As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 15, 2021

Securities Act File No. 333-132380

Investment Company Act File No. 811-21864

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

   THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933  
   Pre-Effective Amendment No.       
   Post-Effective Amendment No. 769  
   and/or  
  

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

 
   THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940  
   Amendment No. 771  

(Check appropriate box or boxes.)

 

 

WISDOMTREE TRUST

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

1-866-909-9473

(Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code)

JONATHAN STEINBERG

WISDOMTREE TRUST

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

W. John McGuire   Ryan Louvar
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP   WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.
1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW   245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor
Washington, DC 20004   New York, NY 10167

 

 

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of the Registration Statement.

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

 

60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a) (1) of Rule 485.

 

On (Date) pursuant to paragraph (a) (1) of Rule 485.

 

75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a) (2) of Rule 485.

 

On (Date) pursuant to paragraph (a) (2) of Rule 485.

 

Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485.

 

On (Date) pursuant to paragraph (b) of Rule 485.

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

 

This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

 

 

 


PROSPECTUS

January 15, 2021

 

Thematic ETF

 

LOGO

 

WisdomTree Trust

 

WisdomTree Thematic ETF*

WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund (WCBR)

 

* Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NASDAQ

 

IMPORTANT NOTE: Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the SEC, paper copies of the WisdomTree Funds’ annual and semi-annual shareholder reports are no longer sent by mail, unless you specifically request paper copies of the reports. Instead, annual and semi-annual shareholder reports are available on the WisdomTree Funds’ website (www.wisdomtree.com), and you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted and provided with a website link to access the report.

 

If you already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and you need not take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from a Fund electronically anytime by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank).

 

You may elect to receive all future reports in paper free of charge. Please contact your financial intermediary to request to continue receiving paper copies of your shareholder reports. Your election to receive reports in paper will apply to all funds held in your account.

 

THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (“SEC”) HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OF THIS PROSPECTUS. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.


WisdomTree Trust

 

Table of Contents

 

Fund Summary   

WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund

     2  

Additional Information About the Fund

     6  

Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Objective

     6  

Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies

     6  

Non-Principal Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies

     7  

Additional Principal Risk Information About the Fund

     7  

Additional Non-Principal Risk Information

     10  

Portfolio Holdings Information

     11  
Management      12  

Investment Adviser

     12  

Sub-Adviser

     12  

Portfolio Managers

     13  

Additional Information on Buying and Selling Fund Shares

     14  

Share Trading Prices

     14  

Determination of Net Asset Value

     14  

Dividends and Distributions

     14  

Book Entry

     14  

Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding

     14  

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

     15  

Investments by Investment Companies

     15  
Additional Tax Information      16  

Taxes on Distributions

     16  

Taxes When You Sell Fund Shares

     17  

Taxes on Creation and Redemption of Creation Units

     17  

Foreign Investments by the Fund

     17  
Distribution      18  

Premium/Discount and NAV Information

     18  
Additional Notices      18  
Financial Highlights      18  
 

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      1  


WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund

Investment Objective

The WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund (the “Fund”) seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the WisdomTree Team8 Cybersecurity Index (the “Index”).

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below. The fees are expressed as a percentage of the Fund’s average net assets.

   
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
    None  

Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

       

Management Fees

    0.45

Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees

    None  

Other Expenses

    0.00 %1 
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses     0.45
1   

Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current fiscal year.

Example

The following example is intended to help retail investors compare the cost of investing in the Fund shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that such investors would incur over various periods if they were to invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of the shares at the end of those periods. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% a year and that operating expenses remain the same. This example does not include the brokerage commissions that retail investors may pay to buy and sell shares of the Fund. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

     
     1 Year     3 Years  
      $46       $144  

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in a substantial amount of distributions from the Fund to be taxed as ordinary income, which may limit the tax efficiency of the Fund. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Because the Fund is newly organized, portfolio turnover information is not yet available.

Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund

The Index is designed to provide exposure to equity securities of exchange-listed companies globally, which are primarily involved in cybersecurity and security-oriented technology that generate a meaningful part of their revenue from security protocols that prevent intrusion and attacks to systems, networks, applications, computers, and mobile devices (collectively, “cybersecurity activities”) and are experiencing revenue growth. The cybersecurity themes used as guidelines to determine if a company is primarily involved in cybersecurity activities are described in detail in the “Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies” section of the Prospectus.

To be eligible for inclusion in the Index, a company must meet the following criteria as of the Index screening date: (i) derive at least 50% of their revenue from cybersecurity activities; (ii) revenue growth greater than or equal to 7% over the trailing three years for new constituents and revenue growth greater than or equal to 5% over the trailing three years for existing Index constituents; (iii) market capitalization of at least $300 million; and (iv) have an average daily dollar trading volume of at least $1 million for each of the preceding three months.

The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually. As of December 31, 2020, companies in the information technology sector comprised a significant portion of the Index.

2   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


To the extent the Index concentrates (i.e., holds 25% or more of its total assets) in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries, the Fund will concentrate its investments to approximately the same extent as the Index.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

You can lose money on your investment in the Fund. The Fund is subject to the risks described below. The risks are generally presented in alphabetical order to facilitate finding particular risks when comparing them with other funds. Each risk summarized below is considered a “principal risk” of investing in the Fund, regardless of the order in which it appears. Some or all of these risks may adversely affect the Fund’s net asset value per share (“NAV”), trading price, yield, total return and/or ability to meet its objective. For more information about the risks of investing in the Fund, see the sections in the Fund’s Prospectus titled “Additional Principal Risk Information About the Fund” and “Additional Non-Principal Risk Information.”

 

Risk of Investing in Cybersecurity and Security-Oriented Technology Companies. Companies in the cybersecurity and security-oriented technology sector are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology, rapid obsolescence of products and services, the loss of patent, copyright and trademark protections, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally. Cybersecurity and security-oriented technology company stocks, especially those which are internet related, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations in the past that have often been unrelated to their operating performance. As a result of these risks, the Fund’s investments can be adversely affected and you may lose money on your investment in the Fund.

 

Investment Risk. As with all investments, an investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk. Investors in the Fund could lose money, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of an investment, over short or long periods of time.

 

Market Risk. The trading prices of equity securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors, such as economic, financial or political events that impact the entire market, market segments, or specific issuers. The Fund’s NAV and market price may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time. The respiratory illness COVID-19 caused by a novel coronavirus has resulted in a global pandemic and major disruption to economies and markets around the world, including the United States. Financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and severe losses, and trading in many instruments has been disrupted. Liquidity for many instruments has been greatly reduced for periods of time.

 

Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all ETFs, Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The trading prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and there may be times when the market price of the shares is more than the NAV (premium) or less than the NAV (discount). This risk is heightened in times of market volatility or periods of steep market declines. Because securities held by the Fund trade on, or have exposure to, foreign exchanges that are closed when the Fund’s primary listing exchange is open, the Fund is likely to experience premiums and discounts greater than those of domestic ETFs.

 

Cash Redemption Risk. The Fund generally redeems shares for cash or otherwise includes cash as part of its redemption proceeds. The Fund may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize a capital gain that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind. As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

 

Cybersecurity Risk. The Fund and its service providers may be susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a breach in cybersecurity, including cyber-attacks. A breach in cybersecurity, intentional or unintentional, may adversely impact the Fund in many ways, including, but not limited to, disruption of the Fund’s operational capacity, loss of proprietary information, theft or corruption of data, denial-of-service attacks on websites or network resources, and the unauthorized release of confidential information. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund’s third-party service providers, market makers, Authorized Participants, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests may subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cybersecurity breaches.

 

Geopolitical Risk. The United States has experienced security concerns, war, threats of war, aggression and/or conflict, terrorism, economic uncertainty, natural and environmental disasters, the spread of infectious illness, widespread disease or other public health issues and/or systemic market dislocations(including due to events

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      3  


 

outside of the United States) that have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on the U.S. and world economies and markets generally, each of which may negatively impact the Fund’s investments.

 

Growth Investing Risk. Growth stocks, as a group, may be out of favor with the market and underperform value stocks or the overall equity market. Growth stocks are generally more sensitive to market movements than other types of stocks primarily because their prices are based heavily on the future expectations of the economy and the stock’s issuing company.

 

Index and Data Risk. The Fund is not “actively” managed and seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index. The Index provider has the right to make adjustments to the Index or to cease making the Index available without regard to the particular interests of the Fund or its shareholders. If the computers or other facilities of the Index provider, Index calculation agent, data providers and/or relevant stock exchange malfunction for any reason, calculation and dissemination of Index values may be delayed and trading in Fund shares may be suspended for a period of time. Errors in Index data, Index calculations and/or the construction of the Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and/or corrected by the Index provider, Index calculation agent or other applicable party for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. The potential risk of continuing error may be particularly heightened in the case of the Index, which is generally not used as a benchmark by other funds or managers.

 

Information Technology Sector Risk. The Fund currently expects to invest a significant portion of its assets in the information technology sector, and therefore, the Fund’s performance could be negatively impacted by events affecting this sector. The information technology sector includes, for example, internet, semiconductor, software, hardware, and technology equipment companies. This sector can be significantly affected by, among other things, the supply and demand for specific products and services, the pace of technological development, and government regulation.

 

Investment Style Risk. The Fund invests in the securities included in, or representative of, the Index regardless of their investment merit. The Fund does not attempt to outperform the Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market segments relating to the Index.

 

Issuer-Specific Risk. Issuer-specific events, including changes in the actual or perceived financial condition of an issuer, can have a negative impact on the value of the Fund.

 

Non-Correlation Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may differ from each other for a variety of reasons.

 

Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is considered to be non-diversified, which means that it may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were a diversified fund. To the extent the Fund invests a significant percentage of its assets in a limited number of issuers, the Fund is subject to the risks of investing in those few issuers, and may be more susceptible to a single adverse economic or regulatory occurrence. As a result, changes in the market value of a single security could cause greater fluctuations in the value of Fund shares than would occur in a diversified fund.

 

Small-Capitalization Investing Risk. The Fund invests primarily in the securities of small-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund may be more volatile than funds that invest in larger, more established companies. The securities of small-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Small-capitalization companies may be particularly sensitive to adverse economic developments as well as changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.

 

Software Industry Risk. The Fund currently expects to invest a significant portion of its assets in the software industry within the information technology sector, and therefore, the Fund’s performance could be negatively impacted by events affecting this industry. The software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence. Companies in the application software industry, in particular, may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the systems software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in their products and services, which may result in individual or class action lawsuits, state or federal enforcement actions and other remediation costs.

Fund Performance

The Fund is new and therefore does not have a performance history. Updated performance information for the Fund will be available online on the Fund’s website at www.wisdomtree.com.

4   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


Management

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. (“WisdomTree Asset Management” or the “Adviser”) serves as investment adviser to the Fund. Mellon Investments Corporation (the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as sub-adviser to the Fund.

Portfolio Managers

The Fund is managed by the Sub-Adviser’s Equity Index Strategies Portfolio Management team. The individual members of the team jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio are described below.

Marlene Walker-Smith, a Director, Co-Head of Equity Index Portfolio Management, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception.

Thomas J. Durante, CFA, a Managing Director, Co-Head of Equity Index Portfolio Management and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception.

Buying and Selling Fund Shares

The Fund is an ETF. This means that individual shares of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange, such as NASDAQ, and may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker-dealer at market prices. Because Fund shares trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). In addition, an investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) when buying and selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid/ask spread”). Recent information regarding the Fund, including its NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid/ask spreads, is available on the Fund’s website at www.wisdomtree. com.

The Fund issues and redeems shares at NAV only in large blocks of shares (“Creation Units”), which only certain institutions or large investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) may purchase or redeem. The Fund issues and redeems Creation Units in exchange for a portfolio of securities and/or U.S. cash.

Tax Information

The Fund intends to make distributions that may be taxed as ordinary income, qualified dividend income or capital gains.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) (an “Intermediary”), WisdomTree Asset Management or its affiliates may pay Intermediaries for certain activities related to the Fund, including participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, or for other activities, such as marketing, educational training or other initiatives related to the sale or promotion of Fund shares. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Any such arrangements do not result in increased Fund expenses. Ask your salesperson or visit the Intermediary’s website for more information.

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      5  


Additional Information About the Fund

Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of an index (“Index”) developed by WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (“WisdomTree Investments”). The Index consists of securities in the market suggested by its name that meet specific criteria developed by WisdomTree Investments.

Since the Fund’s investment objective has been adopted as a non-fundamental investment policy, the Fund’s investment objective may be changed without a vote of shareholders upon 60 days’ written notice to shareholders.

Additional Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies

The Fund will normally invest at least 80% of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the types of securities suggested by its name (i.e., investments connoted by the Index). The Fund anticipates meeting this policy because, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s total assets (exclusive of collateral held from securities lending) will be invested in component securities of the underlying Index and investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of such component securities, such as depositary receipts based on component securities.

WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. (“WisdomTree Asset Management” or the “Adviser”) expects that, over time, the correlation between the Fund’s performance and that of its Index, before fees and expenses, will be 95% or better. A number of factors may affect an Index Fund’s ability to achieve a high degree of correlation with its Index, and there can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve a high degree of correlation.

The quantity of holdings in the Fund, by using a representative sampling strategy, will be based on a number of factors, including asset size of the Fund. In addition, from time to time, securities are added to or removed from the Index and consequently the attributes of the Index, such as sectors, industries or countries represented in the Index and weightings, may change. The Fund may sell securities that are represented in the Index, or purchase securities that are not yet represented in the Index, in anticipation of their removal from or addition to the Index or to reflect various corporate actions or other changes to the Index. Further, the Fund may overweight or underweight securities in the Index, purchase or sell securities not in the Index, or utilize various combinations of other available techniques, in seeking to track the Index.

The Index is comprised of global exchange-listed companies that are primarily involved in cybersecurity activities. For instance, the following cybersecurity themes are used as guidelines to determine if a company is primarily involved in cybersecurity activities:

(i) privacy and digital trust – emerging privacy regulations and the growing awareness for user privacy will drive more investments in privacy-enhancing technologies and provide users with more control of their data. As a result, protecting data and allowing for safe collaborations will also grow in demand.

(ii) cloud security – refers to a broad set of policies, controls, procedures and technologies that work together to protect cloud-based systems, data, and infrastructure. Since cloud usage is expected to grow, cloud security is vital and can be configured to the exact needs of the business.

(iii) perimeter-less world – as data is moving and multiplying at a rapid pace across boundaries, platforms and applications, users have the ability to access data in a variety of ways and data very rarely stays within the secure perimeter of an enterprise anymore. With more and more sensitive data residing outside of the corporate perimeter, locating, securing and controlling this data presents a significant challenge. Businesses need to understand the risks to their data, keeping up to date with the constantly evolving threat landscape.

(iv) security of internet devices – security focuses on protecting and safeguarding a wide array of internet-enabled devices that connect to each other on wireless networks.

(v) resilience and recovery – security is about more than prevention, detection and response; it is also about surviving attacks and continuing to offer services to customers while infrastructure and assets are degraded. Companies require technologies which enable business continuity, rapid recovery from damaging attacks, and ongoing re-evaluation of assets and capabilities.

(vi) smart security – with a fast-growing pace of change in technology, companies are constantly dealing with security complexity and integration. Companies are also utilizing automation, data and artificial intelligence for smart security solutions.

 

6   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


(vii) security development process – moving security to the earliest possible point in the development process, also known as “shift left” security, involves making changes in when, where and how to apply security best practices. Embedding security considerations early in the design and testing phases can reduce cybersecurity risk and cost.

Eligible companies are assigned a “focus score” based on the perceived degree of a company’s overall involvement across the number of cybersecurity development themes along which a company scores a “High Exposure”. Companies with high exposure to 3 or more themes receive a “Broad Focus” score. Companies with high exposure to 1 or 2 themes receive a “Narrow Focus” score. Companies without high exposure to a development theme receive a zero score.

Next, Index constituent weights are tilted based on a combination of a “growth score” based on their revenue growth rates as well as the above referenced “focus score”. Growth scores are calculated as the compound average annual revenue growth over the trailing three years. Companies with revenue growth rates of 20% or higher receive a “Growing Fast” score. Companies that are not in the Index with at least 7% revenue growth, or companies that are currently in the Index with revenue growth equal to or above 5% receive a “Growing” score. All other companies receive a zero growth score. “Broad Focus” and “Growing Fast” companies will receive a weighting factor of 1.33. “Narrow Focus” and “Growing” companies will receive a weighting factor of 0.75. All other selection companies will receive a weighting factor of 1.

Non-Principal Information About the Fund’s Investment Strategies

The Fund may invest in other investments that the Fund believes will help it track its Index, including cash and cash equivalents, as well as in shares of other investment companies (including affiliated investment companies, such as ETFs), options on futures contracts, options and swaps.

Securities Lending. The Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount not to exceed one-third (33 1/3%) of the value of its total assets via a securities lending program through its securities lending agent, State Street Bank and Trust Company, to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions desiring to borrow securities to complete transactions and for other purposes. A securities lending program allows the Fund to receive a portion of the income generated by lending its securities and investing the respective collateral. The Fund will receive collateral for each loaned security which is at least equal to the market value of that security, marked to market each trading day. In the securities lending program, the borrower generally has the right to vote the loaned securities; however, the Fund may call loans to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the Fund’s economic interest in the investment is to be voted upon. Security loans may be terminated at any time by the Fund.

Additional Principal Risk Information About the Fund

This section provides additional information regarding the principal risks described under “Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund” in the Fund Summary. Each of the factors below could have a negative impact on Fund performance and trading prices.

Cash Redemption Risk

When the Fund redeems shares for cash or otherwise includes cash as part of its redemption proceeds, it may be required to sell or unwind portfolio investments in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause the Fund to recognize capital gains that it might not have recognized if it had made a redemption in-kind (i.e., distribute securities as payment of redemption proceeds). As a result, the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

Cybersecurity Risk

The Fund and its service providers may be susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a breach in cybersecurity, including cyber-attacks. A breach in cybersecurity, intentional or unintentional, may adversely impact the Fund in many ways, including, but not limited to, disruption of the Fund’s operational capacity, loss of proprietary information, theft or corruption of data maintained online or digitally, denial-of-service attacks on websites or network resources, and the unauthorized release of confidential information. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund’s third-party service providers, including the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, administrator, custodian, and transfer agent, may subject the Fund to many of the same risks associated with direct cybersecurity breaches and adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber-attacks may impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of confidential business information, impede trading, cause the Fund to incur additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or other financial losses, and/or cause reputational damage to the Fund. Cybersecurity breaches of market makers, Authorized Participants, or the issuers of securities in which the Fund invests could also have material adverse consequences on the Fund’s business operations and cause financial losses for the Fund and its shareholders. While the Fund and its service providers

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      7  


have established business continuity plans and risk management systems designed to address cybersecurity risks, prevent cyber-attacks and mitigate the impact of cybersecurity breaches, there are inherent limitations on such plans and systems. In addition, the Fund has no control over the cybersecurity protections put in place by its service providers or any other third parties whose operations may affect the Fund or its shareholders.

Geopolitical Risk

The United States has experienced security concerns, war, threats of war, aggression and/or conflict, terrorism, economic uncertainty, natural and environmental disasters, the spread of infectious illness, widespread disease or other public health issues and/or systemic market dislocations (including due to events outside of the United States) that have led, and in the future may lead, to increased short-term market volatility and may have adverse long-term effects on the U.S. and world economies and markets generally. Such geopolitical and other events may also disrupt securities markets and, during such market disruptions, the Fund’s exposure to the other risks described herein will likely increase. For example, a market disruption may adversely affect the orderly functioning of the securities markets. Each of the foregoing may negatively impact the Fund’s investments.

Index and Data Risk

The Fund is not “actively” managed and seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Index. The Index Provider has the right to make adjustments to the Index or to cease making the Index available without regard to the particular interests of the Fund or the Fund’s shareholders. While the Index Provider provides a rules-based methodology that describes what the Index is designed to achieve within a particular set of rules, neither the Index Provider, its agents nor data providers provide any warranty or accept any liability in relation to the quality, accuracy or completeness of the Index, its calculation, valuation or its related data, and they do not guarantee that the Index will be in line with the Index Provider’s methodology, regardless of whether or not the Index Provider is affiliated with the Adviser. The composition of the Index is dependent on data from one or more third parties and/or the application of such data within the rules of the Index methodology, which may be based on assumptions or estimates. If the computers or other facilities of the Index Provider, Index calculation agent, data providers and/or relevant stock exchange malfunction for any reason, calculation and dissemination of Index values may be delayed and trading in Fund shares may be suspended for a period of time. Errors in Index data, Index computations and/or the construction of the Index may occur from time to time and may not be identified and/or corrected by the Index Provider, Index calculation agent or other applicable party for a period of time or at all, which may have an adverse impact on the Fund and its shareholders. The potential risk of continuing error may be particularly heightened in the case of the Index, which is generally not used as a benchmark by other funds or managers. Any of the foregoing may lead to the inclusion of securities in the Index, exclusion of securities from the Index or the weighting of securities in the Index that would have been different had data or other information been correct or complete, which may lead to a different investment outcome than would have been the case had such events not occurred. The Adviser, through the Sub-Adviser, seeks to manage the Fund to correspond to the Index provided by the Index Provider. Consequently, losses or costs associated with the Index’s errors or other risks described above will generally be borne by the Fund and its shareholders and neither the Adviser nor its affiliates or agents make any representations or warranties regarding the foregoing.

Investment Risk

As with all investments, an investment in the Fund is subject to investment risk. Investors in the Fund could lose money, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount of an investment, over short or long periods of time. An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and it is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

 

8   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


Investment Style Risk

The Fund invests in the securities included in, or representative of, its Index regardless of their investment merit. The Fund does not attempt to outperform its Index or take defensive positions in declining markets. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected by a general decline in the market segments relating to its Index. The returns from the types of securities in which the Fund invests may underperform returns from the various general securities markets or different asset classes. This may cause the Fund to underperform other investment vehicles that invest in different asset classes. Different types of securities (for example, large-, mid- and small-capitalization stocks) tend to go through cycles of doing better – or worse – than the general securities markets. In the past, these periods have lasted for as long as several years.

Growth Investing Risk

Growth stocks, as a group, may be out of favor with the market and underperform value stocks or the overall equity market. Growth stocks generally are priced higher than non-growth stocks, in relation to the issuer’s earnings and other measures, because investors believe they have greater growth potential, but there is no guarantee that their growth potential will be realized. Growth stocks are generally more sensitive to market movements than other types of stocks primarily because their prices are based heavily on future expectations. If investors believe an issuing company’s future earnings expectations will not be met, growth stock prices can decline rapidly and significantly. An investment in growth stocks may also be susceptible to rapid price swings during periods of economic uncertainty.

Issuer-Specific Risk

Changes in the actual or perceived financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular type of security or issuer, and changes in general economic or political conditions can affect a security’s or instrument’s value. The value of securities of smaller, less well-known issuers can be more volatile than that of larger issuers. Issuer-specific events can have a negative impact on the value of the Fund.

Market Risk

The trading prices of equity securities and other instruments fluctuate in response to a variety of factors. These factors include events impacting the entire market or specific market segments, such as political, market and economic developments, including, but not limited to, changes in interest rates, government regulation, and the outlook for economic growth or recession, as well as events that impact specific issuers, such as changes to an issuer’s actual or perceived creditworthiness. The Fund’s NAV and market price, like security prices generally, may fluctuate significantly in response to these and other factors. As a result, an investor could lose money over short or long periods of time.

Recent Events

The respiratory illness COVID-19 caused by a novel coronavirus has resulted in a global pandemic and major disruption to economies and markets around the world, including the United States. Financial markets have experienced extreme volatility and severe losses, and trading in many instruments has been disrupted. Liquidity for many instruments has been greatly reduced for periods of time. Some interest rates are very low and in some cases yields are negative. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced particularly large losses. These circumstances may continue for an extended period of time, and may continue to affect adversely the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments. The ultimate economic fallout from the pandemic, and the long-term impact on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers, are not known. Governments and central banks, including the Federal Reserve in the U.S., have taken extraordinary and unprecedented actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets. The impact of these measures, and whether they will be effective to mitigate the economic and market disruption, will not be known for some time.

Non-Correlation Risk

As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and its Index may vary somewhat for a variety of reasons. For example, the Fund incurs operating expenses and portfolio transaction costs, while also managing cash flows and potential operational inefficiencies, not incurred by its Index. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested in the securities of its Index at all times or may hold securities not included in its Index or may be subject to pricing differences, differences in the timing of dividend accruals, operational inefficiencies and the need to meet various new or existing regulatory requirements. For example, it may take several business days for additions and deletions to the Index to be reflected in the portfolio composition of the Fund. The use of sampling techniques may affect the Fund’s ability to achieve close correlation with its Index. By using a representative sampling strategy, the Fund generally can be expected to have a greater non-correlation risk and this risk may be heightened during times of market volatility or other unusual market conditions.

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      9  


Non-Diversification Risk

The Fund is considered to be non-diversified. This means that the Fund may invest more of its assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it was a diversified fund. As a result, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a smaller number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely. This may increase the Fund’s volatility and cause the performance of a relatively smaller number of issuers to have a greater impact on the Fund’s performance. However, the Fund intends to satisfy the asset diversification requirements under Subchapter M of the Code for qualification as a RIC. See the “Taxes – Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company” section of the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) for detail regarding the asset diversification requirements.

Risk of Investing in Cybersecurity and Security-Oriented Technology Companies

Companies in the cybersecurity and security-oriented technology market are particularly vulnerable to rapid changes in technology, rapid obsolescence of products and services, the loss of patent, copyright and trademark protections, government regulation and competition, both domestically and internationally, including competition from foreign competitors with lower production costs, evolving industry standards and frequent new product and service introductions. These companies may also be smaller and less experienced companies, with limited product or service lines, markets or financial resources and fewer experienced management or marketing personnel. Cybersecurity and security-oriented technology company stocks, especially those which are internet-related, have experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations in the past that have often been unrelated to their operating performance. As a result of these risks, the Fund’s investments can be adversely affected and you may lose money on your investment in the Fund.

Sector Concentration Risk

The value of the investments of the Fund that focuses its investments in a particular industry or market sector will be highly sensitive to financial, economic, political and other developments affecting that industry or market sector, and conditions that negatively impact that industry or market sector will have a greater impact on the Fund as compared with a fund that does not have its holdings similarly concentrated. Events negatively affecting the industries or market sectors in which the Fund has invested are therefore likely to cause the value of the Fund’s shares to decrease, perhaps significantly.

Information Technology Sector Risk. The information technology sector can be significantly affected by, among other things, the supply and demand for specific products and services, the pace of technological development and government regulation. Challenges facing companies in the information technology sector include distressed cash flows due to the need to commit substantial capital to meet increasing competition, particularly in formulating new products and services using new technology, technological innovations that make existing products and services obsolete, and satisfying consumer demand.

Software Industry Risk. The Fund currently expects to invest a significant portion of its assets in the software industry within the information technology sector, and therefore, the Fund’s performance could be negatively impacted by events affecting this industry. The software industry can be significantly affected by intense competition, aggressive pricing, technological innovations, and product obsolescence. Companies in the application software industry, in particular, may also be negatively affected by the decline or fluctuation of subscription renewal rates for their products and services, which may have an adverse effect on profit margins. Companies in the systems software industry may be adversely affected by, among other things, actual or perceived security vulnerabilities in their products and services, which may result in individual or class action lawsuits, state or federal enforcement actions and other remediation costs.

Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV

As with all ETFs, Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of the shares of the Fund will not materially differ from the Fund’s NAV, there may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly, including due to timing reasons, perceptions about the NAV, supply and demand of the Fund’s shares (including disruptions in the creation/redemption process), during periods of market volatility and/or other factors. Thus, you may pay more (or less) than NAV when you buy shares of the Fund in the secondary market, and you may receive more (or less) than NAV when you sell those shares in the secondary market. If an investor purchases Fund shares at a time when the market price is at a premium to the NAV of the Fund’s shares or sells at a time when the market price is at a discount to the NAV of the Fund’s shares, an investor may sustain losses.

Small-Capitalization Investing Risk

The securities of small-capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse issuer, market, political, or economic developments than securities of larger-capitalization companies. The securities of small-capitalization companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger capitalization stocks or the stock market as a whole. Some small capitalization companies have limited product lines, markets, and financial and managerial resources and tend to concentrate on fewer geographical markets relative to larger capitalization companies. There is typically less publicly available information concerning smaller-capitalization companies than for larger, more established companies. Small-capitalization companies also may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, government regulation, borrowing costs and earnings.

Additional Non-Principal Risk Information

Trading. Although the Fund’s shares are listed for trading on NASDAQ and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Listing Exchange, there can be no assurance that an active trading market for such shares will develop or be maintained. The trading market in the Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s holdings or due to irregular trading activity in the markets. Trading in shares may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Listing Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable. In addition, trading in shares on the Listing Exchange is subject to trading halts caused by extraordinary market volatility pursuant to Listing Exchange “circuit breaker” rules. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Listing Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund will continue to be met or will remain unchanged or that Fund shares will trade with any volume, or at all, on any stock exchange.

 

10   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


Costs of Buying or Selling Shares. Investors buying or selling Fund shares in the secondary market will pay brokerage commissions or other charges imposed by brokers, as determined by that broker. Brokerage commissions are often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell relatively small amounts of Fund shares. In addition, secondary market investors will also incur the cost of the difference between the price that an investor is willing to buy shares (the “bid” price) and the price at which an investor is willing to sell shares (the “ask” price). This difference in bid and ask prices is often referred to as the “spread” or “bid/ask spread.” The bid/ask spread varies over time for shares based on trading volume and market liquidity (including for the underlying securities held by the Fund), and is generally lower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity. Further, a relatively small investor base in the Fund, asset swings in the Fund and/or increased market volatility may cause increased bid/ask spreads. Shares of the Fund, similar to shares of other issuers listed on a stock exchange, may be sold short and are therefore subject to the risk of increased volatility associated with short selling. Due to the costs of buying or selling Fund shares, including bid/ask spreads, frequent trading of Fund shares may significantly reduce investment results and an investment in shares may not be advisable for investors who anticipate regularly making small investments.

Securities Lending. Although the Fund is indemnified by the Fund’s lending agent for losses incurred in connection with a borrower’s default with respect to a loan, the Fund bear the risk of loss of investing cash collateral and may be required to make payments to a borrower upon return of loaned securities if invested collateral has declined in value. Furthermore, because of the risks in delay of recovery, the Fund may lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price, and the Fund will generally not have the right to vote securities while they are being loaned. These events could also trigger negative tax consequences for the Fund.

Authorized Participants, Market Makers and Liquidity Providers Concentration Risk. The Fund has a limited number of financial institutions that may act as Authorized Participants (“APs”). In addition, there may be a limited number of market makers and/or liquidity providers in the marketplace. To the extent either of the following events occur, Fund shares may trade at a prolonged and material premium or discount to NAV (or not trade at all) and possibly face trading halts and/or delisting: (i) APs exit the business, have a business disruption (including through the types of disruptions described under “Cybersecurity Risk” and “Operational Risk”) or otherwise become unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders and no other APs step forward to perform these services, or (ii) market makers and/or liquidity providers exit the business, have a business disruption (including through the types of disruptions described under “Cybersecurity Risk” and “Operational Risk”) or significantly reduce their business activities and no other entities step forward to perform their functions.

Operational Risk. The Fund and its service providers, including the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, administrator, custodian, and transfer agent, may experience disruptions that arise from human error, processing and communications errors, counterparty or third-party errors, technology or systems failures, any of which may have an adverse impact on the Fund. Although the Fund and its service providers seek to mitigate these operational risks through their internal controls and operational risk management processes, these measures may not identify or may be inadequate to address all such risks.

Portfolio Holdings Information

Information about the Fund’s daily portfolio holdings, including the identities and quantities of such portfolio holdings, is available at www.wisdomtree.com. In addition, the Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its fiscal year (June 30) and its second fiscal quarter (December 31) in its reports to shareholders. The Fund files its complete portfolio holdings as of the end of its first and third fiscal quarters (September 30 and March 31, respectively) with the SEC in Part F of Form N-PORT no later than 60 days after the relevant fiscal period. You can find the SEC filings on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov, or by calling WisdomTree Trust at 1-866-909-WISE (9473). A summarized description of the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings is available in the SAI.

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      11  


Management

Investment Adviser

As the investment adviser, WisdomTree Asset Management has overall responsibility for the general management and administration of the WisdomTree Trust (the “Trust”) and the Fund. WisdomTree Asset Management is a registered investment adviser with offices located at 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, New York 10167, and is a leader in ETF management. As of December 31, 2020, WisdomTree Asset Management had assets under management totaling approximately $38.5 billion. WisdomTree Investments* is the parent company of WisdomTree Asset Management. WisdomTree Asset Management provides an investment program for the Fund. The Adviser provides proactive oversight of the Sub-Adviser, daily monitoring of the Sub-Adviser’s buying and selling of securities for the Fund, and regular review of the Sub-Adviser’s performance. In addition, the Adviser arranges for sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund administration, securities lending, and all other non-distribution related services necessary for the Fund to operate.

 

*

“WisdomTree” is a registered mark of WisdomTree Investments and has been licensed for use by the Trust.

For its services, WisdomTree Asset Management expects to receive fees from the Fund, based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets, as shown in the following table:

 

   
Name of Fund   Management Fee  
WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund     0.45

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Fund, WisdomTree Asset Management has agreed to pay generally all expenses of the Fund, subject to certain exceptions. For a detailed description of the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Fund, please see the “Management of the Trust” section of the SAI. Pursuant to a separate contractual arrangement, WisdomTree Asset Management arranges for the provision of chief compliance officer (“CCO”) services with respect to the Fund, and is liable and responsible for, and administers, payments to the CCO, the Independent Trustees and counsel to the Independent Trustees. WisdomTree Asset Management receives a fee of up to 0.0044% of the Fund’s average daily net assets for providing such services and paying such expenses. WisdomTree Asset Management provides CCO services to the Trust.

The basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s Investment Advisory Agreements will be available in the Trust’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ending June 30, 2021.

Sub-Adviser

Mellon Investments Corporation (the “Sub-Adviser”) is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. The Sub-Adviser, a registered investment adviser, is a leading innovator in the investment industry and manages global quantitative-based investment strategies for institutional and private investors. Its principal office is located at One Boston Place, 201 Washington Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02108. As of November 30, 2020, the Sub-Adviser had assets under management totaling approximately $594 billion. The Sub-Adviser is an independently operated indirect subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, a publicly traded financial holding company. The Sub-Adviser chooses the Fund’s portfolio investments and places orders to buy and sell the portfolio investments. WisdomTree Asset Management pays the Sub-Adviser for providing sub-advisory services to the Fund.

The basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Sub-Advisory Agreement will be available in the Trust’s Annual Report to Shareholders for the period ending June 30, 2021.

WisdomTree Asset Management, as the investment adviser for the Fund, may hire one or more sub-advisers to oversee the day-to-day activities of the Fund. The sub-advisers are subject to oversight by WisdomTree Asset Management. WisdomTree Asset Management and the Trust have received an exemptive order from the SEC that permits WisdomTree Asset Management, with the approval of the Independent Trustees of the Trust, to retain

 

12   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


unaffiliated investment sub-advisers for the Fund, without submitting the sub-advisory agreement to a vote of the Fund’s shareholders. The Trust will notify shareholders in the event of any change in the identity of such sub-adviser or sub-advisers. WisdomTree Asset Management has ultimate responsibility for the investment performance of the Fund due to its responsibility to oversee each sub-adviser and recommend their hiring, termination and replacement. WisdomTree Asset Management is not required to disclose fees paid to any sub-adviser retained pursuant to the order.

Portfolio Managers

The Fund is managed by the Sub-Adviser’s Equity Index Strategies Portfolio Management team. The individual members of the team jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio are described below.

Ms. Marlene Walker-Smith, a Director, Co-Head of Equity Index Portfolio Management, has been with the Sub-Adviser since 1995. Ms. Walker-Smith leads a team of portfolio managers covering domestic and international index portfolios, as well as corporate actions. Previously, she served as an equity index portfolio manager and equity trader for the Sub-Adviser. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Walker-Smith was a trader for Banc One Investment Advisors Corporation and a brokerage services manager for Mid Atlantic Capital Corporation. She has been in the investment industry since 1990. Ms. Walker-Smith earned an MBA in finance from the University of Pittsburgh and a BA in history and Russian from Washington & Jefferson College.

Mr. Thomas J. Durante, CFA, a Managing Director, Co-Head of Equity Index Portfolio Management and Senior Portfolio Manager, has been with the Sub-Adviser since January 2000. Mr. Durante leads a team of portfolio managers covering domestic and international equity indexing portfolios and is responsible for the refinement and implementation of the equity index portfolio management process. Mr. Durante has been in the investment industry since 1982. Prior to joining the firm in 2000, he worked in the fund accounting department at Dreyfus. Mr. Durante is a member of CFA Institute and CFA Society Pittsburgh. Mr. Durante earned a BA in accounting at Fairfield University.

The Fund’s SAI provides additional information about the Portfolio Managers’ compensation, other accounts managed by the Portfolio Managers, and the Portfolio Managers’ ownership of shares in the Fund.

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      13  


Additional Information on Buying and Selling Fund Shares

Most investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund through broker-dealers at market prices. Shares of the Fund trade on the Listing Exchange and elsewhere during the trading day and can be bought and sold throughout the trading day like other shares of publicly traded securities. When buying or selling shares through a broker, most investors will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges and you may pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered prices in the secondary market for Shares. Shares of the Fund trade under the trading symbol listed on the cover of this Prospectus.

Share Trading Prices

Transactions in Fund shares will be priced at NAV only if you are an institutional investor (e.g., broker-dealer) that has signed an agreement with the Distributor (as defined below) and you thereafter purchase or redeem shares directly from the Fund in Creation Units. As with other types of securities, the trading prices of shares in the secondary market can be affected by market forces such as supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors. The price you pay or receive when you buy or sell your shares in the secondary market may be more or less than the NAV of such shares.

Determination of Net Asset Value

The NAV of the Fund’s shares is calculated each day the national securities exchanges are open for trading as of the close of regular trading on the Listing Exchange, generally 4:00 p.m. New York time (the “NAV Calculation Time”). NAV per share is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

In calculating its NAV, the Fund generally values its assets on the basis of market quotations, last sale prices, or estimates of value furnished by a pricing service or brokers who make markets in such instruments.

Fair value pricing is used by the Fund when reliable market valuations are not readily available or are not deemed to reflect current market values. Securities that may be valued using “fair value” pricing may include, but are not limited to, securities for which there are no current market quotations or whose issuer is in default or bankruptcy, securities subject to corporate actions (such as mergers or reorganizations), securities subject to non-U.S. investment limits or currency controls, and securities affected by “significant events.” An example of a significant event is an event occurring after the close of the market in which a security trades but before the Fund’s next NAV Calculation Time that may materially affect the value of the Fund’s investment (e.g., government action, natural disaster, or significant market fluctuation). When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by the Fund to calculate its NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.

Dividends and Distributions

The Fund intends to pay out dividends on an annual basis. Nonetheless, the Fund may not make a dividend payment every year.

The Fund intends to distribute its net realized capital gains to investors annually. The Fund occasionally may be required to make supplemental distributions at some other time during the year. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.

Book Entry

Shares of the Fund are held in book-entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund.

Investors owning shares of the Fund are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all shares of the Fund. Participants include DTC, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any securities that you hold in book-entry or “street name” form. Your broker will provide you with account statements, confirmations of your purchases and sales, and tax information.

Delivery of Shareholder Documents – Householding

Householding is an option available to certain investors of the Fund. Householding is a method of delivery, based on the preference of the individual investor, in which a single copy of certain shareholder documents can be

 

14   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


delivered to investors who share the same address, even if their accounts are registered under different names. Householding for the Fund is available through certain broker-dealers. If you are interested in enrolling in householding and receiving a single copy of prospectuses and other shareholder documents, please contact your broker-dealer. If you are currently enrolled in householding and wish to change your householding status, please contact your broker-dealer.

Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares

The Fund has adopted policies and procedures with respect to frequent purchases and redemptions of Creation Units of Fund shares. Since the Fund is an ETF, only a few institutional investors (known as “Authorized Participants”) are authorized to purchase and redeem shares directly from the Fund. Because purchase and redemption transactions with Authorized Participants are an essential part of the ETF process and may help keep ETF trading prices in line with NAV, the Fund accommodates frequent purchases and redemptions by Authorized Participants. Frequent purchases and redemptions for cash may increase portfolio transaction costs and may lead to the realization of capital gains. Frequent in-kind creations and redemptions generally do not give rise to these concerns. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order at any time. The Fund reserves the right to impose restrictions on disruptive, excessive, or short-term trading.

Investments by Investment Companies

Section 12(d)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Fund. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act subject to certain terms and conditions set forth in an SEC exemptive order issued to the Trust, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Fund.

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      15  


Additional Tax Information

The following discussion is a summary of some important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. Your investment in the Fund may have other tax implications. Please consult your tax advisor about the tax consequences of an investment in Fund shares, including the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.

The Fund intends to qualify each year for treatment as a RIC. If it meets certain minimum distribution requirements, a RIC is not subject to tax at the fund level on income and gains from investments that are timely distributed to shareholders. However, the Fund’s failure to qualify as a RIC or to meet minimum distribution requirements would result (if certain relief provisions were not available) in fund-level taxation and consequently a reduction in income available for distribution to shareholders.

Unless you are a tax-exempt entity or your investment in Fund shares is made through tax-deferred retirement account, such as an individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:

 

   

The Fund makes distributions;

 

   

You sell Fund shares; and

 

   

You purchase or redeem Creation Units (institutional investors only).

Taxes on Distributions

For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income or qualified dividend income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains (if any) are determined by how long the Fund owned the assets that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Fund shares. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gain (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses) that are properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains. For non-corporate shareholders, long-term capital gains are generally subject to tax at reduced rates. Distributions of short-term capital gain will generally be taxable as ordinary income. Distributions reported by the Fund as “qualified dividend income” are generally taxed to non-corporate shareholders at rates applicable to long-term capital gains, provided holding period and other requirements are met. “Qualified dividend income” generally is income derived from dividends paid by U.S. corporations or certain foreign corporations that are either incorporated in a U.S. possession or eligible for tax benefits under certain U.S. income tax treaties. To the extent the Fund lends its securities and receives substitute dividend payments, such payments are not expected to generate qualified dividend income when distributed to shareholders. Since the Fund’s income is derived primarily from sources that do not pay dividends or from non-U.S. sources, it is not expected that a substantial portion of dividends paid by the Fund will qualify either for the dividends-received deduction for corporations or for any favorable U.S. federal income tax rate available to non-corporate shareholders on “qualified dividend income.”

In general, your distributions are subject to federal income tax for the year in which they are paid. Certain distributions paid in January, but declared by the Fund in October, November or December of the previous year, may be treated as paid on December 31 of the prior year. Distributions are generally taxable even if they are paid from income or gains earned by the Fund before your investment (and thus were included in the price you paid for your shares).

Dividends and distributions from the Fund and capital gain on the sale of Fund shares are generally taken into account in determining a shareholder’s “net investment income” for purposes of the Medicare contribution tax applicable to certain individuals, estates and trusts.

The Fund may include cash when paying the redemption price for Creation Units in addition to, or in place of, the delivery of a basket of securities. The Fund may be required to sell portfolio securities in order to obtain the cash needed to distribute redemption proceeds. This may cause such Fund to recognize investment income and/or capital gains or losses that it might not have recognized if it had completely satisfied the redemption in-kind. As a result, such Fund may be less tax efficient if it includes such a cash payment than if the in-kind redemption process was used.

Distributions (other than Capital Gain Dividends) paid to individual shareholders that are neither citizens nor residents of the U.S. or to foreign entities will generally be subject to a U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30%, unless a lower treaty rate applies. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest related dividend” or a “short term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met.

 

16   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


The Fund (or financial intermediaries, such as brokers, through which shareholders own Fund shares) generally is required to withhold and to remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and the sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding.

Taxes When You Sell Fund Shares

Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares is generally treated as a long-term gain or loss if you held the shares you sold for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of Fund shares held for one year or less is generally treated as a short-term gain or loss, except that any capital loss on a sale of shares held for six months or less is treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of Capital Gain Dividends paid with respect to such shares. The ability to deduct capital losses may be limited depending on your circumstances.

Taxes on Creation and Redemption of Creation Units

An Authorized Participant having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes that exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and any amount of cash received by the Authorized Participant in the exchange and (ii) the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and any amount of cash paid for such Creation Units. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of the securities plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), however, may assert that a loss that is realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be permitted to be currently deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for a person who does not mark-to-market their holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position.

Gain or loss recognized by an Authorized Participant upon an issuance of Creation Units in exchange for non-U.S. currency will generally be treated as ordinary income or loss. Gain or loss recognized by an Authorized Participant upon an issuance of Creation Units in exchange for securities, or upon a redemption of Creation Units, may be capital or ordinary gain or loss depending on the circumstances. Any capital gain or loss realized upon an issuance of Creation Units in exchange for securities will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities have been held for more than one year. Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of a Creation Unit will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Fund shares comprising the Creation Unit have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses are treated as short-term capital gains or losses.

A person subject to U.S. federal income tax with the U.S. dollar as its functional currency who receives non-U.S. currency upon a redemption of Creation Units and does not immediately convert the non-U.S. currency into U.S. dollars may, upon a later conversion of the non-U.S. currency into U.S. dollars, recognize any gains or losses resulting from fluctuations in the value of the non-U.S. currency relative to the U.S. dollar since the date of the redemption. Any such gains or losses will generally be treated as ordinary income or loss.

Persons exchanging securities or non-U.S. currency for Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rules apply and when a loss might be deductible. If you purchase or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many Fund shares you purchased or redeemed and at what price.

Foreign Investments by the Fund

Dividends, interest and other income received by the Fund with respect to foreign securities may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. The Fund may need to file special claims for refunds to secure the benefits of a reduced rate. If as of the close of a taxable year more than 50% of the total assets of the Fund consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations, the Fund intends to elect to “pass through” to investors the amount of foreign income and similar taxes (including withholding taxes) paid by the Fund during that taxable year. If the Fund elects to “pass through” such foreign taxes, then investors will be considered to have received as

 

WisdomTree Trust Prospectus      17  


additional income their respective shares of such foreign taxes, but may be entitled to either a corresponding tax deduction in calculating taxable income, or, subject to certain limitations, a credit in calculating federal income tax.

