At a glance
DEW charges 0.58% a year, above the 0.19% average of the 8 funds most like it (the most expensive of 9). It has $140.3M in assets, the 8th largest of that group; it paid 3.08% of its price in distributions over the past 12 months, quarterly. Over the past year it returned +22.0% with distributions reinvested (S&P 500: +11.5%), 3rd of those 9 funds; over three years it returned +22.9% a year. At its worst it fell 37.1% in the 2020 crash (S&P 500: 33.7%) and 18.8% in the 2022 bear market (S&P 500: 24.5%), and was back at its earlier high 11 months and 14 months after the lows. Its ten largest positions make up 15.4% of the fund, out of 700 in all.
The short version
WisdomTree Global High Dividend Fund (DEW) is an index ETF that tracks the WisdomTree Global High Dividend Index. It holds about 700 higher-yielding dividend stocks from the US and other developed markets, led by Exxon Mobil and Johnson & Johnson as of June 30, 2026. Its trailing yield was 3.08% as of October 27, 2026. Its 0.58% expense ratio is the highest in its comparison group, where similar funds average 0.19%.
Price history
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DEW +22.0% over the year to Oct 27, 2026, total return with distributions reinvested.
How it has behaved
| YTD | 1 yr | 3 yr | 5 yr | 10 yr | Since start | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEW official prospectus, to Dec 31, 2025 | — | +23.00% | — | +12.00% | +8.81% | — |
| Wisdom Tree Global High Dividend Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) index, same period | — | +22.69% | — | +11.76% | +8.61% | — |
| MSCI AC World Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) index, same period | — | +22.34% | — | +11.19% | +11.72% | — |
| DEW price data to Oct 27, 2026 | +18.9% | +22.0% | +22.9% | +12.6% | +9.7% | +6.0% |
- Over the year to Oct 27, 2026, DEW returned +22.0%, 3rd of 9 among similar funds.
- Its 5-year annualized return was +12.6% and its 10-year +9.7%.
- In the 2020 COVID crash it fell 37.1% and regained its old high 11.1 months after the low.
- Its worst full calendar year was 2008 (-43.3%); its best was 2009 (+29.5%).
- The deepest fall in its price history was 65.5% (Oct 31, 2007 to Mar 9, 2009), recovered by Jul 3, 2014.
Show as a table
| Year | Price data | Prospectus (official) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | +18.9% | — |
| 2025 | +22.4% | +23.00% |
| 2024 | +11.6% | +11.27% |
| 2023 | +9.4% | +9.77% |
| 2022 | -2.7% | -2.63% |
| 2021 | +21.3% | +20.47% |
| 2020 | -7.3% | -7.58% |
| 2019 | +20.5% | +20.52% |
| 2018 | -10.6% | -9.84% |
| 2017 | +15.4% | +15.25% |
| 2016 | +14.4% | +14.05% |
| 2015 | -6.7% | — |
| 2014 | -3.8% | — |
| 2013 | +15.1% | — |
| 2012 | +14.6% | — |
| 2011 | -2.5% | — |
| 2010 | +5.8% | — |
| 2009 | +29.5% | — |
| 2008 | -43.3% | — |
| 2007 | +8.3% | — |
| 2008 financial crisis stocks fell Oct 9, 2007 – Mar 9, 2009 | Lost 64.5% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 65.5%, back to its old high 63.8 months after the low |
|---|---|
| 2020 COVID crash stocks fell Feb 19, 2020 – Mar 23, 2020 | Lost 37.1% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 37.1%, back to its old high 11.1 months after the low |
| 2022 bear market stocks fell Jan 3, 2022 – Oct 12, 2022 | Lost 15.5% over that stretch · deepest drop along the way 18.8%, back to its old high 14.1 months after the low |
Dividends and income
Show as a table
| Year | Per share | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | $1.6500 | |
| 2025 | $2.2900 | +8.5% |
| 2024 | $2.1100 | -5.4% |
| 2023 | $2.2300 | +24.6% |
| 2022 | $1.7900 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | $1.7800 | +0.6% |
| 2020 | $1.7700 | -2.2% |
| 2019 | $1.8100 | +4.0% |
| 2018 | $1.7400 | +13.0% |
| 2017 | $1.5400 | +2.7% |
| 2016 | $1.5000 | -11.8% |
| 2015 | $1.7000 | -22.7% |
| 2014 | $2.2000 | +25.7% |
| 2013 | $1.7500 | +6.1% |
| 2012 | $1.6500 | -10.8% |
| 2011 | $1.8500 | +27.6% |
| 2010 | $1.4500 | -28.2% |
| 2009 | $2.0200 | -24.9% |
| 2008 | $2.6900 | +32.5% |
| 2007 | $2.0300 |
What's inside
As of Jun 30, 2026, the fund held 700 securities; the ten largest made up 15.41% of assets.
