Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF Sees Solid Gains and Inflows

Schwab US Dividend Equity ETF ( $SCHD ) has risen by 0.83% in the past week. It has experienced a 5-day net inflow of $96.25 million.
This is due, in part, to market sentiment on some of the ETF’s largest holdings. For example:

• Chevron remains a favored name in the energy sector as oil price volatility keeps the spotlight on major producers. Despite short-term swings in Brent and WTI driven by geopolitical tensions and tariff threats, Wall Street’s view on Chevron is broadly positive: multiple firms, including DBS and Wells Fargo, have reiterated Buy ratings with price targets ranging roughly from the high $170s to just under $200 per share. While one Barclays analyst and a separate research outlet have shifted to or maintained more cautious Hold stances with targets near the current price (around the mid‑$160s), the overall consensus is still a Strong Buy, pointing to mid- to high-single‑digit upside from current levels. For investors, Chevron is being framed as a relatively solid way to gain exposure to the energy sector amid an uncertain macro and oil-price backdrop.
• Merck & Company is drawing steady but not euphoric enthusiasm from analysts, who broadly see room for moderate upside as the drugmaker deepens its push into advanced diagnostics and oncology tools. Bernstein recently reaffirmed a Hold rating with a $95 target, below the current share price in the low $100s, signaling some caution on near-term valuation. Even so, the wider analyst community maintains a Moderate Buy consensus with an average target around $118, implying roughly high-single‑digit upside. Beyond ratings, Merck’s partnership with Guardant Health on blood-based “liquid biopsy” tests highlights its strategy to stay competitive in cancer care by owning key diagnostic technologies that help match patients to the right therapies. For shareholders, this underscores a long-term innovation story, even as short-term calls on the stock skew more neutral than outright bullish.
• Lockheed Martin was not covered in the supplied news releases over the last week, so there were no new analyst rating changes, earnings updates, or major corporate developments available to report for this period. Investors in the stock may want to look to upcoming earnings dates, defense budget discussions, and contract announcements for the next potential catalysts, but based on the provided material there is no fresh, market-moving information specific to Lockheed Martin.