Distribution

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) serves as the distributor of Creation Units for the Fund on an agency basis. The Distributor does not maintain a secondary market in shares of the Fund. The Distributor’s principal address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101. The Distributor has no role in determining the policies of the Fund or the securities that are purchased or sold by the Fund.

Premium/Discount and NAV Information

Information regarding the Fund’s NAV and how often shares of the Fund traded on the Listing Exchange at a price above (i.e., at a premium) or below (i.e., at a discount) the NAV of the Fund during the past calendar year and most recent calendar quarter is available at www.wisdomtree.com.

Additional Notices

Listing Exchange

Shares of the Fund are not sponsored, endorsed, or promoted by the Listing Exchange. The Listing Exchange makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the ability of the Fund to track the total return performance of the Index or the ability of the Index identified herein to track stock market performance. The Listing Exchange is not responsible for, nor has it participated in, the determination of the compilation or the calculation of the Index, nor in the determination of the timing of, prices of, or quantities of the shares of the Fund to be issued, nor in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares are redeemable. The Listing Exchange has no obligation or liability to owners of the shares of the Fund in connection with the administration, marketing, or trading of the shares of the Fund.

The Listing Exchange does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Index or any data included therein. The Listing Exchange makes no warranty, express or implied, as to results to be obtained by the Trust on behalf of the Fund, owners of the shares, or any other person or entity from the use of the Index or any data included therein. The Listing Exchange makes no express or implied warranties, and hereby expressly disclaims all warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose with respect to the Index or any data included therein. Without limiting any of the foregoing, in no event shall the Listing Exchange have any liability for any lost profits or indirect, punitive, special, or consequential damages even if notified of the possibility thereof.

WisdomTree and the Fund

WisdomTree Investments and WisdomTree Asset Management (together, “WisdomTree”) and the Fund make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of shares of the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the Index to track general stock market performance. WisdomTree Investments is the licensor of the Index, trademarks, service marks and trade names of the Fund. WisdomTree Investments is not responsible for, and has not participated in, the determination of the timing, prices, or quantities of shares of the Fund to be issued or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the shares of the Fund are redeemable. WisdomTree and the Fund do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or performance of the Index or the data included therein and shall have no liability in connection with the Index or Index calculation. An Index’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Index will perform in the future. WisdomTree Investments has contracted with an independent calculation agent to calculate the Index.

Financial Highlights

The Fund shares had not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus and therefore does not have financial information.

 

18   WisdomTree Trust Prospectus


WisdomTree Trust

245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

 

LOGO

 

LOGO

 

The Fund’s current SAI provides additional detailed information about the Fund. The Trust has electronically filed the SAI with the SEC. It is incorporated by reference in this Prospectus.

Additional information about the Fund’s investments will be available in the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders. In the annual report you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance after the first fiscal year the Fund is in operation.

To make shareholder inquiries, for more detailed information on the Fund, or to request the SAI or annual or semi-annual shareholder reports after the first fiscal year the Fund is in operation free of charge, please:

 

Call:  

1-866-909-9473

Monday through Friday

9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

(Eastern time)

   Write:  

WisdomTreeTrust

c/o Foreside Fund Services, LLC

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100

Portland, Maine 04101

      
Visit:   www.wisdomtree.com     

Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s Internet site at www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

No person is authorized to give any information or to make any representations about the Fund and its shares not contained in this Prospectus and you should not rely on any other information. Read and keep this Prospectus for future reference.

 

© 2021 WisdomTree Trust

WisdomTree Funds are distributed in the U.S. by Foreside Fund Services, LLC

Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100

Portland, Maine 04101

WisdomTree® is a registered mark of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.

INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. 811-21864

WIS-PR-WCBR-0121


WISDOMTREE® TRUST

WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund (WCBR)

Principal U.S. Listing Exchange: NASDAQ

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Dated January 15, 2021

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus. It should be read in conjunction with the current prospectus (the “Prospectus”) for the WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund (the “Fund”), a separate series of WisdomTree Trust (the “Trust”), as such Prospectus may be revised from time to time.

The current Prospectus for the Fund is dated January 15, 2021. Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. The Fund’s audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year (when available) are incorporated in this SAI by reference to the Fund’s most recent Annual Report to Shareholders (File No. 811-21864). When available, you may obtain a copy of the Fund’s Annual Report at no charge by request to the Fund at the address or phone number noted below.

THE U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (“SEC”) HAS NOT APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THESE SECURITIES OR PASSED UPON THE ADEQUACY OF THIS SAI. ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

A copy of the Prospectus for the Fund may be obtained, without charge, by calling 1-866-909-9473, visiting www.wisdomtree.com, or writing to WisdomTree Trust, c/o Foreside Fund Services, LLC, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.


Table of Contents

 

General Description of the Trust and the Fund

     2  

Investment Strategies and Risks

     2  

General Risks

     2  

Specific Investment Strategies

     6  

Proxy Voting Policy

     13  

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures

     14  

WisdomTree Index Description

     15  

Investment Limitations

     15  

Continuous Offering

     17  

Management of the Trust

     19  

Brokerage Transactions

     30  

Additional Information Concerning the Trust

     31  

Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations

     32  

Regular Holidays and Other Settlement Matters

     37  

Taxes

     37  

Determination of NAV

     44  

Dividends and Distributions

     44  

Financial Statements

     45  

Miscellaneous Information

     45  


GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST AND THE FUND

The Trust was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on December 15, 2005 and is authorized to issue multiple series or portfolios. The Trust is an open-end management investment company, registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The offering of the Trust’s shares is registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”).

The Fund seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the WisdomTree Team8 Cybersecurity Index (the “Index”) that identifies and selects companies , which are primarily involved in cybersecurity and security-oriented technology that generate a meaningful part of their revenue from security protocols that prevent intrusion and attacks to systems, networks, applications, computers, and mobile devices and are experiencing revenue growth. The Index is created using proprietary methodology developed by WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (“WisdomTree Investments”). WisdomTree Investments is the parent company of WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. (“WisdomTree Asset Management” or the “Adviser”), the investment adviser to the Fund. Mellon Investments Corporation (“Mellon”) is the investment sub-adviser to the Fund. The Adviser and the Sub-Adviser may be referred to collectively as the “Advisers”. Foreside Fund Services, LLC serves as the distributor (the “Distributor”) of the shares of the Fund.

The Fund is an exchange traded fund (“ETF”). The Fund issues and redeems shares at net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in large blocks of shares (“Creation Units” or Creation Unit Aggregations”). These transactions are usually in exchange for a basket of securities and/or an amount of cash. As a practical matter, only institutions or large investors (typically market makers or other broker-dealers) purchase or redeem Creation Units. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares of the Fund are not redeemable securities.

Shares of the Fund are listed on a national securities exchange, such as the NASDAQ (a “Listing Exchange”), and trade throughout the day on the Listing Exchange and other secondary markets at market prices that may be greater than (premium) or less than (discount) their NAV. As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions will be based on commission rates charged by the applicable broker.

The Trust reserves the right to adjust the prices of shares in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

“WisdomTree” is a registered mark of WisdomTree Investments and has been licensed for use by the Trust. WisdomTree Investments has received a patent and has a patent application pending on the methodology and operation of its Index and the Fund.

INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

The Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies and associated risks are described in the Fund’s Prospectus. The sections below supplement these principal investment strategies and risks and describe the Fund’s additional investment policies and the different types of investments that may be made by the Fund as a part of its non-principal investment strategies. With respect to the Fund’s investments, unless otherwise noted, if a percentage limitation on investment is adhered to at the time of investment or contract, a subsequent increase or decrease as a result of market movement or redemption will not result in a violation of such investment limitation.

The Fund intends to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), so that it will not be subject to federal income tax on income and gains that are timely distributed to Fund shareholders. The Fund will invest its assets, and otherwise conduct its operations, in a manner that is intended to satisfy the qualifying income, diversification and distribution requirements necessary to establish and maintain eligibility for such treatment.

The Fund is considered “non-diversified,” as such term is used in the 1940 Act.

GENERAL RISKS

Changing economic, political or financial market conditions in one country or geographic region could adversely affect the market value of the securities held by the Fund in a different country or geographic region due to increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets. In addition, certain geopolitical and other events, including environmental events and public health events such as epidemics and pandemics, may have a global impact and add to instability in world economies and markets generally. As a result, whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic, political, financial and/or social difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected

 

2


by such events. Such market conditions also may lead to increased regulation of the Fund and the instruments in which the Fund may invest, which may, in turn, increase the expenses incurred by the Fund and/or affect the Fund’s ability to pursue its investment objective and the Fund’s performance.

A recent outbreak of a respiratory disease caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread globally in a short period of time. In an organized attempt to contain and mitigate the effects of COVID-19, governments and businesses world-wide have taken aggressive measures, including closing borders, restricting international and domestic travel, and the imposition of prolonged quarantines of large populations. COVID-19 has resulted in the disruption of and delays in the delivery of healthcare services and processes, the cancellation of organized events and educational institutions, the disruption of production and supply chains, a decline in consumer demand for certain goods and services, and general concern and uncertainty, all of which have contributed to increased volatility in global markets. The effects of COVID-19 have affected and are likely to continue to affect certain sectors and industries more dramatically than others, and the effects borne by some will negatively affect the value of the issuers in those sectors and industries, which may adversely affect the value of the Fund’s investments in those sectors or industries. COVID-19, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could adversely affect the economies of many nations, the global economy, individual companies and capital markets in ways that cannot be foreseen at the present time. In addition, the impact of infectious diseases in developing or emerging market countries may be greater due to limited health care resources. Political, economic and social stresses caused by COVID-19 also may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks in certain countries. The duration of COVID-19 and its effects cannot be determined at this time, but the effects could be present for an extended period of time.

It is impossible to predict the effects on the Fund of these or similar events and market conditions in the future. However, it is possible that these or similar events and market conditions could have a significant and adverse effect on the NAV and/or risk profile of the Fund.

An investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate (including significantly decrease) in accordance with changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular security or issuer, changes in general economic or political conditions, local, regional or global events such as war, threats of war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issue, recessions, natural and environmental disasters, systemic market dislocations, supply disruptions, or other events. Such events may disparately impact a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. The Fund may not outperform other investment strategies over short- or long-term market cycles and the Fund may decline in value. Fund shares may trade above or below their NAV. An investor in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. The price of the securities and other investments held by the Fund and thus the value of the Fund’s portfolio is expected to fluctuate in accordance with general economic conditions, interest rates, political events, and other factors.

An investment in the Fund should also be made with an understanding of the risks inherent in an investment in equity securities, including the risk that the financial condition of issuers may become impaired or that the general condition of the stock market may deteriorate (either of which may cause a decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities and therefore a decrease in the value of shares of the Fund). Common stocks are susceptible to general stock market fluctuations and to volatile increases and decreases in value as market confidence and perceptions change. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic or banking crises.

Holders of common stocks incur more risk than holders of preferred stocks and debt obligations because common stockholders, as owners of the issuer, generally have inferior rights to receive payments from the issuer in comparison with the rights of creditors or holders of debt obligations or preferred stocks. Further, unlike debt securities, which typically have a stated principal amount payable at maturity (whose value, however, is subject to market fluctuations prior thereto), or preferred stocks, which typically have a liquidation preference and which may have stated optional or mandatory redemption provisions, common stocks have neither a fixed principal amount nor a maturity. Common stock values are subject to market fluctuations as long as the common stock remains outstanding.

Issuer-specific conditions may also affect the value of the Fund’s investments. The financial condition of an issuer of a security or counterparty to a contract may cause it to default or become unable to pay interest or principal due on the security or contract. The Fund cannot collect interest and principal payments if the issuer or counterparty defaults. Accordingly, the value of an investment in the Fund may change in response to issuer or counterparty defaults and changes in the credit ratings of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

Although all of the securities in the Index are generally listed on one or more U.S. or non-U.S. stock exchanges, there can be no guarantee that a liquid market for such securities will be maintained. The existence of a liquid trading market for certain securities may depend on whether dealers will make a market in such securities. There can be no assurance that a market will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Fund’s shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide.

 

3


Events in the financial sector have resulted, and may continue to result, in an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both domestic and foreign. Domestic and foreign fixed income and equity markets experienced extreme volatility and turmoil starting in late 2008 and volatility has continued to be experienced in the markets. Issuers that have exposure to the real estate, mortgage and credit markets have been particularly affected, and well-known financial institutions have experienced significant liquidity and other problems. Some of these institutions have declared bankruptcy or defaulted on their debt. It is uncertain whether or for how long these conditions will continue. These events and possible continuing market turbulence may have an adverse effect on Fund performance.

The Fund may be included in model portfolios developed by WisdomTree Asset Management for use by financial advisors and/or investors. The market price of shares of the Fund, costs of purchasing or selling shares of the Fund, including the bid/ask spread, and liquidity of the Fund may be impacted by purchases and sales of the Fund by one or more model-driven investment portfolios.

Authorized Participants should refer to the section herein entitled “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations” for additional information that may impact them.

BORROWING. Although the Fund does not intend to borrow money as part of its principal investment strategies, the Fund may do so to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the Fund may borrow up to 33% of its net assets, but under normal market conditions, the Fund does not expect to borrow greater than 10% of the Fund’s net assets. The Fund will borrow only for short-term or emergency purposes.

Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of the Fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased. The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

CAPITAL CONTROLS AND SANCTIONS RISK. Economic conditions, such as volatile currency exchange rates and interest rates, political events, military action and other conditions may, without prior warning, lead to government intervention (including intervention by the U.S. government with respect to foreign governments, economic sectors, foreign companies and related securities and interests) and the imposition of capital controls and/or sanctions, which may also include retaliatory actions of one government against another government, such as seizure of assets. Capital controls and/or sanctions include the prohibition of, or restrictions on, the ability to own or transfer currency, securities or other assets, which may potentially include derivative instruments related thereto. Countries use these controls to, among other reasons restrict movements of capital entering (inflows) and exiting (outflows) their country to respond to certain economic or political conditions. By way of example, such controls may be applied to short-term capital transactions to counter speculative flows that threaten to undermine the stability of the exchange trade and deplete foreign exchange reserves. Levies may be placed on profits repatriated by foreign entities (such as the Fund). Capital controls and/or sanctions may also impact the ability of the Fund to buy, sell, transfer, receive, deliver (i.e., create and redeem Creation Units) or otherwise obtain exposure to, foreign securities or currency, negatively impact the value and/or liquidity of such instruments, adversely affect the trading market and price for shares of the Fund (e.g., cause the Fund to trade at prices materially different from its NAV), and cause the Fund to decline in value. The Fund may change its creation and/or redemption procedures without notice in response to the imposition of capital controls or sanctions. There can be no assurance a country in which the Fund invests or the U.S. will not impose a form of capital control or sanction to the possible detriment of the Fund and its shareholders.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE RISK. Investments denominated in non-U.S. currencies and investments in securities or derivatives that provide exposure to such currencies, currency exchange rates or interest rates are subject to non-U.S. currency risk. Changes in currency exchange rates and the relative value of non-U.S. currencies will affect the value of the Fund’s investment and the value of your Fund shares. Because the Fund’s NAV is determined on the basis of U.S. dollars, the U.S. dollar value of your investment in the Fund may go down if the value of the local currency of the non-U.S. markets in which the Fund invests depreciates against the U.S. dollar. This is true even if the local currency value of securities in the Fund’s holdings goes up. Conversely, the U.S. dollar value of your investment in the Fund may go up if the value of the local currency appreciates against the U.S. dollar.

The value of the U.S. dollar measured against other currencies is influenced by a variety of factors. These factors include interest rates, national debt levels and trade deficits, changes in balances of payments and trade, domestic and foreign interest and inflation rates, global or regional political, economic or financial events, monetary policies of governments, actual or potential government intervention, and global energy prices. Political instability, the possibility of government intervention and restrictive or opaque business and investment policies may also reduce the value of a country’s currency. Government monetary policies and the buying or selling of currency by a country’s government may also influence exchange rates.

 

4


Currencies of emerging or developing market countries may be subject to significantly greater risks than currencies of developed countries. Many developing market countries have experienced steady declines or even sudden devaluations of their currencies relative to the U.S. dollar. Some non-U.S. market currencies may not be traded internationally, may be subject to strict limitations on foreign investment and may be subject to frequent and unannounced government intervention. Government intervention and currency controls can decrease the value and significantly increase the volatility of an investment in non-U.S. currency. Although the currencies of some developing market countries may be convertible into U.S. dollars, the achievable rates may differ from those experienced by domestic investors because of foreign investment restrictions, withholding taxes, lack of liquidity or other reasons.

CYBERSECURITY RISK. Investment companies, such as the Fund, and its service providers may be prone to operational and information security risks resulting from cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information or various other forms of cybersecurity breaches. Cyber-attacks affecting the Fund or the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, accountant, custodian, transfer agent, market makers, Authorized Participants and other third-party service providers may adversely impact the Fund. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of Authorized Participant transactions, impact the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential company information, impede trading, subject the Fund to regulatory fines or financial losses, and cause reputational damage. The Fund could incur extraordinary expenses for cybersecurity risk management purposes, prevention and/or resolution. Similar types of cybersecurity risks are also present for issuers of securities in which the Fund invests, which could result in material adverse consequences for such issuers, and may cause the Fund’s investment in such portfolio companies to lose value.

FOREIGN SECURITIES RISK. The Fund may invest in non-U.S. securities and instruments, or in instruments that provide exposure to such securities and instruments. Investments in non-U.S. securities involve certain risks that may not be present with investments in U.S. securities. For example, investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to risk of loss due to foreign currency fluctuations or to political or economic instability. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than a U.S. issuer. Non-U.S. issuers may be subject to different accounting, auditing, financial reporting and investor protection standards than U.S. issuers. Investments in non-U.S. securities may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks (including restrictions on the transfers of securities). With respect to certain countries, there is the possibility of government intervention and expropriation or nationalization of assets. Because legal systems differ, there is also the possibility that it will be difficult to obtain or enforce legal judgments in certain countries. Since foreign exchanges may be open on days when the Fund does not price its shares, the value of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares. Conversely, Fund shares may trade on days when foreign exchanges are closed. Each of these factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments and may be heightened in connection with investments in developing or emerging market countries. Foreign securities also include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) which are U.S. dollar-denominated receipts representing shares of foreign-based corporations. ADRs are issued by U.S. banks or trust companies and entitle the holder to all dividends and capital gains that are paid out on the underlying foreign shares. Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”), which are similar to ADRs, represent shares of foreign-based corporations and are generally issued by international banks in one or more markets around the world. Investments in ADRs and GDRs may be less liquid and more volatile than underlying shares in their primary trading markets. In addition, the Fund may change its creation or redemption procedures without notice in connection with restrictions on the transfer of securities. For more information on creation and redemption procedures, see “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations” herein.

LACK OF DIVERSIFICATION. The Fund is considered to be “non-diversified.” A “non-diversified” classification means that the Fund is not limited by the 1940 Act with regard to the percentage of its total assets that may be invested in the securities of a single issuer. As a result, the Fund may invest more of its total assets in the securities of a single issuer or a smaller number of issuers than if it were classified as a diversified fund. Therefore, the Fund may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer or a small number of issuers than a fund that invests more widely, which may have a greater impact on the Fund’s volatility and performance.

TAX RISK. To qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment accorded to RICs, the Fund must, among other things, derive in each taxable year at least 90% of its gross income from certain prescribed sources. The U.S. Treasury Department has authority to issue Treasury Regulations that would exclude foreign currency gains from qualifying income if such gains are not directly related to the Fund’s business of investing in stock or securities. Accordingly, Treasury Regulations may be issued in the future that could treat some or all of the Fund’s foreign currency gains as nonqualifying income, which might jeopardize the Fund’s status as a RIC for all years to which the Treasury Regulations are applicable. If for any taxable year the Fund does not qualify as a RIC, all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) for that year would be subject to tax at the regular corporate rate without any deduction for distributions to shareholders, and such distributions would be taxable to shareholders as dividend income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.

A discussion of some of the other risks associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

5


SPECIFIC INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

A description of certain investment strategies and types of investments that may be used by the Fund is set forth below.

CURRENCY TRANSACTIONS. The Fund may enter into foreign currency forward and foreign currency futures contracts, including to facilitate local securities settlements or to protect against currency exposure. The Fund does not expect to engage in currency transactions for the purpose of hedging against declines in the value of the Fund’s total assets that are denominated in one or more foreign currencies.

Foreign Currency Futures Contracts. A foreign currency futures contract is a contract involving an obligation to deliver or acquire the specified amount of a specific currency, at a specified price and at a specified future time. Futures contracts may be settled on a net cash payment basis rather than by the sale and delivery of the underlying currency.

Forward Foreign Currency Contracts. A forward foreign currency exchange contract (“forward contract”) involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are principally traded in the interbank market conducted directly between currency traders (usually large commercial banks) and their customers. Forward contracts are contracts between parties in which one party agrees to make a payment to the other party (the counterparty) based on the market value or level of a specified currency. In return, the counterparty agrees to make payment to the first party based on the return of a different specified currency. A forward contract generally has no margin deposit requirement, and no commissions are charged at any stage for trades. These contracts typically are settled by physical delivery of the underlying currency or currencies in the amount of the full contract value to the extent they are not agreed to be carried forward to another expiration date (i.e., rolled over).

A non-deliverable forward contract is a forward contract where there is no physical settlement of two currencies at maturity. Non-deliverable forward contracts will usually be done on a net basis, with the Fund receiving or paying only the net amount of the two payments. The net amount of the excess, if any, of the Fund’s obligations over its entitlements with respect to each non-deliverable forward contract is accrued on a daily basis and an amount of cash or liquid securities having an aggregate value at least equal to the accrued excess is maintained to cover such obligations. The risk of loss with respect to non-deliverable forward contracts generally is limited to the net amount of payments that the Fund is contractually obligated to make or receive.

Currency exchange transactions involve a significant degree of risk and the markets in which currency exchange transactions are effected are highly volatile, highly specialized and highly technical. Significant changes, including changes in liquidity and prices, can occur in such markets within very short periods of time, often within minutes. Currency exchange trading risks include, but are not limited to, exchange rate risk, maturity gap, interest rate risk, and potential interference by foreign governments through regulation of local exchange markets, foreign investment or particular transactions in foreign currency. If the Fund utilizes foreign currency transactions at an inappropriate time, such transactions may not serve their intended purpose and may lower the Fund’s return. The Fund could experience losses if the value of any currency forwards and futures positions is poorly correlated with its other investments or if it could not close out its positions because of an illiquid market. Such contracts are subject to the risk that the counterparty will default on its obligations. In addition, the Fund will incur transaction costs, including trading commissions, in connection with certain foreign currency transactions.

DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS. To the extent the Fund invests in stocks of foreign corporations, the Fund’s investment in such stocks may be in the form of Depositary Receipts or other similar securities convertible into securities of foreign issuers. Depositary Receipts may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the underlying securities into which they may be converted. ADRs are receipts typically issued by an American bank or trust company that evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation. European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a similar ownership arrangement. GDRs are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement. Non-Voting Depository Receipts (“NVDRs”) are receipts issued in Thailand that evidence a similar arrangement. Generally, ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets, and EDRs, in bearer form, are designed for use in European securities markets. GDRs are tradable both in the United States and in Europe and are designed for use throughout the world. NVDRs are tradable on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.

The Fund will not generally invest in any unlisted Depositary Receipts or any Depositary Receipt that WisdomTree Asset Management or the Sub-Adviser deems to be illiquid or for which pricing information is not readily available. In addition, all Depositary Receipts generally must be sponsored; however, the Fund may invest in unsponsored Depositary Receipts under certain limited circumstances. The issuers of unsponsored Depositary Receipts are not obligated to disclose material information in the United States, and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the Depositary Receipts.

DERIVATIVES. The Fund may use derivative instruments as part of its investment strategy. The Fund will not use derivatives to increase leverage, and the Fund will provide margin or collateral, as applicable, with respect to investments in derivatives in such amounts as determined under applicable law, regulatory guidance, or related interpretations.

Generally, derivatives are financial contracts whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to bonds, interest rates, currencies, commodities, and related indexes. Examples of derivative instruments include forward currency contracts, currency and interest rate swaps, currency options, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, swap agreements and credit-linked notes.

 

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With respect to certain kinds of derivative transactions that involve obligations to make future payments to third parties, including, but not limited to, futures contracts, forward contracts, swap contracts, the purchase of securities on a when-issued or delayed delivery basis, or reverse repurchase agreements, under applicable federal securities laws, rules, and interpretations thereof, the Fund must “set aside” (referred to sometimes as “asset segregation”) liquid assets, or engage in other measures to “cover” open positions with respect to such transactions in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act, specifically sections 8 and 18 thereunder.

For example, with respect to forward contracts and futures contracts that are not contractually required to “cash-settle,” the Fund must cover its open positions by having available liquid assets equal to the contracts’ full notional value. The Fund treats deliverable forward contracts for currencies that are liquid as the equivalent of “cash-settled” contracts. As such, the Fund may have available liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market (net) obligation (i.e., the Fund’s daily net liability, if any) rather than the full notional amount under such deliverable forward contracts. Similarly, with respect to futures contracts that are contractually required to “cash-settle” the Fund may have available liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund’s daily marked-to-market (net) obligation rather than the notional value. The Fund reserves the right to modify these policies in the future.

Forwards, swaps and certain other derivatives are subject to regulation under The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank Act”) in the U.S. and certain non-U.S. jurisdictions. Physically-settled forwards entered into between eligible contract participants, such as the Fund, are generally subject to fewer regulatory requirements in the U.S. than non-deliverable forwards. Under the Dodd-Frank Act, non-deliverable forwards are regulated as swaps and are subject to rules requiring central clearing and mandatory trading on an exchange or facility that is regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”). Under the Dodd-Frank Act, non-deliverable forwards, swaps and certain other derivatives traded in the OTC market are subject to initial and variation margin requirements . The Fund’s counterparties may be subject to additional regulatory requirements and/or apply the regulatory requirements more broadly than is required for administrative and other reasons, including, for example, by (i) applying the stricter regulatory requirements to physically-settled forwards that are applicable to non-deliverable forwards even though the stricter rules are not technically applicable to such physically-settled forwards; and (ii) applying smaller thresholds for the delivery of variation margin than required. As such, the Fund may need to hold more cash, which may include raising cash by selling securities and/or obtaining cash through other arrangements in order to meet margin requirements, which may, among other potential consequences, cause an increase in expense ratio, lead to the realization of taxable gains, increase costs to the Fund of trading or otherwise affect returns to investors in the Fund.

Effective April 24, 2012, the CFTC revised, among other things, CFTC Rule 4.5 and rescinded CFTC Rule 4.13(a)(4). The CFTC has adopted amendments to its regulations of commodity pool operators (“CPOs”) managing funds registered under the 1940 Act that “harmonize” the SEC’s and the CFTC’s regulatory schemes. The adopted amendments to the CFTC regulations allow CPOs to registered investment companies to satisfy certain recordkeeping, reporting and disclosure requirements that would otherwise apply to them under Part 4 of the CFTC’s regulations by continuing to comply with comparable SEC requirements. To the extent that the CFTC recordkeeping, disclosure and reporting requirements deviate from the comparable SEC requirements, such deviations are not expected to materially adversely affect the ability of the Fund to continue to operate and achieve its investment objective. If, however, these requirements or future regulatory changes result in the Fund having difficulty in achieving its investment objective, the Trust may determine to reorganize or close the Fund, materially change the Fund’s investment objective and strategies, or operate the Fund as a regulated commodity pool pursuant to WisdomTree Asset Management’s CPO registration.

With regard to the Fund, WisdomTree Asset Management expects to claim relief from the definition of CPO under revised CFTC Rule 4.5. Specifically, pursuant to CFTC Rule 4.5, WisdomTree Asset Management may claim exclusion from the definition of CPO, and thus from having to register as a CPO, with regard to the Fund if it enters into commodity futures, commodity options or swaps solely for “bona fide hedging purposes,” or that limits its investment in commodities to a “de minimis” amount, as defined in CFTC rules, so long as the shares of the Fund are not marketed as interests in a commodity pool or other vehicle for trading in commodity futures, commodity options or swaps.

Swap Agreements. The Fund may enter into swap agreements, including currency swaps, interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, and total return swaps. A typical foreign currency swap involves the exchange of cash flows based on the notional differences among two or more currencies (e.g., the U.S. dollar and the euro). A typical interest rate swap involves the exchange of a floating interest rate payment for a fixed interest payment. A typical credit default swap (“CDS”) involves an agreement to make a series of payments by the buyer in exchange for receipt of payment by the seller if the loan defaults. In the event of default the buyer of the CDS receives compensation (usually the face value of the loan), and the seller of the CDS takes possession of the defaulted loan. In the event that the Fund acts as a protection seller of a CDS, the Fund will segregate assets equivalent to the full notional value of the CDS. In the event that the Fund acts as a protection buyer of a CDS, the Fund will cover the total amount of required premium payments plus the pre-payment penalty. Total return swaps involve the exchange of payments based on the total return on an underlying reference asset. The total return includes appreciation or depreciation on the reference asset, plus any interest or dividend payments. Swaps agreements can be structured to provide for periodic payments over the term of the swap contract or a single payment at maturity (also known as a “bullet swap”). Swap agreements may be

 

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used to hedge or achieve exposure to, for example, currencies, interest rates, and money market securities without actually purchasing such currencies or securities. The Fund may use swap agreements to invest in a market without owning or taking physical custody of the underlying securities in circumstances in which direct investment is restricted for legal reasons or is otherwise impracticable. Swap agreements will tend to shift the Fund’s investment exposure from one type of investment to another or from one payment stream to another.

Depending on their structure, swap agreements may increase or decrease the Fund’s exposure to long- or short-term interest rates (in the United States or abroad), foreign currencies, corporate borrowing rates, or other factors, and may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the Fund’s investments and its share price. When the Fund purchases or sells a swap contract, the Fund is required to “cover” its position in order to limit the risk associated with the use of leverage and other related risks. To cover its position, the Fund will maintain with its custodian bank (and mark-to-market on a daily basis) a segregated account consisting of cash or liquid securities that, when added to any amounts deposited as margin, are equal to the market value of the swap contract or otherwise “cover” its position in a manner consistent with the 1940 Act or the rules and SEC interpretations thereunder. If the Fund continues to engage in the described securities trading practices and properly segregates assets, the segregated account will function as a practical limit on the amount of leverage which the Fund may undertake and on the potential increase in the speculative character of the Fund’s outstanding portfolio securities. Additionally, such segregated accounts will generally ensure the availability of adequate funds to meet the obligations of the Fund arising from such investment activities.

Futures, Options and Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund may use futures contracts and related options: (i) to attempt to gain exposure to foreign currencies, and (ii) to attempt to gain exposure to a particular market, instrument or index. To the extent the Fund uses futures and options, it will do so only in accordance with applicable requirements of the CEA and the rules thereunder.

Futures Contracts. A futures contract is a standardized contract traded on a recognized exchange in which two parties agree to exchange either a specified financial asset or the cash equivalent of said asset of standardized quantity and quality for a price agreed to today (the futures price or the strike price) with delivery occurring at a specified future date. The Fund’s investments in listed futures contracts will be backed by investments in liquid assets in an amount equal to the exposure of such contracts. The Fund may take long or short positions in listed futures contracts.

The Fund may transact in listed currency futures contracts and listed U.S. Treasury futures contracts. When the Fund purchases a listed futures contract, it agrees to purchase a specified reference asset (i.e., currency or Treasury security) at a specified future date. When the Fund sells a listed futures contract, it agrees to sell a specified reference asset (i.e., currency or Treasury security) at a specified future date. The price at which the purchase and sale will take place is fixed when the Fund enters into the contract. The exchange clearing corporation is the ultimate counterparty for all exchange listed contracts, so credit risk is limited to the creditworthiness of the exchange’s clearing corporation. Margin deposits are posted as performance bonds with the clearing broker and, in turn, with the exchange clearing corporation.

The Fund may buy and sell index futures contracts with respect to any index traded on a recognized exchange or board of trade. An index futures contract is a bilateral agreement pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to a specified dollar amount times the difference between the index value at the close of trading of the contract and the price at which the futures contract is originally struck. No physical delivery of the securities comprising the index is made. Instead, settlement in cash must occur upon the termination of the contract, with the settlement being the difference between the contract price, and the actual level of the stock index at the expiration of the contract. Generally, contracts are closed out prior to the expiration date of the contract.

When the Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, the Fund will segregate its assets as described above.

There are significant risks associated with the Fund’s use of futures contracts, including the following: (1) the success of a strategy may depend on the Adviser’s ability to predict movements in the prices of individual securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (2) there may be an imperfect or no correlation between the changes in market value of the securities and the prices of futures contracts; (3) although the Fund intends to enter into futures contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time; (4) trading restrictions or limitations may be imposed by an exchange; and (5) government regulations may restrict trading in futures contracts.

Options on Futures Contracts. The Fund reserves the right to buy or sell options on listed futures contracts. An option on a futures contract gives the purchaser the right, in exchange for payment of a premium, to assume a position in a futures contract at a specified exercise price during the term of the option. A put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security or instrument at any time during the option period. A call option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and the writer of the option the obligation to sell, the underlying security or instrument at any time during the option period. A premium is paid to the writer of an option as consideration for undertaking the obligation in the contract.

 

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The Fund may purchase and write options on an exchange or over the counter (“OTC”). OTC options differ from exchange-traded options in several respects. They are transacted directly with dealers and not with a clearing corporation, and therefore entail the risk of non-performance by the dealer. OTC options are available for a greater variety of securities and for a wider range of expiration dates and exercise prices than are available for exchange-traded options. Because OTC options are not traded on an exchange, pricing is done normally by reference to information from a market maker. It is the SEC’s position that OTC options are generally illiquid.

When the Fund purchases or sells an options contract, the Fund will segregate its assets as described above.

There are significant risks associated with the Fund’s use of options contracts, including the following: (1) the success of a strategy may depend on the Adviser’s ability to predict movements in the prices of individual or securities, fluctuations in markets and movements in interest rates; (2) there may be an imperfect or no correlation between the changes in market value of the securities and the price of options; (3) although the Fund intends to enter into options contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, there is no assurance that an active market will exist for the contracts at any particular time; (4) trading restrictions or limitations may be imposed by an exchange; and (5) government regulations may restrict trading in options contracts.

Currency Options. The Fund may buy or sell put and call options on foreign currencies either on exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. A put option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell a foreign currency at the exercise price until the option expires. A call option on a foreign currency gives the purchaser of the option the right to purchase the currency at the exercise price until the option expires.

EQUITY SECURITIES. The Fund invests in equity securities. Equity securities, such as the common stocks of an issuer, are subject to stock market fluctuations and, therefore, may experience volatile changes in value as market conditions, consumer sentiment or the financial condition of the issuers change. A decrease in value of the equity securities in the Fund’s portfolio may also cause the value of the Fund’s shares to decline.

EXCHANGE TRADED PRODUCTS. The Fund may invest in exchange traded products (“ETPs”), which include exchange traded funds registered under the 1940 Act, exchange traded commodity trusts and exchange traded notes, as well as instruments that provide exposure to ETPs. The Adviser may receive management or other fees from the ETPs in which the Fund may invest (“Affiliated ETPs”), as well as a management fee for managing the Fund. It is possible that a conflict of interest among the Fund and Affiliated ETPs could affect how the Adviser fulfills its fiduciary duties to the Fund and the Affiliated ETPs. Although the Adviser takes steps to address the conflicts of interest, it is possible that the conflicts could impact the Fund. The Fund may invest in new ETPs or ETPs that have not yet established a deep trading market at the time of investment. Shares of such ETPs may experience limited trading volume and less liquidity, in which case the spread (the difference between bid price and ask price) may be higher.

Exchange Traded Funds. The Fund may invest in ETFs. ETFs are investment companies that trade like stocks on a securities exchange at market prices rather than NAV. As a result, ETF shares may trade at a price greater than NAV (premium) or less than NAV (discount). The Fund, if investing in an ETF, indirectly bears fees and expenses charged by the ETF in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses. Investments in ETFs are also subject to brokerage and other trading costs that could result in greater expenses for the Fund.

Exchange Traded Notes. The Fund may invest in exchange traded notes (“ETNs”). ETNs generally are senior, unsecured, unsubordinated debt securities issued by a sponsor, such as an investment bank. ETNs are traded on exchanges and the returns are linked to the performance of market indexes. In addition to trading ETNs on exchanges, investors may redeem ETNs directly with the issuer on a periodic basis, typically in a minimum amount of 50,000 units, or hold the ETNs until maturity. The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in the underlying market, changes in the applicable interest rates, and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the referenced market. Because ETNs are debt securities, they are subject to credit risk. If the issuer has financial difficulties or goes bankrupt, the Fund may not receive the return it was promised. If a rating agency lowers an issuer’s credit rating, the value of the ETN may decline and a lower credit rating reflects a greater risk that the issuer will default on its obligation. There may be restrictions on the Fund’s right to redeem its investment in an ETN. There are no periodic interest payments for ETNs, and principal is not protected. The Fund’s decision to sell its ETN holdings may be limited by the availability of a secondary market.

FIXED INCOME SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in fixed income securities, such as corporate debt, notes and bonds, and/or instruments related to fixed income securities. Fixed income securities change in value in response to interest rate changes and other factors, such as the perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. For example, the value of fixed income securities will generally decrease when interest rates rise, which may cause the value of the Fund to decrease. In addition, investments in fixed income securities with longer maturities will generally fluctuate more in response to interest rate changes. The capacity of traditional dealers to engage in fixed income trading has not kept pace with the bond market’s growth and dealer inventories of bonds are at or near historic lows relative to market size. Because market makers provide stability to fixed income markets, the significant reduction in dealer inventories could lead to decreased liquidity and increased volatility, which may become exacerbated during periods of economic or political stress. In addition, liquidity risk may be magnified in a rising interest rate environment in which investor redemptions (or selling of fund shares in the secondary market) from fixed income funds may be higher than normal.

 

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FLOATING AND ADJUSTABLE RATE NOTES. The Fund may purchase floating-rate and adjustable rate obligations, such as demand notes, bonds, and commercial paper. Variable- and floating-rate securities generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as interest rates in general. Conversely, floating-rate securities will not generally increase in value if interest rates decline. When the Fund holds variable- or floating-rate securities, a decrease (or, in the case of inverse floating-rate securities, an increase) in market interest rates will adversely affect the income received from such securities and the NAV of the Fund’s shares.

These securities may bear interest at a rate that resets based on standard money market indices or are remarketed at current market rates. They may permit the holder to demand payment of principal at any time or at specified intervals not exceeding 397 days. The issuer of such obligations may also have the right to prepay, in its discretion, the principal amount of the obligations plus any accrued interest. The “reset date” of securities held by the Fund may not be longer than 397 days (and therefore would be considered to be within the Fund’s general maturity restriction of 397 days). Given that most floating-rate securities reset their interest rates prior to their final maturity date, the Fund uses the period to the next reset date to calculate the securities contribution to the average portfolio maturity of the Fund.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS. The Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) may, in the future, authorize the Fund to invest in securities contracts and investments other than those listed in this SAI and in the Fund’s Prospectus, provided they are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and do not violate any investment restrictions or policies.

ILLIQUID INVESTMENTS. Although the Fund does not intend to do so, as a matter of policy, the Fund may invest up to an aggregate amount of 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. An illiquid investment is any investment that a Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without significantly changing the market value of the investment. The liquidity of a security will be determined based on the relevant market, trading and investment specific conditions. The Fund may not invest in illiquid investments if, as a result of such investment, more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets would be invested in illiquid investments. Illiquid investments include securities subject to contractual or other restrictions on resale and other instruments that lack readily available markets to the extent the Adviser or Sub-Adviser has not deemed such securities to be liquid. The inability of the Fund to dispose of illiquid or not readily marketable investments readily or at a reasonable price could impair the Fund’s ability to raise cash for redemptions or other purposes. In the event that more than 15% of the Fund’s net assets are invested in illiquid investments, the Fund, in accordance with Rule 22e-4(b)(1)(iv) of the 1940 Act, will report the occurrence to both the Board and the SEC and seek to reduce its holdings of illiquid investments within a reasonable period of time.

INVESTMENT COMPANY SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in the securities of other investment companies (including money market funds and certain ETPs) as well as instruments that provide exposure to other investment companies. The 1940 Act generally prohibits the Fund from acquiring more than 3% of the outstanding voting shares of an investment company and limits such investments to no more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets in any single investment company and no more than 10% in any combination of two or more investment companies although the Fund may invest in excess of these limits in affiliated ETPs and to the extent it enters into agreements and abides by certain conditions of the exemptive relief issued to non-affiliated ETPs. The Fund may purchase or otherwise invest in shares of affiliated ETFs and affiliated money market funds.

MONEY MARKET INSTRUMENTS. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in high-quality money market instruments on an ongoing basis to provide liquidity or for other reasons. The instruments in which the Fund may invest include: (i) short-term obligations issued by the U.S. government; (ii) negotiable certificates of deposit (“CDs”), fixed time deposits and bankers’ acceptances of U.S. and foreign banks and similar institutions; (iii) commercial paper rated at the date of purchase “Prime-1” by Moody’s or “A-1+” or “A-1” by Standard & Poor’s (“S&P”) or, if unrated, of comparable quality as determined by the Fund; and (iv) repurchase agreements. CDs are short-term negotiable obligations of commercial banks. Time deposits are non-negotiable deposits maintained in banking institutions for specified periods of time at stated interest rates. Banker’s acceptances are time drafts drawn on commercial banks by borrowers, usually in connection with international transactions.

NON-U.S. SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in non-U.S. equity securities. Investments in non-U.S. equity securities involve certain risks that may not be present in investments in U.S. securities. For example, non-U.S. securities may be subject to currency risks or to foreign government taxes. There may be less information publicly available about a non-U.S. issuer than about a U.S. issuer, and a foreign issuer may or may not be subject to uniform accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those in the U.S. Other risks of investing in such securities include political or economic instability in the country involved, the difficulty of predicting international trade patterns and the possibility of imposition of exchange controls. The prices of such securities may be more volatile than those of domestic securities. With respect to certain foreign countries, there is a possibility of expropriation of assets or nationalization, imposition of withholding taxes on dividend or interest payments, difficulty in obtaining and enforcing judgments against foreign entities or diplomatic developments which could affect investment in these countries. Losses and other expenses may be incurred in converting between various currencies in connection with purchases and sales of foreign securities.

 

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Non-U.S. stock markets may not be as developed or efficient as, and may be more volatile than, those in the U.S. While the volume of shares traded on non-U.S. stock markets generally has been growing, such markets usually have substantially less volume than U.S. markets. Therefore, the Fund’s investment in non-U.S. equity securities may be less liquid and subject to more rapid and erratic price movements than comparable securities listed for trading on U.S. exchanges. Non-U.S. equity securities may trade at price/earnings multiples higher than comparable U.S. securities and such levels may not be sustainable. There may be less government supervision and regulation of foreign stock exchanges, brokers, banks and listed companies abroad than in the U.S. Moreover, settlement practices for transactions in foreign markets may differ from those in U.S. markets. Such differences may include delays beyond periods customary in the U.S. and practices, such as delivery of securities prior to receipt of payment, that increase the likelihood of a failed settlement, which can result in losses to the Fund. The value of non-U.S. investments and the investment income derived from them may also be affected unfavorably by changes in currency exchange control regulations. Foreign brokerage commissions, custodial expenses and other fees are also generally higher than for securities traded in the U.S. This may cause the Fund to incur higher portfolio transaction costs than domestic equity funds. Fluctuations in exchange rates may also affect the earning power and asset value of the foreign entity issuing a security, even one denominated in U.S. dollars. Dividend and interest payments may be repatriated based on the exchange rate at the time of disbursement, and restrictions on capital flows may be imposed. Set forth below for certain markets in which the Fund may invest, consistent with its principal investment strategies, are brief descriptions of some of the conditions and risks in each such market.

Investments in Europe. Most developed countries in Western Europe are members of the European Union (“EU”), many are also members of the European Economic and Monetary Union (“EMU”), and most EMU members are part of the euro zone, a group of EMU countries that share the euro as their common currency. Members of the EMU must comply with restrictions on inflation rates, deficits, debt levels, and fiscal and monetary controls. The implementation of any of these EMY restrictions or controls, as well as any of the following events in Europe, may have a significant impact on the economies of some or all European countries: (i) the default or threat of default by an EU member country on its sovereign debt; (ii) economic recession in an EU member country; (iii) changes in EU or governmental regulations on trade; (iv) changes in currency exchange rates of the euro, the British pound, and other European currencies; (v) changes in the supply and demand for European imports or exports; and (vi) high unemployment rates. The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns or rising government debt levels in several European countries, including Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain. These concerns have also negatively affected the euro’s exchange rate. A significant decline in the value of the euro may produce unpredictable effects on trade and commerce generally and could lead to increased volatility in financial markets worldwide. In the event that an EMU member defaults on its sovereign debt or exits from the EMU, especially if either such event occurs in a disorderly manner, the default or exit may adversely affect the value of the euro as well as the performance of other European economies and issuers.

In June 2016, the United Kingdom voted in a referendum to leave the EU. As a result of the referendum, S&P downgraded the United Kingdom’s credit rating from “AAA” to “AA” and the EU’s credit rating from “AA+” to “AA” in the days that followed the vote. Other credit ratings agencies have taken similar actions. On March 29, 2017, the United Kingdom invoked article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, notifying the European Council of the United Kingdom’s intention to withdraw from the EU by March 29, 2019. However, after two years of negotiating the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the EU, this date has been extended until October 31, 2019. and subsequently extended until January 31, 2020, on which date the United Kingdom formally exited the EU. During an 11-month transition period, the United Kingdom, including its businesses and people, abided by applicable EU rules, honored the United Kingdom’s trade relationships with EU countries, and prepared for the new post-Brexit rules which took effect on January 1, 2021. The impact of Brexit on the United Kingdom, the EU and global markets remains unclear and will depend largely upon the United Kingdom’s ability to negotiate favorable terms with the EU with respect to trade and market access. Brexit may also impact each of these markets should it lead to the creation of divergent national laws and regulations that produce new legal regimes and unpredictable tax consequences. As a result of the uncertain consequences of Brexit and the political divisions both within the United Kingdom and between the United Kingdom and the EU highlighted by the referendum vote, the economies of the United Kingdom and Europe as well as the broader global economy could be significantly impacted, which may result in increased volatility and illiquidity, and potentially lower economic growth on markets in the United Kingdom, Europe and globally that could potentially have an adverse effect on the value of the Fund’s investments.

