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Should WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap ETF (EPS) Be on Your Investing Radar?

If you're interested in broad exposure to the Large Cap Value segment of the US equity market, look no further than 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 $408.66 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

Large cap companies usually 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.

Carrying lower than average price-to-earnings and price-to-book ratios, value stocks also have lower than average sales and earnings growth rates. Considering long-term performance, value stocks have outperformed growth stocks in almost all markets; however, they are more likely to underperform growth stocks in strong bull markets.

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 0.08%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space.

It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.96%.

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 Information Technology sector--about 23.90% of the portfolio. Financials and Healthcare round out the top three.

Looking at individual holdings, Apple Inc (AAPL) accounts for about 5.93% of total assets, followed by Microsoft Corp (MSFT) and Alphabet Inc-Cl A (GOOGL).

The top 10 holdings account for about 25.62% 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 -0.58% so far this year and was up about 14.24% in the last one year (as of 08/13/2020). 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 22.70% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 499 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 sufficient 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 $36.75 billion in assets, Vanguard Value ETF has $51.34 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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WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap ETF (EPS): ETF Research Reports
 
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Vanguard Value ETF (VTV): ETF Research Reports
 
iShares Russell 1000 Value ETF (IWD): ETF Research Reports
 
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