Top 5 ETFs for Long-Term Growth and Stability: SPY, QQQ, VUG, SCHD, SCHG

Author

Investing Nuggets
September 30, 2024

“Before you invest in something, invest in time to understand it”

10Y returns

1. SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust ($SPY)

Benchmark: S&P500 Index

All-time return 1.21k %

SPY is one of the most popular exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the S&P 500 index, a benchmark of the U.S. equity markets, and shows the financial health of the economy. The S&P 500 has generated an average annual return of 10% since inception, which provides stability and steady growth over time, making SPY a core holding for long-term investors. Since SPY tracks the S&P 500, you’re betting on the long-term growth of the U.S. economy. It’s reliable, diversified, and has been delivering steady returns for decades. Perfect if you want a solid foundation in your portfolio without worrying about picking individual stocks. SPY has available daily 0DTE options.

Top 10 Holdings (34.14% weight)

  1. AAPL Aple Inc. 6.95%

  2.  Microsoft Corporation 6.53%

  3. NVDA NVIDIA Corporation 6.18%

  4. AMZN Amazon.com, Inc. 3.44%

  5. META Meta Platforms, Inc. 2.41%

  6. GOOGL Alphabet Inc. 2.02%

  7. BRK-B Berkshire Hathaway Inc 1.81%

  8. GOOG Alphabet Inc. 1.70%.

  9. LLY Eli Lilly and Company 1.61%

  10. AVGO Broadcom Inc. 1.49%

504 total holdings

2. Invesco QQQ Trust ($QQQ)

All-time return 854%

QQQ ETF passively tracks the Nasdaq 100 index and gives you exposure to 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on Nasdaq. Good for long-term investors who seek higher growth potential during bull markets, but QQQ declines more and underperforms SPY in bear markets because most of the companies appear overvalued with high PE (price to earnings). The fund and the index are rebalanced quarterly and reconstituted annually.

Top 10 Holdings (weight 50.54%)

  1. Apple Inc 8.84%

  2. Microsoft Corp 8.12%

  3. NVIDIA Corp 7.60%

  4. Broadcom Inc 5.28%

  5. Amazon.com Inc 5.04%

  6. Meta Platforms Inc Class A 5.04%

  7. Tesla Inc 3.22%

  8. Costco Wholesale Corp 2.59%

  9. Alphabet Inc Class A 2.45%

  10. Alphabet Inc Class C 2.36%

101 Total holdings

3. Vanguard Growth ETF ($VUG)

All-time return 675%

VUG is Vanguard’s low -expense, large-cap ETF, which tracks the performance of the CRSP U.S. large-cap growth index that measures the investment return of large-capitalization growth stocks, though it’s more volatile than value-oriented funds.

Top 10 Holdings (59.01% weight)

  1. AAPL Apple Inc.13.02%

  2. MSFT Microsoft Corporation12.10%

  3. NVDA NVIDIA Corporation10.89%

  4. AMZN Amazon.com, Inc.4.56%

  5. META Meta Platforms, Inc.4.47%

  6. GOOGL Alphabet Inc.3.75%

  7. LLY Eli Lilly and Company3.21%

  8. GOOG Alphabet Inc.3.08%

  9. TSLA Tesla, Inc.2.28%

  10. V Visa Inc.1.66%

188 Total holdings

4. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF ($SCHD)

All-time return 238%


SCHD tracks the DOW Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index before fees and expenses, built around U.S. stocks with strong dividend payouts and solid fundamentals. It focuses on companies with a track record of increasing dividends over time, making it an attractive choice for investors seeking capital appreciation and income. With a lower expense ratio and an emphasis on financially sound businesses, $SCHD offers a great balance between growth and income, making it ideal for long-term portfolios that need consistent cash flow without sacrificing growth potential.

Top 10 Holdings (41.01% weight)

  1. LMT Lockheed Martin Corporation4.49%

  2. ABBV AbbVie Inc.4.36%

  3. BLK BlackRock, Inc.4.20%

  4. KO The Coca-Cola Company4.16%

  5. HD The Home Depot, Inc.4.10%

  6. CSCO Cisco Systems, Inc.4.03%

  7. TXN Texas Instruments Incorporated4.02%

  8. AMGN Amgen Inc.3.99%

  9. BMY Bristol-Myers Squibb Company3.95%

  10. VZ Verizon Communications Inc.3.71%

103 Total holdings

5. Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF ($SCHG)

All-time return 719%

SCHG is a growth-focused ETF it tracks the DOW Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index that provides exposure to large-cap companies with the potential for substantial capital appreciation, making it suitable for long-term growth investors. SCHG has a low expense ratio of 0.04%, making it one of the more cost-effective growth ETFs.

Top 10 Holdings (58.57% of weight)

  1. AAPL Apple Inc.12.12%

  2. MSFT Microsoft Corporation11.38%

  3. NVDA NVIDIA Corporation10.78%

  4. AMZN Amazon.com, Inc.6.00%

  5. META Meta Platforms, Inc.4.20%

  6. GOOGL Alphabet Inc.3.52%

  7. GOOG Alphabet Inc.2.96%

  8. LLY Eli Lilly and Company2.82%

  9. AVGO Broadcom Inc.2.61%

  10. TSLA Tesla, Inc.2.18%

231 Total holdings

"In the short run, the market is a voting machine, but in the long run, it is a weighing machine."

Benjamin Graham