Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Is WisdomTree International Equity ETF (DWM) a Strong ETF Right Now?

Read MoreHide Full Article

Designed to provide broad exposure to the Broad Developed World ETFs category of the market, the WisdomTree International Equity ETF (DWM - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund launched on 06/16/2006.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

For a long time now, the ETF industry has been flooded with products based on market capitalization weighted indexes, which are designed to represent the broader market or a particular market segment.

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

There are some investors, though, who think it's possible to beat the market with great stock selection; this group likely invests in another class of funds known as smart beta, which track non-cap weighted strategies.

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

Because the fund has amassed over $580.52 million, this makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Broad Developed World ETFs. DWM is managed by Wisdomtree. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the WisdomTree International Equity Index.

The WisdomTree International Equity Index is a fundamentally weighted Index that measures the performance of dividend-paying companies in the industrialized world, excluding Canada and the United States.

Cost & Other Expenses

For ETF investors, expense ratios are an important factor when considering a fund's return; in the long-term, cheaper funds actually have the ability to outperform their more expensive cousins if all other things remain the same.

Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.48% for DWM, making it on par with most peer products in the space.

It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 4.36%.

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.

When you look at individual holdings, Bhp Group Ltd (BHP - Free Report) accounts for about 4% of the fund's total assets, followed by Novartis Ag and Nestle Sa (NESN).

DWM's top 10 holdings account for about 15.99% of its total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

The ETF has added roughly 8.75% so far this year and it's up approximately 1.79% in the last one year (as of 04/13/2023). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $39.86 and $52.57.

The fund has a beta of 0.79 and standard deviation of 17.11% for the trailing three-year period, which makes DWM a low risk choice in this particular space. With about 1046 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

WisdomTree International Equity ETF is not a suitable option for investors seeking to outperform the Broad Developed World ETFs segment of the market. Instead, there are other ETFs in the space which investors should consider.

IShares MSCI EAFE ETF (EFA - Free Report) tracks MSCI EAFE Index and the iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA - Free Report) tracks MSCI EAFE Investable Market Index. IShares MSCI EAFE ETF has $49.43 billion in assets, iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF has $97.62 billion. EFA has an expense ratio of 0.33% and IEFA 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 Broad Developed World ETFs.

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.

Published in