Should WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Fund (EES) Be on Your Investing Radar?
The WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Fund (EES) was launched on 02/23/2007, and is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Small Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
The fund is sponsored by Wisdomtree. It has amassed assets over $790.31 M, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Small Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
Why Small Cap Value
Small cap companies have market capitalization below $2 billion. They usually have higher potential than large and mid cap companies with stocks but higher risk.
Value stocks are known for their lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, but investors should also note their lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. Looking at their long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in almost all markets. They are however likely to underperform growth stocks in strong bull markets.
Costs
Since cheaper funds tend to produce better results than more expensive funds, assuming all other factors remain equal, it is important for investors to pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.38%, putting it on par with most peer products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.42%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
ETFs offer a diversified exposure and thus minimize single stock risk but it is still important to delve into a fund's holdings before investing. Most ETFs are very transparent products and many disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Consumer Discretionary sector--about 23.80% of the portfolio. Financials and Industrials round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Dana Inc (DAN) accounts for about 1.05% of total assets, followed by Lithia Motors Inc (LAD) and Warrior Met Coal Inc (HCC).
The top 10 holdings account for about 7.92% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
EES seeks to match the performance of the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Earnings Index before fees and expenses. The WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Earnings Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of earnings-generating companies within the small-capitalization segment of the U.S. Stock Market.
The ETF return is roughly 12.06% so far this year and is down about -7.78% in the last one year (as of 07/30/2019). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $30.28 and $40.77.
The ETF has a beta of 1.20 and standard deviation of 15.50% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 849 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Fund carries a Zacks ETF Rank of 3 (Hold), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Thus, EES is a sufficient option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box - Small Cap Value area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
The iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN) and the Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (VBR) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF has $8.90 B in assets, Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF has $13.53 B. IWN has an expense ratio of 0.24% and VBR charges 0.07%.
Bottom-Line
An increasingly popular option among retail and institutional investors, passively managed ETFs offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; they are also excellent vehicles for long term investors.
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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WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Fund (EES): ETF Research Reports
Lithia Motors, Inc. (LAD) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Dana Incorporated (DAN) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Vanguard Small-Cap Value ETF (VBR): ETF Research Reports
iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN): ETF Research Reports
Warrior Met Coal Inc. (HCC) : Free Stock Analysis Report
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