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Is WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity ETF (DXJ) a Strong ETF Right Now?

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A smart beta exchange traded fund, the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity ETF (DXJ - Free Report) debuted on 06/16/2006, and offers broad exposure to the Asia-Pacific (Developed) 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.

Market cap weighted indexes offer a low-cost, convenient, and transparent way of replicating market returns, and are a good option for investors who believe in market efficiency.

But, there are some investors who would rather invest in smart beta funds; these funds track non-cap weighted strategies, and are a strong option for those who prefer choosing great stocks in order to beat the market.

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 & Index

The fund is managed by Wisdomtree. DXJ has been able to amass assets over $5.13 billion, making it one of the larger ETFs in the Asia-Pacific (Developed) ETFs. Before fees and expenses, DXJ seeks to match the performance of the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Index.

The WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Index is designed to provide exposure to Japanese equity markets while at the same time neutralizing exposure to fluctuations of the Japanese Yen movements relative to 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 DXJ are 0.48%, which makes it on par with most peer products in the space.

It's 12-month trailing dividend yield comes in at 2.24%.

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.

When you look at individual holdings, Mitsubishi Ufj Financial Group accounts for about 4.81% of the fund's total assets, followed by Toyota Motor Corp and Japan Tobacco Inc.

Its top 10 holdings account for approximately 31.87% of DXJ's total assets under management.

Performance and Risk

The ETF return is roughly 25.17% so far this year and is up about 34.37% in the last one year (as of 07/25/2024). In the past 52-week period, it has traded between $82.43 and $117.51.

The ETF has a beta of 0.54 and standard deviation of 16.29% for the trailing three-year period, making it a medium risk choice in the space. With about 451 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk.

Alternatives

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity ETF is an excellent option for investors seeking to outperform the Asia-Pacific (Developed) ETFs segment of the market. There are other ETFs in the space which investors could consider as well.

JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF (BBJP - Free Report) tracks MORNINGSTAR JAPAN TRGT MRKT EXPOSURE ID and the iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ - Free Report) tracks MSCI Japan Index. JPMorgan BetaBuilders Japan ETF has $11.98 billion in assets, iShares MSCI Japan ETF has $15.87 billion. BBJP has an expense ratio of 0.19% and EWJ charges 0.50%.

Investors looking for cheaper and lower-risk options should consider traditional market cap weighted ETFs that aim to match the returns of the Asia-Pacific (Developed) 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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