Hey there, it’s Hirokichi!
Time for my monthly U.S. dividend ETF update. As of the end of June 2026, my total portfolio value is 2,324,463 yen, with an unrealized gain of +524,891 yen (+29.2%). That’s up +46,382 yen from last month – a fresh all-time high, edged out little by little. U.S. stocks were a touch soft this month, but a weaker yen quietly did the heavy lifting.
I hold just two ETFs, HDV and VYM. There was no distribution (the ETF version of a dividend) paid this month, but I’m keeping my hands strong and ready for the next payout month.
My ETFs and Total Value
Here are the two U.S. ETFs I hold:
(1) HDV (iShares Core High Dividend ETF)
(2) VYM (Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF)
Both are baskets of high-dividend stocks, chosen so I can steadily collect distributions. Here’s where things stood at the end of June 2026:
(1) Total value: 2,324,463 yen
(2) Cost basis: 1,799,572 yen
(3) Unrealized gain: +524,891 yen (+29.2%)
That’s +46,382 yen from last month (2,278,081 yen). Nothing flashy, but the line keeps climbing to the upper right.
Breakdown by ETF
Here’s how each holding looks:
(1) HDV: 215 shares / value 964,264 yen / gain +199,294 yen (+26.1%)
(2) VYM: 53 shares / value 1,360,194 yen / gain +325,597 yen (+31.5%)
VYM is once again the star. It makes up more than half of both value and gains, pulling the whole portfolio along. By weight, VYM is 58.5% and HDV is 41.5% – a portfolio tilted a bit toward VYM.
One note: HDV has switched to a monthly distribution schedule. Going from four payouts a year to twelve is a genuinely welcome change for a distribution lover like me. I’m looking forward to seeing how the payment pace shakes out from here.
Distribution Record
There was no distribution paid this month (June).
Still, the whole joy of high-dividend ETFs is the distributions. I know full well that index accumulation is the more efficient answer, but nothing quite matches the feeling of actual cash landing in the account. Between HDV’s new monthly schedule and the next scheduled payout, I’m already grinning as I wait. When the cash does come in, my quiet little plan is to put it toward a family meal out or some camping funds.
This Month’s Market and Trades
U.S. stocks were somewhat soft in June. The S&P 500 fell about 1.3% for the month, closing near 7,500. The main driver was a handful of mega-cap tech and AI-related names running out of steam, putting a pause on a two-month rally.
Meanwhile, the yen weakened to around 161-162 per dollar. Because my portfolio is valued in yen, the weak yen acted as a cushion even as U.S. stocks slipped – so my total value still landed higher than last month. In this month’s tug-of-war between “stocks down, yen weak,” the weak yen won out. This is the interesting part of being a Japanese individual investor buying U.S. ETFs in yen: the exchange rate can matter as much as the stocks themselves.
As for trades, I didn’t move a thing this month. I’d love to add to VYM at the right moment, but on top of stocks staying high, my household budget is honestly a bit tight right now. Rather than force a purchase and grab at a high price, I decided to sit this one out.
Plan Going Forward
My core approach is unchanged: keep steadily stacking high-dividend ETFs for the long haul. On top of that, I’m mulling two things right now:
(1) Wait for a dip before adding to VYM. Given high stock prices and my budget situation, I won’t force purchases for a while – I’ll keep cash on hand so I can pick up shares when they pull back.
(2) Considering reviving SPYD (SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF). It’s a high-dividend ETF I’ve held before, tilted toward a higher dividend yield. I’m weighing whether to buy it as a way to beef up the portfolio’s distributions.
Being able to hold cash and wait, rather than acting when it isn’t a buying opportunity, is one of the strengths of an individual investor.
Summary
At the end of June 2026, my U.S. ETFs stand at a total value of 2,324,463 yen and an unrealized gain of +524,891 yen (+29.2%). A weaker yen offset the softness in U.S. stocks, landing me higher than last month. No distribution came in, but with HDV now on a monthly schedule and a possible SPYD revival on the table, there’s plenty to look forward to. No forced buying – I’ll keep going steadily, watching both my budget and the market.
Let’s keep at it, slow and steady. See you next time!
* This article is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice. Please invest at your own responsibility.
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