| Holding | Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| EXXONMOBIL HOLDINGS CORP | 2.38% | |
| JOHNSON & JOHNSON | 1.96% | |
| CHEVRON CORP | 1.77% | |
| ABBVIE INC | 1.48% | |
| HSBC HOLDINGS PLC | 1.46% | |
| ALTRIA GROUP INC | 1.42% | |
| MERCK & COMPANY INC | 1.37% | |
| PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL INC | 1.33% | |
| TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INC | 1.14% | |
| NESTLE' SA/AG | 1.10% | |
| INTESA SANPAOLO SPA | 1.07% | |
| TORONTO DOMINION BANK (THE) | 1.05% | |
| PEPSICO INC | 0.94% | |
| SHELL PLC | 0.92% | |
| BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO PLC | 0.87% |
By country
United States 56.77%United Kingdom 6.84%Canada 4.64%France 4.18%Italy 3.61%By asset type
Stocks 99.41%Preferred stock 0.01%What changed recently
- Over the three months to Jun 30, 2026, investors added a net $0.00 (creations minus redemptions, per the N-PORT report).
- Monthly total returns reported for that quarter: +3.95%, +0.20%, +0.67%.
How it works
DEW is passively managed, which means it follows an index instead of relying on a manager's stock picks. WisdomTree designed the index and also owns the fund's adviser. The index starts from the WisdomTree Global Dividend Index, a list of dividend payers around the world. Each year, a company makes the cut only if it is based and listed in an approved country, such as the US, UK, Canada, Japan or Australia. It also needs at least $5 million in cash dividends over the prior year, a market value of at least $2 billion, and enough trading volume.
Next, the index ranks stocks by dividend yield, adjusted by a risk score that blends valuation, quality and momentum (recent price trend). It keeps stocks in the top 30% by yield and the top 80% by risk score. A stock already in the index stays if it is still in the top 35% by yield. Weights depend on total dollars paid in dividends, so the biggest payers count most. No sector can exceed 25% (15% for real estate) on the annual screening date. WisdomTree expects non-US stocks to make up at least 40% of the fund.
The fund uses representative sampling. It holds a sample of index stocks with similar traits, not every one, so its results can differ slightly from the index. The index is rebalanced once a year, and weights drift in between. The fund used no derivatives as of June 30, 2026, and portfolio turnover was 31%.
What it really costs
- DEW charges 0.58% a year, versus an average of 0.19% for the similar funds below (9th of 9, cheapest first).
- Using the prospectus's standard example, $10,000 invested would cost about $59 in the first year and $726 over 10 years (assuming a 5% annual return).
| Cost of $10,000 (SEC example) | 1 yr | 3 yrs | 5 yrs | 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEW | $59 | $186 | $324 | $726 |
In a retirement portfolio
DEW pays quarterly dividends from a broad global basket of high-yield stocks, with a trailing yield of 3.08% as of October 27, 2026.
DEW pays quarterly dividends from US and international companies in one fund. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $2.20 per share, a 3.08% yield. The trade-off is cost: 0.58% a year, or about $726 over 10 years on $10,000 in the SEC's standard example. Its downturns have been deep. It fell 65.5% from October 2007 to March 2009, its worst calendar year was 2008 at -43.3%, and recovery took about 64 months. It dropped 37.1% in the 2020 COVID crash (about 11 months to recover) and 18.8% in 2022 (about 14 months). Anyone forced to sell shares in a slump could lock in losses, and companies under strain can cut dividends. Past results don't predict the future, and a retirement plan should look at the whole portfolio, not one fund.
