1 Unstoppable Dividend ETF Up 26% in 2026 to Buy and Hold for the Next 20 Years

1 Unstoppable Dividend ETF Up 26% in 2026 to Buy and Hold for the Next 20 Years Neil Patel, The Motley Fool Fri, July 31, 2026 at 4:38 PM GMT+2 3 min read NVDA ^GSPC Unexpected things happen in the stock market all the time. For instance, there's one popular exchange-traded fund (ETF) that generated a total return of 53% in the five-year period from the start of 2021 to the end of 2025. This year, it's put on an incredible performance that's nearly half that.

Meet the unstoppable dividend ETF that has registered a total return of 26% so far in 2026 (as of July 29), crushing the S&P 500 index by a wide margin. Income investors should think about buying and holding for the next 20 years. Missed Nvidia in 2009?

This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again.  In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia.  For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia.

  Continue » Image source: Getty Images. There's a focus on fundamentals The investment vehicle that is thriving right now is the Schwab U. S.

Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHD). Offered by massive asset manager Charles Schwab , it tracks the performance of the Dow Jones U. S.

Dividend 100 Index . So, there are 100 stocks in total. The ETF currently has $105 billion in assets.

Its expense ratio of 0. 06% is compelling. And the trailing-12-month dividend yield is a healthy 3.

3%. There is an extreme focus on quality here. Companies must meet certain criteria before being added to the ETF.

The first bar to clear is that these stocks must have paid dividends in at least 10 straight years. This eliminates a lot of contenders. Fundamentals come into focus next.

Businesses are selected based on four key factors: cash flow-to-debt ratio, return on equity, dividend yield, and five-year dividend growth rate. No single position can represent more than 4% of the holdings. The financial strength of these companies directly benefits investors.

Not only are the dividends durable, but they have risen over time. In the past decade, the dividend payout has more than tripled. Add stability to your portfolio The information technology sector has a huge weighting in the S&P 500 index.

Consequently, the closely watched benchmark has a bigger tilt toward growth businesses. This includes the "Magnificent Seven" stocks, which account for a significant share of the benchmark. Investors will agree that this setup adds greater upside.

But they might also find that it makes things riskier. Here's where the Schwab U. S.

Dividend Equity ETF adds value. Its portfolio is different. The top two sectors are healthcare and consumer staples, together accounting for 41% of the portfolio.

Companies in these industries are considered resilient to recessions. The ETF's top three holdings right now, Abbott Laboratories , Amgen , and Merck , fit the description. Story Continues The economy and market will surely experience fear, uncertainty, and doubt.

Investors who choose to buy and hold this ETF for 20 years will find it easier to handle adverse situations. Should you buy stock in Schwab U. S.

Dividend Equity ETF right now? Before you buy stock in Schwab U. S.

Dividend Equity ETF, consider this: The Motley Fool  Stock Advisor  analyst team just identified what they believe are the  10 best stocks  for investors to buy now… and Schwab U. S. Dividend Equity ETF wasn't one of them.

 The 10 stocks that made the cut are built for long-term growth and could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when  Netflix  made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation,  you'd have $394,601 !

* Or when  Nvidia  made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation,  you'd have $1,197,093 ! * That performance is why people listen.

With a track record of  beating the S&P 500 by 4x ,  Stock Advisor  offers a distinct advantage. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with  Stock Advisor , and join an investing community built for the long haul. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 31, 2026.

Charles Schwab is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Neil Patel has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Abbott Laboratories, Amgen, and Merck.

The Motley Fool recommends Charles Schwab and recommends the following options: short September 2026 $95 calls on Charles Schwab. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .