U.S. stocks have been in a funk as of late and that lethargy has permeated some international markets. The recent weakness in select global markets should serve as a reminder of the advantages of dividend stocks and exchange traded funds.
Although dividends do not make stocks impervious to broader market downturns, the payout buffer offers opportunity and that is true at the global level as well. Not only do international dividend payers usually feature higher yields than their U.S. counterparts, but global dividend stocks currently sport lower valuations than their U.S. rivals.
The WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Dividend Growth Fund (NYSEArca: DNL) is an options to consider for investors looking to play a rebound in global stocks while getting compensated for doing so.
Although DNL has hit a rough patch, falling 3.7% in the past month, the ETF gives investors a unique opportunity to combine the potency of some of Europe’s steadiest dividend destinations along with the promise of emerging markets dividend growth. [EM ETF With a Dividend Bonus]
DNL offers exposure to 34 countries, including the U.S., which checks in at a scant 0.08% of the ETF’s weight. Eleven of those countries account for less than 1% of DNL’s weight and 14 of the nations found in the fund are emerging markets.
Indonesia, Russia, Brazil and China combine for nearly 20% of DNL’s weight. Brazil is expected to deliver the largest dividend growth among emerging markets this year. China is already the largest dividend payer in dollar terms among developing economies while Russia is one of the fastest-growing emerging markets dividend destinations. [Dynamic Dividends in a Global ETF]
On the developed market side, the U.K. and Switzerland, two of Europe’s steadiest dividend growth markets, combine for 25.5% of DNL’s weight. European countries combine for about half of DNL’s weight, an important consideration when noting WisdomTree’s European dividend stream is up 12.3% year-over-year, according to the issuer.
DNL tracks the fundamentally-weighted WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Dividend Growth Index (WTGDXG), which encompasses earnings expectations as well as return on assets and equity in its weighting methodology. The index had a dividend yield of 3.1% and a P/E ratio of 13.2 as of Aug. 1, according to issuer data. That compares favorably to the S&P 500 with a dividend yield around two and P/E north of 16.
DNL’s emphasis on return on assets and return on equity ensures ample exposure to health care, consumer staples and industrial names. Those sectors have been among the sturdiest European dividend offerings and combine for 42% of DNL’s weight.
WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Dividend Growth Fund
