iShares Core High Dividend ETF vs Prospect Capital Corporation — how do they compare? iShares Core High Dividend ETF trades at $28.17, while Prospect Capital Corporation trades at $2.19 (market cap $1.12B). The key difference: Prospect Capital Corporation pays a 22.42% dividend while iShares Core High Dividend ETF pays none, and iShares Core High Dividend ETF is trading nearer its 52-week high, Prospect Capital Corporation nearer its low. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| HDV | PSEC | |
|---|---|---|
52-Week High | $28.36 | $3.47 |
52-Week Low | $23.64 | $2.15 |
Market Cap | — | $1.12B |
Sector | — | Financials |
Dividend Yield | — | 22.42% |
Signals from Pluang's Aura AI — not financial advice
HDV trades at $28.18, down 0.25% on the day, with a bullish technical signal driven by moving averages. The ETF maintains a 3.0% dividend yield, with recent payouts of $0.19 and $0.09 per share. News coverage highlights HDV's defensive sector focus and competitive expense ratio compared to peers like SCHD and VYM, though some analysts note concentration risk in energy holdings.
Outlook remains cautiously positive given HDV's low volatility and income appeal, but investors face risks from oil price sensitivity and modest dividend growth. The ETF's quality screen provides stability, yet sector concentration may limit upside if energy underperforms.
PSEC trades at $2.235, down 0.67% on the day, with a bearish technical signal and neutral oscillators. The stock shows a deeply discounted P/B ratio of 0.38 but alarming fundamentals, including a negative revenue of -$407M and a net income margin of -495.94% for 2025. Recent quarterly EPS has consistently beaten estimates, and the company maintains regular dividend payments. Analyst consensus is mixed, with 25% buy ratings but a majority hold recommendation.
The outlook for PSEC is highly speculative. The extreme discount to book value and high dividend yield present a potential value opportunity, but this is overshadowed by severe profitability issues and negative cash flow. Investment carries significant risk due to the company's inconsistent revenue history and bearish market sentiment, requiring careful consideration of the underlying asset quality.
Trailing returns across standard periods
The fund generally will invest at least 80% of its assets in the component securities of its underlying index and in investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the component securities of its underlying index. The underlying index is comprised of qualified income paying securities that are screened for superior company quality and financial health as determined by Morningstar, Inc.'s proprietary index methodology. The fund is non-diversified.
Read more on HDV →Prospect Capital Corp is a closed-end investment company based in the United States. Its investment objective is to generate both current income and long-term capital appreciation through debt and equity investments. The company invests primarily in senior and subordinated debt and equity of private companies for acquisitions, divestitures, growth, development, recapitalizations, and other purposes. It makes investments, including lending in private equity, sponsored transactions, directly to companies, investments in structured credit, real estate, and syndicated debt.
Read more on PSEC →