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Is WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend ETF (DHS) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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Launched on 06/16/2006, the WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend ETF (DHS - Free Report) is a smart beta exchange traded fund offering broad exposure to the Style Box - Large Cap Value category of the market.

What Are Smart Beta ETFs?

Market cap weighted indexes were created to reflect the market, or a specific segment of the market, and the ETF industry has traditionally been dominated by products based on this strategy.

Market cap weighted indexes work great for investors who believe in market efficiency. They provide a low-cost, convenient and transparent way of replicating market returns.

On the other hand, some investors who believe that it is possible to beat the market by superior stock selection opt to invest in another class of funds that track non-cap weighted strategies--popularly known as smart beta.

Based on specific fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such, these indexes attempt to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance.

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 $1.22 billion, this makes it one of the average sized ETFs in the Style Box - Large Cap Value. DHS is managed by Wisdomtree. This particular fund seeks to match the performance of the WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Index before fees and expenses.

The WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of companies with high dividend yields selected from the WisdomTree Dividend Index.

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.

Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.38%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.

DHS's 12-month trailing dividend yield is 3.46%.

Sector Exposure and Top Holdings

Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure that minimizes single stock risk, investors should also look at the actual holdings inside the fund. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.

This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Consumer Staples sector - about 20.8% of the portfolio. Healthcare and Financials round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Us Dollar accounts for about 100% of total assets, followed by Philip Morris International Inc (PM) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).

The top 10 holdings account for about 139.86% of total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

The ETF return is roughly 3.82% so far this year and is up about 17.89% in the last one year (as of 06/24/2025). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $83.90 and $100.58

The ETF has a beta of 0.68 and standard deviation of 14.60% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 373 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk .

Alternatives

WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Style Box - Large Cap Value segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) tracks Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) tracks CRSP U.S. Large Cap Value Index. Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF has $69.75 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $135.56 billion. SCHD has an expense ratio of 0.06% and VTV changes 0.04%.

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 - Large 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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