 

Investments in Israel. Investments in Israeli issuers involves risks that are specific to Israel, including regulatory, legal, political, security and economic risks. Israel’s economy is dependent upon external trade with other economies, notably the United States, China, Japan, Canada and European Union countries. The government of Israel may change the way in which Israeli companies are taxed, or may impose taxes on foreign investment. Such actions could have a negative impact on the overall market for Israeli securities. Israel’s relations with the Palestinian Authority and its neighboring countries Lebanon, Syria and Iran, among others, have at times been strained due to territorial disputes, historical animosities or security concerns, which may cause uncertainty in the Israeli markets and adversely affect the overall economy. These and other factors could have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance.

Investments in Japan. The Japanese economy is characterized by government intervention and protectionism, an unstable financial services sector, relatively high unemployment, low domestic consumption, an aging and declining population and large government debt. Economic growth is heavily dependent on international trade, government support and consistent government policy, and Japan’s economic growth is significantly driven by its exports. Japan has few natural resources and must export to pay for its imports of these basic requirements. Slowdowns in the economies of key trading partners such as the United States, China and/or countries in Southeast Asia, including economic, political or social instability in such countries, could have a negative impact on the Japanese economy as a whole. Japan continues to recover from a recurring recession; however, it is still vulnerable to persistent underlying systemic risks. Despite signs of economic growth, Japan is still the subject of recessionary concerns. While Japan experienced an increase in exports in recent years, the rate of export growth has since slowed.

 

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Although Japan continues to recover from a prolonged economic downturn dating back to 2000, Japan’s economic growth rate has remained relatively low and it may remain low in the future and/or continue to lag the growth rates of other developed nations and its Asian neighbors. Economic growth in Japan is heavily dependent on international trade, government support of the financial services sector and other troubled sectors, and consistent government policy supporting its export market. In the past, Japanese exports have been adversely affected by trade tariffs and other protectionist measures as well as increased competition from developing nations. Japan has few natural resources and is heavily dependent on oil imports. Higher commodity prices could therefore have a negative impact on the Japanese economy. Slowdowns in the economies of key trading partners such as the United States, China and/or countries in Southeast Asia, including economic, political or social instability in such countries, could also have a negative impact on the Japanese economy as a whole. Despite the emergence of China as an important trading partner of Japan, strained relationships between Japan and its neighboring countries, including China, Russia, South Korea and North Korea, based on historical grievances, territorial disputes, and defense concerns, may also inject uncertainty into Japanese markets. Increased political tension between countries in the region could adversely affect the Japanese economy and, in the event of a crisis, destabilize the region. The Japanese economy is also vulnerable to concerns of economic slowdown from within the Japanese financial system, including high levels of nonperforming loans, over-leveraged corporate balance sheets, extensive cross-ownership by major corporations, a changing corporate governance structure, and large government deficits. Japanese currency fluctuations may also adversely impact the Japanese economy and its export market. In the past, the Japanese government has intervened in its currency market to maintain or reduce the value of the yen. Any such intervention in the currency markets could cause the value of the yen to fluctuate sharply and unpredictably and could cause losses to investors. In addition, Japan’s labor market is adapting to an aging workforce, declining population, and demand for increased labor mobility. These demographic shifts and fundamental structural changes to the labor market may negatively impact Japan’s economic competitiveness.

In March 2011, a massive earthquake and tsunami struck northeastern Japan causing major damage to the country’s domestic energy supply, including damage to nuclear power plants. In the wake of this natural disaster, Japan’s financial markets fluctuated dramatically and the resulting economic distress affected Japan’s recovery from its recession. The government injected capital into the economy and proposed plans for massive spending on reconstruction efforts in disaster-affected areas in order to stimulate economic growth. The full extent of the disaster’s impact on Japan’s economy and foreign investment in Japan is difficult to estimate. The risks of natural disasters of varying degrees, such as earthquakes and tsunamis, and the resulting damage, continue to exist. These and other factors could have a negative impact on a Fund’s performance.

REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS. The Fund may invest in the securities of real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) to the extent allowed by law. Risks associated with investments in securities of REITs include decline in the value of real estate, risks related to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, variations in rental income, changes in neighborhood values, the appeal of properties to tenants, and increases in interest rates. In addition, equity REITs may be affected by changes in the values of the underlying property owned by the trusts, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of credit extended. REITs are dependent upon management skills, may not be diversified and are subject to the risks of financing projects. REITs are also subject to heavy cash-flow dependency, defaults by borrowers, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act, and, for U.S. REITs, the possibility of failing to qualify for the favorable U.S. federal income tax treatment available to U.S. REITs under the Code. If an issuer of debt securities collateralized by real estate defaults, it is conceivable that the REITs could end up holding the underlying real estate.

REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements with counterparties that are deemed to present acceptable credit risks. A repurchase agreement is a transaction in which the Fund purchases securities or other obligations from a bank or securities dealer (or its affiliate) and simultaneously commits to resell them to a counterparty at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased obligations. This is designed to result in a fixed rate of return for the Fund insulated from market fluctuations during the holding period. Because they are collateralized by securities, including mortgage-backed securities, repurchase agreements are subject to market and credit risk. As discussed herein, the Fund may not invest more than 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. A repurchase agreement maturing in more than seven days may be considered an illiquid security. The Fund maintains custody of the underlying obligations prior to their repurchase, either through its regular custodian or through a special “tri-party” custodian or sub-custodian that maintains separate accounts for both the Fund and its counterparty. Thus, the obligation of the counterparty to pay the repurchase price on the date agreed to or upon demand is, in effect, secured by such obligations.

 

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Repurchase agreements carry certain risks not associated with direct investments in securities, including a possible decline in the market value of the underlying obligations. If their value becomes less than the repurchase price, plus any agreed-upon additional amount, the counterparty must provide additional collateral so that at all times the collateral is at least equal to the repurchase price plus any agreed-upon additional amount. The difference between the total amount to be received upon repurchase of the obligations and the price that was paid by the Fund upon acquisition is accrued as interest and included in its net investment income. Repurchase agreements involving obligations other than U.S. government securities (such as commercial paper and corporate bonds) may be subject to special risks and may not have the benefit of certain protections in the event of the counterparty’s insolvency. If the seller or guarantor becomes insolvent, the Fund may suffer delays, costs and possible losses in connection with the disposition of collateral.

REVERSE REPURCHASE AGREEMENTS. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements, which involve the sale of securities held by the Fund subject to its agreement to repurchase the securities at an agreed-upon date or upon demand and at a price reflecting a market rate of interest. Reverse repurchase agreements are subject to the Fund’s limitation on borrowings and may be entered into only with banks or securities dealers or their affiliates. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, the Fund will maintain the segregation, either on its records or with the Trust’s custodian, of cash or other liquid securities, marked to market daily, in an amount at least equal to its obligations under the reverse repurchase agreement.

Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the buyer of the securities sold by the Fund might be unable to deliver them when the Fund seeks to repurchase. If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, the buyer or trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund’s obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision.

SECURITIES LENDING. The Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain creditworthy borrowers, including the Fund’s securities lending agent. Loans of portfolio securities provide the Fund with the opportunity to earn additional income on the Fund’s portfolio securities. All securities loans will be made pursuant to agreements requiring the loans to be continuously secured by collateral in cash, or money market instruments, money market funds or U.S. government securities at least equal at all times to the market value of the loaned securities. The borrower pays to the Fund an amount equal to any dividends or interest received on loaned securities. The Fund retains all or a portion of the interest received on investment of cash collateral or receives a fee from the borrower. Lending portfolio securities involves risks of delay in recovery of the loaned securities or in some cases loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially. Furthermore, because of the risks of delay in recovery, the Fund may lose the opportunity to sell the securities at a desirable price. The Fund will generally not have the right to vote securities while they are being loaned.

TRACKING STOCKS. The Fund may invest in tracking stocks. A tracking stock is a separate class of common stock whose value is linked to a specific business unit or operating division within a larger company and which is designed to “track” the performance of such business unit or division. The tracking stock may pay dividends to shareholders independent of the parent company. The parent company, rather than the business unit or division, generally is the issuer of tracking stock. However, holders of the tracking stock may not have the same rights as holders of the company’s common stock.

U.S. GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or the agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government. Such obligations may be short-, intermediate- or long-term. The Fund may also purchase intermediate and long-term obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or the agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government. U.S. government securities are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government, its agencies or government-sponsored enterprises. U.S. government securities are subject to market and interest rate risk, and may be subject to varying degrees of credit risk. U.S. government securities include inflation-indexed fixed income securities, such as U.S. Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (TIPS). U.S. government securities include zero coupon securities, which tend to be subject to greater market risk than interest-paying securities of similar maturities.

PROXY VOTING POLICY

The Trust has adopted as its proxy voting policies for the Fund the proxy voting guidelines of the Fund’s Sub-Adviser. The Trust has delegated to the Sub-Adviser the authority and responsibility for voting proxies on the portfolio securities held by the Fund. The remainder of this section discusses the Fund’s proxy voting guidelines and the Sub-Adviser’s role in implementing such guidelines.

As a registered investment adviser, Mellon is often entrusted with the fiduciary responsibility to vote proxies for shares of corporate stock held on behalf of its clients. Proxy voting is an integral part of the management of the investment in those shares. In voting proxies, Mellon takes into account long term economic value as it evaluates issues relating to corporate governance, including structures and practices, the nature of long-term business plans, including sustainability policies and practices to address environmental and social factors that are likely to have an impact on shareholder value, and other financial and non-financial measures of corporate performance.

 

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For clients that have delegated proxy authority, Mellon will make every reasonable effort to ensure that proxies are received and are voted in accordance with this policy and related procedures. To assist Mellon in that process, it retains Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”) to provide various services related to proxy voting, such as research, analysis, voting services, proxy vote tracking, recordkeeping, and reporting. In addition, Mellon also retains Glass Lewis for research services only.

Mellon seeks to avoid potential material conflicts of interest through its participation on The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation’s (“BNY Mellon”) Proxy Voting and Governance Committee (“Committee”). As such, Mellon has adopted and implemented BNY Mellon’s Proxy Voting Policy and proxy voting guidelines. The guidelines are applied to all client accounts for which Mellon has been delegated the authority to vote in a consistent manner and without consideration of any client relationship factors.

Under this policy, the Committee permits member firms (such as Mellon) to consider specific interests and issues and cast votes differently from the collective vote of the Committee where the member firm determines that a different vote is in the best interests of the affected account(s).

Mellon will furnish a copy of its Proxy Voting Policy and its proxy voting guidelines upon request to each advisory client that has delegated voting authority.

Voting BNY Mellon Stock. It is the policy of Mellon not to vote or make recommendations on how to vote shares of BNY Mellon stock, even where Mellon has the legal power to do so under the relevant governing instrument. In order to avoid any appearance of conflict relating to voting BNY Mellon stock, Mellon has contracted with an independent fiduciary (ISS) to direct all voting of BNY Mellon Stock held by any Mellon accounts on any matter in which shareholders of BNY Mellon Stock are required or permitted to vote.

Proxy Voting Disclosure. Clients who have delegated proxy voting authority to Mellon may obtain the proxy voting records for their account upon written or verbal request.

Oversight Activities. Mellon performs periodic oversight of the operational and voting processes implemented on behalf of clients to ensure that proxy ballots are voted in accordance with established guidelines. These activities may include, but are not limited to, monthly account reconciliation between the voting agent and Mellon records and forensic testing of the application of vote instruction in relation to policy vote recommendations at the ballot level. These efforts are completed as a component of Mellon’s Rule 206(4)-7 compliance program.

A complete copy of the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting policy may be obtained by calling 1-866-909-9473 or by writing to: WisdomTree Trust, c/o Foreside Fund Services, LLC, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101.

The Trust is required to disclose annually the Fund’s complete proxy voting record on Form N-PX covering the period from July 1 of one year through June 30 of the next year and to file Form N-PX with the SEC no later than August 31 of each year. The current Form N-PX for the Fund may be obtained at no charge upon request by calling 1-866-909-9473 or by visiting the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS DISCLOSURE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Trust has adopted a Portfolio Holdings Policy (the “Policy”) designed to govern the disclosure of Fund portfolio holdings and the use of material non-public information about Fund holdings. The Policy applies to all officers, employees, and agents of the Fund, including the Advisers. The Policy is designed to ensure that the disclosure of information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings is consistent with applicable legal requirements and otherwise in the best interest of the Fund.

As an ETF, information about the Fund’s portfolio holdings is made available each Business Day in accordance with the provisions of any Order of the SEC applicable to the Fund, regulations of the Listing Exchange and other applicable SEC regulations, orders and no-action relief. A “Business Day” with respect to the Fund is any day on which its Listing Exchange is open for business. As of the date of this SAI, the Listing Exchange observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. This information is used in connection with the creation and redemption process and is disseminated on a daily basis through the facilities of the Listing Exchange, the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) and/or third-party service providers.

Daily access to the Fund’s portfolio holdings with no lag time is permitted to personnel of the Advisers, the Distributor and the Fund’s administrator (the “Administrator”), custodian and accountant and other agents or service providers of the Trust who have need of such information in connection with the ordinary course of their respective duties to the Fund. The Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) may authorize disclosure of portfolio holdings.

 

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The Fund discloses its complete portfolio holdings online at www.wisdomtree.com. Online disclosure of such holdings is publicly available at no charge.

The Fund will disclose its complete portfolio holdings schedule in public filings with the SEC on a quarterly basis, based on the Fund’s fiscal year end, within sixty (60) days of the end of the quarter, and will provide that information to shareholders, as required by federal securities laws and regulations thereunder.

No person is authorized to disclose the Fund’s portfolio holdings or other investment positions except in accordance with the Policy. The Board reviews the implementation of the Policy on a periodic basis.

WISDOMTREE INDEX DESCRIPTION

A description of the Index on which the Fund’s investment strategy is based is provided in the Fund’s Prospectus under “Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund” with certain additional details provided below. Additional information about the Index, including the components and weightings of the Index, as well as Index methodology, which contains the rules that govern the Index, is available at www.wisdomtree.com\index.

Index Screening/Rebalance Dates. The Index is “rebalanced” or “reconstituted” on a semi-annual basis. Except as otherwise indicated by the Index provider, new securities are added to the Index only during the semi-annual rebalance. Index rebalance and reconstitution schedules change from time to time. The latest Index calendar is available at www.wisdomtree.com/index. The Index is rebalanced in the month following the screening date.

During the semi-annual rebalance, securities are screened to determine whether they comply with the Index methodology and are eligible to be included in the Index. The date of the determination is sometimes referred to as the “Index measurement date” or the “Screening Point.” Based on this screening, securities that meet Index requirements are added to the Index, and securities that do not meet such requirements are dropped from the Index.

The approximate number of components of the Index is disclosed herein as of December 31, 2020.

 

Name of Index

   Approximate Number of
Components
 

WisdomTree Team8 Cybersecurity Index

     25  

Index Maintenance. Index maintenance occurs throughout the year and includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, spin-offs, corporate restructurings and other corporate actions. Corporate actions are generally implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. To the extent reasonably practicable, such changes will be announced at least two days prior to their implementation.

Index Availability. The Index is calculated and disseminated throughout each day the Listing Exchange is open for trading.

Changes to the Index Methodology. The Index is governed by a published, rules-based methodology. Changes to the methodology will be publicly disclosed at www.wisdomtree.com/etfs/index-notices.aspx prior to implementation.

Index Calculation Agent. In order to minimize any potential for conflicts caused by the fact that WisdomTree Investments and its affiliates act as Index provider and investment adviser to the Fund, WisdomTree Investments has retained an unaffiliated third party to calculate the Index (the “Calculation Agent”). The Calculation Agent, using the rules-based methodology, will calculate and disseminate the Index on a daily basis. WisdomTree Investments will monitor the results produced by the Calculation Agent to help ensure that the Index is being calculated in accordance with the rules-based methodology. In addition, WisdomTree Investments and WisdomTree Asset Management have established policies and procedures designed to prevent non-public information about pending changes to the Index from being used or disseminated in an improper manner. Furthermore, WisdomTree Investments and WisdomTree Asset Management have established policies and procedures designed to prevent improper use and dissemination of non-public information about the Fund’s portfolio strategies.

INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS

The following fundamental investment policies and limitations supplement those set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus. Unless otherwise noted, whenever a fundamental investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of the Fund’s assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund’s acquisition of such security or other asset. Accordingly, other than with respect to the Fund’s limitations on borrowings, any subsequent change in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with the Fund’s investment policies and limitations.

The Fund’s fundamental investment policies cannot be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities as defined under the 1940 Act. The Fund, however, may change the non-fundamental investment policies described below, and its investment objective, without a shareholder vote, provided that it obtains Board approval and notifies its shareholders with at least sixty (60) days’ prior written notice of any such change.

 

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Fundamental Policies. The following investment policies and limitations are fundamental and may NOT be changed without shareholder approval.

The Fund, as a fundamental investment policy, may not:

Senior Securities

Issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

Borrowing

Borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act.

Underwriting

Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act in the disposition of portfolio securities.

Concentration

Purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, or any non-U.S. government, or their respective agencies or instrumentalities) if, as a result, more than 25% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in the securities of companies whose principal business activities are in the same industry, except that the Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets in securities of the same industry to approximately the same extent that the Fund’s underlying Index concentrates in the securities of a particular industry or group of industries.

Real Estate

Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate, real estate investment trusts or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business).

Commodities

Purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

Loans

Lend any security or make any other loan except as permitted under the 1940 Act. This means that no more than 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets would be lent to other parties. This limitation does not apply to purchases of debt securities or to repurchase agreements, or to acquisitions of loans, loan participations or other forms of debt instruments, permissible under the Fund’s investment policies.

Non-Fundamental Policies. The following investment policy is not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval. Prior to any change in the Fund’s 80% policy, the Fund will provide shareholders with 60 days’ notice.

The Fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy in accordance with Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in the component securities of the Index and investments that have economic characteristics that are substantially identical to the economic characteristics of such components securities. The Fund’s investment in derivatives will be included in its net assets when determining whether the Fund satisfies the 80% test described above and the Fund values those derivatives at market value.

If, subsequent to an investment, the 80% requirement for the Fund is no longer met, the Fund’s future investments will be made in a manner that will bring the Fund into compliance with this policy.

 

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CONTINUOUS OFFERING

The method by which Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act, may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Unit Aggregations after placing an order with the Distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares, and sells such shares directly to customers, or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. Firms that incur a prospectus delivery obligation with respect to shares of the Fund are reminded that, pursuant to Rule 153 under the Securities Act, a prospectus delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the Securities Act owed to an exchange member in connection with the sale on the Listing Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the prospectus is available at the Listing Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

WisdomTree Investments or its affiliates (the “Selling Shareholder”) may purchase Creation Unit Aggregations through a broker-dealer to “seed” (in whole or in part) Funds as they are launched or thereafter, or may purchase shares from broker-dealers or other investors that have previously provided “seed” for Funds when they were launched or otherwise in secondary market transactions, and because the Selling Shareholder may be deemed an affiliate of such Funds, the shares are being registered to permit the resale of these shares from time to time after purchase. The Fund will not receive any of the proceeds from the resale by the Selling Shareholders of these shares.

The Selling Shareholder intends to sell all or a portion of the shares owned by it and offered hereby from time to time directly or through one or more broker-dealers, and may also hedge such positions. The shares may be sold on any national securities exchange on which the shares may be listed or quoted at the time of sale, in the over-the-counter market or in transactions other than on these exchanges or systems at fixed prices, at prevailing market prices at the time of the sale, at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or at negotiated prices. These sales may be effected in transactions, which may involve crosses or block transactions. The Selling Shareholder may use any one or more of the following methods when selling shares:

 

   

ordinary brokerage transactions through brokers or dealers (who may act as agents or principals) or directly to one or more purchasers;

 

   

privately negotiated transactions;

 

   

through the writing or settlement of options or other hedging transactions, whether such options are listed on an options exchange or otherwise; and

 

   

any other method permitted pursuant to applicable law.

The Selling Shareholder may also loan or pledge shares to broker-dealers that in turn may sell such shares, to the extent permitted by applicable law. The Selling Shareholder may also enter into options or other transactions with broker-dealers or other financial institutions or the creation of one or more derivative securities which require the delivery to such broker-dealer or other financial institution of shares, which shares such broker-dealer or other financial institution may resell.

The Selling Shareholder and any broker-dealer or agents participating in the distribution of shares may be deemed to be “underwriters” within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act in connection with such sales. In such event, any commissions paid to any such broker-dealer or agent and any profit on the resale of the shares purchased by them may be deemed to be underwriting commissions or discounts under the Securities Act. The Selling Shareholder who may be deemed an “underwriter” within the meaning of Section 2(11) of the Securities Act will be subject to the applicable prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act.

The Selling Shareholder has informed the Fund that it is not a registered broker-dealer and does not have any written or oral agreement or understanding, directly or indirectly, with any person to distribute the shares. Upon the Fund being notified in writing by the Selling Shareholder that any material arrangement has been entered into with a broker-dealer for the sale of shares through a block trade, special offering, exchange distribution or secondary distribution or a purchase by a broker or dealer, a supplement to this SAI will be filed, if required, pursuant to Rule 497 under the Securities Act, disclosing (i) the name of each Selling Shareholder and of the participating broker-dealer(s), (ii) the number of shares involved, (iii) the price at which such shares were sold, (iv) the commissions

 

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paid or discounts or concessions allowed to such broker-dealer(s), where applicable, (v) that such broker-dealer(s) did not conduct any investigation to verify the information set out or incorporated by reference in the Fund’s Prospectus and SAI, and (vi) other facts material to the transaction.

The Selling Shareholder and any other person participating in such distribution will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, including, without limitation, to the extent applicable, Regulation M of the Exchange Act, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of the shares by the Selling Shareholder and any other participating person. To the extent applicable, Regulation M may also restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of the shares to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares. All of the foregoing may affect the marketability of the shares and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to the shares. There is a risk that the Selling Shareholder may redeem its investments in the Fund or otherwise sell its shares to a third party that may redeem. As with redemptions by other large shareholders, such redemptions could have a significant negative impact on the Fund and its shares.

 

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MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

Board Responsibilities. The Board is responsible for overseeing the management and affairs of the Fund and the Trust. The Board has considered and approved contracts, as described herein, under which certain companies provide essential management and administrative services to the Trust. Like most ETFs, the day-to-day business of the Trust, including the day-to-day management of risk, is performed by third-party service providers, such as the Advisers, Distributor and Administrator. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Trust’s service providers and, thus, has oversight responsibility with respect to the risk management performed by those service providers. Risk management seeks to identify and eliminate or mitigate the potential effects of risks, i.e., events or circumstances that could have material adverse effects on the business, operations, shareholder services, investment performance or reputation of the Trust or the Fund. Under the overall supervision of the Board and the Audit Committee (discussed in more detail below), the service providers to the Fund employ a variety of processes, procedures and controls to identify risks relevant to the operations of the Trust and the Fund to lessen the probability of their occurrence and/or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur. Each service provider is responsible for one or more discrete aspects of the Trust’s business (e.g., the Advisers are responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio investments) and, consequently, for managing the risks associated with that activity.

The Board’s role in risk management oversight begins before the inception of the Fund, at which time the Fund’s Adviser presents the Board with information concerning the investment objectives, strategies and risks of the Fund. Additionally, the Fund’s Adviser and Sub-Adviser provide the Board periodically with an overview of, among other things, its investment philosophy, brokerage practices and compliance infrastructure. Thereafter, the Board oversees the risk management of the Fund’s operations, in part, by requesting periodic reports from and otherwise communicating with various personnel of the Fund and its service providers, including the Trust’s CCO and the Fund’s independent accountants. The Board and, with respect to identified risks that relate to its scope of expertise, the Audit Committee, oversee efforts by management and service providers to manage risks to which the Fund may be exposed.

The Board is responsible for overseeing the nature, extent and quality of the services provided to the Fund by the Adviser and receives information about those services at its regular meetings. In addition, on at least an annual basis, in connection with its consideration of whether to renew any Advisory Agreement and Sub-Advisory Agreement with the Adviser and Sub-Adviser, respectively, the Board meets with the Adviser and Sub-Adviser to review such services. Among other things, the Board regularly considers the Adviser’s and Sub-Adviser’s adherence to the Fund’s investment restrictions and compliance with various Fund policies and procedures and with applicable securities regulations. The Board also reviews information about the Fund’s performance and investments.

The Trust’s CCO meets regularly with the Board to review and discuss compliance and other issues. At least annually, the Trust’s CCO provides the Board with a report reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of the Trust’s policies and procedures and those of its service providers, including the Adviser and Sub-Adviser. The report addresses the operation of the policies and procedures of the Trust and each service provider since the date of the last report; material changes to the policies and procedures since the date of the last report; any recommendations for material changes to the policies and procedures; and material compliance matters since the date of the last report.

The Board receives reports from the Trust’s service providers regarding operational risks, portfolio valuation and other matters. Annually, an independent registered public accounting firm reviews with the Audit Committee its audit of the Fund’s financial statements, focusing on major areas of risk encountered by the Fund and noting any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the Fund’s internal controls.

The Board recognizes that not all risks that may affect the Fund can be identified, that it may not be practical or cost-effective to eliminate or mitigate certain risks, that it may be necessary to bear certain risks (such as investment-related risks) to achieve the Fund’s goals, and that the processes, procedures and controls employed to address certain risks may be limited in their effectiveness. Moreover, despite the periodic reports the Board receives and the Board’s discussions with the service providers to the Fund, it may not be made aware of all of the relevant information related to a particular risk. Most of the Trust’s investment management and business affairs are carried out by or through the Fund’s Adviser, Sub-Adviser and other service providers, each of which has an independent interest in risk management but whose policies and methods by which one or more risk management functions are carried out may differ from the Trust’s and each other’s in the setting of priorities, the resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. As a result of the foregoing and other factors, the Board’s risk management oversight is subject to substantial limitations.

Members of the Board and Officers of the Trust. Set forth below are the names, birth years, positions with the Trust, term of office, number of portfolios overseen, and principal occupations and other directorships held during the last five years of each of the persons currently serving as members of the Board and as Executive Officers of the Trust. Also included below is the term of office for each of the Executive Officers of the Trust. The members of the Board serve as Trustees for the life of the Trust or until retirement, removal, or their office is terminated pursuant to the Trust’s Declaration of Trust. The address of each Trustee and Officer is c/o WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, New York 10167.

 

19


The Chairman of the Board, Victor Ugolyn, is not an interested person of the Fund as that term is defined in the 1940 Act. The Board is composed of a super-majority (83.3%) of Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund (i.e., “Independent Trustees”). There is an Audit Committee, Governance, Nominating and Compliance Committee, Contracts Review Committee, and Investment Committee of the Board, each of which is chaired by an Independent Trustee and comprised solely of Independent Trustees. The Committee chair for each is/are responsible for running the Committee meetings, formulating agendas for those meetings, and coordinating with management to serve as a liaison between the Committee members and management on matters within the scope of the responsibilities of the Committee as set forth in its Board-approved charter. The Fund has determined that this leadership structure is appropriate given the specific characteristics and circumstances of the Fund. The Fund made this determination in consideration of, among other things, the fact that the Independent Trustees of the Fund constitute a super-majority of the Board, the assets under management of the Fund, the number of Funds overseen by the Board, the total number of Trustees on the Board, and the fact that an Independent Trustee serves as Chairman of the Board.

 

Name and Year of
Birth of Trustee/Officer

  

Position(s) Held with

the Trust, Term of

Office and Length of

Time Served

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee/
Officer+
  

Other

Directorships

Held by Trustee

During Past 5 Years

Trustees Who Are Interested Persons of the Trust
Jonathan Steinberg
(1964)
   Trustee, 2005 – present; President, 2005-present    Chief Executive Officer, WisdomTree Investments, Inc. and WisdomTree Asset Management since 2005; President, WisdomTree Investments, Inc. and WisdomTree Asset Management from 2012 to 2019.    70    Director, WisdomTree Investments, Inc. and WisdomTree Asset Management.
Trustees Who Are Not Interested Persons of the Trust
David G. Chrencik*
(1948)
   Trustee, 2014-present    Chief Financial Officer of Sarus Indochina Select LP (hedge fund) since 2012; Chief Financial Officer of GeoGreen BioFuels, Inc. (biodiesel fuel producer) from 2010 to 2014; Audit Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (public accounting firm) from 1972 to 2009 (includes positions prior to becoming Audit Partner and predecessor firms).    70    Trustee, Vericimetry Funds (2011 to 2014).
Joel Goldberg**, ***
(1945)
   Trustee, 2012-present    Attorney, Partner at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP from 2010 to 2018; Attorney, Partner at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP from 2006 to 2010.    70    Director, Better Business Bureau (Metropolitan New York, Long Island and the Mid-Hudson Region).
Toni Massaro***
(1955)
   Trustee, 2006-present    Dean Emerita at the University of Arizona James E. Rogers College of Law (“Rogers College of Law”) since 2009 (distinguished Emerita in July 2009); Dean of the Rogers College of Law from 1999 to 2009; Regents’ Professor since 2006; Milton O. Riepe Chair in Constitutional Law since 1997; Professor at the Rogers College of Law since 1990.    70    None

Melinda A.
Raso Kirstein****

(1955)

   Trustee, 2014-present    Retired since 2004, Merrill Lynch Investment Management, Vice President; Senior Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income Management; Director, Tax Exempt Fund Management.    70    Associate Alumnae of Douglass College, Chair of Investment Committee.

 

20


Name and Year of
Birth of Trustee/Officer

  

Position(s) Held with

the Trust, Term of

Office and Length of

Time Served

  

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past 5 Years

   Number of
Portfolios in
Fund Complex
Overseen by
Trustee/
Officer+
  

Other

Directorships

Held by Trustee

During Past 5 Years

Victor Ugolyn
(1947)
   Trustee, 2006-present; Chairman of the Board, 2006-present    Private Investor, from 2005 to present; President and Chief Executive Officer of William D. Witter, Inc. from 2005 to 2006; Consultant to AXA Enterprise in 2004; Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Capital Management (subsidiary of The MONY Group, Inc.) and Enterprise Group of Funds, Chairman of MONY Securities Corporation, and Chairman of the Fund Board of Enterprise Group of Funds from 1991 to 2004.    70    Member of the Board of Governors of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2001-2016).
Officers of the Trust

Jonathan 
Steinberg*****

(1964)

   President, 2005- present; Trustee, 2005-present    Chief Executive Officer, WisdomTree Investments, Inc. and WisdomTree Asset Management since 2005; President, WisdomTree Investments, Inc. and WisdomTree Asset Management from 2012 to 2019.    70    Director, WisdomTree Investments, Inc. and Wisdom Tree Asset Management.

David Castano*****

(1971)

   Treasurer, 2013-present    Head of Fund Accounting & Administration, WisdomTree Asset Management, since 2020; Director of Fund Accounting & Administration, WisdomTree Asset Management, 2011 to 2020.    70   

Terry Jane Feld*****

(1960)

   Chief Compliance Officer, 2012-present    Chief Compliance Officer WisdomTree Asset Management since 2012; Senior Compliance Officer, WisdomTree Asset Management since 2011.    70   

Ryan Louvar*****

(1972)

   Secretary and Chief Legal Officer, 2013-present    General Counsel, WisdomTree Asset Management since 2013; Vice President and Senior Managing Counsel, State Street, 2005 to 2013.    70   

Joanne Antico*****

(1975)

  

Assistant Secretary,

2018-present

   Assistant General Counsel, WisdomTree Asset Management since 2016; Executive Director and Assistant Secretary, Morgan Stanley Investment Management Inc., 2005 to 2016.    70   

Clint Martin*****

(1977)

   Assistant Treasurer, 2015-present    Director of Fund Accounting & Administration, WisdomTree Asset Management, since 2020; Fund Manager, Fund Accounting & Administration, WisdomTree Asset Management 2012 to 2020.    70   

 

*

Chair of the Audit Committee.

**

Chair of the Contracts Review Committee.

***

Co-Chair of the Governance, Nominating and Compliance Committee.

****

Chair of the Investment Committee.

*****

Elected by and serves at the pleasure of the Board.

+

As of the date of this SAI.

Audit Committee. Ms. Raso Kirstein and Messrs. Chrencik and Ugolyn, each an Independent Trustee, are members of the Board’s Audit Committee. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee are the appointment, compensation and oversight of the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm, including the resolution of disagreements regarding financial reporting between Trust management and such independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation, to (i) oversee the accounting and financial reporting processes of the Trust and to receive reports regarding the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting; (ii) oversee the quality and integrity of the Fund’s financial statements and the independent audits thereof; (iii) oversee, or, as appropriate, assist Board oversight of, the Trust’s compliance with legal and regulatory

 

21


requirements that relate to the Trust’s accounting and financial reporting, and independent audits; (iv) approve prior to appointment the engagement of the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm and, in connection therewith, to review and evaluate the qualifications, independence and performance of the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm; and (v) act as a liaison between the Trust’s independent auditors and the full Board. The Independent Trustees’ independent legal counsel assists the Audit Committee in connection with these duties. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, the Audit Committee held four meetings.

Governance, Nominating and Compliance Committee. Ms. Massaro and Messrs. Goldberg and Ugolyn, each an Independent Trustee, are members of the Board’s Governance, Nominating and Compliance Committee. The principal responsibilities of the Governance, Nominating and Compliance Committee are to (i) provide assistance to the Board in fulfilling its responsibility with respect to the oversight of appropriate and effective governance of the Trust; (ii) identify individuals qualified to serve as Independent Trustees of the Trust and to recommend its nominees for consideration by the full Board; and (iii) provide assistance to the Board in fulfilling its responsibility with respect to overseeing the CCO and overseeing compliance matters involving the Fund and their service providers as reported to the Board. While the Governance, Nominating and Compliance Committee is solely responsible for the selection and nomination of the Trust’s Independent Trustees, the Governance, Nominating and Compliance Committee may consider nominations for the office of Trustee made by Trust shareholders as it deems appropriate. The Governance, Nominating and Compliance Committee considers nominees recommended by shareholders if such nominees are submitted in accordance with Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act, in conjunction with a shareholder meeting to consider the election of Trustees. Trust shareholders who wish to recommend a nominee should send nominations to the Secretary of the Trust that include biographical information and set forth the qualifications of the proposed nominee. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Governance, Nominating and Compliance Committee. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, the Governance, Nominating and Compliance Committee held four meetings.

Contracts Review Committee. Ms. Massaro and Messrs. Goldberg and Ugolyn, each an Independent Trustee, are members of the Board’s Contracts Review Committee. The principal responsibilities of the Contracts Review Committee are to provide assistance to the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities under Section 15 of the 1940 Act, and other applicable Sections, rules and interpretative guidance related thereto, with respect to reviewing the performance of, and reasonableness of fees paid to, the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, and core service providers for each series of the Trust, and to make recommendations to the Board regarding the contractual arrangements for such services. On March 12, 2014, the Board created the Contracts Review Committee. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Contracts Review Committee. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, the Contracts Review Committee held four meetings.

Investment Committee. Ms. Raso Kirstein and Messrs. Goldberg and Ugolyn, each an Independent Trustee, are members of the Board’s Investment Committee. The principal responsibilities of the Investment Committee are to support, oversee and organize on behalf of the Board the process for overseeing Fund performance and related matters (it being the intention of the Board that the ultimate oversight of Fund performance shall remain with the full Board), address such other matters that the Board shall determine and provide recommendations to the Board as needed in respect of the foregoing matters. On December 11, 2015, the Board created the Investment Committee. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Investment Committee. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020, the Investment Committee held four meetings.

Individual Trustee Qualifications. The Board has concluded that each of the Trustees is qualified to serve on the Board because of his or her ability to review and understand information about the Trust and the Fund provided by management, to identify and request other information he or she may deem relevant to the performance of the Trustees’ duties, to question management and other service providers regarding material factors bearing on the management and administration of the Fund, and to exercise his or her business judgment in a manner that serves the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders. The Trust has concluded that each of the Trustees is qualified to serve as a Trustee based on his or her own experience, qualifications, attributes and skills as described below.

The Board has concluded that Mr. Steinberg is qualified to serve as Trustee of the Fund because of the experience he has gained as President, Chief Executive Officer and director of WisdomTree Investments and the Adviser, his knowledge of and experience in the financial services industry, and the experience he has gained serving as President and Trustee of the Trust since 2005.

The Board has concluded that Mr. Chrencik is qualified to serve as Trustee of the Fund because of the experience he gained as an audit partner of a public accounting firm as well as his experience in and knowledge of the financial services industry, including his service as the chief financial officer of a hedge fund and his prior service as a board member of several other investment funds, and the experience he has gained serving as an Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2014.

The Board has concluded that Mr. Goldberg is qualified to serve as Trustee of the Fund because of the experience he has gained as a member of the staff of the SEC, including his service as Director of the SEC’s Division of Investment Management, his experience as legal counsel for many mutual funds, investment advisers, and independent directors as well as the experience he has gained serving as an Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2012.

 

22


The Board has concluded that Ms. Massaro is qualified to serve as Trustee of the Fund because of the experience she has gained as a law professor, dean and advisor at various universities, and the experience she has gained serving as Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2006.

The Board has concluded that Ms. Raso Kirstein is qualified to serve as Trustee of the Fund because of her experience in and knowledge of the financial services industry, including her service as a vice president, senior portfolio manager of fixed income management and director of tax exempt fund research of an investment advisory firm, as well as the experience she has gained serving as an Independent Trustee of the Trust since 2014.

The Board has concluded that Mr. Ugolyn is qualified to serve as Trustee of the Fund because of the experience he gained as chief executive officer of a firm specializing in financial services, his experience in and knowledge of the financial services industry, his experience as a member of the Board of Directors of The New York Society of Security Analysts, Inc., his service as chairman for another mutual fund family, and the experience he has gained serving as an Independent Trustee and Chairman of the Board of the Trust since 2006.

Fund Shares Owned by Board Members. The following table shows the dollar amount range of each Trustee’s “beneficial ownership” of shares of the Fund and each series of the Trust as of the end of the most recently completed calendar year. Dollar amount ranges disclosed are established by the SEC. “Beneficial ownership” is determined in accordance with Rule 16a-1(a)(2) under the 1934 Act. The Trustees and officers of the Trust collectively own less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Trust.

 

Name of Trustee

    

Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in the Fund*

    

Aggregate Dollar Range of

Equity Securities in
All Registered Investment

Companies Overseen by

Trustee in

Family of Investment
Companies**

Interested Trustee          

Jonathan L. Steinberg

     None      Over $100,000
Independent Trustees          

David G. Chrencik

     None      Over $100,000

Joel H. Goldberg

     None      Over $100,000

Melinda Raso Kirstein

     None      Over $100,000

Toni M. Massaro

     None      Over $100,000

Victor Ugolyn

     None      $50,001 – $100,000

 

*

Values based on Trustees’ ownership as of the date of this SAI.

**

These values are based on the Trustees’ ownership as of December 31, 2019.

Board Compensation. The following table sets forth the compensation paid by the Trust to each Trustee for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020.

 

Name of Trustee

   Aggregate
Compensation
from the Trust
     Pension or Retirement
Benefits Accrued as
Part of Trust’s
Expenses
     Estimated Annual
Benefits Upon
Retirement
     Total Compensation
from the Fund and
Fund Complex*
 
Interested Trustee

 

Jonathan L. Steinberg

   $ 0        None        None      $ 0  
Independent Trustees            

David Chrencik

   $ 335,747.50        None        None      $ 335,747.50  

Melinda Raso Kirstein

   $ 351,008.76        None        None      $ 351,008.76  

Joel Goldberg

   $ 320,486.26        None        None      $ 320,486.26  

Toni M. Massaro

   $ 335,747.50        None        None      $ 335,747.50  

Victor Ugolyn

   $ 457,837.50        None        None      $ 457,837.50  

 

*

The Trust is the only trust in the “Fund Complex.”

 

23


Control Persons and Principal Holders of Securities. Because the Fund is new, the Fund has not received information concerning the ownership of shares held in the names of DTC Participants.

Certain officers, employees, accounts or affiliates of WisdomTree Asset Management (such as WisdomTree Investments, 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY), including other funds advised by WisdomTree Asset Management or third parties, may from time to time own a substantial amount of the Fund’s shares, including as an initial or seed investor. Such positions may be held for a limited period of time, including to facilitate commencement of the Fund, to facilitate the Fund’s achieving size or scale or in seeking to track model portfolios of ETFs developed and maintained by the Adviser. Such shareholders, individually and/or collectively, could at times be considered to control the Fund (i.e., own greater than 25% of the Fund shares) and may purchase or sell shares, including large blocks of shares, at any given time. There can be no assurance that any such entity or person would not redeem or sell its investment, that the size of the Fund would be maintained at such levels or that the Fund would continue to meet applicable listing requirements, which could negatively impact the Fund and its shares. In addition, such transactions may account for a large percentage of secondary market trading volume and may, therefore, not be sustainable and/or may have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the shares.

Investment Adviser. WisdomTree Asset Management serves as investment adviser to the Fund pursuant to an investment advisory agreement between the Trust and WisdomTree Asset Management (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”). WisdomTree Asset Management is a Delaware corporation registered as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), and has offices located at 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, New York 10167.

Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, WisdomTree Asset Management is responsible for the overall management and administration of the Trust. WisdomTree Asset Management provides an investment program for the Fund. The Adviser also provides proactive oversight of the Sub-Adviser’s daily monitoring of the Sub-Adviser’s buying and selling of securities for the Fund, and regular review of the Sub-Adviser’s performance. In addition, the Adviser arranges for, and oversees, sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund administration, securities lending, and all other non-distribution-related services necessary for the Fund to operate. The Adviser furnishes to the Trust all office facilities, equipment, services and executive and administrative personnel necessary for managing the investment program of the Trust for the Fund, including:

 

   

Overseeing the Trust’s insurance program;

 

   

Overseeing and coordinating all governance matters for the Trust;

 

   

Coordinating meetings of the Board of Trustees;

 

   

Devoting time and resources to maintaining an efficient market for the Fund’s shares;

 

   

Coordinating with outside counsel on all Trust related legal matters;

 

   

Coordinating the preparation of the Trust’s financial statements;

 

   

Coordinating all regulatory filings and shareholder reporting;

 

   

Overseeing the Fund’s tax status and tax filings;

 

   

Maintaining and updating a website for certain required disclosures; and

 

   

Providing shareholders with additional information about the Fund.

The Fund pays WisdomTree Asset Management the Management Fee, based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets, indicated below.

 

Fund

   Advisory
Fee Rate
 

Cybersecurity Fund

     0.45

Pursuant to an investment advisory agreement on behalf of the Fund, WisdomTree Asset Management has agreed to pay all expenses of the Fund, except for: (i) brokerage expenses and other fees, charges, taxes, levies or expenses (such as stamp taxes) incurred in connection with the execution of portfolio transactions or in connection with creation and redemption transactions (including without limitation any fees, charges, taxes, levies or expenses related to the purchase or sale of an amount of any currency, or the patriation or repatriation of any security or other asset, related to the execution of portfolio transactions or any creation or redemption transactions); (ii) legal fees or expenses in connection with any arbitration, litigation or pending or threatened arbitration or litigation, including any settlements in connection therewith; (iii) compensation and expenses of each Independent Trustee; (iv) compensation and expenses of counsel to the Independent Trustees; (v) compensation and expenses of the Trust’s CCO; (vi) extraordinary expenses (in each case as determined by a majority of the Independent Trustees); (vii) distribution fees and expenses paid by the Trust under any distribution plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act; (viii) interest and taxes of any kind or nature (including, but not limited to, income, excise, transfer and withholding taxes); (ix) fees and expenses related to the provision of securities lending services; and (x) the advisory fee payable to WisdomTree Asset Management. The internal expenses of pooled investment vehicles in which the Fund may invest (acquired fund fees and expenses) are not expenses of the Fund and are not paid by WisdomTree Asset Management.

 

24


Pursuant to a separate contractual arrangement, WisdomTree Asset Management arranges for the provision of CCO services with respect to the Fund and is liable and responsible for, and administers, payments to the CCO, the Independent Trustees and counsel to the Independent Trustees. WisdomTree Asset Management receives a fee of up to 0.0044% of the Fund’s average daily net assets for providing such services and paying such expenses. WisdomTree Asset Management provides CCO services to the Trust.

The Adviser, from its own resources, including profits from advisory fees received from the Fund, provided such fees are legitimate and not excessive, may make payments to broker-dealers and other financial institutions for their expenses in connection with the distribution of Fund shares, and otherwise currently pays all distribution costs for Fund shares.

The Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (i) the Board or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance also is approved by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. If the shareholders of the Fund fail to approve the Investment Advisory Agreement, WisdomTree Asset Management may continue to serve in the manner and to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and regulations thereunder.

The Investment Advisory Agreement with respect to the Fund is terminable without any penalty, by vote of the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, or by WisdomTree Asset Management, in each case on not less than thirty (30) days’ nor more than sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the other party; provided that a shorter notice period shall be permitted for the Fund in the event its shares are no longer listed on a national securities exchange. The Investment Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).

Sub-Adviser. Mellon Investments Corporation (“Mellon” or the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as sub-adviser to, and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Mellon, a registered investment adviser, manages global quantitative-based investment strategies for institutional and private investors. Its principal office is located at One Boston Place, 201 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108. MBC Investments Corporation owns between 80% and 100% of Mellon Investments Corporation (Mellon), with up to 20% owned by certain Mellon employees through authorized employee class restricted shares. MBC Investments Corporation is 100% owned by BNY Mellon IHC, LLC, which is 100% owned by The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. Mellon manages the Fund’s portfolio investments and places orders to buy and sell the Fund’s portfolio investments. WisdomTree Asset Management pays Mellon for providing sub-advisory services to the Fund.

Mellon believes that it may perform sub-advisory and related services for the Trust without violating applicable banking laws or regulations. However, the legal requirements and interpretations about the permissible activities of banks and their affiliates may change in the future. These changes could prevent Mellon from continuing to perform services for the Trust. If this happens, the Board would consider selecting other qualified firms.

The Sub-Advisory Agreement, with respect to the Fund, continues in effect for two years from its effective date, and thereafter is subject to annual approval by (i) the Board or (ii) the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, provided that in either event such continuance is also approved by a vote of a majority of the Trustees of the Trust who are not interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. If the shareholders of the Fund fail to approve the Fund’s Sub-Advisory Agreement, WisdomTree Asset Management may continue to serve in the manner and to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act and rules and regulations thereunder. The Sub-Advisory Agreement is terminable without any penalty, by vote of the Board of or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund, or by WisdomTree Asset Management, in each case on not less than thirty (30) days’ nor more than sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the other party; provided that a shorter notice period shall be permitted for the Fund in the event its shares are no longer listed on a national securities exchange. The Sub-Advisory Agreement will terminate automatically and immediately in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).

