Is WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth ETF (IHDG) a Strong ETF Right Now?
Launched on 05/07/2014, the WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth ETF (IHDG) is a smart beta exchange traded fund offering broad exposure to the Broad Developed World ETFs category of the market.
What Are Smart Beta ETFs?
The ETF industry has long been dominated by products based on market cap weighted indexes, a strategy created to reflect the market or a particular market segment.
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.
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.
This kind of index follows this same mindset, as it attempts to pick stocks that have better chances of risk-return performance; non-cap weighted strategies base selection on certain fundamental characteristics, or a mix of such characteristics.
This area offers many different investment choices, such as simplest equal-weighting, fundamental weighting and volatility/momentum based weighting methodologies; however, not all of these strategies can deliver superior results.
Fund Sponsor & Index
The fund is managed by Wisdomtree. IHDG has been able to amass assets over $1.21 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Broad Developed World ETFs. Before fees and expenses, this particular fund seeks to match the performance of the WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Index.
The WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Index is designed to provide exposure to the developed market companies while at the same time neutralizing exposure to fluctuations between the value of foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar.
Cost & Other Expenses
Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins if all other fundamentals are the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.58%, making it on par with most peer products in the space.
The fund has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 4.12%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
Even though ETFs offer diversified exposure which minimizes single stock risk, it is still important to look into a fund's holdings before investing. Luckily, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
When you look at individual holdings, Novo Nordisk A/s (NOVOB) accounts for about 5.74% of the fund's total assets, followed by Lvmh Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton Se (MC) and Bhp Group Ltd (BHP).
Performance and Risk
The ETF has lost about -15.29% and is down about -11.81% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 11/01/2022), respectively. IHDG has traded between $35.81 and $46.10 during this last 52-week period.
The ETF has a beta of 0.72 and standard deviation of 20.80% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 344 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth 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 Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO) tracks Morningstar US Dividend Growth Index and the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG) tracks NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index. IShares Core Dividend Growth ETF has $23.67 billion in assets, Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF has $62.53 billion. DGRO has an expense ratio of 0.08% and VIG charges 0.06%.
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.
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WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth ETF (IHDG): ETF Research Reports
BHP Group Limited Sponsored ADR (BHP) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Moelis & Company (MC) : Free Stock Analysis Report
Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG): ETF Research Reports
iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO): ETF Research Reports
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