Who it may suit — and who should look elsewhere
May suit
- Income seekers who want quarterly dividends from about 700 high-yield stocks across the US, Europe, Canada and Asia-Pacific in a single fund.
- Investors who want non-US payers such as HSBC, Nestlé, Intesa Sanpaolo and Toronto-Dominion Bank alongside US names like Exxon Mobil and Johnson & Johnson.
- Those comfortable leaning toward energy, drug makers, tobacco and financials, which made up at least about 15% of the index as of June 30, 2026.
Look elsewhere if
- Cost-conscious investors: the 0.58% expense ratio ranks last of nine similar funds. WisdomTree's US-only DHS and DTD charge 0.38% and 0.28%.
- Investors chasing growth: DEW's 10-year return was 8.81% a year, against 11.72% for the MSCI AC World Index, as of December 31, 2025.
- Anyone who may need to sell in a crash: DEW fell 65.5% in 2007–2009 and needed about 64 months to recover.
Close alternatives
Matched by holdings overlap from the latest N-PORT reports.
| Fund | Overlap | Cost | Net assets | 1 yr | 3 yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEW this fund | — | 0.58% | $140.3M | +22.0% | +22.9% |
| DHS WisdomTree US High Dividend Fund | 36% | 0.38% | $1.50B | +20.5% | +21.1% |
| DTD WisdomTree U.S. Total Dividend Fund | 31% | 0.28% | $1.61B | +15.9% | +21.3% |
| DLN WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Fund | 29% | 0.28% | $6.14B | +16.0% | +21.9% |
| SPDG SPDR Portfolio S&P Sector Neutral Dividend … | 26% | 0.05% | $12.5M | +19.7% | +22.9% |
| VYM Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index ETF | 25% | 0.06% | $99.19B | +19.1% | +21.2% |
| CDL VictoryShares US Large Cap High Dividend Vo… | 25% | 0.35% | $391.7M | +18.9% | +19.6% |
| DIVB iShares Core Dividend ETF | 25% | 0.05% | $1.71B | +35.8% | +28.8% |
Questions investors ask
Does DEW pay monthly dividends?
No. DEW pays dividends quarterly, not monthly. Over the 12 months to October 27, 2026, it paid $2.20 per share, a trailing yield of 3.08%. Payments vary from quarter to quarter because they depend on what the underlying companies pay. Changes in exchange rates also matter, since a large share of the fund is in companies outside the US. A company that cuts its dividend also reduces what the fund can pass on.
Is DEW good for retirement income?
DEW can provide steady quarterly income, but it comes with trade-offs. Its trailing yield was 3.08% as of October 27, 2026, from about 700 dividend stocks worldwide. It costs 0.58% a year, well above the 0.19% average for similar funds. It has also fallen hard in past crashes, dropping 65.5% in 2007–2009 and 37.1% in early 2020. That matters for anyone who may need to sell shares during a downturn.
What's the difference between DEW and DHS?
Both are WisdomTree high-dividend index funds, but DHS sticks to US stocks while DEW goes global. WisdomTree expects at least 40% of DEW to be in non-US stocks. The two funds' holdings overlap by about 36%. DHS costs less at 0.38% versus 0.58%, and it is much larger, with about $1.5 billion in net assets against about $140 million as of June 30, 2026. Over the year to October 27, 2026, DEW returned 22% and DHS returned 20.5%.
What is DEW's expense ratio?
DEW's expense ratio is 0.58%, the whole of which is the management fee. Under the SEC's standard example, which assumes $10,000 invested, a 5% annual return and a sale at the end of each period, costs would be about $59 after one year, $324 after five years and $726 after 10 years. That makes it the most expensive of nine comparable dividend funds, where the average is 0.19%.
How has DEW performed compared with global stocks?
DEW has done better than global stocks over shorter periods but lagged over 10 years. As of December 31, 2025, it returned 23% over one year and 12% a year over five years. The MSCI AC World Index, a broad global stock index, returned 22.34% and 11.19% over the same periods. Over 10 years, DEW returned 8.81% a year versus 11.72% for the index. Its worst quarter was a 28.74% drop in early 2020.