- Business
- DAC 3D Dividend Growth ETF (DVGR) is an actively managed exchange-traded fund that seeks capital appreciation and current income by investing primarily in dividend-paying, U.S.-listed equity securities of companies and depositary receipts representing non-U.S. companies across large-, mid-, and small-capitalization segments. The fund employs Dividend Assets Capital, LLC's proprietary "3D - Double Digits for a Decade or More"™ screening process to select holdings from the 3D Universe of companies that have increased dividends by an average of at least 10% annually, without reductions or pauses, for a minimum of 10 consecutive years; portfolio construction incorporates quantitative, qualitative, and fundamental analyses, including assessments of intrinsic value, management skill, dividend policies, payout ratios, cash flows, balance sheets, and income statements, with weightings based on projected dividend growth, return potential, and risk profiles, while seeking diversification across sectors such as technology and company sizes. At least 80% of net assets, plus any borrowing for investment purposes, are allocated to dividend-paying securities; the fund is non-diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and may exhibit sector concentration risks.
The fund was launched on December 4, 2025, and began trading on Nasdaq the following day under ticker DVGR, sponsored by Dividend Assets Capital, LLC (founded in 2003 and headquartered in Ridgeland, South Carolina), with Empowered Funds, LLC dba EA Advisers serving as investment adviser (located at 3803 West Chester Pike, Suite 150, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania) and Dividend Assets Capital as sub-adviser, which also acts as fund sponsor providing financial support in exchange for a share of advisory fees. Portfolio managers include Marc Saurborn, CFA (Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer), Alex Meintel, CMT (Managing Director and Portfolio Manager), William D. Ford, CFP (Managing Director, Institutional Assets Management Group), Peter G. Gerry, III, AAMS (Energy Analyst), and Donald (DJ) Hingtgen (Chief Operations Officer). The total annual operating expense ratio is 0.65%, with no distribution or service (12b-1) fees; shares trade on the secondary market subject to premiums/discounts relative to net asset value, bid-ask spreads, and brokerage commissions.
DAC 3D Dividend Growth ETF represents the expansion of Dividend Assets Capital's flagship 3D dividend growth investment methodology—previously available only to high-net-worth and institutional clients for over two decades—into a broadly accessible ETF product, with initial assets acquired through a tax-deferred in-kind contribution under Section 584 of the Internal Revenue Code. The fund filed its registration statement with the SEC in September 2025 via EA Series Trust, enabling its December launch without reported acquisitions, partnerships, funding rounds, or other major operational changes as of December 2025. It targets investors seeking long-term capital appreciation, growing income, and reduced volatility through exposure to high-quality, shareholder-friendly companies demonstrating durable competitive advantages, earning profitability, cash flow sustainability, and reasonable leverage, primarily in U.S. equity markets with some international reach via ADRs.