When Selecting a Value Manager, Should You Focus on Dividends or Total Return? | Voya Investment Management
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Total return strategies are designed to provide income today while aiming to build wealth for tomorrow. See how they stack up against dividend-focused approaches.

Drivers of return

Equity returns come from two sources: dividend yield and price appreciation. While dividends have offered low single digit gains, historically price appreciation has delivered the majority of total returns.1
 

Total return

 

Dividends are only part of the story

 

Total return offers a more holistic company picture

 

Active fund managers may target income or total returns. 

Does one approach outperform the other?3

 

What if you need income?

Whether you save for decades or just a few years before retirement, both income-focused and total return strategies provide dividends and growth to support spending. Here’s how they compare when the same income is withdrawn after the saving phase ends.4

 

Total return: 
Income today. Wealth tomorrow.  

 

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1As of 12/31/24. Source: LSEG, Voya IM. Russell 1000 contribution to average annualized returns, 2003-2024. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. 

2As of 09/30/25. Source: Morningstar Direct. Data show the 12-month yield for the Morningstar equity income and total return categories. 

3As of 09/30/25. Source: Morningstar Direct. Data show the growth of an investment for the Morningstar equity income and total return categories over the specified time periods. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. 

4As of 09/30/25. Source: Morningstar Direct, Voya IM. Data show the decomposition of the annual value of an investment based on the annual return and average annual dividend for the Morningstar equity income and total return categories over the specified time periods. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. 

Past performance does not guarantee future results. All investing involves risks of fluctuating prices and the uncertainties of rates of return and yield inherent in investing. All security transactions involve substantial risk of loss. 

The principal risks are generally those attributable to investing in stocks and related derivative instruments. Holdings are subject to market, issuer and other risks, and their values may fluctuate. Market risk is the risk that securities or other instruments may decline in value due to factors affecting the securities markets or particular industries. Issuer risk is the risk that the value of a security or instrument may decline for reasons specific to the issuer, such as changes in its financial condition. This information is proprietary and cannot be reproduced or distributed. Certain information may be received from sources Voya Investment Management (“Voya IM”) considers reliable; Voya IM does not represent that such information is accurate or complete. Certain statements contained herein may constitute “projections,” “forecasts” and other “forward-looking statements” which do not reflect actual results and are based primarily upon applying retroactively a hypothetical set of assumptions to certain historical financial data. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those in such statements. Any opinions, projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements presented herein are valid only as of the date of this document and are subject to change. Voya IM assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information. 

Voya Investment Management has prepared this insight for informational purposes. Nothing contained herein should be construed as (i) an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any security or (ii) a recommendation as to the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling any security. Any opinions expressed herein reflect our judgment and are subject to change. Certain of the statements contained herein are statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on management’s current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Actual results, performance or events may differ materially from those in such statements due to, without limitation, (1) general economic conditions, (2) performance of financial markets, (3) interest rate levels, (4) increasing levels of loan defaults, (5) changes in laws and regulations, and (6) changes in the policies of governments and/or regulatory authorities. 

The Russell 1000 Value Index measures the performance of those Russell 1000 Index companies with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecast growth values. Indexes do not reflect fees, brokerage commissions, taxes or other expenses of investing. Investors cannot invest directly in an index. Past performance does not guarantee future results. 

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