BGIG vs KDVD

BGIGABahl & Gaynor Income Growth ETF

KDVDFKeeley Dividend ETF

In short

BGIG An active dividend fund that writes the cushion into its own mandate: rising income, downside protection versus the broad market, and growth. Distributions land monthly, and it charges less than the typical active dividend-income fund.

KDVD Most dividend funds fish the same large-cap pond. Keeley's active take heads down the cap ladder, hunting dividend payers among small and mid-sized companies, with at least 80% of assets in stocks that pay (or are expected to pay) one.

Stated mandate

BGIG The Fund seeks growing dividend income, downside protection relative to the broader equity market, and long-term capital appreciation.

KDVD Actively managed ETF seeking capital appreciation by investing at least 80% of net assets in equity securities of companies that pay (or are expected to pay) dividends; the Fund expects to invest primarily in small- and mid-cap companies but may invest in any market capitalization.

Why people hold it

• BGIG The stated objective names three jobs at once: growing dividend income, downside protection relative to the broader equity market, and long-term capital appreciation.
• Income arrives monthly, not on the quarterly schedule most equity funds keep.
• At 0.45% a year, it sits below the median fee for active US dividend-income funds.
• One of the strongest implementations in its peer group of active US dividend-income funds, with a portfolio that matches the mandate on the label.

• KDVD The mandate is genuinely different: at least 80% of net assets in dividend payers, aimed primarily at small- and mid-cap names rather than the usual mega-cap dividend roster.
• Active, not index-bound. Managers can hold companies expected to start paying dividends, and can move to any market cap as opportunities shift.
• What is inside the portfolio is the strongest part of the package relative to dividend-income peers, and the fund distributes on a quarterly schedule.

Worth knowing

• BGIG Cheaper active dividend options exist: CGDV runs 0.33% and HIDV 0.35%.
• Hunting rising dividends means skipping most of the non-payers inside the S&P 500 it measures itself against, so results can look very different from the index.
• Launched in 2023, so there is no live record spanning a full market cycle yet.

• KDVD At 0.90% a year, it charges well above the dividend-income median of 0.55%, and above highly graded peers such as CGDV (0.33%) and TDVG (0.50%).
• It launched in December 2025 with a small asset base, so there is no long record and shares change hands far less often than the category's household names.
• Small- and mid-cap dividend payers typically swing harder than large-cap dividend stalwarts. Same income idea, bumpier ride.

Full BGIG profile⁠

Full KDVD profile⁠