Looking for broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market? You should consider the WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap ETF (EPS), a passively managed exchange traded fund launched on 02/23/2007.
The fund is sponsored by Wisdomtree. It has amassed assets over $366.91 million, making it one of the average sized ETFs attempting to match the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market.
Why Large Cap Value
Companies that find themselves in the large cap category typically have a market capitalization above $10 billion. Considered a more stable option, large cap companies boast more predictable cash flows and are less volatile than their mid and small cap counterparts.
While value stocks have lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, they also have 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.
Costs
Cost is an important factor in selecting the right ETF, and cheaper funds can significantly outperform their more expensive counterparts if all other fundamentals are the same.
Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.08%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.
It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 2.16%.
Sector Exposure and Top Holdings
While ETFs offer diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk, a deep look into a fund’s holdings is a valuable exercise. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis.
This ETF has heaviest allocation to the Information Technology sector–about 24.10% of the portfolio. Financials and Healthcare round out the top three.
Looking at individual holdings, Apple Inc (AAPL) accounts for about 5.40% of total assets, followed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and Alphabet Inc-Cl A (GOOGL).
The top 10 holdings account for about 25.34% of total assets under management.
Performance and Risk
EPS seeks to match the performance of the WisdomTree U.S. Earnings 500 Index before fees and expenses. The WisdomTree U.S. Earnings 500 Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of earnings-generating companies within the large-capitalization segment of the U.S. Stock Market.
The ETF has lost about -9.70% so far this year and was up about 1.79% in the last one year (as of 06/30/2020). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $24.35 and $37.92.
The ETF has a beta of 1.05 and standard deviation of 22.51% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 498 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.
Alternatives
WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap 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, EPS is a reasonable option for those seeking exposure to the Style Box – Large Cap Value area of the market. Investors might also want to consider some other ETF options in the space.
The iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD) and the Vanguard Value ETF (VTV) track a similar index. While iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF has $33.50 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $47.50 billion. IWD has an expense ratio of 0.19% and VTV charges 0.04%.
Bottom-Line
Retail and institutional investors increasingly turn to passively managed ETFs because they offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; these kind of funds 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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