ETF Versus

COWZ vs VYM

Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF vs Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares

Last updated: 2026-04-10

COWZ Pacer

Pacer US Cash Cows 100 ETF (COWZ) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Pacer that provides exposure to us factor - cash flow securities. It charges an above-average expense ratio of 0.49%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.10%. Launched in 2016, the fund has a 10-year track record.

AUM: $18.1B ER: 0.49% Yield: 2.10% Since: Dec 16, 2016
VYM Vanguard

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF Shares (VYM) is an exchange-traded fund issued by Vanguard that provides exposure to U.S. dividend-paying stocks selected for yield or dividend growth. It charges a very low expense ratio of 0.04%. The fund offers a moderate dividend yield of 2.31%. Launched in 2006, the fund has a 20-year track record.

AUM: $74.7B ER: 0.04% Yield: 2.31% Since: Nov 10, 2006

Quick Verdict

VYM is significantly cheaper at 0.04% vs 0.49% expense ratio, saving you approximately $880 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. VYM has edged ahead over the past year (27.9% vs 25.6%).

Key Metrics

Metric COWZ VYM
Expense Ratio 0.49% 0.04%
Dividend Yield 2.1% 2.3%
Fund Family Pacer Vanguard
Category US Factor - Cash Flow US Dividend

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

90 103 116 129 142 155 2021-04 2022-07 2023-10 2025-01 2026-04
COWZ +47.6%
VYM +48.6%

Performance Comparison

Period COWZ VYM Difference
1 Month -2.36% +1.40% -3.76%
3 Months -0.57% +3.22% -3.79%
6 Months +9.28% +9.20% +0.08%
YTD +1.81% +5.27% -3.46%
1 Year +25.61% +27.88% -2.27%
3 Years +28.65% +42.71% -14.06%
5 Years +47.64% +48.59% -0.95%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period COWZ Fees VYM Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $960 $80 $880
$10,000 20 years $4,052 $344 $3,708
$10,000 30 years $12,832 $1,112 $11,720
$50,000 10 years $4,799 $399 $4,400
$50,000 30 years $64,162 $5,560 $58,601
$100,000 30 years $128,324 $11,121 $117,203

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric COWZ VYM
Annualized Volatility 17.8% 14.0%
Max Drawdown -22.6% -17.5%
Sharpe Ratio 0.28 0.32

Dividend Comparison

Metric COWZ VYM
Annual Dividend (per share) $1.29 $3.51
Dividend Yield 2.10% 2.31%
Distribution Frequency Quarterly Quarterly

Top Holdings

0 of top 10 holdings overlap (0% overlap in top holdings)

COWZ Top Holdings

NameWeight
ConocoPhillipsCOP2.30%
Pfizer Inc.PFE2.11%
Altria Group, Inc.MO2.05%
AT&T Inc.T2.02%
Bristol-Myers Squibb CompanyBMY2.02%
Gilead Sciences, Inc.GILD1.99%
Newmont CorporationNEM1.99%
Booking Holdings Inc.BKNG1.98%
Verizon Communications Inc.VZ1.97%
Uber Technologies, Inc.UBER1.97%

VYM Top Holdings

NameWeight
Broadcom Inc.AVGO6.48%
JPMorgan Chase & Co.JPM3.36%
Exxon Mobil CorporationXOM2.83%
Johnson & JohnsonJNJ2.63%
Walmart Inc.WMT2.44%
AbbVie Inc.ABBV1.81%
The Procter & Gamble CompanyPG1.72%
The Home Depot, Inc.HD1.66%
Chevron CorporationCVX1.54%
Caterpillar Inc.CAT1.51%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose VYM if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose VYM if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

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