Portfolio Managers.

Mellon utilizes a team of investment professionals acting together to manage the Fund’s assets. The Fund is managed by Mellon’s Asset Allocation Team. The team meets regularly to review portfolio holdings and to discuss purchase and sale activity. The team adjusts holdings in the Fund’s portfolio as it deems appropriate in the pursuit of the Fund’s investment objective.

The individual members of the investment team who are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio are Marlene Walker-Smith and Thomas J. Durante.

 

25


As of November 30, 2020, Mellon’s Equity Index Strategies Portfolio Management Team managed 116 registered investment companies with approximately $109 billion in assets; 103 pooled investment vehicles with approximately $103 billion in assets; and 55 other accounts with approximately $125 billion in assets.

Portfolio Manager Fund Ownership. As of December 31, 2020, none of the portfolio managers owned shares of the Fund.

Portfolio Manager Compensation.

Mellon’s rewards program is designed to be market-competitive and align its compensation with the goals of its clients. This alignment is achieved through an emphasis on deferred awards, which incentivizes Mellon’s investment personnel to focus on long-term alpha generation.

Mellon’s incentive model is designed to compensate for quantitative and qualitative objectives achieved during the performance year. An individual’s final annual incentive award is tied to the firm’s overall performance, the team’s investment performance, as well as individual performance.

Awards are paid in cash on an annual basis; however, some portfolio managers may receive a portion of their annual incentive award in deferred vehicles. Annual incentive as a percentage of fixed pay varies with the profitability of the firm and the product team.

The following factors encompass Mellon’s investment professional rewards program.

 

   

Base salary

 

   

Annual cash incentive

 

   

Long-Term Incentive Plan

 

 

Deferred cash for investment

 

BNY Mellon restricted stock units and/or

 

Mellon equity

Awards for selected senior portfolio managers are based on a two-stage model: an opportunity range based on the current level of business and an assessment of long-term business value. A significant portion of the opportunity awarded is structured and based upon the performance of the portfolio manager’s accounts relative to the performance of appropriate peers, with longer-term performance more heavily weighted.

Description of Material Conflicts of Interest.

It is the policy of Mellon to make business decisions free from conflicting outside influences. Mellon’s objective is to recognize potential conflicts of interest and work to eliminate or control and disclose such conflicts as they are identified. Mellon’s business decisions are based on its duty to its clients, and not driven by any personal interest or gain. As an asset manager operating in a number of different jurisdictions with a diverse client base in a variety of strategies, conflicts of interest are inherent. Furthermore, as an indirect subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (“BNYM”), potential conflicts may also arise between Mellon and other BNYM companies.

Mellon will take steps to provide reasonable assurance that no client or group of clients is advantaged at the expense of any other client. As such, it has adopted a Code of Ethics and compliance policy manual to address such conflicts. These potential and inherent conflicts include but are not limited to: the allocation of investment opportunities, side by side management, execution of portfolio transactions, brokerage conflicts, compensation conflicts, related party arrangements, personal interests, and other investment and operational conflicts of interest. Mellon’s compliance policies are designed to ensure that all client accounts are treated equitably over time. Additionally, it has structured compensation of investment personnel to reasonably safeguard client accounts from being adversely impacted by any potential or related conflicts.

All material conflicts of interest are presented in greater detail within Part 2A of Mellon’s Form ADV.

Mellon manages numerous accounts with a variety of interests. This necessarily creates potential conflicts of interest for us. For example, Mellon or an affiliate may cause multiple accounts to invest in the same investment. Such accounts may have conflicting interests and objectives in connection with such investment, including differing views on the operations or activities of the portfolio company, the targeted returns for the transaction, and the timeframe for and method of exiting the investment. Conflicts may also arise in cases where multiple Mellon and/or affiliate client accounts are invested in different parts of an issuer’s capital structure. For example, one of Mellon’s client accounts could acquire debt obligations of a company while an affiliate’s client account acquires an equity investment. In negotiating the terms and conditions of any such investments, Mellon may find that the interests of the debt-holding client accounts and the equity-holding client accounts may conflict. If that issuer encounters financial problems, decisions over the terms of the workout could raise conflicts of interest (including, for example, conflicts over proposed waivers and amendments to debt covenants). For example, debt holding accounts may be better served by a liquidation of an issuer in which it could be paid in full, while equity holding accounts might prefer a reorganization of the issuer that would have the potential to retain value for the equity holders. As another example, holders of an issuer’s senior securities may be able to act to direct cash flows away from junior security holders, and both the junior and senior security holders may be Mellon client accounts. Any of the foregoing conflicts of interest will be discussed and resolved on a case-by-case basis. Any such discussions will factor in the interests of the relevant parties and applicable laws.

 

26


Mellon has a fiduciary duty to manage all client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. To accomplish this, Mellon has adopted various policies and procedures including, but not limited to, policies relating to trading operations, best execution, trade order aggregation and allocation, short sales, cross-trading, code of conduct, personal securities trading, and purchases of securities from affiliated underwriters. These procedures are intended to help employees identify and mitigate potential side-by-side conflicts of interest such as those described above. Mellon has also developed a conflicts matrix listing potential side-by-side conflicts, the compliance policies and procedures reasonably designed to mitigate such potential conflicts of interest, and the corresponding compliance testing program established with the goal of confirming Mellon’s adherence to such policies and procedures.

Performance Fees. The Portfolio Managers have entered into performance-based fee arrangements for certain client accounts and funds. Most of these arrangements provide for an asset-based management fee, based on the market value of the account at month end, quarter end or based on average market value, plus a performance fee based on the portfolio’s net return in excess of a specified benchmark and/or hurdle rate during a designated period of time. The performance is based on both realized and unrealized gains and losses. Some performance fee calculations include a high water mark, which keeps track of the highest level of performance on which a performance fee has been paid and which must be exceeded in order for an additional performance fee to be assessed. For more detailed information on how performance fees are calculated, please see the applicable private placement memorandum or your investment management agreement.

Side-by-Side Management. “Side-by-side management” refers to a Portfolio Manager’s simultaneous management of multiple types of client accounts/investment products. For example, the Portfolio Managers manage separate accounts, managed accounts/wrap-fee programs, and pooled investment vehicles for clients at the same time. The Portfolio Managers’ clients have a variety of investment objectives, policies, strategies, limitations, and restrictions. Side-by-side management gives rise to a variety of potential and actual conflicts of interest for the Portfolio Managers. Below is a discussion of the conflicts that the Portfolio Managers face when engaging in side-by-side management and how they deal with them. Note that certain of Mellon’s employees are also officers or employees of one or more Mellon affiliates (“dual officers”). These dual officers undertake investment management duties for the affiliates of which they are officers. When the Portfolio Managers concurrently manage client accounts/ investment products, and in particular when dual officers or dual employees are involved, this presents the same conflicts as described below. Note that Portfolio Managers manage their accounts consistent with applicable laws, and they follow procedures that are reasonably designed to treat clients fairly and to prevent any client or group of clients from being systematically favored or disadvantaged.

Conflicts of Interest Relating to Side-by-Side Management of Discretionary and Non-Discretionary Accounts. In limited circumstances, Portfolio Managers may provide to a third party for which they provide non-discretionary advisory services the same model portfolio used to manage certain of the Portfolio Managers’ clients’ accounts. In those cases where Portfolio Managers are implementing the model results for only a portion of the assets affected (for example, only the assets over which Portfolio Managers have discretionary management authority) and therefore, they cannot apply their internal trade allocation procedures, Portfolio Managers will (i) use reasonable efforts to agree on procedures with such non-discretionary clients designed to prevent one group of clients from receiving preferential trading treatment over another group, or (ii) determine that, due to the nature of the assets to be traded or the market on which they are traded, no client would likely be adversely affected if such procedures are not established.

Conflicts of Interest Relating to Performance-Based Fees When Engaging in Side-by-Side Management. Portfolio Managers manage accounts that are charged a performance-based fee and other accounts that are charged a different type of fee, such as a flat asset-based fee. Portfolio Managers have a financial incentive to favor accounts with performance-based fees because they (and Mellon’s employees and supervised persons) may have an opportunity to earn greater fees on such accounts as compared to client accounts without performance-based fees. Thus, Portfolio Managers have an incentive to direct their best investment ideas to client accounts that pay performance-based fees, and to allocate, aggregate, or sequence trades in favor of such accounts. Portfolio Managers also have an incentive to give accounts with performance-based fees better execution and better brokerage commissions.

Conflicts of Interest Relating to Accounts with Different Strategies. Portfolio Managers manage numerous accounts with a variety of strategies, which may present conflicts of interest. For example, a long/short position in two client accounts simultaneously can result in a loss to one client based on a decision to take a gain in the other. Taking concurrent conflicting positions in certain derivative instruments can likewise cause a loss to one client and a gain to another. Portfolio Managers also may face conflicts of interest when they have uncovered option strategies and significant positions in illiquid investments in side-by-side accounts.

Conflicts of Interest Relating to the Management of Multiple Client Accounts. Portfolio Managers perform investment advisory services for various clients. Portfolio Managers may give advice and take action in the performance of their duties with respect to any of their other clients which may differ from the advice given, or the timing or nature of action taken, with respect another client. Portfolio Managers have no obligation to purchase or sell for a client any security or other property which they purchase or sell for their own account or for the account of any other client, if they believe it is undesirable or impractical to take such action. Portfolio Managers may give advice or take action in the performance of their duties with respect to any of their clients which may differ from the advice given, or the timing or nature of action taken, by their affiliates on behalf of their clients.

 

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Conflicts of Interest Relating to Investment in Affiliated Accounts. To the extent permissible under applicable law, the Portfolio Managers may decide to invest some or all of their temporary investments in money market or similar accounts advised or managed by a Mellon affiliate. In addition, the Portfolio Managers may invest client accounts in affiliated pooled vehicles. The portfolio managers have an incentive to allocate investments to these types of affiliated accounts in order to generate additional fees for themselves or their affiliates. In certain instances, Portfolio Managers may enter into revenue sharing arrangements with affiliates where they may receive a portion of the fee, or bill the full fee to the client and reimburse the affiliate. Portfolio Managers may also enter into wholesale arrangements with affiliates where they receive only a portion of the client fee. For certain accounts with affiliates, some of the fees, such as custody fees, may be waived or rebated.

Conflicts of Interest Relating to the Discretion to Redeem from and Invest in Pooled Investment Vehicles. The Portfolio Manager’s clients may give them discretion to allocate client assets to, and/or redeem client assets from, certain pooled investment vehicles they manage or sub-advise. Sometimes, such discretionary authority is restricted by asset allocation parameters which may limit the Portfolio Manager’s discretion to allocate to a percentage range of the value of a client’s account. When a client grants Portfolio Managers that discretion, a conflict could arise with respect to such client, and also with respect to other investors in such pooled investment vehicle. The Portfolio Managers may, for example, have an incentive to maintain a larger percentage of a client’s assets in the Fund in order for such assets to act as seed capital, to increase the fund’s assets under management and thus, to make investment by other investors more attractive, or to maintain the continuity of a performance record if the client is the sole remaining investor. Likewise, as the manager or sub-adviser, they will have information that investors will not have about the investments held by the Fund and about other investors’ intentions to invest or redeem. Such information could potentially be used to favor one investor over another.

Conflicts of Interest Relating to “Proprietary Accounts”. The Portfolio Managers, and Mellon’s existing and future employees may from time to time invest in products managed by Mellon and they or related persons may establish “seeded” funds or accounts for the purpose of developing new investment strategies and products (collectively, “Proprietary Accounts”). Investment by Mellon, or its employees in Proprietary Accounts that invest in the same securities as other client accounts may create conflicts of interest. Portfolio Managers have an incentive to favor these Proprietary Accounts by directing their best investment ideas to these accounts or allocating, aggregating, or sequencing trades in favor of such accounts, to the disadvantage of other accounts. Portfolio Managers also have an incentive to dedicate more time and attention to their Proprietary Accounts and to give them better execution and brokerage commissions than their other client accounts. The Portfolio Managers also may waive fees for Proprietary Accounts or for certain affiliated persons who invest in such Proprietary Accounts.

Valuations. A majority of Mellon’s fees are based on the valuations provided by clients’ custodians or pooled accounts’ administrators. However, a conflict of interest may arise in overseeing the valuation of investments in the limited situations where Mellon is involved in the determination of the valuation of an investment. In such circumstances, Mellon requires, to the extent possible, pricing from an independent third party pricing vendor. If vendor pricing is unavailable, Mellon then looks to other observable inputs for the valuations. In the event that a vendor price or other observable inputs are unavailable or deemed unreliable, Mellon has established a Securities Pricing Committee to make a reasonable determination of a security’s fair value.

Other Conflicts of Interest. As noted previously, Portfolio Managers manage numerous accounts with a variety of interests. This necessarily creates potential conflicts of interest for the Portfolio Managers. For example, Portfolio Managers may cause multiple accounts to invest in the same investment. Such accounts may have conflicting interests and objectives in connection with such investment, including differing views on the operations or activities of the portfolio company, the targeted returns for the transaction, and the timeframe for and method of exiting the investment. Conflicts may also arise in cases where multiple Mellon and/or affiliate client accounts are invested in different parts of an issuer’s capital structure. For example, one of the Portfolio Manager’s client accounts could acquire debt obligations of a company while an affiliate’s client account acquires an equity investment. In negotiating the terms and conditions of any such investments, Portfolio Managers may find that the interests of the debt-holding client accounts and the equity-holding client accounts may conflict. If that issuer encounters financial problems, decisions over the terms of the workout could raise conflicts of interest (including, for example, conflicts over proposed waivers and amendments to debt covenants). For example, debt holding accounts may be better served by a liquidation of an issuer in which it could be paid in full, while equity holding accounts might prefer a reorganization of the issuer that would have the potential to retain value for the equity holders. As another example, holders of an issuer’s senior securities may be able to act to direct cash flows away from junior security holders, and both the junior and senior security holders may be Mellon client accounts. Any of the foregoing conflicts of interest will be discussed and resolved on a case-by-case basis. Any such discussions will factor in the interests of the relevant parties and applicable laws.

Addressing Conflicts of Interest. Portfolio Managers have a fiduciary duty to manage all client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. To accomplish this, Mellon has adopted various policies and procedures (including, but not limited to, policies relating to trading operations, best execution, trade order aggregation and allocation, short sales, cross-trading, code of conduct, personal securities trading, and purchases of securities from affiliated underwriters). These procedures are intended to help employees identify and mitigate potential side-by-side conflicts of interest such as those described above. Mellon has also developed a conflicts matrix listing potential side-by-side conflicts, the compliance policies and procedures reasonably designed to mitigate such potential conflicts of interest and the corresponding compliance testing program established with the goal of confirming Mellon’s adherence to such policies and procedures.

 

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Codes of Ethics. The Trust, the Advisers and the Distributor have each adopted a Code of Ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule 204A-1 under the Advisers Act, where applicable. Each Code of Ethics permits personnel subject to that Code of Ethics to invest in securities for their personal investment accounts, subject to certain limitations, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. Each Code of Ethics is on public file with, and is available from the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of these codes of ethics may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following email address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Administrator, Custodian, Transfer Agent and Securities Lending Agent. State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”) serves as administrator, custodian, transfer agent and securities lending agent for the Fund. State Street’s principal address is One Lincoln Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02110. Under the Fund Administration Agreement with the Trust, State Street provides certain administrative, legal, tax, and financial reporting services for the maintenance and operations of the Trust and the Fund. Under the Master Custodian Agreement with the Trust, State Street acts as custodian of assets of the Trust, including securities which the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, desires to be held in places within the United States and securities it desires to be held outside the United States, and provides accounting and other services. State Street is required, upon the order of the Trust, to deliver securities held by State Street and to make payments for securities purchased by the Trust and for the Fund. Also, under the Master Custodian Agreement, State Street is authorized to appoint certain foreign custodians or foreign custody managers for Fund investments outside the United States. Pursuant to a Transfer Agency and Service Agreement with the Trust, State Street acts as transfer agent for the authorized and issued shares of beneficial interest for the Fund, and as dividend disbursing agent of the Trust. As compensation for the foregoing services, State Street receives certain out-of-pocket costs, transaction fees and asset-based fees which are accrued daily and paid monthly. State Street also serves as the Fund’s securities lending agent. As compensation for providing such services, State Street receives a portion of the income earned by the Fund in connection with the lending program. With respect to the foregoing agreements, the Trust has agreed to limitation of liability for State Street and/or to indemnify State Street for certain liabilities.

Securities Lending Activities. State Street serves as securities lending agent to the Trust. As securities lending agent, State Street is responsible for the implementation and administration of the securities lending program pursuant to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement (“Securities Lending Agreement”). State Street acts as agent to the Trust to lend available securities with any person on its list of approved borrowers, including State Street Bank and Trust Company and any affiliate thereof. State Street determines whether a loan shall be made and negotiates and establishes the terms and conditions of the loan with the borrower. State Street ensures that all substitute interest, dividends, and other distributions paid with respect to loan securities is credited to the Fund’s relevant account on the date such amounts are delivered by the borrower to State Street. State Street receives and holds, on the Fund’s behalf, collateral from borrowers to secure obligations of borrowers with respect to any loan of available securities. State Street marks loaned securities and collateral to their market value each business day based upon the market value of the collateral and loaned securities at the close of business employing the most recently available pricing information and receives and delivers collateral in order to maintain the value of the collateral at no less than 100% of the market value of the loaned securities. At the termination of the loan, State Street returns the collateral to the borrower upon the return of the loaned securities to State Street. State Street invests cash collateral in accordance with the Securities Lending Agreement. State Street maintains such records as are reasonably necessary to account for loans that are made and the income derived therefrom and makes available to the Fund a monthly statement describing the loans made, and the income derived from the loans, during the period. State Street performs compliance monitoring and testing of the securities lending program and, on a monthly basis, State Street will make available to the Trust’s Board of Trustees a statement describing the outstanding loans and income made on such loans during the period.

Distributor. Foreside Fund Services, LLC serves as Distributor for the Trust and its principal address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101. The Distributor has entered into a Distribution Agreement with the Trust pursuant to which it distributes shares of the Fund. The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable annually. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Fund through the Distributor only in Creation Unit Aggregations, as described in the Prospectus and below in the Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations section. Shares in less than Creation Unit Aggregations are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus and, upon request, this SAI to persons purchasing Creation Unit Aggregations and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Distributor is not affiliated with WisdomTree Investments, WisdomTree Asset Management, or any stock exchange.

The Distribution Agreement for the Fund will provide that it may be terminated at any time, without the payment of any penalty, on at least sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the other party (i) by vote of a majority of the Independent Trustees or (ii) by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund. The Distribution Agreement will terminate automatically in the event of its “assignment” (as defined in the 1940 Act).

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Unit Aggregations of shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as defined below) or DTC Participants (as defined below).

 

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Intermediary Compensation. WisdomTree Asset Management or its affiliates, out of their own resources and not out of Fund assets (i.e., without additional cost to the Fund or its shareholders), may pay or otherwise assist certain broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, banks, other financial intermediaries and platforms (“Intermediaries”) for certain activities and/or services related to the Fund, other WisdomTree Funds and/or model portfolios that include WisdomTree Funds, including for making Funds available such as without a commission or transaction fee (or to otherwise offset such commissions or fees), for participation in activities that are designed to make Intermediaries and investors more knowledgeable about exchange traded products, including the Fund, for other activities, such as marketing and educational training or support (such as through conferences, webinars and printed communications), for data, for platform development and/or access, for technology support, for co-marketing and cross-promotional efforts, or to otherwise facilitate education, relationships and/or investment. Payments made pursuant to such arrangements are expected to vary in any year, can be different for different Intermediaries and third parties, and can be subject to certain minimum payment levels. Any such payments or other consideration are not reflected in the fees and expenses listed in the fees and expenses sections of the Fund’s Prospectus and they do not change the price paid by investors for the purchase of the Fund’s shares or the amount received by a shareholder as proceeds from the redemption of Fund shares. Information regarding certain Intermediaries receiving such payments can be found by visiting www.wisdomtree.com.

WisdomTree Asset Management periodically assesses the advisability of continuing to make these payments. Payments to an Intermediary may be significant to the Intermediary, and amounts that Intermediaries pay to your adviser, broker or other investment professional, if any, may also be significant to such adviser, broker or investment professional. Because an Intermediary may make decisions about what investment options it will make available or recommend, and what services to provide in connection with various products, based on payments it receives or is eligible to receive, such payments create conflicts of interest between the Intermediary and its clients. For example, these financial incentives may cause the Intermediary to recommend the Fund over other investments. The same conflict of interest exists with respect to your financial adviser, broker or investment professionals if he or she receives similar payments from his or her Intermediary firm.

WisdomTree Asset Management or its affiliates intend to engage with, and make payments to, other Intermediaries and third parties in the future. Please contact your adviser, broker, other investment professional or other type of Intermediary and ask whether they have any such arrangements with WisdomTree Asset Management or its affiliates and/or to receive more information regarding any payments such firm may receive. Any payments made by WisdomTree Asset Management or its affiliates to an Intermediary may create the incentive for an Intermediary to encourage customers to buy shares of WisdomTree Funds.

If you have any additional questions, please call 1-866-909-9473.

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

The Sub-Adviser assumes general supervision over placing orders on behalf of the Fund that it sub-advises for the purchase and sale of portfolio securities. In selecting the brokers or dealers for any transaction in portfolio securities, the Sub-Adviser’s policy is to make such selection based on factors deemed relevant, including but not limited to, the breadth of the market in the security; the price of the security; the reasonableness of the commission or mark-up or mark-down, if any; execution capability; settlement capability; back office efficiency; and the financial condition of the broker or dealer, both for the specific transaction and on a continuing basis. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid is evaluated by the Sub-Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for comparable services. Brokers may also be selected because of their ability to handle special or difficult executions, such as may be involved in large block trades, less liquid or foreign securities, broad distributions, or other circumstances. The Sub-Adviser does not consider the provision or value of research, products or services a broker or dealer may provide, if any, as a factor in the selection of a broker or dealer or the determination of the reasonableness of commissions paid in connection with portfolio transactions. The Trust has adopted policies and procedures that prohibit the consideration of sales of the Fund’s shares as a factor in the selection of a broker or a dealer to execute its portfolio transactions. To the extent creation or redemption transactions are conducted on a cash or “cash in lieu” basis, the Fund may contemporaneously transact with broker-dealers for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities in connection with such transactions (see “Creation and Redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations” herein). Such orders may be placed with an Authorized Participant in its capacity as broker-dealer or with an affiliated broker-dealer of such Authorized Participant.

Brokerage Commissions

The Fund is new and had not paid any brokerage commissions as of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020.

Affiliated Brokers

The Fund is new and had not paid any commissions to any affiliated brokers as of the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020.

 

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Regular Broker-Dealers

The Fund is new and did not acquire securities of its regular brokers or dealers (as defined in the 1940 Act) or of their parents during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020.

Portfolio Turnover

Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year, as well as within a year. High turnover rates are likely to result in comparatively greater brokerage expenses and may result in a substantial amount of distributions from a Fund to be taxed as ordinary income which may limit the tax efficiency of such Fund. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions is evaluated by the Sub-Adviser based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by the other institutional investors for comparable services.

The Fund is new and therefore did not have a portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING THE TRUST

Shares. The Trust was established as a Delaware statutory trust on December 15, 2005, and consists of multiple series “funds”. The Fund issues shares of beneficial interest, with $0.001 par value. The Board may establish additional funds. The Trust is registered with the SEC as an open-end management investment company.

Each share issued by the Fund has a pro rata interest in the assets of the Fund. Shares have no preemptive, exchange, subscription or conversion rights and are freely transferable. Each share is entitled to participate equally in dividends and distributions declared by the Board of Trustees with respect to the Fund, and in the net distributable assets of the Fund on liquidation.

Each share has one vote with respect to matters upon which a shareholder vote is required consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all Funds within the Trust vote together as a single class, except that if the matter being voted on affects only a particular fund, or if a matter affects a particular fund differently from other funds, that fund will vote separately on such matter.

Under Delaware law, the Trust is not required to hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. The policy of the Trust is not to hold an annual meeting of shareholders unless required to do so under the 1940 Act. All shares have non-cumulative voting rights for the Board. Under Delaware law, Trustees of the Trust may be removed by vote of the shareholders.

Following the creation of the initial Creation Unit Aggregation(s) of shares of the Fund and immediately prior to the commencement of trading in the Fund’s shares, a holder of shares may be a “control person” of the Fund, as defined in the 1940 Act. The Fund cannot accurately predict the length of time for which one or more shareholders may remain a control person or persons of the Fund.

Shareholders may make inquiries by writing to the Trust, c/o Foreside Fund Services, LLC, Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.

Absent an applicable exemption or other relief from the SEC or its staff, beneficial owners of more than 5% of the shares of the Fund may be subject to the reporting provisions of Section 13 of the 1934 Act and the SEC’s rules promulgated thereunder. In addition, absent an applicable exemption or other relief from the SEC staff, officers and Trustees of the Fund and beneficial owners of 10% of the shares of the Fund (“Insiders”) may be subject to the insider reporting, short-swing profit and short-sale provisions of Section 16 of the 1934 Act and the SEC’s rules promulgated thereunder. Beneficial owners and Insiders should consult with their own legal counsel concerning their obligations under Sections 13 and 16 of the 1934 Act.

Termination of the Trust or the Fund. The Trust or the Fund may be terminated by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees or the affirmative vote of a super majority of the holders of the Trust or the Fund entitled to vote on termination. Although the shares are not automatically redeemable upon the occurrence of any specific event, the Trust’s organizational documents provide that the Board will have the unrestricted power to alter the number of shares in a Creation Unit Aggregation. In the event of a termination of the Trust or the Fund, the Board, in its sole discretion, could determine to permit the shares to be redeemable in aggregations smaller than Creation Unit Aggregations or to be individually redeemable. In such circumstances, the Trust may make redemptions in kind, for cash, or for a combination of cash and securities.

Role of the Depositary Trust Company (“DTC”). DTC acts as Securities Depository for the shares of the Trust. Shares of the Fund are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC.

DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (“DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry

 

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changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities’ certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of which (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by a number of DTC Participants and by the NYSE and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to others such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (“Indirect Participants”).

Beneficial ownership of shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of shares. No Beneficial Owner shall have the right to receive a certificate representing such shares.

Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the shares of the Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form and number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. The foregoing processes may be conducted by the Trust via a third party.

Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all shares of the Trust. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall immediately credit DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares of the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests, or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants. DTC may decide to discontinue its service with respect to shares of the Trust at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions at a comparable cost.

CREATION AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNIT AGGREGATIONS

Creation. The Trust issues and sells shares of the Fund only in Creation Unit Aggregations on a continuous basis through the Distributor, without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt, on any Business Day, of an order in proper form.

Fund Deposit. The consideration for purchase of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund generally consists of the in-kind deposit of a portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) and/or an amount of cash denominated in U.S. dollars (the “Cash Component”) computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” which represents the minimum initial and subsequent investment amount for a Creation Unit Aggregation of the Fund.

The Fund or Advisers may permit or require the submission of a basket securities and other instruments, non-U.S. currency or cash denominated in U.S. dollars that differs from the composition of the published basket(s). The Fund or Advisers may permit or require the consideration for Creation Unit Aggregations to consist solely of cash or non-U.S. currency. The Fund or Advisers reserve the right to permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash denominated in U.S. dollars or non-U.S. currency (i.e., a “cash in lieu” amount) to be added, at its discretion, to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. For example, cash may be substituted to replace any Deposit Security that may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or that may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process (discussed below). The Trust or Advisers reserve the right to permit or require a “cash in lieu” amount where the delivery of the Deposit Security by the Authorized Participant (as described below) would be prohibited or restricted under applicable securities laws, or in certain other situations at the sole discretion of the Trust.

The portion of the Cash Component that does not serve to replace a Deposit Security is sometimes also referred to as the “Balancing Amount.” The Balancing Amount is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit Aggregation) and the value of Deposit Securities. If the Balancing Amount is a positive number, the Authorized Participant will

 

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deliver the Balancing Amount. If the Balancing Amount is a negative number, the Authorized Participant will receive the Balancing Amount. The Balancing Amount does not include any stamp duty tax or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities. These are the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant.

The Fund, through the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”), makes available on each Business Day, immediately prior to the opening of business on the Listing Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security and/or applicable Cash Component that may be included in the current Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund.

Such Deposit Securities are applicable, subject to any adjustments as described herein, in order to effect creations of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund until such time as the next or otherwise announced composition of the Deposit Securities is made available.

The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities required for the Fund Deposit for the Fund changes from time to time based on various factors.

Procedures for Creation of Creation Unit Aggregations. To be eligible to place orders with the Distributor and to create a Creation Unit Aggregation of the Fund, an entity must be a “Participating Party,” i.e., a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC (the “Clearing Process”), a clearing agency that is registered with the SEC. Such entity also must have executed an agreement with the Distributor with respect to creations and redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations (a “Participant Agreement”). A Participating Party or DTC Participant that has entered a Participant Agreement is referred to as an “Authorized Participant.” Investors should contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants that have signed a Participant Agreement. All shares of the Fund, however created, will be entered on the records of DTC in the name of Cede & Co. for the account of a DTC Participant.

All orders to create shares must be placed for one or more Creation Unit Aggregations. All orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations must be received by the Distributor by the designated closing time, which is no later than the closing time of the regular trading session on the Listing Exchange (“Closing Time”) (ordinarily 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on the date such orders are placed in order to receive that day’s NAV. All orders must be received in proper form. The date on which an order to create Creation Unit Aggregations is placed is referred to as the “Transmittal Date.” Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone, online portal or other transmission method acceptable to State Street and the Distributor pursuant to procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, as described below, which procedures may change from time to time without notice at the discretion of the Trust. Economic or market disruptions or changes, or telephone or other communication failure, may impede the ability to reach State Street and the Distributor or an Authorized Participant. On days when the Listing Exchange or U.S. or non-U.S. markets close earlier than normal, the Fund may require purchase orders to be placed earlier in the day. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities and/or Cash Component to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust or Advisers, whose determination shall be final and binding.

All orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations through an Authorized Participant shall be placed with an Authorized Participant, in the form required by such Authorized Participant. In addition, the Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order, e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required. Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not have executed a Participant Agreement and, in that case, orders to create Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund have to be placed by each investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. In such cases, there may be additional charges to such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of broker-dealers that have executed a Participant Agreement and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.

Those placing orders for Creation Unit Aggregations through the Clearing Process should afford sufficient time to permit proper submission of the order to the Distributor prior to the Closing Time on the Transmittal Date. Orders for Creation Unit Aggregations that are effected outside the Clearing Process are likely to require transmittal by the DTC Participant earlier on the Transmittal Date than orders effected using the Clearing Process. Those persons placing orders outside the Clearing Process should ascertain the deadlines applicable to DTC and the Federal Reserve Bank wire system by contacting the operations department of the broker or depository institution effectuating such transfer of Deposit Securities and the Cash Component.

Placement of Creation Orders Using the Clearing Process. Fund Deposits made through the Clearing Process must be delivered through a Participating Party that has executed a Participant Agreement. The Participant Agreement authorizes the Distributor or State Street to transmit through State Street to NSCC, on behalf of the Participating Party, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the Participating Party’s creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions to NSCC, the Participating Party agrees to deliver the requisite Deposit Securities and the Cash Component to the Trust, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. An order to create Creation Unit Aggregations through the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed.

 

33


Placement of Creation Orders Outside the Clearing Process. Fund Deposits made outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed a Participant Agreement. A DTC Participant who wishes to place an order creating Creation Unit Aggregations to be effected outside the Clearing Process does not need to be a Participating Party, but such orders must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Unit Aggregations will instead be effected through a transfer of securities and cash directly through DTC. The Fund Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC Participant on the Transmittal Date in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of the requisite number of Deposit Securities through DTC to the account of the Fund by no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time, on the “Settlement Date.” The Settlement Date is typically the second Business Day following the Transmittal Date. The Fund reserves the right to settle transactions on a basis other than “T” plus two Business Days (i.e., days on which the NYSE is open) (“T+2”). In certain cases Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Unit Aggregations of the same Fund on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

On days when the Listing Exchange or U.S. markets close earlier than normal, the Fund may require purchase orders to be placed earlier in the day. All questions as to the number of Deposit Securities and/or Cash Component to be delivered, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any tendered securities, will be determined by the Trust or Advisers, whose determination shall be final and binding. The amount of cash equal to the Cash Component must be transferred directly to State Street through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system in a timely manner so as to be received by State Street no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern time on the Settlement Date. An order to create Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Distributor on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by the Distributor not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. However, if State Street does not receive both the required Deposit Securities and the Cash Component by the specified time on the Settlement Date, the Trust may cancel or revoke acceptance of such order. Upon written notice to the Distributor, such canceled or revoked order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit as newly constituted to reflect the then-current NAV of the Fund. The delivery of Creation Unit Aggregations so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.

Creation Unit Aggregations may be created in advance of receipt by the Trust of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, the initial deposit will have a value greater than the NAV of the shares on the date the order is placed in proper form since, in addition to available Deposit Securities, U.S. cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, plus (ii) generally between 102%-110%, as directed by the Trust or Advisers, which the Trust or Advisers may change from time to time, of the market value of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Additional Cash Deposit”) with the Fund pending delivery of any missing Deposit Securities.

If an Authorized Participant determines to post an Additional Cash Deposit as collateral for any undelivered Deposit Securities, the Authorized Participant must deposit with State Street the appropriate amount of federal funds by 2:00 p.m., Eastern time (or such other time as specified by the Trust), on the Settlement Date. If the Authorized Participant does not place its purchase order by the closing time or State Street does not receive federal funds in the appropriate amount by such time, then the order may be deemed to be rejected and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with State Street, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities to the extent necessary to maintain the Additional Cash Deposit with the Trust in an amount generally between 102%-110%, as directed by the Trust or Advisers, which the Trust or Advisers may change from time to time, of the daily marked-to-market value of the missing Deposit Securities. To the extent that missing Deposit Securities are not received by the specified time, on the Settlement Date, or in the event a marked-to-market payment is not made within one Business Day following notification by the Distributor that such a payment is required, the Trust may use the Additional Cash Deposit to purchase the missing Deposit Securities. The Trust also requires delivery of Deposit Securities and/or an Additional Cash Deposit prior to settlement date by the Authorized Participant in relation to certain international markets.

The Authorized Participant will be liable to the Trust for the costs incurred by the Trust in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such Deposit Securities on the Transmittal Date plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Trust will return any unused portion of the Additional Cash Deposit once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by State Street or purchased by the Trust and deposited into the Trust. In addition, a Transaction Fee, as listed below, will be charged in all cases. The delivery of Creation Unit Aggregations so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date. In no event will an Authorized Participant receive or be entitled to interest or other consideration associated with or in relation to the Additional Cash Deposit.

Cash Purchases. When, in the sole discretion of the Trust or Advisers, cash purchases of Creation Unit Aggregations of shares are available or specified for the Fund, such purchases shall be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind purchases thereof. In the case of a cash purchase, the Authorized Participant must pay the cash equivalent of the Deposit Securities it would otherwise be required to provide through an in-kind purchase, plus the same Cash Component required to be paid by an in-kind purchaser. In addition, to offset brokerage and other costs associated with using cash to purchase the requisite Deposit Securities, the Authorized Participant must pay the Transaction Fees required by the Fund. If the Authorized Participant acts as a broker for the Fund in connection with the purchase of Deposit Securities, the Authorized Participant will also be required to pay certain brokerage commissions, taxes, and transaction and market impact costs as discussed under the heading “Brokerage Transactions” herein.

 

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Acceptance of Orders for Creation Unit Aggregations. The Trust reserves the absolute right to reject or revoke acceptance of a creation order transmitted to it by the Distributor with respect to the Fund. Orders may be rejected and acceptance may be revoked if, for example: (i) the order is not in proper form; (ii) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (iii) the Deposit Securities delivered are not the same as those disseminated through the facilities of the NSCC for that date by the Fund as described above; (iv) acceptance of the Deposit Securities would have certain adverse tax consequences to the Fund; (v) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (vi) acceptance of the Fund Deposit would otherwise, in the discretion of the Trust or WisdomTree Asset Management, have an adverse effect on the Trust or the rights of beneficial owners; or (vii) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, State Street, the Distributor or WisdomTree Asset Management make it for all practical purposes impossible to process creation orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Trust, WisdomTree Asset Management, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, State Street or a sub-custodian or any other participant in the creation process and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify a prospective creator of a Creation Unit and/or the Authorized Participant acting on behalf of the creator of a Creation Unit Aggregation of its rejection of the order of such person. The Trust, State Street, a sub-custodian and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Fund Deposits nor shall any of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust, and the Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.

Creation/Redemption Transaction Fee. The Fund imposes a “Transaction Fee” or “CU Fee” on Authorized Participants purchasing or redeeming Creation Units. The purpose of the Transaction Fee is to protect the existing shareholders of the Fund from the dilutive costs associated with the purchase and redemption of Creation Units. Where the Fund permits cash creations (or redemptions) or cash in lieu of depositing one or more Deposit Securities, the purchaser (or redeemer) may be assessed a higher Transaction Fee to offset the transaction cost to the Fund of buying (or selling) those particular Deposit Securities. Transaction Fees for the Fund will differ from Transaction Fees for other WisdomTree Funds, depending on the transaction expenses related to the Fund’s portfolio securities, and will be limited to amounts that have been determined by WisdomTree Asset Management to be appropriate. The maximum Transaction Fee, as set forth in the table below for the Fund, may be charged in cases where the Fund permits cash or cash in lieu of Deposit Securities. Authorized Participants purchasing or redeeming through the DTC process generally will pay a higher Transaction Fee than will Authorized Participants doing so through the NSCC process. Also, Authorized Participants who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may be charged a fee for such services, in addition to the Transaction Fee imposed by the Fund.

The following table sets forth the standard and maximum creation and redemption Transaction Fees for the Fund. These fees may be changed by the Trust.

 

Fund

   CU Fee*      Maximum
CU Fee
 

Cybersecurity Fund

   $ 100      $ 400  

 

*

The Fund may charge, either in lieu of or in addition to the Transaction Fees, in the sole discretion of the Trust or as determined by the Adviser, a variable fee for creations and redemptions in order to cover certain brokerage, tax, foreign exchange, execution, market impact and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction, up to any applicable legal limits. The Adviser may pay out of its own resources and not out of Fund assets, such Transaction Fees or variable fees from time to time in its sole discretion. Any such fees and/or payments by the Adviser may impact bid/ask spreads.

Placement of Redemption Orders for Using the Clearing Process. Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations through the Clearing Process must be delivered through a Participating Party that has executed the Participant Agreement. Except as described herein, an order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations using the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by State Street (in its capacity as Transfer Agent) not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date, and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Such order will be effected based on the NAV of the Fund as next determined. The consideration for redemption of Creation Unit Aggregations of the Fund generally consists of (i) a portfolio of securities (the “Fund Securities”) and/or (ii) an amount of cash denominated in U.S. dollars (the “Cash Redemption Amount”) as described below. The requisite Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount generally will be transferred by the second NSCC Business Day following the date on which such request for redemption is deemed received.

Placement of Redemption Orders Outside the Clearing Process. Orders to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through a DTC Participant that has executed the Participant Agreement. An order to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations outside the Clearing Process is deemed received by the Trust on the Transmittal Date if: (i) such order is received by

 

35


State Street (in its capacity as Transfer Agent) not later than the Closing Time on such Transmittal Date; (ii) such order is accompanied or followed by the requisite number of shares of the Fund specified in such order, which delivery must be made through DTC to State Street no later than instructed, which is typically one day after Transmittal Date (presuming T+2 settlement); and (iii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. After the Trust has deemed an order for redemption outside the Clearing Process received, the Trust will initiate procedures to transfer the requisite Fund Securities which are expected to be delivered within two Business Days and the Cash Redemption Amount to the Authorized Participant on behalf of the redeeming Beneficial Owner by the Settlement Date. In certain cases Authorized Participants will redeem and create Creation Unit Aggregations of the same Fund on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

If the requisite number of shares of the Fund is not delivered as described above or an Additional Cash Deposit is not made, as applicable, in the sole discretion of the Trust or Advisers, in no event will an Authorized Participant receive or be entitled to interest or other consideration associated with or in relation to the Additional Cash Deposit, the Fund may reject or revoke acceptance of the redemption request because the Authorized Participant has not satisfied all of the settlement requirements.

The current procedures for collateralization of missing shares require, among other things, that any Additional Cash Deposit shall be in the form of U.S. dollars in immediately available funds and shall be held by State Street and marked-to-market daily, and that the fees of State Street and any sub-custodians in respect of the delivery, maintenance and redelivery of the Additional Cash Deposit shall be payable by the Authorized Participant. The Authorized Participant’s agreement will permit the Trust, on behalf of the affected Fund, to purchase the missing shares or acquire the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component underlying such shares at any time and will subject the Authorized Participant to liability for any shortfall between the cost to the Trust of purchasing such shares, Deposit Securities or Cash Component and the value of the collateral.

The calculation of the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Amount to be delivered upon redemption will be made by State Street according to the procedures set forth under “Determination of NAV” computed on the Business Day on which a redemption order is deemed received by the Trust.

The Fund or the Advisers may also, in their sole discretion, upon request of an Authorized Participant, provide such redeemer a portfolio of securities that differs from the exact composition of the Fund Securities but does not differ in NAV.

Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant or an investor for which it is acting subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular security included in the Fund Securities applicable to the redemption of a Creation Unit Aggregation may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request the redeeming Beneficial Owner of the shares to complete an order form or to enter into agreements with respect to such matters as compensating cash payment.

Because the portfolio securities of the Fund may trade on the relevant exchange(s) on days that the Listing Exchange is closed or that are otherwise not Business Days for the Fund, stockholders may not be able to redeem their shares of the Fund, or to purchase and sell shares of the Fund on the Listing Exchange, on days when the NAV of the Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

Cash Redemptions. The Fund may pay out the proceeds of redemptions of Creation Unit Aggregations solely in cash or through any combination of cash, securities or other instruments. In addition, an investor may request a redemption in cash that the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the investor will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its shares based on the NAV of shares of the Fund next determined after the redemption request is received in proper form (minus a redemption transaction fee and additional charge for requested cash redemptions specified above, to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of Fund Securities). Proceeds will be paid to the Authorized Participant redeeming shares on behalf of the redeeming investor as soon as practicable after the date of redemption. If the Authorized Participant acts as a broker for the Fund in connection with the sale of Fund Securities, the Authorized Participant will also be required to pay certain brokerage commissions, taxes, and transaction and market impact costs as discussed under the heading “Brokerage Transactions” herein.

Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Unit Aggregations for cash to the extent that the Trust could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities upon redemptions or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws.

In-Kind Redemptions. The ability of the Trust to effect in-kind creations and redemptions is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the order to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are holidays in the applicable foreign market. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market

 

36


that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle may be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. In addition to holidays, other unforeseeable closings in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering securities within the normal settlement period. The Fund will not suspend or postpone redemption beyond seven days, except as permitted under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act. Section 22(e) provides that the right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund (1) for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of the Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

REGULAR HOLIDAYS AND OTHER SETTLEMENT MATTERS

The Fund generally intends to effect deliveries of Creation Unit Aggregations and portfolio securities on a basis of T+2. The Fund may effect deliveries of Creation Unit Aggregations and portfolio securities on a basis other than T+2 in order to accommodate local holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of security delivery practices and/or dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates, or under certain other circumstances. The ability of the Trust to effect in-kind creations and redemptions within two Business Days of receipt of an order in good form is subject, among other things, to the condition that, within the time period from the date of the order to the date of delivery of the securities, there are no days that are holidays in the applicable foreign market. For every occurrence of one or more intervening holidays in the applicable foreign market that are not holidays observed in the U.S. equity market, the redemption settlement cycle will be extended by the number of such intervening holidays. New or special holidays, treatment by market participants of certain days as “informal holidays” (e.g., days on which no or limited securities transactions occur, as a result of substantially shortened trading hours), the elimination of existing holidays or changes in local securities delivery practices (including lengthening settlement cycles, which may also occur in connection with a security sale and its settlement, with limitations or delays in the settlement itself and/or the convertibility or repatriation of the local proceeds associated therewith), could impede the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests in a timely manner. In addition, other unforeseeable closings or changes in a foreign market due to emergencies may also prevent the Trust from delivering redemption proceeds within the normal settlement period or in a timely manner.

The securities delivery cycles currently practicable for transferring portfolio securities to redeeming investors, coupled with foreign market holiday schedules, will require a delivery process longer than seven calendar days for some securities, in certain circumstances.

TAXES

The following discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund is based on the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder (“Treasury Regulations”), and other applicable authority, all as in effect as of the date of the filing of this SAI. These authorities are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular shareholders. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding their particular situation and the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.

Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company. The Fund has elected or intends to elect to be treated, and intends to qualify each year, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. In order to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded RICs and their shareholders, the Fund must, among other things:

 

(a)

derive at least 90% of its gross income each year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as defined below);

 

(b)

diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of its taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s total assets consists of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with investments in such other securities limited with respect to any one issuer to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more or more voting stock interest, in (1) the securities (other than those of the U.S. government or other RICs) of any one issuer or two or more issuers that are controlled by the Fund and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or (2) the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships; and

 

(c)

distribute with respect to each taxable year an amount equal to or greater than the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code without regard to the deduction for dividends paid – generally taxable ordinary income and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income.

 

37


In general, for purposes of the 90% qualifying income test described in (a) above, income derived from a partnership will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership that would be qualifying income if realized directly by the Fund. However, 100% of the net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership” (generally, a partnership (i) interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (ii) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (a)(i) of the description of the 90% qualifying income test applicable to RICs, above ) will be treated as qualifying income.

Taxation of the Fund. If the Fund qualifies for treatment as a RIC, the Fund will not be subject to federal income tax on income and gains that are distributed in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends.

If, for any taxable year, the Fund was to fail to qualify as a RIC or was to fail to meet the distribution requirement described above, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, the Fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income for federal income tax purposes. However, such dividends would be eligible, subject to any generally applicable limitations, (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends-received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, the Fund would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent year. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may be able to cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but in order to do so the Fund may incur significant Fund-level taxes and may be forced to dispose of certain assets. If the Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

The Fund intends to distribute at least annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the dividends-paid deduction) and its net capital gain (the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). Investment income that is retained by the Fund will generally be subject to tax at the regular 21% corporate rate. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, that gain will be subject to tax at the 21% corporate rate, but the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (i) will be required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount, (ii) will be deemed to have paid their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund on such undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and (iii) will be entitled to claim refunds on a properly filed U.S. tax returns to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of that Fund will be increased by an amount equal to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder.

