New Delhi, March 7 -- Investors who own the $88 billion Schwab US Dividend Equity exchange-traded fund probably don't expect a rocket ship to the moon. But this year, at least, that's what they're getting.

The index fund-which pitches itself as "a straightforward, low-cost fund offering" suitable for the core holding in a diversified portfolio-has delivered a total return of more than 16% in 2026. The S&P 500, beset with uncertainties about the Middle East and investors' newfound doubts about artificial intelligence, has gained just 0.7% over that time.

Just how good is the Schwab fund's performance? Good enough to rank it No. 4 among more than 3,600 large-cap funds and ETFs in Morningstar's database.

That's a marked improvement from t...