCHD you pick has to sit alongside everything else you own. Add the rest and see what the combination actually holds.

MCOWSCHD

Free for up to 10 holdings. No account needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, MCOW or SCHD?

MCOW has an expense ratio of 0.49% while SCHD charges 0.06%. SCHD is the cheaper option, by $43 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, MCOW or SCHD?

Over the past year MCOW returned +10.50% vs +31.80% for SCHD, so SCHD leads on 1-year performance. Over the longest common window we track (1 years), MCOW annualized +7.98% vs +24.47% for SCHD. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, MCOW or SCHD?

SCHD has been the more volatile fund at 14.5% annualized versus 13.1% for MCOW. Worst drawdown: MCOW -15.1% vs SCHD -6.9%.

Should I hold both MCOW and SCHD?

MCOW and SCHD have a monthly-return correlation of 0.19, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between MCOW and SCHD?

1.8% of MCOW's money is in holdings SCHD also owns. 0.5% of SCHD's is in holdings MCOW also owns. They hold 3 positions in common, counted across the 76 positions we hold weights for in MCOW and 98 in SCHD.

Which pays a higher dividend, MCOW or SCHD?

MCOW yields 0.25% while SCHD yields 3.24%, so SCHD currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is SCHD better than MCOW?

SCHD has a lower expense ratio. SCHD led over 1Y and the full window. MCOW is less concentrated, with 33.7% of the fund in its ten largest positions against 41.6%. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.