If the Fund fails to distribute in a calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for such year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 of such year, plus any retained amount from the prior year, the Fund will be subject to a non-deductible 4% excise tax on the undistributed amount. For these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it has been subject to corporate income tax for the taxable year ending within the calendar year. The Fund intends to declare and pay dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of the 4% excise tax, although there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.

The Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year, and certain other late-year losses.

The treatment of capital loss carryovers for the Fund is similar to the rules that apply to capital loss carryovers of individuals, which provide that such losses are carried over indefinitely. If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains), the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year. In addition, the carryover of capital losses may be limited under the general loss limitation rules if the Fund experiences an ownership change as defined in the Code.

 

38


Fund Distributions. Distributions are generally taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares. Moreover, distributions on the Fund’s shares are generally subject to federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund’s realized income and gains, even though such distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder’s investment. Investors may therefore wish to avoid purchasing shares at a time when the Fund’s NAV reflects gains that are either unrealized, or realized but not distributed. Realized income and gains must generally be distributed even when the Fund’s NAV also reflects unrealized losses.

Dividends and other distributions by the Fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, if any dividend or distribution is declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to its shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month but is actually paid during the following January, such dividend or distribution will be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.

Distributions by the Fund of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long the Fund owned the assets that generated those gains, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Fund shares. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions from the Fund’s net capital gain that are properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains. For individuals, long-term capital gains are subject to tax at reduced maximum tax rates. Distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be taxable as ordinary income.

For non-corporate shareholders, distributions of investment income reported by the Fund as derived from “qualified dividend income” will be taxed at the rates applicable to long-term capital gain, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and Fund level. In order for some portion of the dividends received by the Fund shareholder to be “qualified dividend income,” the Fund making the distribution must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to some portion of the dividend-paying stocks in its portfolio and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund’s shares. A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income (at either the Fund or shareholder level) (1) if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before the ex-dividend date), (2) to the extent that the recipient is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, (3) if the recipient elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest, or (4) if the dividend is received from a foreign corporation that is (a) not eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States (with the exception of dividends paid on stock of such a foreign corporation that is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States) or (b) treated as a passive foreign investment company.

In general, distributions of investment income reported by the Fund as derived from qualified dividend income will be treated as qualified dividend income by a shareholder taxed as an individual, provided the shareholder meets the holding period and other requirements described above with respect to the Fund’s shares. If the aggregate qualified dividend income received by the Fund during any taxable year represents 95% or more of its gross income (excluding net long-term capital gai over net short-term capital loss), then 100% of the Fund’s dividends (other than Capital Gain Dividends) will be eligible to be reported as qualified dividend income. The Fund’s investment strategies may limit its ability to distribute dividends eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.

Certain dividends received by the Fund on stock of U.S. corporations (generally, dividends received by the Fund in respect of any share of stock (1) as to which the Fund has met certain holding period requirements and (2) that is held in an unleveraged position) may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally available to corporate shareholders under the Code, provided such dividends are also appropriately reported as eligible for the dividends-received deduction by the Fund. In order to qualify for the dividends-received deduction, corporate shareholders must also meet minimum holding period requirements with respect to the Fund shares.

To the extent that the Fund makes a distribution of income received by the Fund in lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.

Dividends and distributions from the Fund and capital gain on the sale of Fund shares are generally taken into account in determining a shareholder’s “net investment income” for purposes of the Medicare contribution tax applicable to certain individuals, estates and trusts.

 

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If the Fund makes distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits in any taxable year, the excess distribution to each shareholder will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s tax basis in its shares, and will reduce the shareholder’s tax basis in its shares. After the shareholder’s basis has been reduced to zero, any such distributions will result in a capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as capital assets. A reduction in a shareholder’s tax basis in its shares, will reduce any loss or increase any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of its shares.

Sale or Exchange of Shares. A sale or exchange of shares in the Fund may give rise to a gain or loss. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss. However, any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be disallowed if substantially identical shares of the Fund are purchased within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

Backup Withholding. The Fund (or financial intermediaries, such as brokers, through which a shareholder holds Fund shares) generally is required to withhold and to remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding. The backup withholding tax rate is 24%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”).

Federal Tax Treatment of Certain Fund Investments. Transactions of the Fund in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, swap agreements, straddles and foreign currencies may be subject to various special and complex tax rules, including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules. These rules could affect the Fund’s ability to qualify as a RIC, affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund, or defer the Fund’s ability to recognize losses. These rules may in turn affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to shareholders by the Fund.

The Fund is required, for federal income tax purposes, to mark to market and recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses as of the end of such year on certain regulated futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and options under Code Section 1256 (“Section 1256 Contracts”) in addition to the gains and losses actually realized with respect to such contracts during the year. Except as described below under “Certain Foreign Currency Tax Issues,” gain or loss from Section 1256 Contracts that are required to be marked to market annually will generally be 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Application of this rule may alter the timing and character of distributions to shareholders.

If the Fund holds shares in a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the Fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.

The Fund may be eligible to treat a PFIC as a qualified electing fund (“QEF”) under the Code in which case, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, such Fund will be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the QEF, even if not distributed to the Fund, and such amounts will be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. Such amounts included in income each year by the Fund will be “qualifying income”, even if not distributed to the Fund, to the extent such income is derived with respect to the Fund’s business of investing in stock, securities or currencies. In order to make the QEF election, the Fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain. Alternatively, the Fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in such Fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the Fund would report any gains resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary income and would deduct any losses resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the Fund and, once made, is effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the IRS. By making the election, the Fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The Fund may have to distribute this excess income to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax. In order to distribute this income and avoid a tax at the Fund level, the Fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss.

Certain Foreign Currency Tax Issues. The U.S. Treasury Department has authority to issue regulations that would exclude foreign currency gains from the 90% test described above if such gains are not directly related to the Fund’s business of investing in stock or securities. Accordingly, regulations may be issued in the future that could treat some or all of the Fund’s non-U.S. currency gains as non-qualifying income, thereby potentially jeopardizing the Fund’s status as a RIC for all years to which the regulations are applicable.

 

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Under the Code, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates which occur between the time the Fund accrues income or other receivables or accrues expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time the Fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such expenses or liabilities generally are treated as ordinary income or loss. Similarly, on disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency and on disposition of certain other instruments, gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in the value of the foreign currency between the date of acquisition of the security or contract and the date of disposition are also treated as ordinary gain or loss. The gains and losses may increase or decrease the amount of the Fund’s income to be distributed to its shareholders as ordinary income.

The Fund’s gain or loss on foreign currency denominated debt securities and on certain other financial instruments, such as forward currency contracts and currency swaps, that is attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates occurring between the date of acquisition and the date of settlement or disposition of such securities or instruments generally will be treated under Section 988 of the Code as ordinary income or loss. The Fund may elect out of the application of Section 988 of the Code with respect to the tax treatment of each of its foreign currency forward contracts to the extent that (i) such contract is a capital asset in the hands of the Fund and is not part of a straddle transaction and (ii) the Fund makes an election by the close of the day the contract is entered into to treat the gain or loss attributable to such contract as capital gain or loss.

To the extent the Fund invests in forward contracts, such forward contracts may qualify as so-called “Section 1256 contracts” if the underlying currencies are currencies for which there are futures contracts that are traded on and subject to the rules of a qualified board or exchange. However, a forward currency contract that is a Section 1256 contract would, absent an election out of Section 988 of the Code as described in the preceding paragraph, be subject to Section 988. Accordingly, although such a forward currency contract would be marked to market annually like other Section 1256 contracts, the resulting gain or loss would be ordinary. If the Fund were to elect out of Section 988 with respect to forward currency contracts that qualify as Section 1256 contracts, the tax treatment generally applicable to Section 1256 contracts would apply to those forward currency contracts: that is, the contracts would be marked to market annually and gains and losses with respect to the contracts would be treated as long-term capital gains or losses to the extent of 60% thereof and short-term capital gains or losses to the extent of 40% thereof. If the Fund were to elect out of Section 988 with respect to any of its forward currency contracts that do not qualify as Section 1256 contracts, such contracts would not be marked to market annually and the Fund would recognize short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending on the Fund’s holding period therein. The Fund may elect out of Section 988 with respect to some, all or none of its forward currency contracts.

Finally, regulated futures contracts and non-equity options that qualify as Section 1256 contracts and are entered into by the Fund with respect to foreign currencies or foreign currency denominated debt instruments will be subject to the tax treatment generally applicable to Section 1256 contracts unless the Fund elects to have Section 988 apply to determine the character of gains and losses from all such regulated futures contracts and non-equity options held or later acquired by the Fund.

Foreign Investments. Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries (including, for example, dividends or interest on stock or securities of non-U.S. issuers) may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between such countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets at the close of any taxable year consists of stock or securities of foreign corporations, which for this purpose may include obligations of foreign governmental issuers, the Fund may elect, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to treat any foreign income or withholding taxes paid by the Fund as paid by its shareholders. For any year that the Fund is eligible for and makes such an election, each shareholder of that Fund will be required to include in income an amount equal to his or her allocable share of qualified foreign income taxes paid by the Fund, and shareholders will be entitled, subject to certain holding period requirements and other limitations, to credit their portions of these amounts against their U.S. federal income tax due, if any, or to deduct their portions from their U.S. taxable income, if any. No deductions for foreign taxes paid by the Fund may be claimed, however, by non-corporate shareholders who do not itemize deductions. No deduction for such taxes will be permitted to individuals in computing their alternative minimum tax liability. Foreign taxes paid by the Fund will reduce the return from the Fund’s investments.

If the Fund holds shares in a “passive foreign investment company” (“PFIC”), it may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any “excess distribution” or gain from the disposition of such shares even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Additional charges in the nature of interest may be imposed on the Fund in respect of deferred taxes arising from such distributions or gains.

The Fund may be eligible to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” under the Code in which case, in lieu of the foregoing requirements, such Fund will be required to include in income each year a portion of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the qualified electing fund, even if not distributed to the Fund, and such amounts will be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election, the Fund would be required to obtain certain annual information from the PFICs in which it invests, which may be difficult or impossible to obtain. Alternatively, the Fund may make a mark-to-market election that will result in such Fund being treated as if it had sold and repurchased its PFIC stock at the end of each year. In such case, the Fund would report any gains resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary income and would deduct any losses resulting from such deemed sales as ordinary losses to the extent of previously recognized gains. The election must be made separately for each PFIC owned by the Fund and, once made, is effective for all subsequent taxable years, unless revoked with the consent of the IRS. By making the election, the Fund could potentially ameliorate the adverse tax consequences with respect to its ownership of shares in a PFIC, but in any particular year may be required to recognize income in excess of the distributions it receives from PFICs and its proceeds from dispositions of PFIC stock. The Fund may have to distribute this excess income to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement and to avoid imposition of the 4% excise tax. In order to distribute this income and avoid a tax at the Fund level, the Fund might be required to liquidate portfolio securities that it might otherwise have continued to hold, potentially resulting in additional taxable gain or loss.

 

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A U.S. person that owns (directly, indirectly or constructively) 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock or 10% or more of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of a foreign corporation is a “U.S. Shareholder” for purposes of the Controlled Foreign Corporation (“CFC”) provisions of the Code. A foreign corporation is a CFC if, on any day of its taxable year, more than 50% of the voting power or value of its stock is owned (directly, indirectly or constructively) by “U.S. Shareholders.” If the Fund is a “U.S. Shareholder” of a CFC, the Fund will be required to include in its gross income for United States federal income tax purposes the CFCs “subpart F income” (described below), whether or not such income is distributed by the CFC. “Subpart F income” generally includes interest, original issue discount, dividends, net gains from the disposition of stocks or securities, receipts with respect to securities loans and net payments received with respect to equity swaps and similar derivatives. “Subpart F income” also includes the excess of gains over losses from transactions (including futures, forward and similar transactions) in any commodities. The Fund’s recognition of “subpart F income” will increase the Fund’s tax basis in the CFC. Distributions by a CFC to the Fund will be tax-free, to the extent of its previously undistributed “subpart F income,” and will correspondingly reduce the Fund’s tax basis in the CFC. “Subpart F income” is generally treated as ordinary income, regardless of the character of the CFC’s underlying income.

In general, each “U.S. Shareholder” is required to file IRS Form 5471 with its U.S. federal income tax (or information) returns providing information about its ownership of the CFC. In addition, a “U.S. Shareholder” may in certain circumstances be required to report a disposition of shares in the CFC by attaching IRS Form 5471 to its U.S. federal income tax (or information) return that it would normally file for the taxable year in which the disposition occurs. In general, these filing requirements will apply to investors of the Fund if the investor is a U.S. person who owns directly, indirectly or constructively (within the meaning of Sections 958(a) and (b) of the Code) 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of voting stock or 10% or more of the total value of shares of all classes of stock of a foreign corporation that is a CFC for an uninterrupted period of thirty (30) days or more during any tax year of the foreign corporation, and who owned that stock on the last day of that year.

Tax-Exempt Shareholders. Under current law, income of a RIC that would be treated as unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) if earned directly by a tax-exempt entity generally will not be attributed as UBTI to a tax-exempt entity that is a shareholder in the RIC. Notwithstanding this “blocking” effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in the Fund if shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b) or if the Fund invests in REITs that hold residual interests in REMICs. Tax-exempt entities are not permitted to offset losses from one trade or business against the income or gain of another trade or business. Certain net losses incurred prior to January 1, 2018 are permitted to offset gain and income created by an unrelated trade or business, if otherwise available.

The Fund’s shares held in a tax-qualified retirement account will generally not be subject to federal taxation on income and capital gains distributions from the Fund until a shareholder begins receiving payments from their retirement account. Because each shareholder’s tax situation is different, shareholders should consult their tax advisor about the tax implications of an investment in the Funds.

Non-U.S. Shareholders. In general, dividends, other than Capital Gain Dividends, paid by the Fund to a shareholder that is not a “U.S. person” within the meaning of the Code are subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) on distributions derived from taxable ordinary income. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest related dividend” or a “short term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Short term capital gain dividends received by a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year are not exempt from this 30% withholding tax.

A beneficial holder of shares who is a non-U.S. person is not, in general, subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a U.S. income tax deduction for losses) realized on a sale of shares of the Fund or on Capital Gain Dividends unless (i) such gain or dividend is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by such holder within the United States or (ii) in the case of an individual holder, the holder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale or the receipt of the Capital Gain Dividend and certain other conditions are met.

Under legislation generally known as “FATCA” (the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act), the Fund is required to withhold 30% of certain ordinary dividends it pays to shareholders that fail to meet prescribed information reporting or certification requirements. In general, no such withholding will be required with respect to a U.S. person or non-U.S. person that timely provides the certifications required by the Fund or its agent on a valid IRS Form W-9 or applicable IRS Form W-8, respectively. Shareholders potentially subject to withholding include foreign financial institutions (“FFIs”), such as non-U.S. investment funds, and non-financial foreign entities (“NFFEs”). To avoid withholding under FATCA, an FFI generally must enter into an information sharing agreement with the IRS in which it agrees to report certain identifying information (including name, address, and taxpayer identification number) with respect to its U.S. account holders (which, in the case of an entity shareholder, may include its direct and indirect U.S. owners), and an NFFE

 

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generally must identify and provide other required information to the Fund or other withholding agent regarding its U.S. owners, if any. Such non-U.S. shareholders also may fall into certain exempt, excepted or deemed compliant categories as established by regulations and other guidance. A non-U.S. shareholder resident or doing business in a country that has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with the U.S. to implement FATCA will be exempt from FATCA withholding provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement.

In order for a non-U.S. investor to qualify for an exemption from backup withholding, described above, the non-U.S. investor must comply with special certification and filing requirements. Non-U.S. investors in the Fund should consult their tax advisors in this regard.

A beneficial holder of shares who is a non-U.S. person may be subject to state and local tax and to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the federal income tax consequences referred to above. If a shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any income or gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the shareholder in the United States.

Creation and Redemption of Creation Units. An Authorized Participant having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes that exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and any cash received by the Authorized Participant in the exchange and (ii) the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities or non-U.S. currency surrendered and any cash paid for such Creation Units. All or a portion of any gain or loss recognized by an Authorized Participant exchanging a currency other than its functional currency for Creation Units may be treated as ordinary income or loss. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of any securities or non-U.S. currency received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss that is realized by an Authorized Participant upon an exchange of securities or non-U.S. currency for Creation Units may not be currently deducted, under the rules governing “wash sales,” (for an Authorized Participant that does not mark-to-market its holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. All or some portion of any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units in exchange for securities will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year.

Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will be treated as short-term capital gains or losses.

A person subject to U.S. federal income tax with the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes who receives non-U.S. currency upon a redemption of Creation Units and does not immediately convert the non-U.S. currency into U.S. dollars may, upon a later conversion of the non-U.S. currency into U.S. dollars, or upon the use of the non-U.S. currency to pay expenses or acquire assets, recognize as ordinary gains or losses any gains or losses resulting from fluctuations in the value of the non-U.S. currency relative to the U.S. dollar since the date of the redemption.

Persons exchanging securities or non-U.S. currency for Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.

Section 351. The Trust on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of the Fund if the purchaser (or any group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, that Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination.

Certain Reporting Treasury Regulations. Under Treasury Regulations, generally, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Significant penalties may be imposed for the failure to comply with the reporting Treasury Regulations. The fact that a loss is reportable under these Treasury Regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these Treasury Regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

 

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Cost Basis Reporting. The cost basis of shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.

General Considerations. The federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information only. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the specific federal income tax consequences of purchasing, holding and disposing of shares of the Fund, as well as the effect of state, local and foreign tax law and any proposed tax law changes.

DETERMINATION OF NAV

The NAV of the Fund’s shares is calculated each day the Fund is open for business as of the regularly scheduled close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange, normally 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (the “NAV Calculation Time”). NAV per share is calculated by dividing the Fund’s net assets by the number of Fund shares outstanding.

In calculating the Fund’s NAV, the Fund generally values: (i) equity securities (including preferred stock) traded on any recognized U.S. or non-U.S. exchange at the last sale price or official closing price on the exchange or system on which they are principally traded; (ii) unlisted equity securities (including preferred stock) at the last quoted sale price or, if no sale price is available, at the mean between the highest bid and lowest ask price; and (iii) short-term debt securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less at current market quotations or mean prices obtained from broker-dealers or independent pricing service providers. The values of any assets or liabilities of the Fund that are denominated in a currency other than the U.S. dollar are converted into U.S. dollars using an exchange rate deemed appropriate by the Fund. In addition, the Fund may invest in money market funds which are valued at their NAV per share and affiliated ETFs which are valued at their last sale or official closing price on the exchange on which they are principally traded.

In certain instances, such as when reliable market valuations are not readily available or are not deemed to reflect current market values, the Fund’s investments will be valued in accordance with the Fund’s pricing policy and procedures. Securities that may be valued using “fair value” pricing may include, but are not limited to, securities for which there are no current market quotations or whose issuer is in default or bankruptcy, securities subject to corporate actions (such as mergers or reorganizations), securities subject to non-U.S. investment limits or currency controls, and securities affected by “significant events.” An example of a significant event is an event occurring after the close of the market in which a security trades but before the Fund’s next NAV Calculation Time that may materially affect the value of the Fund’s investment (e.g., government action, natural disaster, or significant market fluctuation). Price movements in U.S. markets that are deemed to affect the value of foreign securities, or reflect changes to the value of such securities, also may cause securities to be “fair valued.”

The sale price the Fund could receive for a security or other asset may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the security or other asset, particularly for securities or other assets that trade in low volume or volatile markets or that are valued using a fair value methodology. When fair value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by the Fund to calculate its NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities. In addition, particularly for the Fund holding foreign securities or assets, the value of the securities or other assets in the Fund’s portfolio may change on days or during time periods when shareholders will not be able to purchase or sell the Fund’s shares. As a result, the price received upon the sale of an investment may be less than the value ascribed by the Fund, and the Fund could realize a greater than expected loss or lesser than expected gain upon the sale of the investment. The Fund’s ability to value its investment may also be impacted by technological issues, pricing methodology issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers. Fund shares are purchased or sold on a national securities exchange at market prices, which may be higher or lower than NAV. No secondary sales will be made to brokers or dealers at a concession by the Distributor or by the Fund. Purchases and sales of shares in the secondary market, which will not involve the Fund, will be subject to customary brokerage commissions and charges. Transactions in Fund shares will be priced at NAV only if you purchase or redeem shares directly from the Fund in Creation Units.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, on an annual basis.

The Fund intends to distribute its net realized capital gains, if any, to investors annually. The Fund may occasionally be required to make supplemental distributions at some other time during the year. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.

 

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The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of the Fund as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

Financial Statements and Annual Reports will be available after the Fund has completed a fiscal year of operations. When available, you may request a copy of the Trust’s Annual Report at no charge by calling 866-909-9473 or through the Trust’s website at www.wisdomtree.com.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

Counsel. Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, with offices located at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004, serves as legal counsel to the Trust.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. Ernst & Young LLP, with offices located at 5 Times Square, New York, New York, 10036, serves as the independent registered public accounting firm to the Trust.

WIS-SAI-630-0121

 

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PART C. Other Information

Item  28. Exhibits

 

(a)(1)   Trust Instrument of WisdomTree Trust (the “Trust” or the “Registrant”) dated December 15, 2005 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a) of the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 13, 2006.
     (2)   Schedule A, as last revised January 15, 2021, to the Trust Instrument dated December 15, 2005, is filed herewith.
     (3)   Revised Schedule A, reflecting the addition of WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund, WisdomTree U.S. Target Floor Strategy Fund and WisdomTree Global Target Floor Strategy Fund to the Trust Instrument dated December 15, 2005, to be filed by amendment.
     (4)   Certificate of Trust, as filed with the State of Delaware on December 15, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (a)(2) of the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2006.
(b)   Registrant’s By-Laws, as amended June 16, 2016, are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (b) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 563 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 28, 2016.
(c)   Portions of the Registrant’s Trust Instrument and By-Laws defining the rights of holders of shares of the Registrant are incorporated herein by reference to Article II, Sections 2, 3 and 8, and Articles III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX and X of the Registrant’s Trust Instrument dated December 15, 2005, filed as Exhibit (a)(1) to the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2006; and to Articles I, V, and VI of the Registrant’s By-Laws, filed as Exhibit (b) to the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with SEC on March 13, 2006.
(d)(1)   Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 20, 2012 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(1) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 28, 2012.
     (2)   Schedule A, dated January 31, 2013, as updated July 28, 2020 (effective August 1, 2020), to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated November 20, 2012 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(2) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 742 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 28, 2020.
     (3)   Investment Advisory Agreement dated March 26, 2013 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(3) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 198 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 29, 2013.
     (4)   Revised Schedule A to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated March 26, 2013 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., reflecting the addition of WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(4) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 762, as filed with the SEC on December 17, 2020.
     (5)   Revised Schedule A to the Investment Advisory Agreement dated March 26, 2013 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., reflecting the addition of WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund, WisdomTree U.S. Target Floor Strategy Fund and WisdomTree Global Target Floor Strategy Fund, to be filed by amendment.
     (6)   Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement dated January 1, 2013 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and Mellon Investments Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(6) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 144 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 11, 2013.

 

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     (7)   Appendix A, as last amended May 29, 2020, to the Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement dated January 1, 2013 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and Mellon Investments Corporation, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(6) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 738 filing, as filed with the SEC on June 1, 2020.
     (8)   Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 4, 2016 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and Voya Investment Management Co., LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(10) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 541 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 14, 2016.
     (9)   Amendment dated August 15, 2017 to the Sub-Advisory Agreement dated April 4, 2016 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., and Voya Investment Management Co., LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(9) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 612 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 21, 2017.
   (10)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund, and Voya Investment Management Co., LLC, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(10) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 696 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 18, 2019.
   (11)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund, and Voya Investment Management Co., LLC, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(10) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 738 filing, as filed with the SEC on June 1, 2020.
   (12)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree 90/60 U.S. Balanced Fund, and Mellon Investments Corporation, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(11) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 625, as filed with the SEC on July 2, 2018.
   (13)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Multifactor Fund, and Mellon Investments Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(12) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 635 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 30, 2018.
   (14)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree International Multifactor Fund, and Mellon Investments Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(13) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 636 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 30, 2018.
   (15)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree India ex-State Owned Enterprises Fund, and Mellon Investments Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(14) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 679 filing, as filed with the SEC on February 5, 2019.
   (16)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Growth Leaders Fund (f/k/a WisdomTree Modern Tech Platforms Fund), and Mellon Investments Corporation, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(16) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 704 filing, as filed with the SEC on May 17, 2019.
   (17)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund, and Mellon Investments Corporation, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(18) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 721 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 28, 2019.
   (18)   Amended and Restated Appendix A, as last amended September 1, 2020, to the Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement dated January 1, 2013 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Fund, and Mellon Investments Corporation, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(18) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 746 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 1, 2020.

 

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   (19)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund, and Mellon Investments Corporation, to be filed by amendment.
   (20)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree U.S. Target Floor Strategy Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
   (21)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Global Target Floor Strategy Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
   (22)   Amended and Restated Appendix A to the Sub-Advisory Agreement between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund, and [SUB-ADVISER], to be filed by amendment.
   (23)   Investment Advisory Agreement dated February 19, 2008 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. and WisdomTree India Investment Portfolio, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(7) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 14 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 4, 2008.
   (24)   Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement dated November 20, 2012 between WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., on behalf of the WisdomTree India Investment Portfolio Inc., and Mellon Investments Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (d)(10) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 142 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 28, 2012.
(e)(1)   Distribution Agreement dated May 31, 2017 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(1) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 634 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2018.
     (2)   Exhibit A, dated March 19, 2020, to the Distribution Agreement dated May 31, 2017 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(2) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 738 filing, as filed with the SEC on June 1, 2020.
     (3)   Exhibit A, as last amended September 1, 2020, to the Distribution Agreement dated May 31, 2017 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(3) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 750 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 14, 2020.
     (4)   Exhibit A, as last amended January 15, 2021, to the Distribution Agreement dated May 31, 2017 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, reflecting the addition of WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund, is filed herewith.
     (5)   Exhibit A, as last amended [____], to the Distribution Agreement dated May 31, 2017 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, reflecting the addition of WisdomTree U.S. Target Floor Strategy Fund, WisdomTree Global Target Floor Strategy Fund and WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund, to be filed by amendment.
     (6)   Form of Authorized Participant Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (e)(2) of the Registrant’s Initial Registration Statement on Form N-1A, as filed with the SEC on March 13, 2006.
(f)   Not applicable.
(g)(1)   Master Custodian Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(1) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 346 filing, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2014.
     (2)   Revised Appendix A, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Fund and WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund to the Master Custodian Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (g)(2) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 762 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 17, 2020.

 

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     (3)   Revised Appendix A, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund WisdomTree U.S. Target Floor Strategy Fund and WisdomTree Global Target Floor Strategy Fund to the Master Custodian Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, to be filed by amendment.
(h)(1)   Administration Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(1) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 346 filing, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2014.
     (2)   Transfer Agency and Service Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(3) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 346 filing, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2014.
     (3)   Schedule A, as last revised December 11, 2020, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Fund and WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund to the Administration Agreement and Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, each dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(3) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 762 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 17, 2020.
     (4)   Revised Schedule A, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund, WisdomTree U.S. Target Floor Strategy Fund and WisdomTree Global Target Floor Strategy Fund to the Administration Agreement and Transfer Agency and Service Agreement, each dated September 27, 2013, between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, to be filed by amendment.
     (5)   License Agreement dated March 21, 2006 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Investments, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(3) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 2 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 29, 2006.
     (6)   Exhibit A, as last revised January 15, 2021 to the License Agreement dated March 21, 2006 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Investments, Inc., is filed herewith.
     (7)   Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(8) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 346 filing, as filed with the SEC on March 31, 2014.
     (8)   Tenth Amendment dated November 3, 2016 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(8) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 577 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 22, 2016.
     (9)   Twelfth Amendment and revised Schedule B dated April 27, 2017 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(9) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 596 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 28, 2017.
     (10)   Thirteenth Amendment and revised Schedule B dated October 23, 2017 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(10) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 616 filing, as filed with the SEC on February 20, 2018.
     (11)   Fourteenth Amendment dated December 19, 2017 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(11) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 616 filing, as filed with the SEC on February 20, 2018.

 

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   (12)   Sixteenth Amendment and revised Schedule B dated April 16, 2018 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(13) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 622 filing, as filed with the SEC on May 29, 2018.
   (13)   Seventeenth Amendment and revised Schedule B dated August 1, 2018 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree 90/60 U.S. Balanced Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Multifactor Fund, and WisdomTree International Multifactor Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(14) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 641 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 19, 2018.
   (14)   Nineteenth Amendment and revised Schedule B dated June 12, 2019 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(16) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 716 filing, as filed with the SEC on August 29, 2019.
   (15)   Twenty-First Amendment and revised Schedule B dated August 29, 2019 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Growth Leaders Fund (f/k/a WisdomTree Modern Tech Platforms Fund) and WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(18) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 721 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 28, 2019.
   (16)   Twenty-Second Amendment and revised Schedule B dated December 22, 2020 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund, is filed herewith.
   (17)   Amendment and revised Schedule B to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund, to be filed by amendment.
   (18)   Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement dated October 1, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(10) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 15, 2009.
   (19)   Exhibit C, as last revised January 15, 2021, to the Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement dated October 1, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., is filed herewith.
   (20)   Revised Exhibit C, reflecting the addition of WisdomTree U.S. Target Floor Strategy Fund, WisdomTree Global Target Floor Strategy Fund and WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund to the Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement dated October 1, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., to be filed by amendment.
   (21)   Fund Services Agreement dated June 15, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(11) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 131 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 10, 2012.
   (22)   Exhibit A, as last revised January 15, 2021, to the Fund Services Agreement dated June 15, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., is filed herewith.
   (23)   Revised Exhibit A, reflecting the addition of WisdomTree U.S. Target Floor Strategy Fund, WisdomTree Global Target Floor Strategy Fund and WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund to the Fund Services Agreement dated June 15, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., to be filed by amendment.

 

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   (24)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (U.S. Dividend Indexes, Core Equity Indexes, U.S. Multifactor Index, International Dividend Indexes, Emerging Markets Dividend Indexes, Ex-State-Owned Enterprises Indexes, India Index, Global Dividend Index, Global Ex-U.S. Quality Index, Growth Leaders Index and Team8 Cybersecurity Index), dated January 2021is filed herewith.
   (25)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Index Family), dated March 2020 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(31) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 738 filing, as filed with the SEC on June 1, 2020.
   (26)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (U.S. Corporate Bond Index Family: U.S. Corporate Bond Index and U.S. Short-term Corporate Bond Index) dated September 2019, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(37) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 721 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 28, 2019.
   (27)   WisdomTree Index Methodology (Managed Futures Index) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(38) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 577 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 22, 2016.
(i)(1)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree CBOE S&P 500 Put Write Strategy Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(21) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 433 filing, as filed with the SEC on June 24, 2015.
     (2)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree International Hedged Equity Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(22) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 434 filing, as filed with the SEC on June 24, 2015.
     (3)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(16) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 501 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 5, 2016.
     (4)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(17) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 502 filing, as filed with the SEC on January 5, 2016.
     (5)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(20) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 539 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 4, 2016.
     (6)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Emerging Markets ESG Fund (f/k/a WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Fund), is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(21) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 540 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 4, 2016.
     (7)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree U.S. Corporate Bond Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(22) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 541 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 14, 2016.
     (8)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term Corporate Bond Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(23) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 542 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 14, 2016.
     (9)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(24) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 543 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 14, 2016.
     (10)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term High Yield Corporate Bond Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(25) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 544 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 14, 2016.

 

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   (11)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree International ESG Fund (f/k/a WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Quality Dividend Growth Fund), is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(30) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 571 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 28, 2016.
   (12)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Short-Term Aggregate Bond Fund LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(31) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 587 filing, as filed with the SEC on May 11, 2017.
   (13)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(32) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 592 filing, as filed with the SEC on June 26, 2017.
   (14)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree 90/60 U.S. Balanced Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(29) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 625, as filed with the SEC on July 2, 2018.
   (15)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Multifactor Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(28) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 635 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 30, 2018.
   (16)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree International Multifactor Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(29) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 636 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 30, 2018.
   (17)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree India ex-State Owned Enterprises Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(36) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 679 filing, as filed with the SEC on February 5, 2019.
   (18)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(37) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 696 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 18, 2019.
   (19)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Growth Leaders Fund (f/k/a WisdomTree Modern Tech Platforms Fund), is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(37) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 704 filing, as filed with the SEC on May 17, 2019.
   (20)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(35) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 716 filing, as filed with the SEC on August 29, 2019.
   (21)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree U.S. Equity Funds and WisdomTree International Equity Funds, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(36) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 711 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 30, 2019.
   (22)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree International Equity, Fixed Income, Alternative and Asset Allocation Funds is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(33) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 721 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 28, 2019.
   (23)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Currency Income Funds, WisdomTree Fixed Income Funds and WisdomTree Alternative Funds, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(34) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 725 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 19, 2019.
   (24)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree U.S. Equity Funds and WisdomTree International Equity Funds, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(25) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 742 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 28, 2020.
   (25)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(24) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 746 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 1, 2020.

 

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   (26)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund, is filed herewith.
   (27)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree U.S. Target Floor Strategy Fund, to be filed by amendment.
   (28)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Global Target Floor Strategy Fund, to be filed by amendment.
   (29)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund, to be filed by amendment.
   (30)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree International Equity, Fixed Income, Asset Allocation, Thematic and ESG ETFs, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(29) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 753 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 28, 2020.
   (31)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Currency Strategy Funds, WisdomTree Fixed Income Funds and WisdomTree Alternative Funds, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (i)(31) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 765 filing, as filed with the SEC on December 23, 2020.
(j)   Not applicable.
(k)   Not applicable.
(l)   Form of Letter of Representations between the Registrant and The Depository Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (l) of the Registrant’s Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 filing, as filed with the SEC on June 9, 2006.
(m)   Not applicable.
(n)   Not applicable.
(o)   Not applicable.
(p)(1)   Code of Ethics of the Registrant is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(1) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 filing, as filed with the SEC on October 15, 2009.
     (2)   Code of Ethics of WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(2) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 124 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2012.
     (3)   Code of Ethics of Mellon Investments Corporation is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(3) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 634 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 27, 2018.
     (4)   Code of Ethics of Voya Investment Management Co., LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (p)(5) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 541 filing, as filed with the SEC on April 14, 2016.
     (5)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree U.S. Target Floor Strategy Fund, to be filed by amendment.
     (6)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Global Target Floor Strategy Fund, to be filed by amendment.
     (8)   Code of Ethics of [SUB-ADVISER], sub-adviser to the WisdomTree Alternative Credit Strategy Fund, to be filed by amendment.

 

9


(q)(1)   Powers of Attorney dated June 13, 2017 for David Castano, David Chrencik, Joel Goldberg, Melinda Raso Kirstein, Toni Massaro, Jonathan Steinberg and Victor Ugolyn are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (q)(1) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 596 filing, as filed with the SEC on July 28, 2017.
     (2)   Secretary’s Certificate related to certain signatory authority is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (r) of the Registrant’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 222 filing, as filed with the SEC on September 24, 2013.

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Item 29.

Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant

As of the date of this Registration Statement, the Registrant, through the WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund, owns 100% of the WisdomTree Managed Futures Portfolio I. WisdomTree Managed Futures Portfolio I is an exempted company organized under Cayman Islands law.

As of the date of this Registration Statement, the Registrant, through the WisdomTree India Earnings Fund, owns 100% of the WisdomTree India Investment Portfolio, Inc., an exempted company organized under the laws of the Republic of Mauritius.

As of the date of this Registration Statement, the Registrant, through the WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Fund, owns 100% of the WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Portfolio I. WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Portfolio I is an exempted company organized under Cayman Islands law.

 

Item 30.

Indemnification

Reference is made to Article IX of the Registrant’s Trust Instrument included as Exhibit (a)(1) to this Registration Statement with respect to the indemnification of the Registrant’s trustees and officers, which is set forth below:

Section 1. Limitation of Liability.

All Persons contracting with or having any claim against the Trust or a particular Series shall look only to the assets of the Trust or Assets belonging to such Series, respectively, for payment under such contract or claim; and neither the Trustees nor any of the Trust’s officers, employees, or agents, whether past, present, or future, shall be personally liable therefor. Every written instrument or obligation on behalf of the Trust or any Series shall contain a statement to the foregoing effect, but the absence of such statement shall not operate to make any Trustee or officer of the Trust liable thereunder. Provided they have exercised reasonable care and have acted under the reasonable belief that their actions are in the best interest of the Trust, the Trustees and officers of the Trust shall not be responsible or liable for any act or omission or for neglect or wrongdoing of them or any officer, agent, employee, Investment Adviser, or independent contractor of the Trust, but nothing contained in this Trust Instrument or in the Delaware Act shall protect any Trustee or officer of the Trust against liability to the Trust or to Shareholders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.

 

10


Section 2. Indemnification.

(a) Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in subsection (b) below:

(i) every Person who is, or has been, a Trustee or an officer, employee, or agent of the Trust (“Covered Person”) shall be indemnified by the Trust or the appropriate Series (out of Assets belonging to that Series) to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit, or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been a Covered Person and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof; provided that the transfer agent of the Trust or any Series shall not be considered an agent for these purposes unless expressly deemed to be such by the Trustees in a resolution referring to this Article.

(ii) as used herein, the words “claim,” “action,” “suit,” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, actions, suits, or proceedings (civil, criminal, or other, including appeals), actual or threatened, and the words “liability” and “expenses” shall include attorney’s fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties, and other liabilities.

(b) No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person:

(i) who has been adjudicated by a court or body before which the proceeding was brought:

(A) to be liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office or

(B) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust; or

(ii) in the event of a settlement, unless there has been a determination that such Covered Person did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office (A) by the court or other body approving the settlement, (B) by at least a majority of those Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the Trust nor are parties to the matter based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), or (C) by written opinion of independent legal counsel based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry).

(c) The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled, and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors, and administrators of a Covered Person.

(d) To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, expenses in connection with the preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit, or proceeding of the character described in subsection (a) of this Section shall be paid by the Trust or applicable Series from time to time prior to final disposition thereof on receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person that such amount will be paid over by him to the Trust or applicable Series if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification under this Section, provided that either (i) such Covered Person has provided appropriate security for such undertaking, (ii) the Trust is insured against losses arising out of any such advance payments, or (iii) either a majority of the Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the Trust nor parties to the matter, or independent legal counsel in a written opinion, has determined, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that there is reason to believe that such Covered Person will not be disqualified from indemnification under this Section.

(e) Any repeal or modification of this Article IX by the Shareholders, or adoption or modification of any other provision of this Trust Instrument or the By-laws inconsistent with this Article, shall be prospective only, to the extent that such repeal, modification, or adoption would, if applied retrospectively, adversely affect any limitation on the liability of any Covered Person or indemnification available to any Covered Person with respect to any act or omission that occurred prior to such repeal, modification, or adoption.

Reference is made to Article VI of the Registrant’s By-Laws included as Exhibit (b) to this Registration Statement with respect to the indemnification of the Registrant’s trustees and officers, which is set forth below:

Section 6.2. Limitation of Liability.

The Declaration refers to the Trustees as Trustees, but not as individuals or personally; and no Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be held to any personal liability, nor shall resort be had to their private property for the satisfaction of any obligation or claim or otherwise in connection with the affairs of the Trust; provided, that nothing contained in the Declaration or the By-Laws shall protect any Trustee or officer of the Trust from any liability to the Trust or its Shareholders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office.

 

11


Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, may be provided to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Trust, pursuant to the foregoing provisions or otherwise, the Trust has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Trust of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the Trust in connection with the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding or payment pursuant to any insurance policy) is asserted against the Trust by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Trust will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

Item 31.

Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser

WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. (“WTAM”), 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10167, a wholly-owned subsidiary of WisdomTree Investments, Inc., is a registered investment adviser and serves as investment adviser for each series of the Trust. The description of WTAM under the caption of “Management-Investment Adviser” in the Prospectus and under the caption “Management of the Trust” in the Statement of Additional Information constituting Parts A and B, respectively, of this Registration Statement are incorporated herein by reference.

Each of the directors and officers of WTAM will also generally have substantial responsibilities (as noted below) as directors and/or officers of WisdomTree Investments, Inc., 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10167. To the knowledge of the Registrant, except as set forth below or otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus or Statement of Additional Information as noted above, none of the directors or executive officers of WTAM is or has been at any time during the past two fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

 

Name

  

Position with WTAM

  

Principal Business(es)

During Last Two Fiscal Years

Jonathan Steinberg    Chief Executive Officer and Director    Dual officer/director of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Peter Ziemba    Senior Advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Administrative Officer, and Director    Dual officer of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Amit Muni    Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Director    Dual officer of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Marci Frankenthaler    Chief Legal Officer and Secretary    Dual officer of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Stuart Bell    Chief Operating Officer, and Director    None
R. Jarrett Lilien    President    President and Chief Operating Officer of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Jeremy Schwartz    Global Head of Research    None
William Peck    Head of Strategy and Emerging Technologies    Dual officer of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Terry Feld    Chief Compliance Officer    None
Ryan Louvar    General Counsel    None

WTAM, with the approval of the Trust’s Board of Trustees, selects the sub-adviser for each of the Trust’s series, as applicable. Voya Investment Management Co., LLC serves as sub-adviser for the WisdomTree U.S. Corporate Bond Fund, WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term Corporate Bond Fund, WisdomTree U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Fund, WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term High Yield Corporate Bond Fund, WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Short-Term Aggregate Bond Fund, WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund, WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund and WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund. Mellon Investments Corporation serves as sub-adviser for each other series of the Trust.

 

12


To the knowledge of the Registrant, except as set forth below, none of the directors or executive officers of the sub-advisers is or has been at any time during the past two fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature.

Mellon Investments Corporation

 

Name

  

Position Held with Mellon Investments Corporation

  

Principal Business(es)

During the Last Two Fiscal Years

James Desmond Mac Intyre    President, Chief Executive Officer, Director    Dual Officer of The Bank of New York
Jennifer Cassedy    Chief Compliance Officer    Dual Officer of The Bank of New York
Parker Webb Wertz    Chief Financial Officer    The Bank of New York
Michael Anthony Germano    Chief Operations Officer & Director    Dual Officer of The Bank of New York
Renee Michelle LaRoche-Morris    Director    MBC Investments Corporation
Hanneke Smits    Director    The Bank of New York
Christina Sujin King    Director    The Bank of New York

Voya Investment Management Co., LLC

 

Name

  

Position Held with Voya

Investment Management Co., LLC

  

Principal Business(es)

During the Last Two Fiscal Years*

Huey Paul Falgout    Managing Director — Head of IM Legal    Managing Director — Head of IM Legal
Dina Santoro    Senior Managing Director, Head of Product Marketing and Strategy    Senior Managing Director, Head of Product Marketing and Strategy
Charles Milton Shaffer    Head of Distribution and Senior Managing Director    Head of Distribution and Senior Managing Director
Daniel Allen Norman    Senior Managing Director, Group Head — Senior Loan    Senior Managing Director, Group Head — Senior Loan
Christine Lynn Hurtsellers    Director, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer    Chief Investment Officer of Fixed Income & Proprietary Investments and Senior Managing Director of VIM; Chief Investment Officer of Fixed Income & Proprietary Investments and Senior Managing Director of VAAM.
Michael Bruce Pytosh    Chief Investment Officer of Equities and Senior Managing Director   

Chief Investment Officer of Equities and

Senior Managing Director

Paul Zemsky    Senior Managing Director    Senior Managing Director of VIM and VAAM.
Deborah Ann Hammalian    Chief Compliance Officer, Managing Director    Managing Director and Chief Compliance Officer of VIM and VAAM.
Amir Sahibzada    Chief Risk Officer and Managing Director    Chief Risk Officer of VIM and VAAM.

 

13


Name

  

Position Held with Voya

Investment Management Co., LLC

  

Principal Business(es)

During the Last Two Fiscal Years*

Michael Allyn Bell    Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director    Chief Financial Officer and Managing Director of VIM and VAAM.
Matthew Toms    Chief Investment Officer of Fixed Income & Proprietary Investments and Senior Managing Director    Managing Director and Head of U.S. Public Investments
Jeffery Alan Bakalar    Senior Managing Director, Group Head and Chief Investment Officer — Senior Loan    Senior Managing Director, Group Head and Chief Investment Officer — Senior Loan

 

*

Voya Investment Management LLC (“VIM”), Voya Alternative Asset Management LLC (“VAAM”).

 

Item 32.

Foreside Fund Services, LLC

 

  (a)

Foreside Fund Services, LLC (the “Distributor”) serves as principal underwriter for the following investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended:

 

  1.

ABS Long/Short Strategies Fund

  2.

Absolute Shares Trust

  3.

AdvisorShares Trust

  4.

AGF Investments Trust (f/k/a FQF Trust)

  5.

AIM ETF Products Trust

  6.

AlphaCentric Prime Meridian Income Fund

  7.

American Century ETF Trust

  8.

American Customer Satisfaction ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

  9.

Amplify ETF Trust

  10.

ARK ETF Trust

  11.

Bluestone Community Development Fund (f/k/a The 504 Fund)

  12.

Braddock Multi-Strategy Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

  13.

Bridgeway Funds, Inc.

  14.

Brinker Capital Destinations Trust

  15.

Calamos Convertible and High Income Fund

  16.

Calamos Convertible Opportunities and Income Fund

  17.

Calamos Global Total Return Fund

  18.

Carlyle Tactical Private Credit Fund

  19.

Center Coast Brookfield MLP & Energy Infrastructure Fund

  20.

Cliffwater Corporate Lending Fund

  21.

CornerCap Group of Funds

  22.

Davis Fundamental ETF Trust

  23.

Defiance Nasdaq Junior Biotechnology ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

  24.

Defiance Next Gen Connectivity ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

  25.

Defiance Next Gen SPAC Derived ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

  26.

Defiance Quantum ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

  27.

Direxion Shares ETF Trust

  28.

Eaton Vance NextShares Trust

  29.

Eaton Vance NextShares Trust II

  30.

EIP Investment Trust

  31.

Ellington Income Opportunities Fund

  32.

EntrepreneurShares Series Trust

  33.

Esoterica Thematic ETF Trust

  34.

