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Should WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap ETF (EES) Be on Your Investing Radar?

Launched on 02/23/2007, the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap ETF (EES) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Small Cap Value segment of the US equity market.

The fund is sponsored by Wisdomtree. It has amassed assets over $399.27 million, 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

With more potential comes more risk, and small cap companies, with market capitalization below $2 billion, epitomizes this way of thinking.

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. When you look at long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in nearly all markets. But in strong bull markets, growth stocks are more likely to be winners.

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Costs

When considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts in the long term if all other factors remain equal.

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 2.17%.

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 to the Financials sector--about 24.10% of the portfolio. Industrials and Consumer Discretionary round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Range Resources Corp (RRC) accounts for about 1.40% of total assets, followed by Cnx Resources Corp (CNX) and Cleveland-Cliffs Inc (CLF).

The top 10 holdings account for about 8.69% 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 has lost about -34.26% so far this year and is down about -32.51% in the last one year (as of 05/20/2020). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $19.73 and $38.59.

The ETF has a beta of 1.41 and standard deviation of 27.06% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 844 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap ETF 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 reasonable 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 SmallCap Value ETF (VBR) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF has $6.77 billion in assets, Vanguard SmallCap Value ETF has $11.31 billion. IWN has an expense ratio of 0.24% and VBR charges 0.07%.

Bottom-Line

Passively managed ETFs are becoming increasingly popular with institutional as well as retail investors due to their low cost, transparency, flexibility and tax efficiency. They are 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.


Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
 
WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap ETF (EES): ETF Research Reports
 
ClevelandCliffs Inc. (CLF) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
CNX Resources Corporation. (CNX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Range Resources Corporation (RRC) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Vanguard SmallCap Value ETF (VBR): ETF Research Reports
 
iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN): ETF Research Reports
 
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Zacks Investment Research