The Motley Fool, a Yahoo Finance subsidiary, noted that some dividend growth ETFs have outperformed the broader market. For instance, the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) delivered a total return of 28.7% in the year ending September 10, 2026, surpassing the S&P 500's return of approximately 18.6% over the same period. The analysis suggests that the current rising interest rate environment favors companies with strong cash flow and shareholder-friendly policies, and historically, dividend strategies have performed well during recessions and periods of rising interest rates. However, market performance is constantly changing, raising doubts about the sustainability of this trend.