Evanston Alternative Opportunities Fund

  35.

Exchange Listed Funds Trust (f/k/a Exchange Traded Concepts Trust II)

  36.

Fiera Capital Series Trust

  37.

FlexShares Trust

  38.

Forum Funds

  39.

Forum Funds II

  40.

Friess Small Cap Growth Fund, Series of Managed Portfolio Series

  41.

GraniteShares ETF Trust

 

14


  42.

Guinness Atkinson Funds

  43.

Infinity Core Alternative Fund

  44.

Innovator ETFs Trust

  45.

Innovator ETFs Trust II (f/k/a Elkhorn ETF Trust)

  46.

Ironwood Institutional Multi-Strategy Fund LLC

  47.

Ironwood Multi-Strategy Fund LLC

  48.

IVA Fiduciary Trust

  49.

John Hancock Exchange-Traded Fund Trust

  50.

Manor Investment Funds

  51.

Moerus Worldwide Value Fund, Series of Northern Lights Fund Trust IV

  52.

Morningstar Funds Trust

  53.

OSI ETF Trust

  54.

Overlay Shares Core Bond ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  55.

Overlay Shares Foreign Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  56.

Overlay Shares Large Cap Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  57.

Overlay Shares Municipal Bond ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  58.

Overlay Shares Small Cap Equity ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  59.

Pacific Global ETF Trust

  60.

Palmer Square Opportunistic Income Fund

  61.

Partners Group Private Income Opportunities, LLC

  62.

PENN Capital Funds Trust

  63.

Performance Trust Mutual Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

  64.

Plan Investment Fund, Inc.

  65.

PMC Funds, Series of Trust for Professional Managers

  66.

Point Bridge GOP Stock Tracker ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

  67.

Quaker Investment Trust

  68.

Renaissance Capital Greenwich Funds

  69.

Reverse Cap Weighted U.S. Large Cap ETF, Series of ETF Series Solutions

  70.

RMB Investors Trust (f/k/a Burnham Investors Trust)

  71.

Robinson Opportunistic Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

  72.

Robinson Tax Advantaged Income Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust

  73.

Roundhill BITKRAFT Esports & Digital Entertainment ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  74.

Roundhill Sports Betting & iGaming ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  75.

Salient MF Trust

  76.

SharesPost 100 Fund

  77.

Six Circles Trust

  78.

Sound Shore Fund, Inc.

  79.

Strategy Shares

  80.

Syntax ETF Trust

  81.

Tactical Income ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

  82.

The Chartwell Funds

  83.

The Community Development Fund

  84.

The Relative Value Fund

  85.

Third Avenue Trust

  86.

Third Avenue Variable Series Trust

  87.

Tidal ETF Trust

  88.

TIFF Investment Program

  89.

Timothy Plan High Dividend Stock ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

  90.

Timothy Plan International ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

  91.

Timothy Plan US Large/Mid Cap Core ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

  92.

Timothy Plan US Small Cap Core ETF, Series of The Timothy Plan

  93.

Transamerica ETF Trust

  94.

Trend Aggregation Aggressive Growth ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

  95.

Trend Aggregation Dividend Stock ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

  96.

Trend Aggregation ESG ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

  97.

Trend Aggregation US ETF, Series of Collaborative Investment Series Trust

  98.

TrueShares AI & Deep Learning ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  99.

TrueShares ESG Active Opportunities ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  100.

TrueShares Structured Outcome (August) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

 

15


  101.

TrueShares Structured Outcome (July) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  102.

TrueShares Structured Outcome (September) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  103.

TrueShares Structured Outcome (October) ETF, Series of Listed Funds Trust

  104.

U.S. Global Investors Funds

  105.

Variant Alternative Income Fund

  106.

VictoryShares Developed Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  107.

VictoryShares Dividend Accelerator ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  108.

VictoryShares Emerging Market High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  109.

VictoryShares Emerging Market Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  110.

VictoryShares International High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  111.

VictoryShares International Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  112.

VictoryShares NASDAQ Next 50 ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  113.

VictoryShares US 500 Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  114.

VictoryShares US 500 Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  115.

VictoryShares US Discovery Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  116.

VictoryShares US EQ Income Enhanced Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  117.

VictoryShares US Large Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  118.

VictoryShares US Multi-Factor Minimum Volatility ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  119.

VictoryShares US Small Cap High Div Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  120.

VictoryShares US Small Cap Volatility Wtd ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  121.

VictoryShares USAA Core Intermediate-Term Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  122.

VictoryShares USAA Core Short-Term Bond ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  123.

VictoryShares USAA MSCI Emerging Markets Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  124.

VictoryShares USAA MSCI International Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  125.

VictoryShares USAA MSCI USA Small Cap Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  126.

VictoryShares USAA MSCI USA Value Momentum ETF, Series of Victory Portfolios II

  127.

West Loop Realty Fund, Series of Investment Managers Series Trust (f/k/a Chilton Realty Income & Growth Fund)

  128.

WisdomTree Trust

  129.

WST Investment Trust

  130.

XAI Octagon Floating Rate & Alternative Income Term Trust

 

  (b)

The following are the Officers and Manager of the Distributor, the Registrant’s underwriter. The Distributor’s main business address is Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.

 

Name

  

Address

  

Position with Underwriter

  

Position with Registrant

Richard J. Berthy    Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101    President, Treasurer and Manager    None
Mark A. Fairbanks    Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101    Vice President    None
Jennifer K. DiValerio    899 Cassatt Road, 400 Berwyn Park, Suite 110, Berwyn, PA 19312    Vice President    None
Nanette K. Chern    Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101    Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer    None
Jennifer E. Hoopes    Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101    Secretary    None

 

  (c)

Not applicable.

 

Item 33.

Location of Accounts and Records

 

  (a)

The Registrant maintains accounts, books and other documents required by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules thereunder (collectively, “Records”) at its offices at 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10167.

 

16


  (b)

WTAM maintains all Records relating to its services as investment adviser to the Registrant at 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, New York 10167.

 

  (c)

Mellon Investments Corporation maintains all Records relating to its services as sub-adviser at 50 Fremont Street, Suite 3900, San Francisco, California 94105.

 

  (d)

Voya Investment Management Co., LLC maintains all Records relating to its services as sub-adviser at 230 Park Avenue New York, New York 10169.

 

  (e)

Foreside Fund Services, LLC maintains all Records relating to its services as Distributor of the Registrant at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, Maine 04101.

 

  (f)

State Street Bank and Trust Company maintains all Records relating to its services as administrator, transfer agent and custodian of the Registrant at 1200 Crown Colony Drive, Quincy, Massachusetts 02189.

 

Item 34.

Management Services

Not applicable.

 

Item 35.

Undertakings

Not applicable.

 

17


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this Post-Effective Amendment No. 769 to Registration Statement No. 333-132380 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, duly authorized, in the City of New York, State of New York, on the 15th day of January, 2021.

 

WISDOMTREE TRUST
(Registrant)
By:   /s/ Jonathan Steinberg
  Jonathan Steinberg
  President (Principal Executive Officer)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment No. 769 to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacity and on the dates indicated.

 

Signatures

  

Title

 

Date

/s/ Jonathan Steinberg

Jonathan Steinberg

  

President (Principal Executive Officer) and Trustee

 

January 15, 2021

/s/ David Castano*

David Castano

  

Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

 

January 15, 2021

/s/ David Chrencik*

David Chrencik

  

Trustee

 

January 15, 2021

/s/ Joel Goldberg*

Joel Goldberg

  

Trustee

 

January 15, 2021

/s/ Toni Massaro*

Toni Massaro

  

Trustee

 

January 15, 2021

/s/ Melinda Raso Kirstein*

Melinda Raso Kirstein

  

Trustee

 

January 15, 2021

/s/ Victor Ugolyn*

Victor Ugolyn

  

Trustee

 

January 15, 2021

 

*By:

  /s/ Ryan Louvar
 

Ryan Louvar

 

(Attorney-in-Fact)

 

17


Exhibit Index

 

Exhibit Number  

Exhibit

(a)(2)   Schedule A, as last revised January 15, 2021, to the Trust Instrument dated December 15, 2005.
(e)(4)   Exhbit A, as last amended January 15, 2021, to the Distribution Agreement dated May 31, 2017 between the Registrant and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, reflecting the addition of WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund.
(h)(6)   Exhibit A, as last revised January 15, 2021 to the License Agreement dated March 21, 2006 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
(h)(16)   Twenty-Second Amendment and revised Schedule B dated December 22, 2020 to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated September 27, 2013 between the Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company, reflecting the addition of the WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund.
(h)(19)   Exhibit C, as last revised January 15, 2021, to the Chief Compliance Officer Services Agreement dated October 1, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.
(h)(22)   Exhibit A, as last revised January 15, 2021, to the Fund Services Agreement dated June 15, 2009 between the Registrant and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.
(h)(24)   WisdomTree Rules-Based Methodology (U.S. Dividend Indexes, Core Equity Indexes, U.S. Multifactor Index, International Dividend Indexes, Emerging Markets Dividend Indexes, Ex-State-Owned Enterprises Indexes, India Index, Global Dividend Index, Global Ex-U.S. Quality Index, Growth Leaders Index and Team8 Cybersecurity Index), dated January 2021.
(i)(26)   Opinion of counsel, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, relating to the WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund.
EX-101.INS   XBRL Instance Document—the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document.
EX-101.SCH   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
EX-101.CAL   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase
EX-101.DEF   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase
EX-101.LAB   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase
EX-101.PRE   XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase

 

18

Schedule A Series of the Trust

Effective January 15, 2021

Name of Fund

Domestic Equity

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Fund

WisdomTree U.S. ESG Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Shareholder Yield Fund

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Total Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Growth Leaders Fund

WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund

WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund

Emerging Markets Equity

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ESG Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Multifactor Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

International Equity

WisdomTree International Equity Fund

WisdomTree International Multifactor Fund

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Fund

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree International High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International ESG Fund


WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Global High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

Fixed Income

WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Short-Term Aggregate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund

WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term High Yield Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund

Alternative Funds

WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

WisdomTree CBOE S&P 500 PutWrite Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Fund

Asset Allocation

WisdomTree 90/60 U.S. Balanced Fund

FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT TO WISDOMTREE TRUST

ETF DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

This fourteenth amendment (“Amendment”) to the ETF Distribution Agreement dated May 31, 2017 (the “Agreement”), by and between WisdomTree Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”) having its principal place of business at 245 Park Avenue, 35th Floor, New York, NY 10167 and Foreside Fund Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “Distributor”) with its principal office and place of business at Three Canal Plaza, Suite 100, Portland, ME 04101, is entered into as of January 15, 2021 (the “Effective Date”).

WHEREAS, The Trust and the Distributor (collectively the “Parties”) desire to amend Exhibit A of the Agreement to reflect the addition of the WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund; and

WHEREAS, Section 8(d) of the Agreement requires that amendments to the Agreement be made in writing and executed by all parties.

NOW THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereby agree as follows:

 

  1.

Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement.

 

  2.

Exhibit A of the Agreement is hereby deleted and replaced in its entirety with Exhibit A attached hereto to reflect the addition of the WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund.

 

  3.

Except as expressly amended hereby, all of the provisions of the Agreement are restated and in full force and effect to the same extent as if fully set forth herein.

 

  4.

This Amendment shall be governed by and the provisions of this Amendment shall be construed and interpreted under and in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

[signature page follows]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be executed in their names and on their behalf by and through their duly authorized officers, as of the Effective Date.

 

WISDOMTREE TRUST     FORESIDE FUND SERVICES, LLC
By:   /s/Jonathan Steinberg     By:   /s/Mark Fairbanks
  Name: Jonathan Steinberg       Name: Mark Fairbanks,
  Title: President       Title: Vice President


ETF Distribution Agreement

EXHIBIT A

WisdomTree 90/60 U.S. Balanced Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

WisdomTree CBOE S&P 500 PutWrite Strategy Fund

WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund

WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Fund

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ESG Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Multifactor Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term High Yield Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Global High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund

WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree International ESG Fund

WisdomTree International Equity Fund

WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree International High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International Multifactor Fund

WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund


WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Growth Leaders Fund

WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Fund

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Shareholder Yield Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Total Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. ESG Fund

WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Short-Term Aggregate Bond Fund

EXHIBIT A

Effective January 15, 2021

 

1.

Licensed Benchmarks

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Index

WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Index

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Ex-Financials Index

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree U.S. Total Market Index

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Index

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Index

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Index

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Value Index

WisdomTree International Equity Index

WisdomTree International High Dividend Index

WisdomTree International Hedged Equity Index

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Index

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree Global High Dividend Index

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Index

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree Asia Pacific ex-Japan Index

WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree Middle East Dividend Index

WisdomTree India Earnings Index

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree United Kingdom Hedged Equity Index

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Index

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Index

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Real Estate Index

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Health Care Index

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Financials Index

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Capital Goods Index

WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index

WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Index

 

Page 1 of 2


WisdomTree Japan Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree Japan Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree International Hedged SmallCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Hedged Dividend Index

WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index

WisdomTree International Hedged Equity Index

WisdomTree U.S. Domestic Economy Index

WisdomTree U.S. Export and Multinational Index

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Hedged Real Estate Index

WisdomTree Strong Dollar Emerging Markets Equity Index

WisdomTree Europe Domestic Economy Index

WisdomTree Global SmallCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree Global Hedged SmallCap Dividend Index

WisdomTree Dynamic Long/Short U.S. Equity Index

WisdomTree Dynamic Bearish U.S. Equity Index

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Index

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Index

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged Europe Equity Index

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged Japan Equity Index

WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index

WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index

WisdomTree U.S. Corporate Bond Index

WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term Corporate Bond Index

WisdomTree U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Index

WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term High Yield Corporate Bond Index

WisdomTree Fundamental U.S. BBB Corporate Bond Index

WisdomTree Fundamental U.S. Short-Term BBB Corporate Bond Index

WisdomTree Managed Futures Index

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Index

WisdomTree Balanced Income Index

WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index

WisdomTree Growth Leaders Index

WisdomTree U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond, Zero Duration Index

WisdomTree Team8 Cybersecurity Index

 

1.

Licensed Marks

WISDOMTREE

HIGH-YIELDING EQUITY

 

Page 2 of 2

TWENTY-SECOND AMENDMENT TO THE

SECURITIES LENDING AUTHORIZATION AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

WISDOMTREE TRUST

AND

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

This Twenty-Second Amendment (this “Amendment”) dated as of December 22, 2020 is between WISDOMTREE TRUST (the “Trust”), ON BEHALF OF EACH OF ITS SERIES AS LISTED ON SCHEDULE B TO THE AGREEMENT, SEVERALLY AND NOT JOINTLY (each a “Fund” and collectively, the “Funds”), and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY acting either directly or through any State Street Affiliates (collectively, “State Street”).

Reference is made to the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement, dated September 27, 2013 (as amended and in effect immediately prior to the date of this Amendment, the “Agreement”), between the Trust, on behalf of each of the Funds, and State Street.

WHEREAS, the parties to the Agreement desire to amend the Agreement as set forth below;

NOW, THEREFORE, for value received, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties mutually agree to amend the Agreement as follows:

 

  1.

Definitions. All capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement.

 

  2.

Amendment. Schedule B to the Agreement is hereby amended by deleting it in its entirety and replacing it with the revised Schedule B attached to this Amendment.

 

  3.

Representations and Warranties. Each party hereto represents and warrants that (a) it has the legal right, power and authority to execute and deliver this Amendment, to enter into the transactions contemplated hereby, and to perform its obligations hereunder; (b) it has taken all necessary action to authorize such execution, delivery and performance; and (c) this Amendment constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation enforceable against it.

 

  4.

Governing Law; Miscellaneous. This Amendment shall be governed and construed in accordance with the governing law of the Agreement. Except to the extent specifically amended by this Amendment, the provisions of the Agreement shall remain unmodified, and the Agreement is ratified and affirmed as being in full force and effect. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts, together, constitute only one (1) instrument.


5. Effective Date: This Amendment shall be effective as of the date first written above.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused their duly authorized officer(s) to execute this Twenty-Second Amendment.

WISDOMTREE TRUST, on behalf of each of

its series as listed on Schedule B to the Agreement,

severally and not jointly

 

By:   /s/ Jonathan Steinberg
Name:   Jonathan Steinberg
Title:   President

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY

 

By:   /s/ Francesco Squillacioti
Name:   Francesco Squillacioti
Title:   Senior Managing Director


Schedule B

This Schedule is attached to and made part of the Securities Lending Authorization Agreement dated as of the 27th day of September 2013 between WISDOMTREE TRUST, ON BEHALF OF EACH OF ITS SERIES AS LISTED ON SCHEDULE B, SEVERALLY AND NOT JOINTLY (the “Funds”) and STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY acting either directly or through any State Street Affiliate (collectively, “State Street”), as amended.

 

Fund Name

  

Fund Ticker

  

FYE

WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund    DEM    Mar 31
WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund    DGS    Mar 31
WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund    CXSE    Mar 31
WisdomTree Emerging Markets Quality Dividend Growth Fund    DGRE    Mar 31
WisdomTree International High Dividend Fund    DTH    Mar 31
WisdomTree International Equity Fund    DWM    Mar 31
WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund    DFE    Mar 31
WisdomTree Global High Dividend Fund    DEW    Mar 31
WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund    DNL    Mar 31
WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund    DOO    Mar 31
WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund    DOL    Mar 31
WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund    DIM    Mar 31
WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund    DLS    Mar 31

 

1


WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund    DFJ    Mar 31
WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund    DRW    Mar 31
WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund    DXJ    Mar 31
WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund    HEDJ    Mar 31
WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund    DXJS    Mar 31
WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund    DXGE    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. Dividend ex-Financials Fund    DTN    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund    DHS    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Fund    DLN    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Fund
   DON    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund    DES    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. Total Dividend Fund    DTD    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Fund
   EPS    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. Quality Shareholder Yield Fund
   QSY    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Fund
   EZM    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Fund
   EES    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. ESG Fund    RESP    Mar 31

 

2


WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund    DGRW    Mar 31
WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Fund    DGRS    Mar 31
WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund    AGZD    Aug 31
WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund    HYZD    Aug 31
WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund    ELD    Aug 31
WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund    EMCB    Aug 31
WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund    USFR    Aug 31
WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Fund    EUDG    Mar 31
WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Fund    IHDG    Mar 31
WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund    XSOE    Mar 31
WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund    EUSC    Mar 31
WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund    AGGY    Aug 31
WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Fund    DDWM    Jun 30
WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Fund    DDLS    Jun 30
WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Fund    IQDG    Mar 31
WisdomTree Emerging Markets ESG Fund    RESE    Jun 30
WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Short-Term Aggregate Bond Fund    SHAG    Aug 31
WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Fund    USMF    Mar 31

 

3


WisdomTree U.S. Corporate Bond Fund    WFIG    Jun 30
WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term Corporate Bond Fund    SFIG    Jun 30
WisdomTree U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Fund    WFHY    Jun 30
WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term High Yield Corporate Bond Fund    SFHY    Jun 30
WisdomTree 90/60 U.S. Balanced Fund    NTSX    Jun 30
WisdomTree Emerging Markets Multifactor Fund    EMMF    Mar 31
WisdomTree International Multifactor Fund    DWMF    Mar 31
WisdomTree Growth Leaders Fund    PLAT    Mar 31
WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund    WCLD    Jun 30
WisdomTree International ESG Fund    RESD    June 30
WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund    WCBR    June 30

 

4

CHIEF COMPLIANCE OFFICER SERVICES AGREEMENT

Between WisdomTree Trust and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.

EXHIBIT C

AMENDED as of January 15, 2021

Portfolio Series of the Trust

WisdomTree U.S. Total Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree U.S. ESG Fund

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Fund

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Shareholder Yield Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Fund

WisdomTree Global High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Multifactor Fund

WisdomTree Growth Leaders Fund

WisdomTree International Equity Fund

WisdomTree International High Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree International Multifactor Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

 

1


WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund

WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund

WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund

WisdomTree CBOE S&P 500 PutWrite Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Short-Term Aggregate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund

WisdomTree 90/60 U.S. Balanced Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term High Yield Corporate Bond Fund

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Fund

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Fund

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ESG Fund

WisdomTree International ESG Fund

WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund    

WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Fund

WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund

 

WisdomTree Trust     WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.
/s/Jonathan Steinberg     /s/Stuart Bell
Jonathan Steinberg     Stuart Bell
President         Chief Operating Officer

 

2

EXHIBIT A

Fund Services Agreement

between WisdomTree Trust and WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.

as of January 15, 2021

 

Fund    Inception Date  

WisdomTree U.S. Total Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend ex-Financials Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree U.S. ESG Fund

     02/23/07  

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Fund

     02/23/07  

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Fund

     02/23/07  

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Fund

     02/23/07  

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Shareholder Yield Fund

     02/23/07  

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund

     05/22/13  

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Fund

     07/25/13  

WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Fund

     06/29/17  

WisdomTree Global High Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Fund

     06/05/07  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Fund

     07/13/07  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund

     10/30/07  

WisdomTree India Earnings Fund

     02/22/08  

WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

     04/04/19  

WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

     09/19/12  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Quality Dividend Growth Fund

     08/01/13  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Fund

     12/10/14  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Multifactor Fund

     08/10/18  

WisdomTree Growth Leaders Fund

     05/22/19  

WisdomTree International Equity Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree International High Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Fund

     05/07/14  

WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Fund

     04/07/16  

WisdomTree International Multifactor Fund

     08/10/18  


WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Fund

     12/31/09  

WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

     03/04/15  

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund

     10/17/13  

WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Fund

     05/07/14  

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund

     06/16/06  

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Fund

     06/28/13  

WisdomTree Chinese Yuan Strategy Fund

     05/14/08  

WisdomTree Emerging Currency Strategy Fund

     05/06/09  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Local Debt Fund

     08/09/10  

WisdomTree Managed Futures Strategy Fund

     01/05/11  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Corporate Bond Fund

     03/08/12  

WisdomTree Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Bullish Fund

     12/18/13  

WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund

     12/18/13  

WisdomTree Interest Rate Hedged High Yield Bond Fund

     12/18/13  

WisdomTree Floating Rate Treasury Fund

     02/04/14  

WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Aggregate Bond Fund

     07/09/15  

WisdomTree CBOE S&P 500 PutWrite Strategy Fund

     02/24/16  

WisdomTree Yield Enhanced U.S. Short-Term Aggregate Bond Fund

     05/18/17  

WisdomTree Mortgage Plus Bond Fund

     11/14/19  

WisdomTree 90/60 U.S. Balanced Fund

     08/02/18  

WisdomTree U.S. Corporate Bond Fund

     04/27/16  

WisdomTree U.S. High Yield Corporate Bond Fund

     04/27/16  

WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term Corporate Bond Fund

     04/27/16  

WisdomTree U.S. Short-Term High Yield Corporate Bond Fund

     04/27/16  

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Fund

     01/07/16  

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Fund

     01/07/16  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ESG Fund

     04/07/16  

WisdomTree International ESG Fund

     11/03/16  

WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund

     09/06/19  

WisdomTree Enhanced Commodity Strategy Fund

     09/01/20  

WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund

     01/15/21  

 

WisdomTree Trust     WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc.
By:   /s/Jonathan Steinberg     By:   /s/Stuart Bell
  Jonathan Steinberg       Stuart Bell
  President       Chief Operating Officer

WISDOMTREE RULES-BASED METHODOLOGY

Last Updated January 2021

The 2020 Developed International and Global Index reconstitution schedule will be revised as noted below

 

   

The screening date for the Global (including Emerging Markets) and Developed International Equity Indexes will be September 30, 2020

 

   

The final list of stocks to be included in the 2020 Global annual reconstitution is expected to be published after the close of trading October 15, 2020 which will also be the weighting date. The new component weights will take effect after the close of trading on October 22, 2020.

 

   

The final list of stocks to be included in the 2020 Developed International annual reconstitution is expected to be published after the close of trading October 29, 2020 which will also be the weighting date. The new component weights will take effect after the close of trading on November 5, 2020.

 

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U.S. DIVIDEND INDEXES

     4-14  

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend ex-Financials Index

  

WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index

  

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index

  

CORE EQUITY INDEXES

     15-21  

WisdomTree U.S. Total Market Index

  

WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Index

  

WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Index

  

WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Index

  

U.S. MULTIFACTOR INDEX

     22-27  

WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Index

  

INTERNATIONAL DIVIDEND INDEXES

     28-50  

WisdomTree International Equity Index

  

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Index

  

WisdomTree International High Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree International Hedged High Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Index

  

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Index

  

WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Index

  

WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Index

  

WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Quality Dividend Growth Index

  

WisdomTree Europe Equity Index

  

WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Index

  

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Equity Index

  

WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Index

  

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Index

  

WisdomTree Germany Equity Index

  

WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Index

  

WisdomTree Japan Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Index

  

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Equity Index

  

WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Index

  

 

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EMERGING MARKETS DIVIDEND INDEXES

     51-60  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index

  

EX-STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES INDEXES

     61-70  

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index

  

WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index

  

WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index

  

INDIA INDEX

     71-76  

WisdomTree India Earnings Index

  

GLOBAL DIVIDEND INDEX

     77-88  

WisdomTree Global Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree Global High Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree Global Hedged High Dividend Index

  

WisdomTree Global ex-US Real Estate Index

  

GLOBAL EX–US QUALITY INDEX

     89-95  

Global ex–US Quality Dividend Growth index

  

GLOBAL EX-MEXICO INDEX

     96-103  

WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index

  

GROWTH LEADERS INDEX

     104-110  

WisdomTree Growth Leaders Index

  

CYBERSECURITY INDEX

     111-117  

WisdomTree Team8 Cybersecurity Index

  

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR U.S. DIVIDEND INDEXES

 

  1.

Overview and Description

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Index (“DI”), WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Index (“SmallCap Dividend Index”), WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Index (“MidCap Dividend Index”), WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Index (“LargeCap Dividend Index”), WisdomTree U.S. Dividend ex-Financials Index (“Dividend ex-Financials Index”), WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Index (“High Dividend Index”), WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index (“Quality Dividend Growth Index”) and WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index (“SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index”) (together, the “Domestic Dividend Indexes”) were developed by WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (“WTI”) to define the dividend-paying segments of the U.S. stock market and to serve as performance benchmarks for equity income investors.

 

   

The DI measures the performance of investable U.S.-based companies that pay regular cash dividends on shares of common stock. All of the other Domestic Dividend Indexes, defined below, are derived from the DI.

 

   

The LargeCap Dividend Index is comprised of dividend-paying companies from the large-capitalization segment of the DI.

 

   

The MidCap Dividend Index is comprised of dividend-paying companies from the mid-capitalization segment of the DI.

 

   

The SmallCap Dividend Index is comprised of dividend-paying companies from the small-capitalization segment of the DI.

 

   

The High Dividend Index is comprised of the high-yielding companies within the DI.

 

   

The Dividend ex-Financials Index is comprised of the 10 highest dividend-yielding companies in each sector, selected from three hundred largest companies by market value in the WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Index outside financials.

 

   

The Quality Dividend Growth Index is comprised of dividend-paying stocks with growth characteristics.

 

   

The SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index is comprised of dividend-paying companies from the small-capitalization segment of the DI with growth characteristics.

 

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Each Index is reconstituted annually, at which time each component’s weight is adjusted to reflect its dividend-weighting in the Index. Dividend weighting is defined as each component’s projected cash dividends to be paid over the coming year divided by the sum of the projected cash dividends to be paid by all the components in the Index over the same period. This quotient is the percentage weight assigned to each component in the Index at the annual reconstitution. (The one exception to this weighting methodology is the Dividend ex-Financials Index, which is weighted by indicated dividend yield). Projected cash dividends to be paid is calculated by multiplying a company’s indicated annual dividend per share by common shares outstanding. Each of the Indexes is calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Indexes. The Indexes are calculated using primary market prices.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the Domestic Dividend Indexes, a company must list its shares on a U.S. stock exchange, be incorporated and headquartered in the United States and pay regular cash dividends on shares of its common stock in the 12 months preceding the annual reconstitution, which takes place in December. Companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $100 million by the “Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in November) and shares of such companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the Screening Date.

Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are excluded, as are limited partnerships, limited liability companies, royalty trusts, Business Development Companies (BDCs), and companies that are not incorporated and headquartered in the United States (“United States” is defined herein as the 50 U.S. states plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico). Preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible.1 The publicly traded security for WisdomTree Investments, Inc., ticker WETF, is not eligible for inclusion in any of WisdomTree’s equity indexes.

Companies that fall within the bottom decile of a composite risk factor score, which is composed of on equally weighted score of the below two factors, are not eligible for inclusion.

 

  1)

Quality Factor – determined by static observations and trends of return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), gross profits over assets and cash flows over assets. Scores are calculated within industry groups.

 

  2)

Momentum Factor – determined by stocks’ risk adjusted total returns over historical periods (6 and 12 months)

 

1 

Beginning with the December 2006 reconstitution, Mortgage REITs will no longer be eligible for inclusion in the WisdomTree Domestic and International Dividend Indexes.

 

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Companies that fall within the top 5% ranked by dividend yield and also the bottom 12 of the composite risk factor score are not eligible for inclusion.

The score for each factor is used to calculate an overall factor score, i.e. composite risk score, that is used to eliminate potentially higher risk companies that would have otherwise been eligible for inclusion.

 

  2.2.

Base Date and Base Value

Indexes covering entire regions were established with a base value of 300 on May 31, 2006. Market-cap segment and high dividend indexes were established with a base value of 200 on May 31, 2006. The WisdomTree U.S. Dividend ex-Financials Index was established with a base value of 200 on April 30, 2009.

The WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index and WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index were established with a base value of 200 on April 11, 2013.

 

  2.3.

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the Domestic Dividend Indexes:

 

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

D = Divisor

The Domestic Dividend Indexes are calculated whenever the US exchanges are open for trading.

If trading is suspended while one of the exchanges is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Index. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return basis, in U.S. dollars. The price Index is updated on a real time basis, while the total return Index is calculated and disseminated on an end-of-day basis. Price index values are calculated and disseminated every 15 seconds to the Securities Industry Automation Corporation (SIAC) so that such Index Values can print to the Consolidated Tape.

 

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  2.4

Weighting

The Domestic Dividend Indexes are modified capitalization-weighted Indexes that employ a transparent weighting formula to magnify the effect that dividends play in the total return of the Indexes. The initial weight of a component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is equal to the dollar value of the company’s cash dividends to be paid in the coming year based on the company’s indicated annual dividend per share. To calculate the weighting factor – Cash Dividends to be paid – indicated annual dividend per share is multiplied by common shares outstanding.2 Thus, each component’s weight in the Index at the “Weighting Date” (defined below) reflects its share of the total Dividend Stream projected to be paid in the coming year by all of the component companies in the Index. The dividend stream will be adjusted for constituents with dividend yields greater than 12% at the screening date. The dividend stream of these capped securities will be their market cap multiplied by 12%.

For the size segment dividend indexes (total, large, mid and small caps) and high dividend cuts of the market, companies that fall within the top two deciles of the composite risk factor will have their dividend stream multiplied by 1.5 while all other dividends will remain unadjusted. Companies will be weighted in the index based on this adjusted dividend stream.

The Weighting Date is when component weights are set, and it occurs immediately after the close of trading on the second Friday of December. New components and component weights take effect before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the third Friday of December the “Reconstitution Date.”

In the case of the Dividend ex-Financials Index, components are selected based upon indicated dividend yield at the time of the Screening Date. Components in the Dividend ex-Financials Index are weighted by indicated annual dividend yield at the time of the Weighting Date (i.e., a component company’s weight in the Index is equal to its indicated annual dividend yield divided by the sum of all the indicated annual dividend yields for all the component companies in the Index). In the event a company initially chosen for the Dividend ex-Financials Index reduces its dividend in the interval between the Screening Date and the Weighting Date so that such company’s dividend yield no longer ranks it in the top 10 yielding stocks for each sector, then the next highest yielding company

 

2

Special Dividends are not included in the computation of Index weights.

 

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in the sector is used in its place. If this occurs with more than one company (i.e. a lowering of the dividend yield resulting only from a reduction in the declared dividend), this process is reiterated until a final set of 10 companies per sector are selected. Companies that raise their dividends in the above mentioned interval but that did not make the initial selection screen on the Screening Date are not eligible for the Dividend ex-Financials, even if they would have qualified had the selection screen been run on the Weighting Date.

Should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 24.0% of the Index, its weighting will be reduced to 20.0% at the close of the current calendar quarter, and the weights of all other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally. Moreover, should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed 50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally to reflect their relative weights before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.

The following capping rules are applied in this order:

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 10%.

In the case of the WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Index the following caps apply:

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 5%.

In the case of the WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Index the following caps apply in this order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 5% on the annual rebalance prior to the introduction of sector caps and the weights of all other components will be adjusted proportionally.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Index, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 5%.

 

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In the case of the WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index, the following capping rules are applied in this order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 5% on the annual rebalance prior to the introduction of sector caps and the weights of all other components will be adjusted proportionally.

 

   

Should the technology sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date.

 

   

Real Estate sector will be capped at 10%.

 

   

All other sectors will be capped at 20%.

In the case of the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index the following caps apply in this order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 2% on the annual rebalance prior to the introduction of sector caps and the weights of all other components will be adjusted proportionally.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Index, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 10%.

The weights may fluctuate above the specified caps during the year but will be reset at each annual rebalance date.

Note: all sector cappings are conducted based on the GICS sector classifications.

The following liquidity adjustment factors will be applied to all the Indexes after top holding, country and sector caps have been applied:

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date / weight of security in each index) shall be greater than $200 million to be eligible for each index. If a security’s volume factor falls below $200 million at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The securities’ weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor divided by $400 million.

In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million. The implementation of the volume factor may cause an increase in the holding, sector and country weights above the specified caps.

 

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  2.5

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index. Special dividends are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index.

 

  2.6

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, each class of share will be included in any broad-based Index, provided that dividends are paid on that share of stock. In the event such a component company qualified for inclusion in the “High Dividend” or Dividend ex-Financials select cuts from these broad-based Indexes, only the share class of that company with the highest dividend yield would be selected for inclusion. Conversion of a share class into another share class results in the deletion of the share class being phased out and an increase in shares of the surviving share class, provided that the surviving share class is in the Index. For all Mid and Small cap cuts, if a security has multiple listed share classes and the total market capitalization of the listed share classes is greater than largest market capitalization cutoff of that index, the security would not be eligible for that index. At least one share class will be eligible for inclusion in either large, mid or small size cut based on total market value of the company.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, spin-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and rights offerings require changes in the index shares and the stock prices of the component companies in the Domestic Dividend Indexes. Some corporate actions, such as stock issuances, stock buybacks, warrant issuances, increases or decreases in dividend per share between reconstitutions, do not require changes in the index shares or the stock prices of the component companies in the Domestic Dividend Indexes. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends, may require Index divisor adjustments. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate action. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components, such as deletions as a result of corporate actions, will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

 

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  3.1.

Component Changes

Additions

Additions to the Domestic Dividend Indexes are made at the annual reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the close of trading on the third Friday in December. No additions are made to any of the Domestic Dividend Indexes between annual reconstitutions.

Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that cancels its dividend payment is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date.3 A component company that re-incorporates or relocates its headquarters outside of the U.S. is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e. that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification. Component companies that reclassify outside of the financial sector are deleted from the Dividend ex-Financials Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index.

 

3 

Companies being acquired will be deleted from the WisdomTree Indexes immediately before the effective date of the acquisition or upon notice of a suspension of trading in the stock of the company that is being acquired. In cases where an effective date is not publicly announced in advance, or where a notice of suspension of trading in connection with an acquisition is not announced in advance, WisdomTree reserves the right to delete the company being acquired based on best available market information.

 

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  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company and pay a regular cash dividend, it is not allowed into Domestic Dividend Indexes until the next annual reconstitution, provided it meets all other Index inclusion requirements. Spin-off shares of publicly traded companies that are included in the same indexes as their parent company are increased to reflect the spin-off and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that pay a regular cash dividend and that meet all other inclusion requirements must wait until the next annual reconstitution to be included in the Domestic Dividend Indexes.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WisdomTree reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy, re-incorporate or relocate headquarters outside of a defined domicile or that cancel their dividends in the intervening weeks between the Screening Date and the reconstitution date are not included in the Domestic Dividend Indexes, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters for the Domestic Dividend Indexes

 

  5.1.

Selection parameters for the WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Index are defined in 2.1. Companies that pass this selection criteria as of the Screening Date are included in the DI. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4. and annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

  5.2.

The WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Dividend Index is created by selecting the 300 largest component companies of the DI by market capitalization. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4, and annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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  5.3.

The WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Dividend Index is created based on a defined percentage of the remaining market capitalization of the DI, once the 300 largest companies by market capitalization have been removed. The companies that comprise the top 75% of the remaining market capitalization are selected for inclusion in the MidCap Dividend Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

  5.4.

The WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Index is created based on a defined percentage of the remaining market capitalization of the DI, once the 300 largest companies by market capitalization have been removed. The companies that comprise the bottom 25% of the remaining market capitalization are selected for inclusion in the SmallCap Dividend Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

  5.5.

The WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Index is comprised of the highest-yielding companies within the DI. On the Screening Date, companies within the DI with market capitalizations of at least $200 million and average daily dollar volumes of at least $200,000 for the prior three months are eligible for inclusion. Component companies are then ranked by indicated annual dividend yield. Companies that rank in the top 30% by indicated annual dividend yield are selected for inclusion. To be deleted from the Index, companies must rank outside of the top 35% by dividend yield. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

  5.6.

The WisdomTree U.S. Dividend ex-Financials Index is comprised of the 10 highest dividend-yielding companies in each sector, selected from three hundred largest companies by market value in the WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Index outside financials. The Dividend ex-Financials Index is the only one of the Domestic Dividend Indexes that is not weighted by the dollar value of cash dividends to be paid. A component company’s weight in the Dividend ex-Financials Index is determined by dividing its indicated annual dividend yield by the sum of all the indicated annual dividend yields for all the component companies in the Index. Annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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  5.7.

The WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index is created as a subset of the DI. On the Screening Date, companies within the DI with market capitalizations of at least $2 billion and an earnings yield greater than the dividend yield are eligible for inclusion. Eligible companies are ranked using a weighted combination of three factors: 50% weighted to the rank of long-term estimated earnings growth, 25% weighted to the rank of the historical three-year average return on equity, and 25% weighted to the rank of the historical three-year average return on assets. Companies that rank in the top 300 companies by this combined ranking will be selected for inclusion. Companies that lack long-term earnings growth estimates will be eligible for the Index but their composite rank for ultimate selection in the index will be the average ranks of their Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Assets (ROA). Eligible companies for the WisdomTree U.S. Quality Dividend Growth Index must not be a member of the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Index.

 

  5.8.

The WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Quality Dividend Growth Index is created as a subset of the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Index (WTSDI). On the Screening Date, companies with earnings yield greater than the dividend yield are eligible for inclusion. These companies are ranked using a weighted combination of three ranking factors: 50% weighted to the rank of long-term estimated earnings growth, 25% weighted to the rank of the historical three-year average return on equity, and 25% weighted to rank of the historical three-year average return on assets. Companies that rank in the top 50% by this combined ranking will be selected for inclusion. Companies that lack long-term earnings growth estimates will be eligible for the Index but their composite rank for ultimate selection in the index will be the average ranks of their Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Assets (ROA).

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR CORE EQUITY METHODOLOGY

 

  1.

Overview and Description

WisdomTree U.S. Total Market Index (“TI”), WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Index (“LargeCap Index”), WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Index (“MidCap Index”) and WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Index (“SmallCap Index”), were developed by WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (“WTI”) to define the universe of profitable companies in the U.S. stock market.

 

   

The TI measures the performance of investable U.S.-based companies that have generated positive cumulative earnings in the prior four fiscal quarters to the Index measurement date.    

 

   

The LargeCap Index is comprised of companies with positive earnings from the large-capitalization segment of the TI.

 

   

The MidCap Index is comprised of companies with positive earnings from the mid-capitalization segment of the TI.

 

   

The SmallCap Index is comprised of companies with positive earnings from the small-capitalization segment of the TI.

Each Index is reconstituted annually, at which time each component’s weight is adjusted to reflect its share of the Earnings Stream during the prior four fiscal quarters. The Earnings Stream is defined as cumulative earnings over the prior four fiscal quarters for each component in the Index. The percentage weight assigned to each component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is calculated by dividing the cumulative earnings each component company has generated in its last four reported fiscal quarters by the sum of all the earnings generated by all the component companies in the Index over the same period. Each of the Indexes is calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Indexes. The Indexes are calculated using primary market prices.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the Domestic Earnings Indexes, a company must be under coverage by the market management team of the third party independent index calculation agent, must list its shares on a U.S. stock exchange, be incorporated and headquartered in the United States and have positive cumulative earnings over the four fiscal quarters preceding the annual reconstitution, which takes place in December. Companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $100 million by the “Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in November); shares of such companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $200,000 for each of the six months preceding

the Screening Date; and component companies need to have had a P/E ratio of at least 2 as of the Screening Date.

 

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Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are excluded, as are limited partnerships, limited liability companies, royalty trusts, Business Development Companies (BDCs), mortgage REITs and companies that are not incorporated and headquartered in the United States (“United States” is defined herein as the 50 U.S. states plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico). Preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. The publicly traded security for WisdomTree Investments, Inc., ticker WETF, is not eligible for inclusion in any of WisdomTree’s equity indexes.

Companies that fall within the bottom decile of a composite risk factor score, which is composed of on equally weighted score of the below two factors, are not eligible for inclusion.

 

  1)

Quality Factor – determined by static observations and trends of return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), gross profits over assets and cash flows over assets. Scores are calculated within industry groups.

 

  2)

Momentum Factor – determined by stocks’ risk adjusted total returns over historical periods (6 and 12 months)

The score for each factor is used to calculate an overall factor score, i.e. composite risk score, that is used to eliminate potentially higher risk companies that would have otherwise been eligible for inclusion.

 

  2.2

Base Date and Base Value

The WisdomTree U.S. Total Market Index, the WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Index, the WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Index and the WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Index were established with a base value of 200 on January 31, 2007.

 

  2.3

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the Domestic Earnings Indexes:

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

D = Divisor

 

Page 16 of 117


The Domestic Earnings Indexes are calculated every weekday.

If trading is suspended while one of the exchanges is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Index. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return basis, in U.S. dollars. The price Index is updated on a real time basis, while the total return Index is calculated and disseminated on an end-of-day basis. Price index values are calculated and disseminated every 15 seconds.

 

  2.4

Weighting

The Domestic Earnings Indexes are modified capitalization-weighted Indexes that employ a transparent weighting formula to magnify the effect that earnings play in the total return of the Indexes. The initial weight of a component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is based on the companies’ earnings stream during the last four fiscal quarters. To calculate the weighting factor – Earnings Stream – WisdomTree uses cumulative earnings generated over the prior four reported quarters, as of November 30th of each year. Thus, each component’s weight in the Index at the “Weighting Date” (defined below) reflects its share of the total Earnings Stream recorded over the prior four quarters by all of the component companies in the Index. The Weighting Date is when component weights are set, and it occurs immediately after the close of trading on the second Friday of December. New components and component weights take effect before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the third Friday of December the “Reconstitution Date.”

Should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 24.0% of the Index, its weighting will be reduced to 20.0% at the close of the current calendar quarter, and the weights of all other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally. Moreover, should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed 50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally to reflect their relative weights before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.

 

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The following capping rules are applied in this order:

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight that is more than 5% above or below the weight of the sector in a market capitalization weighted version of the index, the weight of the companies will be proportionally reduced or increased to meet the +/-5% threshold, respectively.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

Should the ratio of a security’s initial weight relative to its weight in a market capitalization weighted version of the index reach above 3x or fall below 0.33x, the weight of the company will be reduced or increased to meet the 3x or 0.33x thresholds, respectively. The weights may fluctuate above the specified caps during the year but will be reset at each annual rebalance date.

Note: all sector cappings are conducted based on the GICS sector classifications.

The following liquidity adjustment factors will be applied to all the Indexes after top holdings and sector caps have been applied.

 

   

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date / weight of security in each index) is greater than $200 million to be eligible for each index. If a security’s volume factor falls below $200 million at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The securities’ weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor dividend by $400 million.

 

   

In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million. The implementation of the volume factor may cause an increase in the sector weights above the specified caps.

 

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  2.5

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index. However, special dividends require index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price Index.

 

  2.7

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, the most liquid share class, based on the average daily trading volume as described in section 2.1, will be included in the index. Conversion of a share class in the Index into another share class not in the Index results in the conversion of the share class being phased out into the surviving share class. For all Mid and Small cap cuts, if a security has multiple listed share classes and the total market capitalization of the listed share classes is greater than largest market capitalization cutoff of that index, the security would not be eligible for that index. At least one share class will be eligible for inclusion in either large, mid or small size cut based on total market value of the company.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, spins-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and rights offerings require changes in the index shares and the stock prices of the component companies in the Domestic Earnings Indexes. Some corporate actions, such as stock issuances, stock buybacks, warrant issuances, increases or decreases in earnings between reconstitutions, restatements of earnings between reconstitutions, do not require changes in the index shares or the stock prices of the component companies in the Domestic Earnings Indexes. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends, may require Index divisor adjustments. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate action, or when the Index Calculation Agent typically applies such corporate actions. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components, such as deletions as a result of corporate actions, will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

 

  3.1.

Component Changes

Additions

Additions to the Domestic Earnings Indexes are made at the annual reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the close of trading on the third Friday in December. No additions are made to any of the Domestic Earnings Indexes between annual reconstitutions, except in the cases of certain spin-off companies, defined below.

 

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Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date. A component company that re-incorporates or relocates its headquarters outside of the U.S. is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e. that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification.

 

  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company, it is allowed to stay in the Domestic Earnings Index that its parent company is in until the next annual reconstitution. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and have positive cumulative earnings after four fiscal quarters of operations and that meet all other inclusion requirements are eligible for inclusion in the Domestic Earnings Indexes at the next annual reconstitution.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WisdomTree Investments reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

 

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Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy, re-incorporate or relocate headquarters outside of a defined domicile in the intervening weeks between the Screening Date and the reconstitution date are not included in the Domestic Earnings Indexes, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters for the Domestic Earnings Indexes

 

  5.1.

Selection parameters for the WisdomTree U.S. Total Market Index are defined in 2.1. Companies that pass this selection criteria as of the Screening Date are included in the TI. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4 and the annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

  5.2.

The WisdomTree U.S. LargeCap Index is created by selecting the 500 largest component companies of the TI by market capitalization. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4, and the annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1

 

  5.3.

The WisdomTree U.S. MidCap Index is created based on a defined percentage of the remaining market capitalization of the TI, once the 500 largest companies by market capitalization have been removed. The companies that comprise the top 75% of the remaining market capitalization are selected for inclusion in the MidCap Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and the annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

  5.4.

The WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Index is created based on a defined percentage of the remaining market capitalization of the TI, once the 500 largest companies by market capitalization have been removed. The companies that comprise the bottom 25% of the remaining market capitalization are selected for inclusion in the SmallCap Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and the annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR U.S. MULTIFACTOR INDEX

 

  1.

Index Overview and Description

The WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Index [referred to as “the Index”] was developed by WisdomTree Investments (WTI). WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Index is comprised of 200 U.S. companies with the highest composite scores based on two fundamental factors, value and quality measures, and two technical factors, momentum and correlation.

The Index is reconstituted on a quarterly basis (following the close of trading on the second Friday in March, June, September and December).

The Index is calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Index. The Index is calculated using primary market prices and calculated in U.S. dollars.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the Index, component companies must be under coverage by the market management team of the third party independent index calculation agent, must list shares on a U.S. stock exchange, be incorporated and headquartered in the United States. Companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $1,000,000 for each of the three months preceding the Screening Date (after the close of trading on the last trading day in February, May, August, November). Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are excluded, as are limited partnerships, limited liability companies, royalty trusts, Business Development Companies (BDCs), mortgage REITs and companies that are not incorporated and headquartered in the United States (“United States” is defined herein as the 50 U.S. states plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico). Preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. Companies that have pending acquisitions or mergers are excluded from the initial universe. The publicly traded security for WisdomTree Investments, Inc., ticker WETF, is not eligible for inclusion in any of WisdomTree’s equity indexes.

Top 800 companies by market capitalization that meet the selection criteria are assigned a score for each of the following factors. Factors are equal-weighted at 25%.

 

  3)

Value Factor – determined by fundamental valuation ratios, i.e. sales to price, book to price, earnings to price, estimated earnings to price, EBITDA to enterprise value, operating cash flow to price. Scores are calculated within industry groups.

 

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  4)

Quality Factor – determined by static observations and trends of return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), gross profits over assets and cash flows over assets. Scores are calculated within industry groups.

 

  5)

Momentum Factor – determined by stocks’ risk adjusted total returns over historical periods (6 and 12 months)

 

  6)

Low Correlation Factor – incorporates diversification potential of stocks that are less correlated to the market over historical periods (6 and 12 months).

The score for each factor is used to calculate an overall factor score that is used to rank and select the top 25% for inclusion into the Index. The highest ranking multifactor scoring companies will be selected, subject to maximum and minimum constraints on number of components within a sector in seeking sector diversification.

 

  2.2

Base Date and Base Value

The WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Index was established with a base value of 200 on June 9, 2017.

 

  2.3

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the U.S. Multifactor Index:

 

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

Ei = Cross rate of currency of Security i vs. USD. If security price in USD, Ei = 1

D = Divisor

The Index is calculated whenever the U.S. stock exchanges are open. If trading is suspended while the exchange the component company trades on is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Index. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return basis, in U.S. dollars. The price Index is calculated and disseminated on an intra-day basis. The total return Indexes are calculated and disseminated on an end-of-day basis.

 

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  2.4

Weighting

The WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Index is weighted by a combination of the company overall factor score and inverse volatility over the prior 12 months.

The Weighting Date is when component weights are set and it occurs on Monday following the first Friday of the rebalance month. The changes will go into effect after the close of trading on the second Friday of the rebalance month.

The Index will be modified should the following occur. Should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 24.0% of its Index, its weighting will be reduced to 20.0% at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced. Moreover, should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed 50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced to reflect their relative weights before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.

The following capping rules are applied in this order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 4% on the quarterly rebalance prior to the introduction of sector caps and the weights of all other components will be adjusted proportionally.

 

   

Sectors are weighted to be sector neutral relative to the sector weights in the starting universe

Note: all sector cappings are conducted based on the GICS sector classifications.

The following liquidity adjustment factors will be applied to all the Indexes after top holding and sector caps have been applied:

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date / weight of security in each index) shall be greater than $200 million to be eligible for each index. If a security’s volume factor falls below $200 million at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The securities’ weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor divided by $400 million.

 

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In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million. The implementation of the volume factor may cause an increase in the holding, sector and country weights above the specified caps.

 

  2.5

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index. However, special dividends that are not reinvested in the total return index require index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price index.

 

  2.6

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, the share class with the highest average daily volume will be included. Conversion of a share class into another share class results in the deletion of the share class being phased out and an increase in shares of the surviving share class, provided that the surviving share class is in the Index.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, spins-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and rights offerings require changes in the index shares and the stock prices of the component companies in the Indexes. Some corporate actions, such as stock issuances, stock buybacks, warrant issuances, increases or decreases in dividend per share between reconstitutions, do not require changes in the index shares or the stock prices of the component companies in the Index. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends and entitlements, may require Index divisor adjustments. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components, such as deletions as a result of corporate actions, will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

 

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  3.1.

Component Changes

Additions

Additions to the Indexes are made at the reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented following the close of trading on the second Friday in March, June, September and December.    No additions are made to the Index between reconstitutions, except in the cases of certain spin-off companies defined below.

Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Indexes are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date.4 Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e. that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification.

 

  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company, it is allowed to stay in the Index that its parent company is in until the next reconstitution. Spin-off shares of publicly traded companies that are included in the same indexes as their parent company are increased to reflect the spin-off and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that meet all other Index inclusion requirements must wait until the next reconstitution to be included in the Index.

 

4 

Companies being acquired will be deleted from the WisdomTree indexes immediately before the effective date of the acquisition or upon notice of a suspension of trading in the stock of the company that is being acquired. In cases where an effective date is not publicly announced in advance, or where a notice of suspension of trading in connection with an acquisition is not announced in advance, WisdomTree reserves the right to delete the company being acquired based on best available market information

 

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  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WisdomTree reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy, re-incorporate outside of a defined domicile in the intervening weeks between the Screening Date and the Reconstitution Date are not included in the Indexes, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters

Selection parameters for the WisdomTree U.S. Multifactor Index are defined in section 2.1. Companies that pass these selection criteria as of the Screening Date are included in the Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR INTERNATIONAL DIVIDEND INDEXES

 

  1.

Index Overview and Description

WTI has created a family of international indexes that track the performance of dividend-paying companies in developed markets.

The International developed market indexes are sometimes referred to as the “International Dividend Indexes.”    

 

   

WisdomTree International Equity Index measures the stock performance of investable companies that pay regular cash dividends on shares of common stock and that are incorporated in Japan, the 15 European countries, Australia, Israel, Hong Kong and Singapore.

 

   

The WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of foreign currencies relative to U.S. dollar with a hedge ratio ranging from 0 to 100% on a monthly basis.

 

   

The WisdomTree International High Dividend Index comprises high dividend yielding stocks from the WisdomTree International Equity Index.

 

   

The WisdomTree International Hedged High Dividend Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of foreign currencies relative to U.S. dollar.

 

   

The WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Index is comprised of the dividend-paying companies from the large-capitalization segment of the WisdomTree International Equity Index.

 

   

The WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Index is comprised of the dividend-paying companies from the mid-capitalization segment of the WisdomTree International Equity Index.

 

   

The WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Index is comprised of the dividend-paying companies from the small-capitalization segment of the WisdomTree International Equity Index.

 

   

The WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of foreign currencies relative to U.S. dollar with a hedge ratio ranging from 0 to 100% on a monthly basis.

 

   

The WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Index is comprised of the 10 highest dividend-yielding companies in each sector, selected from three hundred largest companies by market value in the WisdomTree International Equity Index outside financials.

 

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The WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Index comprises dividend-paying developed market companies with growth characteristics.

 

   

The WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of foreign currencies relative to U.S. dollar.

 

   

The WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Quality Dividend Growth Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of foreign currencies relative to U.S. dollar with a hedge ratio ranging from 0 to 100% on a monthly basis.

 

   

The WisdomTree Europe Equity Index comprises of dividend-paying companies included in the WisdomTree International Equity Index that are domiciled in Europe, traded in Euros and derive at least 50% of their revenue from countries outside of Europe. To be deleted from the Index, companies must derive less than 47% of their revenue from countries outside of Europe.

 

   

The WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of Euro relative to U.S. dollar.

 

   

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Equity Index comprises of dividend-paying companies included in the WisdomTree International Equity Index that are domiciled in Europe and traded in Euros

 

   

The WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of Euro relative to U.S. dollar.

 

   

The WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Index (“ESC”) is comprised of the dividend-paying companies from the small-capitalization segment of the European companies in the WisdomTree International Equity Index.

 

   

The WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Index is derived from the WisdomTree International Equity Index and is comprised of dividend paying European companies with growth characteristics.

 

   

The WisdomTree Germany Equity Index comprises of dividend-paying companies included in the WisdomTree International Equity Index that are listed and incorporated in Germany, traded in Euros and derive less than 80% of their revenue from Germany. To be deleted from the Index, companies must derive more than 82% of their revenue from Germany.

 

   

The WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of Euro relative to U.S. dollar.

 

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The WisdomTree Japan Dividend Index (“JDI”) measures the performance of investable Japanese companies that pay regular cash dividends on shares of common stock and have less than 80% of revenue come from Japan.

 

   

The WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of Japanese Yen relative to U.S. dollar.

 

   

The WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Index (“JSC”) is comprised of the dividend-paying companies from the small-capitalization segment of the Japanese companies within the WisdomTree International Equity Index.

 

   

The WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Equity Index is comprised of the dividend-paying companies from the small-capitalization segment of the Japanese companies within the WisdomTree International Equity Index.

 

   

The WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of Japanese Yen relative to U.S. dollar.

In June of each year, the International Dividend Indexes are reconstituted, with each components’ weight adjusted to reflect its dividend-weighting in its respective Index.

All of the International Dividend Indexes are calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Index. The International Dividend Indexes will be calculated using primary market prices. The International Dividend Indexes are calculated in U.S. dollars.

Hedged Equity Indexes

For U.S. investors, international equity investments include two components of return. The first is the return attributable to stock prices in the non-U.S. market or markets in which an investment is made. The second is the return attributable to the value of non-U.S. currencies in these markets relative to U.S. dollar. Hedged Equity Indexes are designed to remove from index performance the impact of their respective currencies relative to U.S. dollar.

In this sense, the Indexes “hedge” against fluctuations in the relative value of non-U.S. currencies against the U.S. dollar. The Indexes are designed to have higher returns than their equivalent non-currency hedged indexes when the U.S. Dollar is going up in value relative to foreign currencies. Conversely, the Indexes are designed to have lower returns than their equivalent non-hedged indexes when the U.S. dollar is falling in value relative to foreign currencies (e.g., Euro is rising relative to U.S. dollar). Calculation of the Indexes is discussed in section 2.3.

 

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Dynamic Hedged Equity Indexes

The Dynamic Hedged Equity Indexes described above are designed to add a dynamic currency hedge that ranges from 0 to 100%.    

On a monthly basis the hedge ratio for any individual currency can be adjusted to either 0.00%, 16.67%, 33.33%, 50%, 67.67%, 83.33% or 100.00% and are determined by the following signals5:

 

   

Momentum: 33.3% of the total hedge ratio is determined by momentum. When the ten-day moving average of the currency’s spot price versus U.S. dollar is weaker than the 240-day moving average (i.e. the targeted currency is depreciating), the hedge ratio of 33.3% is applied.

 

   

Interest Rate Differentials: 33.3% of the total hedge ratio is determined by measuring the difference in interest rates, as implied in one month FX forwards, between each currency and U.S. dollar. If the implied interest rate in the United States is higher than that within the targeted currency, a further 33.33% hedge ratio is applied for that currency on this signal.

 

   

Value: The final 33.3% of the total hedge ratio is determined by a value signal that utilizes the concept of purchasing power parity in order to define a measure of relative value for a currency against U.S. dollar.

 

   

The full 33.3% hedge ratio for this signal is applied from the point when a currency is greater than 20% overvalued against purchasing power parity level and until it crosses the purchasing power parity level.    

 

   

There is no hedge ratio applied for the value signal from the point when an individual currency is more than 20% undervalued (equivalent to saying the US Dollar is 20% overvalued versus this currency) against purchasing power parity level and until it crosses the purchasing power parity level.

 

   

If a currency is between 20% overvalued and 20% undervalued and until it crosses one of these levels, the hedge ratio for the value signal is set to 16.667% (or 12 of the value’s total hedge ratio).

The initial currency deviations versus purchasing power parity levels were measured in October 2015.    

When the dynamic hedges are added, the Indexes are designed to have higher (or similar subject to costs) returns than their equivalent non-currency hedged indexes

 

 

5 

Israeli Shekels (ILS) and Singapore Dollars (SGD) are hedged at 50% and Hong Kong Dollars (HKD) hedged at 0% on a monthly basis.

 

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when U.S. Dollar is going up in value relative to foreign currencies. Conversely, the Indexes are designed to have lower (or similar subject to costs) returns than their equivalent non-hedged indexes when U.S. dollar is falling in value relative to foreign currencies (e.g., foreign currencies are rising relative to U.S. dollar). Calculation of the Indexes is discussed in section 2.3.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the above mentioned International Dividend Indexes, component companies must be under coverage by the market management team of the third party independent index calculation agent and must meet the minimum liquidity requirements established by WisdomTree Investments. To be included in any of the International Dividend Indexes, shares of such component securities need to have traded at least 250,000 shares per month for each of the six months preceding the “International Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in May).

Companies that fall within the bottom decile of a composite risk factor score, which is composed of on equally weighted score of the below two factors, are not eligible for inclusion.    

 

  1)

Quality Factor – determined by static observations and trends of return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), gross profits over assets and cash flows over assets. Scores are calculated within industry groups.

 

  2)

Momentum Factor – determined by stocks’ risk adjusted total returns over historical periods (6 and 12 months)

Companies that fall within the top 5% ranked by dividend yield and also the bottom 12 of the composite risk factor score are not eligible for inclusion.

The score for each factor is used to calculate an overall factor score, i.e. composite risk score, that is used to eliminate potentially higher risk companies that would have otherwise been eligible for inclusion.

WisdomTree applies a Foreign Investment Screen to exclude companies that are not available to be purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors) or cannot continue to be reasonably purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors) as determined by the third party independent calculation agent and a data point referred to as “Degree of Open Freedom” (DOF) or by WisdomTree based generally on the guiding principles set forth below. The first test of a stock’s investability is

 

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determining whether the market is open to foreign institutions. The third party calculation agent determines the extent to which and the mechanisms foreign institutions can use to buy and sell shares on local exchanges and repatriate capital, capital gains, and dividend income without undue constraint. Once determined that a market is open to foreign investors, the third party calculation agent then investigates each security that may be a candidate for inclusion. Each class of share is reviewed to determine whether there are any corporate bylaw, corporate charter, or industry limitations on foreign ownership of the stock. The DOF is the variable that ranges from zero to one and indicates the amount of the security foreigners may legally own (0.00 indicates that none of the stock is legally available, 1.00 indicates that 100% of the shares are available). Any company with a DOF of 0 will not be eligible for the WisdomTree Indexes.

WisdomTree International Equity Index

In the case of WisdomTree International Equity Index, component companies must list their shares on one of the stock exchanges in Europe (i.e., Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,    Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom), the Tokyo Stock Exchange, on stock exchanges in Australia, Hong Kong, Israel or Singapore. Companies must be incorporated in Europe, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Israel, or Singapore and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution. Companies must have a market capitalization of at least $100 million on the International Screening Date and shares of such companies must have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the International Screening Date. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. Companies that are not incorporated in Europe, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Israel or Singapore are excluded. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. The selection and weighting methodology for the WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Index is identical to the selection and weighting methodology used for the WisdomTree International Equity Index.

WisdomTree International High Dividend Index

The WisdomTree International High Dividend Index comprises high dividend yielding stocks from the WisdomTree International Equity Index. In addition to being a member of this Index, companies must also have market capitalizations of at least $200 million at the International Screening Date and average daily dollar volumes of at least $200,000 for the three months prior to the International Screening Date, ranked by dividend yield. Companies ranking in the top 30% by highest dividend yield are selected for inclusion.

 

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To be deleted from the index, companies must rank outside of the top 35% by dividend yield. The selection and weighting methodology for the WisdomTree International Hedged High Dividend Index is identical to the selection and weighting methodology used for the WisdomTree International High Dividend Index.

WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Index

The WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Index is derived by selecting the 300 largest companies by market capitalization from the WisdomTree International Equity Index.

WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Index

The WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Index is derived from the WisdomTree International Equity Index using the same selection methodology previously described for the domestic midcap dividend index.

WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Index

The WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Index is derived from the WisdomTree International Equity Index using the same selection methodology previously described for the domestic smallcap dividend index. The selection and weighting methodology for the WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Index is identical to the selection and weighting methodology used for the WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Index.

WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Index

The WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Index is derived from the WisdomTree International Equity Index by selecting the 300 companies with the highest market values outside the financial sector and then selecting the 10 highest dividend yielding stocks within each sector.

WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Index

WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Index is derived from the WisdomTree International Equity Index. Component companies must list their shares on one of the major stock exchanges in Europe (i.e., Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,    Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom), the Tokyo Stock Exchange, on the major stock exchanges in

 

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Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore or Israel. Companies must be incorporated in Europe, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Israel, or Singapore and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution. Companies must have a market capitalization of at least $1 billion on the International Screening Date, an earnings yield greater than the dividend yield and shares of such companies must have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the International Screening Date.    Eligible companies are ranked using a weighted combination of three factors: 50% weighted to the rank of long-term estimated earnings growth, 25% weighted to the rank of the historical three-year average return on equity, and 25% weighted to the rank of the historical three-year average return on assets. Top 300 companies by this combined ranking will be selected for inclusion. Companies that lack long-term earnings growth estimates will be eligible for the Index but their composite rank for ultimate selection in the index will be the average ranks of their Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Assets (ROA) for the purposes of stock ranking criteria. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. Companies that are not incorporated in Europe, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Israel or Singapore are excluded. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. The selection and weighting methodology for the WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Index and the WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Quality Dividend Growth Index is identical to the selection and weighting methodology used for the WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Index.

WisdomTree Europe Equity Index

WisdomTree Europe Equity Index component companies must list their shares on one of the major stock exchanges in Europe (i.e., Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal or Spain). Companies must be domiciled in Europe and trade in Euros, derive at least 50% of their revenue from countries outside of Europe6 and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution.    Companies must have a market capitalization of at least $1 billion on the International Screening Date and shares of such companies must have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the International Screening Date. To be deleted from the Index, companies must derive less than 47% of their revenue from countries outside of Europe. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding

 

 

6 

With Europe defined in broad fashion as developed and emerging markets Europe.

 

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companies are eligible for inclusion. Companies that are not incorporated in Europe are excluded. American Depository Receipts (ADRs), Global Depository Receipts (GDRs) and European Depository Receipts (EDRs), limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. 7    The selection and weighting methodology for the WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Index is identical to the selection and weighting methodology used for the WisdomTree Europe Equity Index.

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Equity Index

WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Equity Index component companies must list their shares on one of the major stock exchanges in Europe (i.e., Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal or Spain). Companies must be domiciled in Europe, trade in Euros and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution. Companies must have a market capitalization of at least $100 million on the International Screening Date and shares of such companies must have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the International Screening Date. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. Companies that are not incorporated in Europe are excluded. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. New additions to the index are those companies that rank in the bottom 10% of total market capitalization of the European companies traded in Euros within the WisdomTree International Equity Index as of the International Screening Date. To be deleted from the index, companies must rank outside of the bottom 13% of total market capitalization of the European companies traded in Euros within the WisdomTree International Equity Index as of the International Screening Date. The selection and weighting methodology for the WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Index is identical to the selection and weighting methodology used for the WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Equity Index.

 

 

7 

Beginning with the December 2006 reconstitution, Mortgage REITs were no longer eligible for inclusion in the WisdomTree Domestic and International Dividend Indexes. For the WisdomTree International Dividend Indexes, this rule change took effect at the June 2007 reconstitution.

 

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WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Index

In the case of ESC component companies must have their shares listed on a stock exchange in one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,    Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom (“Europe”). Companies must be incorporated in one of these European countries and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution. Companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $100 million on the International Screening Date and shares of such companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the International Screening Date. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible.8 The WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Index is derived from the WisdomTree International Equity Index by selecting European companies using the same selection methodology previously described for the domestic smallcap dividend index. To be deleted from the Index, companies must fall outside of the bottom 30% of the total market capitalization of securities after the 300 largest European companies are removed.

WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Index

In the case of the WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Index component companies must have their shares listed on a stock exchange in one of the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany,    Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom (“Europe”). Companies must be incorporated in one of these European countries and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution. Companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $1 billion on the International Screening Date, an earnings yield greater than the dividend yield and shares of such companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $200,000 for each of the three months preceding the International Screening Date. Eligible companies in the WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Index are ranked using a weighted combination of three factors: 50% weighted to the rank of long-term estimated earnings growth, 25% weighted to the rank of the historical

 

 

8 

Beginning with the December 2006 reconstitution, Mortgage REITs will no longer be eligible for inclusion in the WisdomTree Domestic and International Dividend Indexes. For the WisdomTree International Dividend Indexes this rule change will take effect at the June 2007 reconstitution.

 

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three-year average Return on Equity (ROE), and 25% weighted to the rank of the historical three-year average Return on Assets (ROA). Companies that lack long-term earnings growth estimates will be eligible for the Index but their composite rank for ultimate selection in the index will be the average ranks of their Return on Equity and Return on Assets. Top 300 companies by this combined ranking will be selected for inclusion. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible.

WisdomTree Germany Equity Index

WisdomTree Germany Equity Index component companies must list their shares in Germany, be incorporated in Germany and trade in Euros. Companies must have less than 80% of their revenue from Germany and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution. Companies must have a market capitalization of at least $1 billion on the International Screening Date and shares of such companies must have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the International Screening Date. To be deleted from the Index, companies must derive more than 82% of their revenue from Germany. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. Companies that are not incorporated in Germany are excluded. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. The selection and weighting methodology for the WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Index is identical to the selection and weighting methodology used for the WisdomTree Germany Equity Index.

Euro Contingency Planning: If any of the following scenarios were to occur, the following membership criteria would change:

 

  1)

If any of the countries in the Index were to no longer designate the Euro as their official currency, the country would remain in the Index and the Index would hedge such country’s local currency as soon as practicable after forward rates in such country’s local currency are available.

 

  2)

If Germany, France and then Netherlands were to all adopt their own currencies in lieu of the Euro, the requirement that stocks must be traded in Euros would be dropped and an intra-year Index re- constitution would be scheduled to re-balance the Index at the end of the month.

 

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  3)

If the Euro were to no longer be traded as a currency, the requirement that stocks must be traded in Euros would be dropped and an intra-year Index re-constitution would be scheduled to re-balance the Index at the end of the month.

WisdomTree Japan Dividend Index

In the case of WisdomTree Japan Dividend Index, component companies must list their shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Companies must be incorporated in Japan and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution and have less than 80% of revenue from Japan. Companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $100 million on the International Screening Date and shares of such companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the International Screening Date. To be deleted from the Index, companies must derive more than 82% of their revenue from Japan. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. The selection and weighting methodology for the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Index is identical to the selection and weighting methodology used for the WisdomTree Japan Dividend Index.

WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Index

The WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Index is created by removing the 300 largest companies by market capitalization from Japanese companies within the WisdomTree International Equity Index. Component companies must list their shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Companies must be incorporated in Japan and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution. Companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $100 million on the International Screening Date and shares of such companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the International Screening Date. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible.    

 

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WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Equity Index

In the case of WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Equity Index, component companies must list their shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Companies must be incorporated in Japan and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution. Companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $100 million on the International Screening Date and shares of such companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the International Screening Date. Companies must fall outside of the three hundred largest securities by market capitalization from this primary starting screening universe. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. The selection and weighting methodology for the WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Index is identical to the selection and weighting methodology used for the WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Equity Index.

For purposes of both selection and weighting the following definitions would apply:

Gross Cash Dividends are based on dividends paid over latest annual cycle as determined by the ex-date of the dividends. In the case of Australia, gross dividends do not reflect the franking credit for Australian investors. The currency rate used to translate the dividends to U.S. dollars is the exchange rate on the screening date. Shares outstanding for the total dividend calculation are based on the shares outstanding at the time of each dividend payment.

Liquidity and market cap screens are based on the shares outstanding of the security in question for each company.

Base Date and Base Value

 

   

Index

   Base Date    Base
Value
  WisdomTree International Equity Index    5/31/2006    300
  WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Equity Index    10/30/2015    200
  WisdomTree International High Dividend Index    5/31/2006    200
  WisdomTree International Hedged High Dividend Index    8/31/2015    200
  WisdomTree International LargeCap Dividend Index    5/31/2006    200
  WisdomTree International MidCap Dividend Index    5/31/2006    200

 

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Index

   Base Date    Base
Value
  WisdomTree International SmallCap Dividend Index    5/31/2006    200
  WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International SmallCap Equity Index    10/31/2015    200
  WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Index    4/30/2009    200
  WisdomTree International Quality Dividend Growth Index    11/29/2013    200
  WisdomTree International Hedged Quality Dividend Growth Index    11/29/2013    200
  WisdomTree Dynamic Currency Hedged International Quality Dividend Growth Index    5/30/2016    200
  WisdomTree Europe Equity Index    6/29/2012    200
  WisdomTree Europe Hedged Equity Index    6/29/2012    200
  WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Equity Index    1/30/2015    200
  WisdomTree Europe Hedged SmallCap Equity Index    1/30/2015    200
  WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Index    5/31/2006    200
  WisdomTree Europe Quality Dividend Growth Index    2/28/2014    200
  WisdomTree Germany Equity Index    4/30/2013    200
  WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Index    4/30/2013    200
  WisdomTree Japan Dividend Index    5/31/2006    300
  WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Index    1/29/2010    100
  WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Dividend Index    5/31/2006    200
  WisdomTree Japan SmallCap Equity Index    4/30/2013    200
  WisdomTree Japan Hedged SmallCap Equity Index    4/30/2013    200

 

  2.2.

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the International Dividend Indexes:

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

Ei = Cross rate of currency of Security i vs. USD. If security price in USD, Ei = 1

D = Divisor

Hedged Equity Indexes

The total returns for the Indexes are calculated once a day on a daily basis to remove the impact of currency and uses a WM/Reuters 1-month forward rate to do so.

 

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Dynamic Hedged Equity Indexes

The Indexes use quantitative signals to determine hedge ratios on the currency exposure on a monthly basis. Hedge ratios are varied each month between 0% and 100%. The hedged indexes—when hedge ratios are 100% — are designed to approximate the investable return available to U.S. based investors that seek to neutralize currency fluctuations as a source of the international index returns.

Starting from the month end of April 2015, all WisdomTree Currency-Hedged Indices will be calculated using forward amounts and foreign currency weights determined one business day prior to the month end—in accordance with the standard currency hedged calculations of WisdomTree’s independent index calculation agent. The precise calculation for the daily hedged currency index equals:

 

LOGO

Where Forward Rate = WM/Reuters 1-month forward rate in foreign currency per U.S. dollar Spot Rate = Spot Rate in foreign currency per U.S. dollar.

For each month m, there are d= 1, 2, 3, .. D calendar days so md is day d for month m and m0 is one business day prior to the month end of month m-1.

D=Total # days In Month

md= d day of Month m

WT_Hedged0 – previous month-end

WT_Unhedged0 – previous month-end

HedgeRet has a hedge ratio applied to it when determining what percentage of the currency is hedged. This is a ratio WisdomTree will send to the calculation agent every month.

The International Dividend Indexes are calculated every weekday. If trading is suspended while the exchange the component company trades on is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Index. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return

 

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basis, in U.S. dollars. The price Indexes are calculated and disseminated on an intra-day basis except for International Hedged High Dividend Index, Japan Hedged Equity Index, and Japan SmallCap Dividend Index, which are calculated on an end-of-day basis. The total return Indexes are calculated and disseminated on an end-of-day basis. Price index values are calculated and disseminated every 15 seconds.

 

  2.4.

Weighting

The International Dividend Indexes are modified capitalization-weighted indices that employ a transparent weighting formula to magnify the effect that dividends play in the total return of the Indexes. The initial weight of a component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is derived by multiplying the U.S. dollar value of the company’s annual gross dividend per share by the number of common shares outstanding for that company, “The Cash Dividend Factor.” 9 The Cash Dividend Factor is calculated for every component in the Index and then summed. Each component’s weight, at the International Weighting Date, is equal to its Cash Dividend Factor divided by the sum of all Cash Dividend Factors for all the components in that Index. The dividend stream will be adjusted for constituents with dividend yields greater than 12% at the screening date. The dividend stream of these capped securities will be their market cap multiplied by 12%. The International Weighting Date is when component weights are set, it occurs immediately after the close of trading on the second Friday of June. New component weights take effect before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the third Friday of June (the “International Reconstitution Date”).

For the size segment dividend indexes (total, large, mid and small caps) and high dividend cuts of the market, companies that fall within the top two deciles of the composite risk factor will have their dividend stream multiplied by 1.5 while all other dividends will remain unadjusted. Companies will be weighted in the index based on this adjusted dividend stream.

In the WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Index, components are weighted by dividend yield at the time of the International Weighting Date (i.e. a component company’s weight in the Index is equal to its dividend yield divided by the sum of all the dividend yields for all the component companies in the Index.)

 

9 

Special Dividends are not included in the computation of Index weights.

 

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In the event a company initially chosen for the WisdomTree International Dividend ex-Financials Index reduces its dividend in the interval between the Screening Date and the Weighting Date so that such company’s dividend yield no longer ranks it in the top 10 yielding stocks for each sector, then the next highest yielding company in the sector is used in its place. If this occurs with more than one company (i.e. a lowering of the dividend yield resulting only from a reduction in the declared dividend), this process is reiterated until a final set of 10 companies per sector are selected. Companies that raise their dividends in the above mentioned interval but that did not make the initial selection screen on the Screening Date are not eligible for the International Dividend ex-Financials, even if they would have qualified had the selection screen been run on the Weighting Date.

All Indexes will be modified should the following occur. Should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 24.0% of its Index, its weighting will be reduced to 20.0% at the close of the current calendar quarter, and the weight of all other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally. Moreover, should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed 50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally to reflect their relative weights before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.

The following capping rules are applied in this order:

 

   

Should any country achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the indexes, the weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

 

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For the International High Dividend Index, the following capping rules apply in this order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 5% on the annual rebalance, prior to the implementation of the sector and country caps, and the weights of all other components will be adjusted proportionally.

 

   

Should any country achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the indexes, the weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

For the International Quality Dividend Growth Index, the following capping rules apply in the following order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 5% prior to the introduction of sector caps and the weights of all other components will be adjusted proportionally.

 

   

Should any country achieve a weight equal to or greater than 20% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 20% as of the annual Screening Date.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 20% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 20% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

For the Europe Equity Index, the following capping rules apply in the following order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 5% on the annual rebalance prior to the introduction of country and sector caps.

 

   

Should any country achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the indexes, the weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

 

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For the Europe SmallCap Equity Index, the following capping rules apply in the following order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 2% on the annual rebalance prior to the introduction of country and sector caps.

 

   

Should any country achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the indexes, the weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

For the Germany Equity Index, the following capping rules apply:

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

For the Japan Dividend Index, the following capping rules apply in this order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 5% on the annual rebalance, prior to the implementation of the sector caps, and the weights of all other components will be adjusted proportionally.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

 

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For the Japan SmallCap Dividend Index and Japan SmallCap Equity Index, the following capping rules apply in this order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 2% on the annual rebalance, prior to the implementation of the sector caps, and the weights of all other components will be adjusted proportionally.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

For the Europe Quality Dividend Growth Index, the following capping rules apply in this order:

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 5% on the annual rebalance, prior to the implementation of the sector caps, and the weights of all other components will be adjusted proportionally.

 

   

Should any country achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the indexes, the weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 20% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 20% as of the annual Screening date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

The weights may fluctuate above the specified caps during the year but will be reset at each annual rebalance date.

Note: all sector cappings are conducted based on the GICS sector classifications.

The following liquidity adjustment factors will be applied to all the Indexes after top holding, country and sector caps have been applied:

 

   

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date / weight of security in each index) shall be greater than $200 million to be eligible for each index. In the case of the Japan SmallCap Dividend Index and Japan SmallCap Equity Index, the calculated volume factor shall be greater than $100 million. If a security’s volume factor falls below $200 million or $100 million for the Japan SmallCap Dividend Index and the Japan SmallCap Equity Index at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The securities’ weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor divided by $400 million.

 

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In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million. The implementation of the volume factor may cause an increase in the holdings, sector and country weights above the specified caps.

 

  2.5.

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index.10 However, special dividends that are not reinvested in the total return index require index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price index.

 

  2.7

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, each class of share will be included in any broad-based Index, provided that dividends are paid on that share of stock. In the event such a component company qualified for inclusion in the “High Dividend” or Dividend ex-Financial select cuts from these broad-based Indexes, only the share class of that company with the highest dividend yield would be selected for inclusion. Conversion of a share class into another share class results in the deletion of the share class being phased out and an increase in shares of the surviving share class, provided that the surviving share class is in the Index. For all Mid and Small cap cuts, if a security has multiple listed share classes and the total market capitalization of the listed share classes is greater than largest market capitalization cutoff of that index, the security would not be eligible for that index. At least one share class will be eligible for inclusion in either large, mid or small size cut based on total market value of the company.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, spins-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and rights offerings require changes in the index shares and the

 

10 

For the International total return indexes, where information is available about both gross and net dividends, the Indexes assume re-investment of net dividends.

 

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stock prices of the component companies in the International Dividend Indexes. Some corporate actions, such as stock issuances, stock buybacks, warrant issuances, increases or decreases in dividend per share between reconstitutions, do not require changes in the index shares or the stock prices of the component companies in the International Dividend Indexes. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends and entitlements, may require Index divisor adjustments. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions.

Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components, such as deletions as a result of corporate actions, will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

 

  3.1.

Component Changes

Additions

Additions to the International Dividend Indexes are made at the annual reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the closing of trading on the third Friday in June. No additions are made to any of the International Dividend Indexes between annual reconstitutions.

Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that cancels its dividend payment is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date.11 Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e. that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification. Component companies that reclassify outside of the financial sector are deleted from the International Dividend ex-Financials Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index.

 

11 

Companies being acquired will be deleted from the WisdomTree indexes immediately before the effective date of the acquisition or upon notice of a suspension of trading in the stock of the company that is being acquired. In cases where an effective date is not publicly announced in advance, or where a notice of suspension of trading in connection with an acquisition is not announced in advance, WisdomTree reserves the right to delete the company being acquired based on best available market information

 

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  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company and pay a regular cash dividend, it is not allowed into the International Dividend Indexes until the next annual reconstitution, provided it meets all other inclusion requirements. Spin-off shares of publicly traded companies that are included in the same indexes as their parent company are increased to reflect the spin-off and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that pay regular cash dividends and that meet all other Index inclusion requirements must wait until the next annual reconstitution to be included in the International Dividend Indexes.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WisdomTree reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy, re-incorporate outside of a defined domicile or that cancel their dividends in the intervening weeks between the International Screening Date and the International Reconstitution Date are not included in the International Dividend Indexes, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters for International Dividend Indexes

 

  5.1.

Selection parameters for the WisdomTree International Dividend Indexes are defined in section 2.1. Companies that pass the selection criteria as of the International Screening Date are included in Indexes. The component companies are assigned weights in the Indexes as defined in section 2.4., and annual reconstitution of the Indexes takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR EMERGING MARKET DIVIDEND INDEXES

 

  1.

Index Overview and Description

WisdomTree Investments (WTI) created a family of international indexes that track the performance of dividend-paying companies in emerging markets presently consisting of the: WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index (“EMDI”), the WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index (“EMDI HDI”), and the WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index (“EMSC”).

The emerging market indexes described above are referred to as the ‘Emerging Market Dividend Indexes.”

 

   

The WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index measures the stock performance of companies that pay regular cash dividends on shares of common stock with market capitalizations of at least $200 million at the Emerging Market Screening Date and average daily dollar volumes of at least $200,000 for each of the six months prior to the Emerging Markets Screening Date and that are incorporated in the following 17 emerging market nations: Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey (“Emerging Market Countries”). Securities must be incorporated in one of these Emerging Market Countries, have positive earnings over the past year and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution in October. In the case of China, only companies that are incorporated or domiciled in China and that trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange are eligible for inclusion. In India, only securities whose foreign ownership restriction limits have yet to be breached are eligible for inclusion in the index. Local exchange shares are included in the index for all countries with the exception of Russia, which include only American Depository Receipts (ADRs) or Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs). Passive foreign investment companies (PFICs) are excluded, as are limited partnerships, limited liability companies, royalty trusts, preferred stock, rights, and other derivative securities.

 

   

The WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of high dividend yield stocks within the emerging markets.

 

   

The WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of primarily small cap stocks selected from the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index. Companies are weighted in the Index based on annual cash dividends paid.

In October of each year, the Emerging Market Dividend Indexes are reconstituted, with each components’ weight adjusted to reflect its dividend-weighting in its respective Index.

 

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All of the Emerging Market Dividend Indexes are calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Indexes. The Emerging Market Dividend Indexes will be calculated using primary market prices. The Emerging Market Dividend Indexes will be calculated in U.S. dollars.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the above mentioned Emerging Market Dividend Indexes, component companies must be under coverage by the market management team of the third party independent index calculation agent and must meet the minimal liquidity requirements established by WisdomTree Investments. To be included in any of the Emerging Market indexes, shares of such component securities need to have traded at least 250,000 shares per month for each of the six months preceding the “Emerging Market Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in September).

In the case of EMDI, EMDI HDI, and EMSC component companies must have their shares listed on a stock exchange in one of the following countries: Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, or Turkey. Securities must be incorporated in one of these Emerging Market Countries and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution in October. In the case of China, only companies that are incorporated or domiciled in China and that trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange are eligible for inclusion. In addition, approximately 100 largest Chinese domestic listed companies by dividend market capitalization that are part of the connect program and meet index requirements will be selected for inclusion in the Emerging Markets Dividend Index. In India, only securities whose foreign ownership restriction limits have yet to be breached are eligible for inclusion in the index. Local exchange shares are included in the index for all countries with the exception of Russia, which include only American Depository Receipts (ADRs) or Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs).

Securities need to have a market capitalization of at least $200 million on the “Emerging Market Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in September) and securities need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $200,000 for each of the six months preceding the Emerging Market Screening Date. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs or GDRs are eligible in Russia but no other country. Security types that are excluded from the index are: Limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights.

 

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Companies that fall within the bottom decile of a composite risk factor score, which is composed of on equally weighted score of the below two factors, are not eligible for inclusion.

 

  1)

Quality Factor – determined by static observations and trends of return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), gross profits over assets and cash flows over assets. Scores are calculated within industry groups.

 

  2)

Momentum Factor – determined by stocks’ risk adjusted total returns over historical periods (6 and 12 months)

Companies that fall within the top 5% ranked by dividend yield and also the bottom 12 of the composite risk factor score are not eligible for inclusion.

The score for each factor is used to calculate an overall factor score, i.e. composite risk score, that is used to eliminate potentially higher risk companies that would have otherwise been eligible for inclusion.

The screening and weighting for the eligible Chinese domestic listed companies will follow the same logic but will be done separately from the rest of the eligible companies. Chinese domestic listed companies that don’t have enough data to compute a composite risk score will still be eligible for inclusion if they meet other screens but will receive a median score for weighting purposes.

The WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index is derived from the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index. Companies are ranked by dividend yield as of the index measurement date. Companies ranking in the top 30% by highest dividend yield are selected for new additions to the index. In addition, approximately 100 Chinese domestic listed companies by highest dividend yield that are part of the connect program and meet index requirements will be selected for inclusion. To be deleted from the index, companies must rank outside of the top 35% by dividend yield.

The WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index is derived from the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index. New additions to the index are those companies that rank in the bottom 10% of total market capitalization of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index as of the Emerging Market Screening Date. In addition, approximately 100 largest Chinese domestic listed companies that are part of the connect program and meet index requirements will be selected for inclusion based on bottom 10% market capitalization cutoff of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index without A shares. To be deleted from the index, companies must rank outside of the bottom 13% of total market capitalization of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index as of the Emerging Market Screening Date.

 

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WisdomTree applies a Foreign Investment Screen to exclude companies that are not available to be purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors) or cannot continue to be reasonably purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors), as determined by the third party independent calculation agent, and a data point referred to as “Degree of Open Freedom” (DOF) or by WisdomTree based generally on the guiding principles set forth below. The first test of a stock’s investability is determining whether the market is open to foreign institutions. The third party independent calculation agent determines the extent to which and the mechanisms foreign institutions can use to buy and sell shares on local exchanges and repatriate capital, capital gains, and dividend income without undue constraint. Once determined that a market is open to foreign investors, the third party independent calculation agent then investigates each security that may be a candidate for inclusion. Each class of share is reviewed to determine whether there are any corporate bylaw, corporate charter, or industry limitations on foreign ownership of the stock. The DOF is the variable that ranges from zero to one and indicates the amount of the security foreigners may legally own (0.00 indicates that none of the stock is legally available, 1.00 indicates that 100% of the shares are available). Any company with a DOF of 0 will not be eligible for the WisdomTree Indexes.

For purposes of both selection and weighting the following definitions would apply:

Gross Cash Dividends are based on dividends paid over latest annual cycle as determined by the ex-date of the dividends. The currency rate used to translate the dividends to U.S. dollars is the exchange rate on the screening date. Shares outstanding for the total dividend calculation are based on the shares outstanding at the time of each dividend payment.

Liquidity and market cap screens are based on the shares outstanding of the security in question for each company.

 

  2.2.

Base Date and Base Value

A base value for the WisdomTree Emerging Market Dividend Index was set at 300 on the close of trading on May 31, 2007. A base value for the WisdomTree Emerging Markets High Dividend Index was set at 200 at the close of trading on May 31, 2007. A base value for the WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index was set at 100 at the close of trading on May 31, 2007.

 

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  2.3.

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the Emerging Markets Indexes:

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

Ei = Cross rate of currency of Security i vs. USD. If security price in USD,

Ei = 1

D = Divisor

The Emerging Market Dividend Indexes are calculated every weekday. If trading is suspended while the exchange the component company trades on is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Index. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return basis, in U.S. dollars and disseminated on an end-of-day basis.

 

  2.4.

Weighting

The Emerging Market Dividend Indexes are modified capitalization-weighted indices that employ a transparent weighting formula to magnify the effect that dividends play in the total return of the Indexes.

The initial weight of a component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is derived by multiplying the U.S. dollar value of the security’s annual dividend per share by the number of common shares outstanding for that security, “The Cash Dividend Factor.” The Cash Dividend Factor includes multiplying the same two factors above by a third factor developed by Standard & Poor’s called the “Investability Weighting Factor” (IWF). The IWF is used to scale the dividends generated of each company by factors that impose restrictions on shares available to be purchased. The Cash Dividend Factor is calculated for every component in the Index and then summed. Each component’s weight, at the International Weighting Date, is equal to its Cash Dividend Factor divided by the sum of all Cash Dividend Factors for all the components in that Index. The dividend stream will be adjusted for constituents with dividend yields greater than 12% at the screening date. The dividend stream of these capped securities will be their market cap multiplied by 12%.

For the size segment dividend indexes (total, large, mid and small caps) and high dividend cuts of the market, companies that fall within the top two deciles of the composite risk factor will have their dividend stream multiplied by 1.5 while all other dividends will remain unadjusted. Companies will be weighted in the index based on this adjusted dividend stream.

 

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The Emerging Market Weighting Date is when component weights are set and it occurs after the close of trading on the second Friday of October. New component weights take effect before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the third Friday of October (the “Emerging Market Reconstitution Date”).

All Indexes will be modified should the following occur. Should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 24.0% of its Index, its weighting will be reduced to 20.0% at the close of the current calendar quarter, and all other components in the Index will be rebalanced. Moreover, should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed 50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced proportionately so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and all other components in the Index will be rebalanced in proportion to their index weightings before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.

The following capping rules are applied to the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index and the WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index in this order:

 

  1)

Should any country achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the index, the weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Emerging Market Screening Date. Chinese domestic stock market exposure will be treated separately and will be capped at 5%.

 

  2)

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the index, the weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Emerging Market Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

 

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For the Emerging Markets High Dividend Index the following capping rules are applied in this order:

 

  1)

The maximum weight in the top held security will be capped at 5% prior to the implementation of the sector and country caps.

 

  2)

Should any country achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the index, the weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Emerging Market Screening Date. Chinese domestic stock market exposure will be treated separately and will be capped at 5%.

 

  3)

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Index, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Emerging Market Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

The weights may fluctuate above the specified caps during the year but will be reset at each annual rebalance date.

Note: all sector cappings are conducted based on the GICS sector classifications.

The following liquidity adjustment factors will be applied to all the Indexes after top holding, country and sector caps have been applied:

 

   

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date / weight of security in each index) shall be greater than $200 million to be eligible for each index. If a security’s volume factor falls below $200 million at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The securities’ weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor divided by $400 million.

 

   

In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million. The implementation of the volume factor may cause an increase in the sector and country weights above the specified caps.

 

  2.5.

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index. However, special dividends from non-operating income require index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price index.

 

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  2.6

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, each class of share will be included in any broad-based Index, provided that dividends are paid on that share of stock and that the stock passes all other inclusion requirements. In the event such a component company qualified for inclusion in the “High Dividend” cut from these broad-based Indexes, the share class of that company with the greater liquidity, based on the average daily trading volume as described in section 2.1, would be selected for inclusion. Conversion of a share class into another share class results in the deletion of the share class being phased out and an increase in shares of the surviving share class, provided that the surviving share class is in the Index. For the Small cap cuts, if a security has multiple listed share classes and the total market capitalization of the listed share classes is greater than largest market capitalization cutoff of that index, the security would not be eligible for that index. For Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index, the market capitalization of Chinese domestic listed equities will be considered for companies with multiple share classes.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, corporate restructurings, spin-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits and stock dividends, require changes in the common shares outstanding and the stock prices of the component companies in the Emerging Market Dividend Indexes. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends, require index divisor adjustments as well. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

 

  3.1.

Component Changes

Additions

Additions to the Emerging Market Dividend Indexes are made at the annual reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the closing of trading on the third Friday in October.

No additions are made to any of the Emerging Market Dividend Indexes between annual reconstitutions.

