Dividends and consistently gain

Screening Filters

1. 1‑Year Price Change: 4%–20% (year_price_change_pct)

   • Purpose: Find ETFs with moderate, positive recent performance.
   • Rationale:
     • A minimum of +4% helps avoid funds that have been struggling badly.
     • A cap at +20% avoids ultra‑high flyers that often come with higher volatility and may not be “consistent” by nature.
     • This range tilts toward ETFs that have been growing, but not in a way that suggests speculative spikes.

2. Themes: Large Cap Value, Consumer Staples, Utilities (themes)

   • Purpose: Focus on traditionally defensive, dividend‑oriented parts of the market.
   • Rationale:
     • Large Cap Value Equities: Typically established, profitable companies that often return cash via dividends and show more stable earnings than aggressive growth names.
     • Consumer Staples Equities: Companies selling everyday goods (food, household items, etc.) that people buy in good and bad economies; this sector is known for steady cash flows and reliable dividends.
     • Utilities Equities: Power, water, gas, etc.—regulated, recurring‑revenue businesses that are classic dividend payers and relatively resilient in downturns.
     • Together, these themes align strongly with “dividends and consistency” rather than high‑volatility growth bets.

3. Expense Ratio: ≤ 0.25% (expense_ratio)

   • Purpose: Keep fees low so more of the return and dividend yield reaches you.
   • Rationale:
     • Every 0.1–0.2% in fees is money coming out of your income and long‑term gains.
     • A cap at 0.25% screens out high‑cost funds that might erode both your dividend income and total return over time.
     • Low‑cost ETFs are generally better suited for long‑term, consistent compounding.

4. Dividend Yield: 4%–6% (annual_dividend_yield)

   • Purpose: Target meaningful, but not extreme, income.
   • Rationale:
     • A minimum of 4% ensures the fund is genuinely income‑oriented and “good for dividends,” not just a token 1–2% payout.
     • An upper bound of 6% avoids the very high‑yield segment, where yields above ~7–8% can often signal elevated risk, distressed sectors, or unsustainable payouts.
     • This band aims at healthy, sustainable dividend levels consistent with stability rather than yield traps.

5. Inception Date: On or Before 2015‑01‑01 (inception_date)

   • Purpose: Require a long enough track record to assess consistency.
   • Rationale:
     • Funds launched before 2015 now have roughly a decade or more of history, often including different market cycles.
     • This allows investors to see how the ETF behaved in bull and bear markets, and whether dividends and performance have been relatively stable.
     • Newer ETFs may look good over a short window but lack evidence of long‑term, consistent gains.

Why Results Match Your Request

• The sector/style focus (large cap value, staples, utilities) zeroes in on areas known for steady earnings and reliable dividends, which is aligned with “good for dividends and consistent gains.”
• The dividend yield band (4–6%) explicitly targets solid income while trying to stay away from potentially unsustainable high‑yield risks.
• The 1‑year return filter (4–20%) looks for ETFs that have been doing reasonably well, but not those driven by speculative surges, supporting the idea of “consistent” rather than “explosive” gains.
• The low expense ratio filter helps protect your net return and dividend income over the long run.
• The older inception date requirement focuses on ETFs with proven track records, allowing for a better assessment of consistency over many years.