Dividend Aristocrats vs S&P 500 index performance for 20 years

Over the 20-year period since its launch in May 2005, the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats Index has historically outperformed the standard S&P 500 with lower volatility. Annualized Returns: The Dividend Aristocrats Index posted an annualized return of 10.23% over its first 20 live years, aligning closely with but slightly edging out the broader benchmark's performance in many long-term windows. Risk & Volatility:The Aristocrats Index typically exhibits lower annualized volatility (\~14.34%) compared to the S&P 500. It has historically captured roughly 91% of market gains but only 80% of market losses, providing superior downside protection during bear markets. Dividend Performance:The average dividend yield for Aristocrats is approximately 2.54%, notably higher than the S&P 500's average of 1.89%. The index has achieved an annualized dividend growth rate of 8.1%, significantly outpacing inflation.