Is WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth ETF (IHDG) a Strong ETF Right Now?

The WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth ETF (IHDG) was launched on 05/07/2014, and is a smart beta exchange traded fund designed to offer broad exposure to the Broad Developed World ETFs category of the market.What Are Smart Beta ETFs?Products that are based on market cap weighted indexes, which are strategies designed to reflect a specific market segment or the market as a whole, have traditionally dominated the ETF industry.Investors who believe in market efficiency should consider market cap indexes, as they replicate market returns in a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way.However, some investors believe in the possibility of beating the market through exceptional stock selection, and choose a different type of fund that tracks non-cap weighted strategies: smart beta.By attempting to pick stocks that have a better chance of risk-return performance, non-cap weighted indexes are based on certain fundamental characteristics, or a combination of such.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 & IndexThe fund is managed by Wisdomtree, and has been able to amass over $2.80 billion, which makes it one of the larger ETFs in the Broad Developed World ETFs. This particular fund seeks to match the performance of the WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Index before fees and expenses.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 ExpensesWhen considering an ETF's total return, expense ratios are an important factor. And, cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive cousins in the long term if all other factors remain equal.Operating expenses on an annual basis are 0.58% for this ETF, which makes it on par with most peer products in the space.It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 1.69%.Sector Exposure and Top HoldingsMost ETFs are very transparent products, and disclose their holdings on a daily basis. ETFs also offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, though it's still important for investors to research a fund's holdings.Taking into account individual holdings, Novo Nordisk A/s-B (NOVOB) accounts for about 4.86% of the fund's total assets, followed by Bp Plc (BP/) and Industria De Diseno Textil (ITX).The top 10 holdings account for about 33.24% of total assets under management.Performance and RiskThe ETF has added about 9.47% and was up about 13.40% so far this year and in the past one year (as of 12/05/2024), respectively. IHDG has traded between $40.61 and $46.78 during this last 52-week period.The ETF has a beta of 0.72 and standard deviation of 14.47% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 514 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.AlternativesWisdomTree 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 $31.01 billion in assets, Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF has $88.73 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 LineTo 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 key ETF info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks’ free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing ETFs, each week.Get it free >>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 International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth ETF (IHDG): ETF Research Reports Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF (VIG): ETF Research Reports iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO): ETF Research ReportsTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks