RDVI vs. DGRO

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

RDVI (FT Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF) and DGRO (iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - RDVI is a Derivative Income fund tracking the NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers, while DGRO is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, RDVI returned 19.56%/yr vs 17.52%/yr for DGRO. Their correlation of 0.83 means they have usually moved in the same direction. RDVI charges 0.75%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for DGRO.

Performance

RDVI vs. DGRO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF (RDVI) and iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RDVI achieves a 19.32% return, which is significantly higher than DGRO's 15.02% return.

RDVI

• 1D: 1.36%
• 1M: 3.24%
• 6M: 14.75%
• YTD: 19.32%
• 1Y: 30.66%
• 3Y*: 19.56%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 21.18%

DGRO

• 1D: 1.09%
• 1M: 2.42%
• 6M: 10.12%
• YTD: 15.02%
• 1Y: 24.63%
• 3Y*: 17.52%
• 5Y*: 11.29%
• 10Y*: 13.50%
• ALL TIME*: 12.59%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	$108.47M	$103.38M	$110.52M
RDVI FT Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF	$26.62M	$24.09M	$18.88M

RDVI vs. DGRO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
RDVI FT Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF	19.32%	17.93%	14.56%	18.63%	8.29%
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	15.02%	15.69%	16.62%	10.47%	9.25%

Correlation

The correlation between RDVI and DGRO is 0.70, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.70
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.82
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 20, 2022	0.83

The correlation between RDVI and DGRO shifts across timeframes, from 0.70 (1 year) to 0.83 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

RDVI vs. DGRO - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	RDVI	DGRO
Financial Services	38.9%	20.4%
Technology	19.4%	17.3%
Industrials	12.5%	11.3%
Consumer Cyclical	11.1%	6.5%
Healthcare	5.6%	17.9%
Communication Services	4.2%	0.1%
Consumer Defensive	2.8%	11.9%
Energy	2.8%	4.8%
Utilities	1.4%	7.3%
Basic Materials	-	2.5%
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

RDVI vs. DGRO — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

RDVI

RDVI Risk / Return Rank: 86
RDVI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
RDVI Sortino Ratio Rank: 86
RDVI Omega Ratio Rank: 82
RDVI Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
RDVI Martin Ratio Rank: 89

DGRO

DGRO Risk / Return Rank: 91
DGRO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 93
DGRO Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
DGRO Omega Ratio Rank: 92
DGRO Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
DGRO Martin Ratio Rank: 89

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

RDVI vs. DGRO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF (RDVI) and iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	RDVI	DGRO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.21	2.60	-0.38
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.16	3.77	-0.61
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.48	-0.09
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.63	3.83	-0.19
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	15.23	14.91	+0.32

RDVI vs. DGRO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RDVI Sharpe Ratio is 2.21, which is comparable to the DGRO Sharpe Ratio of 2.60. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RDVI and DGRO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

RDVI vs. DGRO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RDVI drawdown since its inception was -18.35%, smaller than the maximum DGRO drawdown of -35.10%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RDVI and DGRO.

Drawdown Indicators

	RDVI	DGRO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.35%	-35.10%	+16.75%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.48%	-6.47%	-2.01%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.35%	-14.03%	-4.32%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-19.31%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-35.10%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.07%	-3.40%	+0.33%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.02%	1.66%	+0.36%

Volatility

RDVI vs. DGRO - Volatility Comparison

FT Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF (RDVI) has a higher volatility of 3.65% compared to iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) at 3.05%. This indicates that RDVI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DGRO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RDVI	DGRO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.65%	3.05%	+0.60%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.92%	7.16%	+3.76%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.99%	9.58%	+4.41%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.83%	13.80%	+3.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.83%	16.59%	+0.24%

RDVI vs. DGRO - Expense Ratio Comparison

RDVI has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is higher than DGRO's 0.08% expense ratio.

Dividends

RDVI vs. DGRO - Dividend Comparison

RDVI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.58%, more than DGRO's 1.87% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DGRO iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF	1.87%	2.09%	2.26%	2.45%	2.34%	1.93%	2.30%	2.21%	2.44%	2.03%	2.27%	2.52%
RDVI FT Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF	7.58%	8.10%	8.62%	8.45%	1.53%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RDVI and DGRO in my portfolio?

RDVI and DGRO have a correlation of 0.70, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RDVI or DGRO?

RDVI has higher volatility (3.65%) compared to DGRO (3.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RDVI dropped -18.35% vs DGRO's -35.10%.

Which ETF is better, RDVI or DGRO?

On 3-year performance, RDVI leads with 19.56% vs 17.52% for DGRO. On fees, DGRO is cheaper at 0.08% per year. On volatility, DGRO has been the lower-risk option at 3.05%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, RDVI or DGRO?

Over the 3-year period, RDVI has performed better with a 19.56% return vs 17.52%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, RDVI or DGRO?

DGRO is cheaper with a 0.08% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for RDVI.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, RDVI or DGRO?

RDVI has the higher dividend yield at 7.58%, compared with 1.87% for DGRO.

What is the main difference between RDVI and DGRO?

RDVI is categorized as Derivative Income, while DGRO is Large Cap Growth Equities. RDVI tracks NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers, while DGRO tracks Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index. They also come from different issuers: FT Vest and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.75% for RDVI and 0.08% for DGRO.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DGRO currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.60 vs 2.21), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.