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DES

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund (DES)

Rating:67Neutral
Price Target:$42.00â–²(7.78% Upside)

DES, the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund, has a solid overall rating, largely supported by stronger holdings like NorthWestern Energy and EPR Properties, which offer stable profitability, attractive dividends, and positive corporate developments. The fund’s score is held back somewhat by weaker names such as PBF Energy and Patterson-UTI, where financial challenges and mixed momentum create drag. A key risk factor is the presence of several highly leveraged and valuation-stretched holdings, which could increase volatility and downside risk for investors.

Positive Factors
Strong Recent PerformanceThe fund has delivered strong gains so far this year and in recent months, showing solid momentum in its small-cap dividend strategy.
Well-Performing Top HoldingsMany of the largest positions, including several financial, energy, and industrial names, have posted strong year-to-date results that support the fund’s overall performance.
Diversified Sector MixHoldings are spread across financials, consumer sectors, industrials, real estate, energy, and other industries, helping reduce the impact if any single sector weakens.
Negative Factors
Heavy U.S. ConcentrationAlmost all assets are invested in U.S. companies, offering little geographic diversification if the U.S. market faces a downturn.
High Weight in FinancialsA large share of the portfolio is in financial stocks, which can increase sensitivity to interest rate changes and stress in the banking sector.
Moderate Expense RatioThe fund’s fees are not especially low for an ETF, which can slightly reduce long-term returns compared with cheaper index alternatives.

DES vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

AUM
2.08B
Region
North America
Expense Ratio
0.38%
Beta
0.72
Issuer
WisdomTree
Inception Date
Jun 16, 2006
Dividend Yield
2.33%
Asset Class
Equity
Index Tracked
WisdomTree U.S. Small Cap Dividend Index

DES Summary

The WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund (DES) is an ETF that tracks the WisdomTree U.S. Small Cap Dividend Index. It invests in many smaller U.S. companies that pay regular dividends, across sectors like financials, industrials, real estate, and energy. Well-known names in the fund include Sonoco Products and Cal-Maine Foods. Someone might invest in DES to seek long-term growth from smaller, growing businesses while also collecting dividend income and diversifying beyond large, well-known stocks. A key risk is that small-company shares can be more volatile, so the price of this ETF can move up and down more than the overall market.

How much will it cost me?

The WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund (DES) has an expense ratio of 0.38%, meaning you’ll pay $3.80 per year for every $1,000 invested. This is slightly higher than average for ETFs because it is actively managed to focus on dividend-paying small-cap stocks, which requires more research and oversight compared to passively managed funds.

What would affect this ETF?

The WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund (DES) could benefit from economic growth and innovation in the U.S., as small-cap companies often thrive in expanding markets and may see increased demand for their products and services. However, rising interest rates or economic slowdowns could negatively impact small-cap stocks and dividend-paying companies, particularly in sectors like financials and real estate, which are heavily represented in the ETF. Regulatory changes or shifts in consumer behavior could also affect specific holdings such as Macy's or Sabra Healthcare REIT.

DES Top 10 Holdings

DES leans heavily into U.S. small-cap dividend payers, with energy and financial names setting the tone. PBF Energy and Iridium Communications have been rising, giving the fund a helpful tailwind, while Avnet’s steady climb adds a more balanced, industrial flavor. On the flip side, Sonoco Products and Outfront Media have been lagging, acting like sandbags on performance, and Kodiak Gas Services has seen mixed momentum despite solid operations. Overall, the ETF is broadly diversified across sectors but clearly rooted in domestically focused, income-generating small caps.

DES top ten holdings
NameCompany NameWeight %Market ValueMarket CapYearly GainOverall Rating
PBFPBFPBF Energy1.18%$24.77M$9.67B168.83%55Neutral
TFSLTFSLTFS Financial1.18%$24.85M$4.60B25.32%71Outperform
EPREPREPR Properties1.07%$22.47M$4.24B3.30%75Outperform
NWENWENorthwestern1.03%$21.59M$4.64B25.15%74Outperform
PTENPTENPatterson-UTI0.88%$18.48M$4.44B86.51%56Neutral
SONSONSonoco Products0.94%$19.80M$5.03B21.16%63Neutral
AVTAVTAvnet0.82%$17.26M$7.49B73.06%67Neutral
OUTOUTOutfront Media0.87%$18.31M$5.46B71.02%69Neutral
KGSKGSKodiak Gas Services, Inc.0.74%$15.56M$4.80B24.39%68Neutral
TNLTNLTravel + Leisure Co0.79%$16.51M$4.11B-3.70%73Outperform

DES Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis SentimentPositive
Last Price38.97

Price Trends

50DMA39.31Negative
100DMA39.64Negative
200DMA38.05Positive

Market Momentum

MACD-0.15Negative
RSI54.29Neutral
STOCH83.32Negative

Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in ETF analysis to make informed investment decisions. For DES, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 38.97 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 38.41, below the 50-day MA of 39.31, and above the 200-day MA of 38.05, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.15 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 54.29 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 83.32 is Negative, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for DES.

DES Peer Comparison

Comparison Results

DES against its peer funds
NamePricePrice TargetAUMExpense RatioOverall Rating
DESDES$38.97$42.00(7.78% Upside)$2.08B0.38%67Neutral
FNDAFNDA$35.84$43.69(21.89% Upside)$8.83B0.25%68Neutral
FESMFESM$45.21$59.96(32.61% Upside)$6.61B0.28%64Neutral
SMLFSMLF$84.70$108.42(28.00% Upside)$4.17B0.15%66Neutral
VIOOVIOO$129.06$159.94(23.92% Upside)$4.06B0.07%66Neutral
CALFCALF$58.45$63.93(9.38% Upside)$3.73B0.59%65Neutral

Performance Comparison

0%10%20%30%DESFNDAFESMSMLFVIOOCALFNov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26May '26Jun '26Jul '26Aug '26Sep '26Oct '26
DES and its peers over the selected period
Show on chartTickerCompany NamePriceChange% Change
DESWisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund38.975.9017.85%
FNDASchwab Fundamental US Small Co. Index ETF35.844.7415.23%
FESMFidelity Enhanced Small Cap ETF45.217.8120.89%
SMLFiShares MSCI USA Small-Cap Multifactor ETF84.709.9913.37%
VIOOVanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 ETF129.0617.7715.96%
CALFPacer US Small Cap Cash Cows 100 ETF58.4515.1034.84%
Glossary
BuyAn ETF rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldAn ETF rated as a "Hold" s expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the ETF is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellAn ETF rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the ETF may deliver lower returns compared to other ETFs in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
Disclaimer

This AI Analyst ETF Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in ETFs carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.