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Is WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend ETF (DON) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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A smart beta exchange traded fund, the WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend ETF (DON - Free Report) debuted on 06/16/2006, and offers broad exposure to the Style Box - Mid Cap Value category of the market.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

The ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on market capitalization weighted indexes that are designed to represent the market or a particular segment of the market.

Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.

But, there are some investors who would rather invest in smart beta funds; these funds track non-cap weighted strategies, and are a strong option for those who prefer choosing great stocks in order to beat the market.

Non-cap weighted indexes try to choose stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, which is based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a mix of other such characteristics.

Methodologies like equal-weighting, one of the simplest options out there, fundamental weighting, and volatility/momentum based weighting are all choices offered to investors in this space, but not all of them can deliver superior returns.

Fund Sponsor & Index

Managed by Wisdomtree, DON has amassed assets over $3.15 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Style Box - Mid Cap Value. This particular fund, before fees and expenses, seeks to match the performance of the WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Index.

The WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of the mid-capitalization segment of the US dividend-paying market.

Cost & Other Expenses

Expense ratios are an important factor in the return of an ETF and in the long-term, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins, other things remaining the same.

Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.38% for DON, making it on par with most peer products in the space.

DON's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 2.12%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

It is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Financials sector - about 26.50% of the portfolio. Industrials and Consumer Discretionary round out the top three.

When you look at individual holdings, Antero Midstream Corp (AM - Free Report) accounts for about 1.82% of the fund's total assets, followed by Interpublic Group Of Cos Inc (IPG - Free Report) and Franklin Resources Inc (BEN - Free Report) .

Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 11.87% of DON's total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

Year-to-date, the WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend ETF return is roughly 31.87% so far, and was up about 37.39% over the last 12 months (as of 11/19/2021). DON has traded between $33.20 and $45.13 in this past 52-week period.

The ETF has a beta of 1.15 and standard deviation of 27.92% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 303 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend ETF is a reasonable option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Mid Cap Value segment of the market. However, there are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider.

IShares Russell MidCap Value ETF (IWS - Free Report) tracks Russell MidCap Value Index and the Vanguard MidCap Value ETF (VOE - Free Report) tracks CRSP U.S. Mid Cap Value Index. IShares Russell MidCap Value ETF has $15.03 billion in assets, Vanguard MidCap Value ETF has $15.57 billion. IWS has an expense ratio of 0.23% and VOE charges 0.07%.

Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Style Box - Mid Cap Value.

Bottom Line

To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center.

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