From time to time, I compile a virtual portfolio consisting of the top 50 holdings of dividend ETFs. To compile the portfolio, I analyze the top 25 holdings in each ETF and assign scores proportional to the size of each holding. Summing the scores of individual holdings allows me to rank them by popularity, and so to find the top holdings of these dividend ETFs.

Dividend growth investors can compare their own portfolios to the top 50 and identify candidates for analysis and investment.

For the May edition, I analyzed 52 dividend ETFs. Of the 1,293 tickers found in the top 25 holdings of these ETFs, 448 are unique. The top-ranked stock is Verizon Communications (VZ), which appears in 31 of the 52 dividend ETFs—the most of any stocks.

Because there are no Materials and Real Estate sector stocks in the top 50, it would be useful to consider the top-ranked stocks in those sectors regardless of the overall ranking. Investors looking to build a diversified portfolio might find such information useful. Therefore, I'll showcase the top 7 stocks in each GICS sector in Part 2 of this article.

To see the top 50 holdings of dividend ETFs for May 2019, please read this article at Seeking Alpha.