 

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Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that cancels its dividend payment is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a company re-incorporates outside of a defined domicile, it is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date. Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e. that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification.

 

  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company and pay a regular cash dividend, it is not allowed into the Emerging Market Indexes until the next annual reconstitution, provided it meets all other inclusion requirements. Spin-off shares of publicly traded companies that are included in the same indexes as their parent company are increased to reflect the spin-off and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that pay regular cash dividends and that meet all other Index inclusion requirements must wait until the next annual reconstitution to be included in the Emerging Market Indexes.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Corporate actions may affect the share capital of component stocks and therefore trigger increases or decreases in the Index value. To avoid distortion, the divisor is adjusted accordingly. Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity

 

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before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WisdomTree reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy, re-incorporate outside of a defined domicile or that cancel their dividends in the intervening weeks between the International Screening Date and the International Reconstitution Date are not included in the Emerging Market Indexes, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters for Emerging Market Indexes

 

  5.1

Selection parameters for the WisdomTreeSM Emerging Markets Dividend Index are defined in section 2.1. Companies that pass this selection criteria as of the Emerging Market Screening Date are included in the Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

  5.2

Selection parameters for the WisdomTreeSM Emerging Markets High Dividend Index are defined in section 2.1. Companies that pass this selection criteria as of the Emerging Market Screening Date are included in the Index. A company will only be deleted from the index if its dividend yield ranking falls outside of the top 35% of companies. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

  5.3

Selection parameters for the WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index are defined in section 2.1. A company will only be deleted from the index if it falls outside the bottom 13% of the total market capitalization of the WisdomTree Emerging Markets Dividend Index. Companies that pass this selection criteria as of the Emerging Market Screening Date are included in the Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR EX-STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES INDEXES

 

  1.

Index Overview and Description

WisdomTree Investments (WTI) has created the WisdomTree Emerging Markets–ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index, the WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index and the WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index [referred to as “the Indexes”].

 

   

The WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index is comprised of emerging market stocks that are not state-owned enterprises. State owned enterprises are defined as government ownership of more than 20% of a company’s shares outstanding.

 

   

The WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index is derived from the WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index and is comprised of Chinese companies that are not state owned.

 

   

The WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index is derived from the WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index and is comprised of Indian companies that are not state owned.

The Indexes are modified float-adjusted market capitalization weighted and are reconstituted annually in October of each year. “Float-adjusted” means that the share amounts used in calculating the Indexes reflect only shares available to investors.

The Indexes are calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Indexes. The Indexes are calculated in U.S. dollars.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index component companies must be under coverage by the market management team of the third party independent index calculation agent, must be incorporated or domiciled and have their shares listed on a stock exchange in one of the following countries: Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand or Turkey. Companies that are domiciled or incorporated in China and trading primarily on a U.S. stock exchange are also eligible for inclusion. In addition, fifty largest Chinese domestic companies by float adjusted market capitalization that are part of the connect program and meet index requirements will be selected for inclusion12. In India, only

 

12 

Chinese domestic listed equities were added during the special reconstitution in August 2017, in lieu of the annual reconstitution in October

 

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securities whose foreign ownership restriction limits have yet to be breached are eligible for inclusion in the index. In all other cases, local exchange shares are included in the index for all countries with the exception of Russia, which includes only American Depository Receipts (ADRs) or Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs). Passive foreign investment companies (PFICs) are excluded, as are limited partnerships, limited liability companies, royalty trusts, preferred stock, rights, and other derivative securities.

To be eligible for inclusion in the WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index, component companies must be incorporated or domiciled in China and have their shares listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Companies domiciled or incorporated in China and trading primarily on a U.S. stock exchange are also eligible for inclusion. In addition, fifty largest Chinese domestic companies by float adjusted market capitalization that are part of the connect program and meet index requirements will be selected for inclusion.

To be eligible for inclusion in the WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index, component companies must be incorporated or domiciled in India and have their shares listed on a stock exchange in India.

To be eligible for inclusion in the Indexes, component companies must meet the minimum liquidity requirements established by WisdomTree Investments. To be included in the Indexes, shares of such component securities need to have a float-adjusted market capitalization of at least $1 billion as of the Index “Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in September). Companies must have an average daily trading volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the Index Screening Date and trading of at least either 250,000 shares per month or $25 million notional for each of the six months preceding the Index Screening Date.

WTI applies a Foreign Investment Screen to exclude companies that are not available to be purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors) or cannot continue to be reasonably purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors), as determined by the third party independent calculation agent, and a data point referred to as “Degree of Open Freedom” (DOF) or by WTI based generally on the guiding principles set forth below. The first test of a stock’s investability is determining whether the market is open to foreign institutions. The third party independent calculation agent determines the extent to which and the mechanisms foreign institutions can use to buy and sell shares on local exchanges and

 

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repatriate capital, capital gains, and dividend income without undue constraint. Once determined that a market is open to foreign investors, the third party independent calculation agent then investigates each security that may be a candidate for inclusion. Each class of share is reviewed to determine whether there are any corporate bylaw, corporate charter, or industry limitations on foreign ownership of the stock. The DOF is the variable that ranges from zero to one and indicates the amount of the security foreigners may legally own (0.00 indicates that none of the stock is legally available, 1.00 indicates that 100% of the shares are available). Any company with a DOF of 0 will not be eligible for the Indexes.

 

  2.2

Base Date and Base Value

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index was established with a base value of 200 on August 15, 2014. The first annual reconstitution took place in 2015.

WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index was established with a base value of 200 on March 31, 2015.

WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index was established with a base value of 200 on November 19, 2018.

 

  2.3

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the Indexes:

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

Ei = Cross rate of currency of Security i vs. USD. If security price in USD,

Ei = 1

D = Divisor

The Indexes are calculated every weekday. If trading is suspended while the exchange the component company trades on is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Indexes. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return basis, in U.S. dollars. The Price Index for the Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index is calculated and disseminated on an intra-day basis every 15 seconds. The price index for the China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index and India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index is calculated on an end of day basis. The total return Indexes are calculated and disseminated on an end-of-day basis to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) so that such Index Values can print to the Consolidated Tape.

 

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  2.4

Weighting

The companies in the Indexes are weighted by float-adjusted market capitalization. “Float-adjusted” means that the share amounts used in calculating the Index reflect only shares available to investors. Shares held by control groups, public companies and government agencies are excluded. The initial weight of a component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is derived by multiplying the company’s market capitalization by a second factor developed by Standard & Poor’s called the “Investability Weighting Factor” (IWF). The IWF is used to scale the market capitalization of each company by restrictions on shares available to be purchased. This “Float-adjusted Factor” is calculated for every component in the Index and then summed. Each component’s weight, at the Weighting Date, is equal to its Float-adjusted Factor divided by the sum of all Float-adjusted Factors for all the components in that Index. The Weighting Date is when component weights are set, and it occurs immediately after the close of trading on the second Friday of October. New Component weights take effect before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the third Friday of October (the “Reconstitution Date”).

All Indexes will be modified should the following occur. Should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 24.0% of its Index, its weighting will be reduced to 20.0% at the close of the current calendar quarter, and the weights of all other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally. For the WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index, should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 20% of the Index, its weighting will be reduced at the close of the current calendar quarter to the initial 10% cap, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced.

Moreover, should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed 50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally to reflect their relative weights before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.

 

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The following capping and weight re-distribution rules are applied in this order:

WisdomTree Emerging Markets ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index

 

   

The country weights after the State-Owned Enterprises have been removed will be adjusted by a Country Factor such that the float-adjusted market capitalization weights equal the float-adjusted market capitalization of the universe prior to the State-Owned Enterprises being removed. The Country Factor of the universe prior to the removal of State-Owned Enterprises is calculated excluding China A shares. The maximum Country Factor is set at 3.0, or no country’s weight can be increased more than 3x after state owned enterprises have been removed.

 

   

After the previous country adjustment is implemented, should any sector have a weight that is 3% higher or lower than its original starting universe float-adjusted market capitalization weight, its weight will be adjusted by a factor to 3% higher or lower than its original starting universe weight.    

 

   

Chinese domestic stock market exposure will be capped at 5% and any additional weight will be distributed proportionally among China H shares.

WisdomTree China ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index

 

   

The maximum weight in the top held security will be capped at 10% prior to the implementation of the sector caps. Security caps are implemented at a company level, not share class.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 30% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 30% as of the annual Screening Date

 

   

Chinese domestic stock market exposure will be capped at 25%.

WisdomTree India ex-State-Owned Enterprises Index

 

   

The maximum weight in the top held security will be capped at 10% prior to the implementation of the sector caps. Security caps are implemented at a company level, not share class.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 30% of the Index, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 30% as of the annual Screening Date

 

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The weights may fluctuate above the specified caps during the year, but will be reset at each annual rebalance date.

Note: all sector cappings are conducted based on the old GICS sector classifications, i.e. real estate and financials are aggregated into one sector.

The following liquidity adjustment factors will be applied to all the Indexes after top holding, country and sector caps have been applied:

 

   

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date / weight of security in each index) shall be greater than$200 million to be eligible for each index. If a security’s volume factor falls below $200 million at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The security’s weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor divided by $400 million.

 

   

In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million. The implementation of the volume factor may cause an increase in the sector and country weights above the specified caps.

 

  2.5

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index.13 However, special dividends that are not reinvested in the total return Index require Index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price Index.

 

13 

For the International total return indexes, where information is available about both gross and net dividends, the Indexes assume re-investment of net dividends.

 

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  2.6

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, each class of share will be included. Conversion of a share class into another share class results in the deletion of the share class being phased out and an increase in shares of the surviving share class, provided that the surviving share class is in the Index.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, spins-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and rights offerings require changes in the index shares and the stock prices of the component companies in the Index. Some corporate actions, such as stock issuances, stock buybacks, warrant issuances, and increases or decreases in dividend per share between reconstitutions, do not require changes in the index shares or the stock prices of the component companies in the Index. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends and entitlements, may require Index divisor adjustments. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components, such as deletions as a result of corporate actions, will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

IWF Changes

(1) The timing of adjustments to share counts or investable weight factors depends on the event causing the change, the public availability of source data, local market practices, and whether the change is larger than 5% of the float-adjusted share count.

(2) Changes of less than 5% of the float-adjusted shares are accumulated and made quarterly on the third Friday of March, June, September and December.

(3) Changes to the Index constituent’s float-adjusted shares of 5% or more:

 

   

Changes due to mergers or acquisitions of publicly held companies are implemented when the transaction occurs, even if both of the companies are not in the same headline index, and regardless of the size of the change. The share change is applied so that it coincides with the deletion date of the target company if both the acquirer and the target are in the same Index.

 

   

Changes due to secondary public offerings (also known as placements), tender offers, Dutch auctions, exchange offers, bought deal equity offerings, or prospectus offerings are done as soon as reasonably possible after the data are verified.

 

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Other changes of 5% or more (for example, due to company stock repurchases, private placements, redemptions, exercise of options, warrants, conversion of preferred stock, notes, debt, equity participations, at-the-market stock offerings or other recapitalizations) are made weekly.

If a 5% or more change in shares outstanding causes a company’s IWF to change by 5 percentage points or more, the IWF is updated at the same time as the share change. IWF changes resulting from partial tender offers are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Exception: when total shares outstanding increase by more than 5%, but the new share issuance is directed to a strategic or major shareholder, it implies that there is no change in float-adjusted shares. However, in such instances, total shares outstanding and resulting IWF change will be implemented regardless of whether the float-adjusted shares change by more than 5%.

 

  3.1.

Component Changes

Additions

Additions to the Index are made at the annual reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the closing of trading on the third Friday in October. No additions are made to the Indexes between annual reconstitutions, except in the cases of certain spin-off companies, defined below.

Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date.14 Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e. that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification.

 

 

14 

Companies being acquired will be deleted from the WisdomTree indexes immediately before the effective date of the acquisition or upon notice of a suspension of trading in the stock of the company that is being acquired. In cases where an effective date is not publicly announced in advance, or where a notice of suspension of trading in connection with an acquisition is not announced in advance, WTI reserves the right to delete the company being acquired based on best available market information

 

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WTI applies a Foreign Investment Screen to exclude companies that are not available to be purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors) or cannot continue to be reasonably purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors) as determined by WTI, generally based on the principles set forth above describing index eligibility.

 

  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company, it is allowed into the indexes that its parent company is in until the next annual reconstitution. Spin-off shares of publicly traded companies that are included in the same Indexes as their parent company are increased to reflect the spin-off and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that meet all other Index inclusion requirements must wait until the next annual reconstitution to be included in the Index.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WTI reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

 

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Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy or reincorporate outside of a defined domicile in the intervening weeks between the Screening Date and the Reconstitution Date are not included in the Indexes, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters

Selection parameters for the Indexes are defined in section 2.1. Companies that pass this selection criterion as of the Screening Date are included in the Indexes. The component companies are assigned weights in the Indexes as defined in section 2.4., and annual reconstitution of the Indexes takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR INDIA EARNINGS INDEX

 

  1.

Index Overview and Description

Wisdomtree Investments, Inc. (WTI) has created indexes that track the performance of earnings-generating companies in emerging markets, presently consisting of the WisdomTree India Earnings Index (“IEI”). The WisdomTree India Earnings Index measures the stock performance of companies incorporated in India that pass WTI’s selection, liquidity and market capitalization requirements. In September of each year, the IEI is reconstituted, with each components’ weight adjusted based on the earnings generated by each component company, adjusted for an investable weighting factor that takes into account shares available to be purchased by foreign investors.

The India Earnings Index is calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Index. The IEI is calculated using primary market prices. The IEI is calculated in U.S. dollars.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the IEI, component companies must be covered by WisdomTree’s independent index calculation agent and must meet the minimal liquidity requirements established by WisdomTree Investments. To be included in the IEI, shares of such component securities need to have traded at least 250,000 shares per month for each of the six months preceding the “Screening Date” for the India Earnings Index (after the close of trading on the last trading day in August).

Eligible component companies must have their shares listed on the Indian National Stock Exchange or the Bombay (Mumbai) Stock Exchange, must be incorporated in India and have earned at least $5 million in their fiscal year prior to the annual reconstitution in September. Only securities whose foreign ownership restriction limits have yet to be breached are eligible for inclusion in the index. Companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $200 million on the “Indian Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in August); shares of such companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $200,000 for each of the six months preceding the Indian Screening Date; components need to have had a P/E ratio of at least 2 as of the Indian Screening Date. Common stocks, tracking stocks and holding companies, including real estate holding companies, are eligible for inclusion. Security types that are excluded from the index are: limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies (PFICS), ADRs, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights.

 

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  2.2.

Base Date and Base Value

The base value for the IEI was set at 200, as of November 30, 2007.

 

  2.3.

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the India Earnings Index:

 

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

Ei = Cross rate of currency of Security i vs. USD. If security price in USD, Ei = 1

D = Divisor

The Index is calculated every weekday. If trading is suspended while the exchange the component company trades on is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Index. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return basis, in U.S. dollars and disseminated on an end-of-day basis.

 

  2.4.

Weighting

The IEI is a modified capitalization-weighted index that employs a transparent weighting formula to magnify the effect that earnings play in the total return of the Index. The initial weight of a component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is based on reported net income in the most recent fiscal year prior to the annual reconstitution. The reported net income number is then multiplied by a second factor developed by the third party independent calculation agent called the “Investability Weighting Factor” (IWF). The IWF is used to scale the earnings generated for each company by restrictions on shares available to be purchased. This “Earnings Factor” is then calculated for every component in the Index and then summed. Each component’s weight, at the Weighting Date for the India Earnings Index, is equal to its Earnings Factor divided by the sum of all Earnings Factors for all the components in that Index. The Weighting Date for the India Earnings Index is when component weights are set, it occurs immediately after the close of trading on the second Friday of September. New Component weights take effect before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the third Friday of September (the “India Earnings Index Reconstitution Date”).

 

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The Index will be modified should the following occur. Should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 24.0% of its Index, its weighting will be reduced to 20.0% at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced.

Moreover, should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed 50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced proportionately so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced in proportion to their index weightings before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.    

The following capping rules are applied in this order:

 

  1)

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Index, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date.

 

  2)

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date/ weight of security in each index) shall be greater than $200 million to be eligible for each index. If a security’s volume factor falls below $200 million at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The securities’ weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor divided by $400 million.

 

  3)

In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million. The implementation of the volume factor may cause an increase in the sector weights above the specified caps.

The weights may fluctuate above the specified caps during the year but will be reset at each annual rebalance date.

Note: all sector cappings are conducted based on the old GICS sector classifications, i.e. real estate and financials are aggregated into one sector.

 

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  2.5.

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index. However, special dividends from non-operating income require index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price index.

 

  2.6

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple share classes of common stock, the most liquid share class will be included in the Index. Conversion of a share class into another share class not in the Index results in the conversion of the share class being phased out into the surviving share class.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, corporate restructurings, spins-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits and stock dividends, require changes in the common shares outstanding and the stock prices of the component companies in IEI. Some corporate actions, such as stock issuances, stock buybacks, warrant issuances, increases or decreases in earnings between reconstitutions, do not require changes in the index shares or the stock prices of the component companies of the IEI. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends, may require index divisor adjustments. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions, or when the Index Calculation Agent typically applies such corporate actions. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components, such as deletions as a result of corporate actions, will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

 

  3.1.

Component Changes

Additions

Additions to the IEI are made at the annual reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the closing of trading on the third Friday in September. No additions are made to the IEI between annual reconstitutions, except in the cases of certain Spin-Off companies defined below.

 

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Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a company re-incorporates outside of a defined domicile it is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date. Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e. that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification.

 

  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company it is allowed to stay in the IEI until the next annual reconstitution. The weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that meet all other Index inclusion requirements must wait until the next annual reconstitution to be included in the IEI.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WisdomTree Investments reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

Companies that are acquired, de-listed or that re-incorporate outside of a defined domicile in the intervening weeks between the Screening Date and the Reconstitution Date for the India Earnings Index are not included in the IEI, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

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  5.

Selection Parameters for the WisdomTree India Earnings Index

 

  5.1

Selection parameters for the WisdomTree India Earnings Index are defined in section 2.1 Companies that pass this selection criterion as of the Screening Date for the India Earnings Index are included in the Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR GLOBAL DIVIDEND INDEXES

 

  1.

Overview and Description

The WisdomTree Global Dividend Indexes were developed by WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (“WTI”) to measure the performance of dividend-paying stocks in the global markets.

 

   

The Global Dividend Index comprises companies included in the WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Index, which measures the performance of dividend paying companies in the United States; and the WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Dividend Index, which measures the performance of dividend-paying companies in developed and emerging markets outside the U.S.

 

   

The Global High Dividend Index comprises high dividend yielding stocks from the WisdomTree Global Dividend Index. In addition to being a member of this Index, companies must also have a market capitalization of at least $2 billion as of the Screening Date (defined below) to be eligible for the Index.

 

   

The Global Hedged High Dividend Index is designed to remove from index performance the impact of changes to the value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar.

 

   

The WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index comprises dividend-paying companies included in the WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Dividend Index that are classified by WTI as being a part of the Global Real Estate sector.

Each Index is reconstituted annually, at which time each component’s weight is adjusted to reflect its dividend-weighting in the Index. Dividend weighting is defined as each component’s cash dividends paid in the prior annual cycle divided by the sum of the cash dividends paid by all the components in the Index over the same period. This quotient is the percentage weight assigned to each component in the Index at the annual reconstitution. Each of the Indexes is calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Indexes. The Indexes are calculated using primary market prices.

For U.S. investors, international equity investments include two components of return. The first is the return attributable to stock prices in the non-U.S. market or markets in which an investment is made. The second is the return attributable to the value of non-U.S. currencies in these markets relative to U.S. dollar. Hedged Equity Indexes are designed to remove from index performance the impact of their respective currencies relative to U.S. dollar.

 

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  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be included in the WisdomTree Global Dividend Index, companies must be included in one of the following WisdomTree indexes:

1) The WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Index: (United States)

2) The WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Dividend Index: (Developed World, outside the U.S., and Emerging Markets)

The selection methodologies for these indexes are listed below.

 

  a.

WisdomTree U.S. Dividend Index:

To be eligible for inclusion in the Domestic Dividend Indexes, a company must list its shares on a U.S. stock exchange, be incorporated and headquartered in the United States and pay regular cash dividends on shares of its common stock. Companies need to have a market capitalization of at least $100 million by the “Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in November) and shares of such companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the Screening Date. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are excluded, as are limited partnerships, limited liability companies, royalty trusts, Business Development Companies (BDCs) and companies that are not incorporated and headquartered in the United States (“United States” is defined herein as the 50 U.S. states plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico). Preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible.15

 

  b.

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Dividend Index:

In the developed world, component companies must be under coverage by the market management team of the third party independent index calculation agent and must list their shares on one of the stock exchanges in Europe (i.e., Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom), the Tokyo Stock Exchange, or on stock exchanges in Australia, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore or Canada. Companies must be incorporated in Europe, Israel, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore or Canada and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the

 

15 

Mortgage REITs are not eligible for inclusion in the WisdomTree Domestic and International Dividend Indexes.

 

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annual reconstitution. Companies must have a market capitalization of at least $100 million on the “Global Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in September) and shares of such companies must have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the Global Screening Date. Shares of such component securities need to have traded at least 250,000 shares per month for each of the six months preceding the Global Screening Date. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. Companies that are not incorporated in Europe, Israel, Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada are excluded. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible.

In the developing world, component companies must be under coverage by the market management team of the third party independent index calculation agent and must have their shares listed on a stock exchange in one of the following countries: Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, or Turkey. Securities must be incorporated in one of these Emerging Market Countries and have positive earnings over the past year. In the case of China, companies that are incorporated or domiciled in China and traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange are eligible for inclusion. In India, only securities whose foreign ownership restriction limits have yet to be breached are eligible for inclusion in the index. Companies must have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends on shares of their common stock in the annual cycle prior to the annual reconstitution in October. Securities need to have a market capitalization of at least $200 million on the “Global Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in September) and securities need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $200,000 for each of the six months preceding the Global Screening Date. Shares of such component securities need to have traded at least 250,000 shares per month for each of the six months preceding the Global Screening Date. Local exchange shares are included in the index for all countries with the exception of Russia, which include only American Depository Receipts (ADRs) or Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs). Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs or GDRs are eligible in Russia but no other country. Security types that are excluded from the index are: Limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights.

 

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Companies that fall within the bottom decile of a composite risk factor score, which is composed of on equally weighted score of the below two factors, are not eligible for inclusion.

 

  1)

Quality Factor – determined by static observations and trends of return on equity (ROE), return on assets (ROA), gross profits over assets and cash flows over assets. Scores are calculated within industry groups.

 

  2)

Momentum Factor – determined by stocks’ risk adjusted total returns over historical periods (6 and 12 months)

Companies that fall within the top 5% ranked by dividend yield and also the bottom 12 of the composite risk factor score are not eligible for inclusion.

The score for each factor is used to calculate an overall factor score, i.e. composite risk score, that is used to eliminate potentially higher risk companies that would have otherwise been eligible for inclusion.

WisdomTree applies a Foreign Investment Screen to exclude companies that are not available to be purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors) or cannot continue to be reasonably purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors), as determined by the third party independent calculation agent, and a data point referred to as “Degree of Open Freedom” (DOF) or by WisdomTree based generally on the guiding principles set forth below. The first test of a stock’s investability is determining whether the market is open to foreign institutions. The third party independent calculation agent determines the extent to which and the mechanisms foreign institutions can use to buy and sell shares on local exchanges and repatriate capital, capital gains, and dividend income without undue constraint. Once determined that a market is open to foreign investors, the calculation agent then investigates each security that may be a candidate for inclusion. Each class of share is reviewed to determine whether there are any corporate bylaw, corporate charter, or industry limitations on foreign ownership of the stock. The DOF is the variable that ranges from zero to one and indicates the amount of the security foreigners may legally own (0.00 indicates that none of the stock is legally available, 1.00 indicates that 100% of the shares are available). Any company with a DOF of 0 will not be eligible for the WisdomTree Indexes.

WisdomTree Global High Dividend Index

The Global High Dividend Index comprises high dividend yielding stocks from the WisdomTree Global Dividend Index. In addition to being a

 

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member of this Index, companies must also have a market capitalization of at least $2 billion as of the Screening Date (defined below) to be eligible for inclusion. The resulting universe of companies after the market cap screen is applied is ranked by dividend yield and the top 30% of companies from each region, i.e. the U.S., developed and emerging markets, ranked by highest dividend yield, are selected as additions to the Index.

To be deleted from the index, companies must rank outside of the top 35% by dividend yield. The selection and weighting methodology for the WisdomTree Global Hedged High Dividend Index is identical to the selection and weighting methodology used for the WisdomTree Global High Dividend Index.

WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index

The WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index is derived from the WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Dividend Index and measures the performance of dividend-paying companies from the developed and emerging markets outside of the United States that are classified by WisdomTree Investments as being part of the “Global Real Estate’ sector. The Index is comprised of companies with market capitalization greater than $1 billion and is weighted based on regular cash dividends paid. The Index includes the following types of companies: real estate operating companies, real estate development companies and diversified REITs. The Index also includes companies that may be classified as Passive Foreign Investment Companies (PFICs).

For purposes of both selection and weighting the following definitions apply: Gross Cash Dividends are based on dividends paid over latest annual cycle as determined by the ex-date of the dividends. In the case of Australia, gross dividends do not reflect the franking credit for Australian investors. The currency rate used to translate the dividends to U.S. dollars is the exchange rate on the screening date. Shares outstanding for the total dividend calculation are based on the shares outstanding at the time of each dividend payment. Liquidity and market cap screens are based on the shares outstanding of the security in question for each company.

 

  2.2.

Base Date and Base Value

 

   

Index

   Base Date    Base Value
  WisdomTree Global Dividend Index    6/30/2008    300
  WisdomTree Global High Dividend Index    11/30/2007    200
  WisdomTree Global Hedged High Dividend Index    8/31/2015    200
  WisdomTree Global SmallCap Dividend Index    7/28/2015    200
  WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index    6/3/2011    200

 

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  2.3.

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the Indexes:

 

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

Ei = Cross rate of currency of Security i vs. USD. If security price in USD, Ei = 1

D = Divisor

WisdomTree calculates Currency Hedged International indexes. The hedged indexes are designed to approximate the investable return available to U.S. based investors that seek to neutralize currency fluctuations as a source of the international index return. The total returns for the Indexes are calculated once a day on a daily basis to remove the impact of currency and uses a WM/Reuters 1-month forward rate to do so.

WisdomTree Currency-Hedged Indices will be calculated using forward amounts and foreign currency weights determined one business day prior to the month end—in accordance with the standard currency hedged calculations of WisdomTree’s independent index calculation agent. The precise calculation for the daily hedged currency index equals:

LOGO

Where Forward Rate = WM/Reuters 1-month forward rate in foreign currency per U.S. dollar

Spot Rate = Spot Rate in foreign currency per U.S. dollar.

For each month m, there are d= 1, 2, 3, .. D calendar days so md is day d for month m and m0 is one business day prior to the month end of month m-1.

D=Total # days In Month

md= d day of Month m

WT_Hedged0 – previous month-end

WT_Unhedged0 – previous month-end

The Global Dividend Indexes are calculated every weekday. If trading is suspended while one of the exchanges is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading

 

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resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Indexes. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return basis, in U.S. dollars. The price Indexes are calculated and disseminated on an intra-day basis. The total return Indexes are calculated and disseminated on an end-of-day basis. Price index values are calculated and disseminated every 15 seconds.

The price Indexes are calculated on an end of day basis for the WisdomTree Global Dividend Index and the WisdomTree Global Hedged High Dividend Index.

 

  2.4

Weighting

The Global Dividend Indexes are modified capitalization-weighted Indexes that employ a transparent weighting formula to magnify the effect that dividends play in the total return of the Indexes.

The initial weight of a component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is derived by multiplying the U.S. dollar value of the security’s annual dividend per share by the number of common shares outstanding for that security, “The Cash Dividend Factor.” For Emerging Markets securities, the “Cash Dividend Factor” includes multiplying the same two factors above by a third factor developed by Standard & Poor’s called the “Investability Weighting Factor” (IWF). The IWF is used to scale the dividends generated of each company by factors that impose restrictions on shares available to be purchased. The Cash Dividend Factor is calculated for every component in the Index and then summed. Each component’s weight, at the Weighting Date, is equal to its Cash Dividend Factor divided by the sum of all Cash Dividend Factors for all the components in that Index. The Weighting Date is when component weights are set, and it occurs immediately after the close of trading on the second Friday of October. New components and component weights take effect before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the third Friday of October the “Reconstitution Date.”

WisdomTree Indexes will apply a dividend stream adjustment for constituents with dividend yields greater than 12% at the screening date. The dividend stream of these capped securities will be their market cap multiplied by 12%.

For the size segment dividend indexes (total, large, mid and small caps) and high dividend cuts of the market, companies that fall within the top two deciles of the composite risk factor will have their dividend stream multiplied by 1.5 while all other dividends will remain unadjusted. Companies will be weighted in the index based on this adjusted dividend stream.

 

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Should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 24.0% of the Index, its weighting will be reduced to 20.0% at the close of the current calendar quarter, and all other components in the Index will be rebalanced. Moreover, should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed 50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced to reflect their relative weights before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.

The following capping rules are applied to the WisdomTree Global Dividend Index:

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

The following capping rules are applied to the WisdomTree Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index:

 

   

Should any country achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date.

The following capping rules are applied to the WisdomTree Global High Dividend Index in this order:

 

   

Individual company weights start out with the Cash Dividend Factor described in weighting section 2.4 above.

 

   

The regional weights will be adjusted by a Regional Factor such that the regional weights are equal to the float-adjusted market capitalization weight of the universe of dividend and non-dividend payers of the regional allocations of the U.S., developed and emerging markets that meet the general liquidity and market cap criteria for the base index.

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Indexes, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

 

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The weights may fluctuate above the specified caps during the year, but will be reset at each annual rebalance date.

Note: all sector cappings are conducted based on the GICS sector classifications.

The following liquidity adjustment factors will be applied to all the Indexes after country and sector caps have been applied:

 

   

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date / weight of security in each index) shall be greater than $200 million to be eligible for each index. If a security’s volume factor falls below $200 million at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The securities’ weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor divided by $400 million.

 

   

In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million. The implementation of the volume factor may cause an increase in the sector and country weights above the specified caps.

 

  2.5

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index. However, special dividends that are not reinvested in the total return Index require index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price Index.

 

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  2.8

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, each class of share will be included in the Indexes, provided that dividends are paid on that share of stock and that the stock passes all other inclusion requirements. For the Global High Dividend Index, in the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, the share class of that company with the greater liquidity, based on the average daily trading volume as described in section 2.1, would be selected for inclusion. Conversion of a share class into another share class results in the deletion of the share class being phased out and an increase in shares of the surviving share class, provided that the surviving share class is in the Index. For the Small cap cuts, if a security has multiple listed share classes and the total market capitalization of the listed share classes is greater than largest market capitalization cutoff of that index, the security would not be eligible for that index.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, spins-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and rights offerings require changes in the index shares and the stock prices of the component companies in the Indexes. Some corporate actions, such as stock issuances, stock buybacks, warrant issuances, increases or decreases in dividend per share between reconstitutions, do not require changes in the index shares or the stock prices of the component companies in the Indexes. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends, may require Index divisor adjustments. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components, such as deletions as a result of corporate actions, will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

 

  3.1.

Component Changes

Additions

Additions to the Indexes are made at the annual reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the close of trading on the third Friday in October. No additions are made to the Indexes between annual reconstitutions.

Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in

 

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composition of the Index. A component company that cancels its dividend payment is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date.16 A component company that re-incorporates outside of the defined domiciles identified above is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e. that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification.

 

  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company and pay a regular cash dividend, it is not allowed into the Index until the next annual reconstitution, provided it meets all other Index inclusion requirements. Spin-off shares of publicly traded companies that are included in the same Index as their parent company are increased to reflect the spin-off and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that pay a regular cash dividend and that meet all other inclusion requirements must wait until the next annual reconstitution to be included in the Index.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WisdomTree reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

 

16 

Companies being acquired will be deleted from the WisdomTree indexes immediately before the effective date of the acquisition or upon notice of a suspension of trading in the stock of the company that is being acquired. In cases where an effective date is not publicly announced in advance, or where a notice of suspension of trading in connection with an acquisition is not announced in advance, WisdomTree reserves the right to delete the company being acquired based on best available market information.

 

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Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy, re-incorporate outside of a defined domicile or that cancel their dividends in the intervening weeks between the Global Screening Date and the reconstitution date are not included in the Indexes, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters

 

  5.1.

Selection parameters for the Indexes are defined in section 2.1. Companies that pass the selection criteria as of the Global Screening Date are included in the Indexes. The component companies are assigned weights in the Indexes as defined in section 2.4. and annual reconstitution of the Indexes takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR GLOBAL EX–US QUALITY DIVIDEND GROWTH INDEX

 

  1.

Overview and Description

WisdomTree Global ex-US Quality Dividend Growth Index (“WTGDXG”) was developed by WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (“WTI”) to measure the performance of dividend paying companies with growth characteristics in the emerging and developed markets outside the U.S.

Companies eligible for WTGDXG must have passed the selection requirements of the WisdomTree Global ex-US Dividend Index, which measures the stock performance of dividend-paying companies in emerging markets and developed countries outside the U.S.

The WTGDXG is reconstituted annually, at which time each component’s weight is adjusted to reflect its share of the Dividend Stream of that index. The Dividend Stream is defined as the cash dividends paid in the annual cycle prior to the index measurement date. The percentage weight assigned to each component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is calculated by dividing gross dividends paid in U.S. dollars for each component company by the sum of all such dividends paid by all the component companies in the Index over the same period. Each of the Indexes is calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Indexes. The Indexes are calculated using primary market prices.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the WTGDXG, a company must be covered by WisdomTree’s independent index calculation agent and must qualify for inclusion in the WisdomTree Global ex-US Dividend Index and have paid at least $5 million in gross cash dividends in the annual cycle prior to the ” Global Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in September). Common stocks, REITS and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are excluded, except for companies incorporated in Russia. Passive foreign investment companies (PFICs), limited partnerships, limited liability companies, royalty trusts, tracking stocks, mortgage REITs and companies that are incorporated in the United States (“United States” is defined herein as the 50 U.S. states plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) as well as preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible.

On the Global Screening Date, companies within the WTGDXG with market capitalizations of at least $2 billion and an earnings yield greater than the dividend yield are eligible for inclusion. Eligible companies are ranked using a weighted combination of three factors: 50% weighted to the rank of long-term estimated earnings growth, 25% weighted to the

 

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rank of the historical three-year average Return on Equity (ROE), and 25% weighted to the rank of the historical three-year average Return on Assets (ROA). Companies that lack long-term earnings growth estimates will be eligible for the Index but their composite rank for ultimate selection in the index will be the average ranks of their Return on Equity and Return on Assets. Companies that rank in the top 300 companies by this combined ranking will be selected for inclusion.

WisdomTree applies a Foreign Investment Screen to exclude companies that are not available to be purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors) or cannot continue to be reasonably purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors), as determined by the third party independent calculation agent, and a data point referred to as “Degree of Open Freedom” (DOF) or by WisdomTree based generally on the guiding principles set forth below. The first test of a stock’s investability is determining whether the market is open to foreign institutions. The third party independent calculation agent determines the extent to which and the mechanisms foreign institutions can use to buy and sell shares on local exchanges and repatriate capital, capital gains, and dividend income without undue constraint. Once determined that a market is open to foreign investors, the third party independent calculation agent then investigates each security that may be a candidate for inclusion. Each class of share is reviewed to determine whether there are any corporate bylaw, corporate charter, or industry limitations on foreign ownership of the stock. The DOF is the variable that ranges from zero to one and indicates the amount of the security foreigners may legally own (0.00 indicates that none of the stock is legally available, 1.00 indicates that 100% of the shares are available). Any company with a DOF of 0 will not be eligible for the WisdomTree Indexes.

For purposes of both selection and weighting the following definitions would apply:

Gross Cash Dividends are based on dividends paid over latest annual cycle as determined by the ex-date of the dividends. In the case of Australia, gross dividends do not reflect the franking credit for Australian investors. The currency rate used to translate the dividends to U.S. dollars is the exchange rate on the screening date. Shares outstanding for the total dividend calculation are based on the shares outstanding at the time of each dividend payment.

Liquidity and market cap screens are based on the shares outstanding of the security in question for each company.

 

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  2.2

Base Date and Base Value

The Index was established with a base value of 200 on June 30, 2008.

 

  2.3

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the Global ex-US Quality Dividend Growth Index:

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

Ei = Cross rate of currency of Security i vs. USD. If security price in USD, Ei = 1

D = Divisor

The WTGDXG is calculated every weekday. If trading is suspended while the exchange the component company trades on is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Index. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return basis, in U.S. dollars and disseminated on an end-of-day basis.

 

  2.4

Weighting

The WTGDXG is a modified capitalization-weighted index that employs a transparent weighting formula to magnify the effect that dividends play in the total return of the Index.

The initial weight of a component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is derived by multiplying the U.S. dollar value of the security’s annual dividend per share by the number of common shares outstanding for that security, “The Cash Dividend Factor.” For Emerging Markets securities, the “Cash Dividend Factor” includes multiplying the same two factors above by a third factor developed by Standard & Poor’s called the “Investability Weighting Factor” (IWF). The IWF is used to scale the dividends generated of each company by factors that impose restrictions on shares available to be purchased. The Cash Dividend Factor is calculated for every component in the Index and then summed. Each component’s weight, at the Weighting Date, is equal to its Cash Dividend Factor divided by the sum of all Cash Dividend Factors for all the components in that Index. The dividend stream will be adjusted for constituents with dividend yields greater than 12% at the screening date.

 

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The dividend stream of these capped securities will be their market cap multiplied by 12%.

The Weighting Date is when component weights are set and it occurs immediately after the close of trading on the second Friday of October. New component weights take effect before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the third Friday of October (the “Reconstitution Date”).

Should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 24.0% of its Index, its weighting will be reduced to 20.0% at the close of the current calendar quarter, and the weight of all other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally. Moreover, should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed

50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced proportionately so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and all other components in the Index will be rebalanced in proportion to their index weightings before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.

The following capping rules are applied in this order:

 

  1)

The maximum weight of an individual security will be capped at 5% prior to the implementation of sector and country caps.

 

  2)

The regional weights will be adjusted by a Regional Factor such that the regional weights are equal to the float-adjusted market capitalization weight of the universe of dividend and non-dividend payers of the regional allocations of the developed and emerging markets that meet the general liquidity and market cap criteria for the base index.

 

  3)

Should any country achieve a weight equal to or greater than 20% of the index, the weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 20% as of the annual Screening Date.

 

  4)

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 20% of the Index, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 20% as of the annual Screening Date. Real Estate sector will be capped at 15%.

 

  5)

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date / weight of security in each index) shall be greater than $200 million to be eligible for each index. If a security’s volume factor falls

 

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  below $200 million at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The securities’ weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor divided by $400 million.

 

  6)

In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million. The implementation of the volume factor may cause an increase in the sector and country weights above the specified caps.

The weights may fluctuate above the specified caps during the year, but will be reset at each annual rebalance date.

Note: all sector cappings are conducted based on the GICS sector classifications.

 

  2.5

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index. However, special dividends from non-operating income require index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price index.

 

  2.6

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, each class of share will be included in the Index, provided that dividends are paid on that share of stock and that the stock passes all other inclusion requirements. Conversion of a share class into another share class results in the deletion of the share class being phased out and an increase in shares of the surviving share class, provided that the surviving share class is in the Index.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company additions and deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, corporate restructurings, spins-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits and stock dividends, require changes in the common shares outstanding and the stock prices of the component companies in the Index. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends, require index divisor adjustments as well. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after

 

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the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate action. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

 

  3.1.

Component Changes Additions

Additions to the WTGDXG are made at the annual reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the closing of trading on the third Friday in October. No additions are made to the WTGDXG between annual reconstitutions.

Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that cancels its dividend payment is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a company re-incorporates outside of a defined domicile, it is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date.17 Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e. that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification.

 

  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company and pay a regular cash dividend, it is not allowed into the Index until the next annual reconstitution, provided it meets all other inclusion requirements.

 

 

17 

Companies being acquired will be deleted from the WisdomTree index immediately before the effective date of the acquisition or upon notice of a suspension of trading in the stock of the company that is being acquired. In cases where an effective date is not publicly announced in advance, or where a notice of suspension of trading in connection with an acquisition is not announced in advance, WisdomTree reserves the right to delete the company being acquired based on best available market information.

 

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Spin-off shares of publicly traded companies that are included in the same index as their parent company are increased to reflect the spin-off and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that pay regular cash dividends and that meet all other Index inclusion requirements must wait until the next annual reconstitution to be included in the Global ex-US Quality Dividend Growth Index.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Corporate actions may affect the share capital of component stocks and therefore trigger increases or decreases in the Index value. To avoid distortion, the divisor is adjusted accordingly. Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WisdomTree reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy, re-incorporate outside of a defined domicile or that cancel their dividends in the intervening weeks between the Global Screening Date and the Reconstitution Date are not included in the Index, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters for the Global ex-US Quality Dividend Growth Index

 

  5.1.

Selection parameters for the WisdomTree Global ex-US Quality Dividend Growth Index are defined in 2.1. Companies that pass this selection criteria as of the Global Screening Date are included in the WTGDXG . The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4. and the annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR GLOBAL EX-MEXICO EQUITY INDEX

 

  1.

Index Overview and Description

The WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization weighted Index created by WisdomTree Investments (WTI). “Float-adjusted” means that the share amounts used in calculating the Index reflect only shares available to investors. The Index is reconstituted annually in October of each year.

 

   

The WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index is comprised of 2000 largest companies by float-adjusted market capitalization.

The WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index will only include components from countries defined to be eligible for investments (outside of Mexico) by The National Commission for the Pension System (CONSAR). Currently allowable countries are: United States, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, Bulgaria, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Peru, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Thailand or Taiwan18. This country list is subject to change and WisdomTree reserves the right to adjust the Index allowable country list based on CONSAR’s eligibility.

The WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index is calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Index. The Index is calculated using primary market prices. The Index is calculated in U.S. dollars.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index component companies must be under coverage by the market management team of the third party independent index calculation agent and must meet the minimum liquidity requirements established by WisdomTree Investments.

To be eligible for inclusion a company must list its shares on a U.S. stock exchange, be incorporated and domiciled in the United States. Companies need to have a float-adjusted market capitalization of at least $100 million by the “Screening Date” (after the close of trading on the last trading day in September) and shares of such companies need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the Screening Date. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding

 

 

18

Effective with the October 2017 reconstitution, Malaysia, South Africa, Thailand and Taiwan will be included in the Index, per CONSAR approval of new investment countries.

 

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companies are eligible for inclusion. ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are excluded, as are limited partnerships, limited liability companies, royalty trusts, Business Development Companies (BDCs) and companies that are not incorporated and headquartered in the United States. Preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible.19 The publicly traded security for WisdomTree Investments, Inc., ticker WETF, is not eligible for inclusion in any of WisdomTree’s equity indexes.

In the developed world, companies must list shares on one of the stock exchanges in Europe (i.e., Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom), the Tokyo Stock Exchange, or on stock exchanges in Australia, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore or Canada.    Companies must be incorporated or domiciled in one of these countries and must meet the minimum liquidity requirements established by WisdomTree Investments. To be included in the Index, shares of such component securities need to have a float-adjusted market capitalization of at least $100 million as of the Index Screening Date. Companies must have an average daily dollar volume of at least $100,000 for three months preceding the Index Screening Date and trading of at least 250,000 shares per month for each of the six months preceding the Index Screening Date.

In the developing world, component companies must have their shares listed on a stock exchange in one of the following countries: Bulgaria, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, India, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Peru, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Taiwan or Thailand. Securities must be incorporated or domiciled in one of these Emerging Market countries. In India, only securities whose foreign ownership restriction limits have yet to be breached are eligible for inclusion in the Index. Securities need to have a market capitalization of at least $200 million on the Screening Date and securities need to have had an average daily dollar volume of at least $200,000 for each of the six months preceding the Screening Date. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, and holding companies are eligible for inclusion. Security types that are excluded from the Index are: Limited partnerships, royalty trusts, passive foreign investment companies, preferred stocks, closed-end funds, exchange traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights. Shares of such component securities need to have traded at least 250,000 shares per month for each of the six months preceding the Screening Date.

 

 

19

Beginning with the December 2006 reconstitution, Mortgage REITs will no longer be eligible for inclusion in the WisdomTree Domestic and International Dividend Indexes.

 

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WisdomTree applies a Foreign Investment Screen to exclude companies that are not available to be purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors) or cannot continue to be reasonably purchased or transacted in by foreign investors (or certain segments of foreign investors) as determined by Standard & Poor’s and a data point referred to as “Degree of Open Freedom” (DOF) or by WisdomTree based generally on the guiding principles set forth below. The first test of a stock’s investability is determining whether the market is open to foreign institutions. S&P determines the extent to which and the mechanisms foreign institutions can use to buy and sell shares on local exchanges and repatriate capital, capital gains, and dividend income without undue constraint. Once determined that a market is open to foreign investors, S&P then investigates each security that may be a candidate for inclusion. Each class of share is reviewed to determine whether there are any corporate bylaw, corporate charter, or industry limitations on foreign ownership of the stock. The DOF is the variable that ranges from zero to one and indicates the amount of the security foreigners may legally own (0.00 indicates that none of the stock is legally available,

1.00 indicates that 100% of the shares are available). Any company with a DOF of 0 will not be eligible for the WisdomTree Indexes.

 

  2.2

Base Date and Base Value

WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index was established with a base value of 200 on February 12, 2016.

 

  2.3

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the Global ex-Mexico Equity Index:

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

Ei = Cross rate of currency of Security i vs. USD. If security price in USD, Ei = 1

D = Divisor

The WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index is calculated every weekday. If trading is suspended while the exchange the component company trades on is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Index. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return basis. The price and total return Indexes are calculated and disseminated on an end of day basis and disseminated to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) so that such Index Values can print to the Consolidated Tape.

 

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  2.4

Weighting

The WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index is weighted by float-adjusted market capitalization. “Float-adjusted” means that the share amounts used in calculating the Index reflect only shares available to investors. Shares held by control groups, public companies and government agencies are excluded. The initial weight of a component in the Index at the annual reconstitution is derived by multiplying the company’s market capitalization by a second factor developed by Standard & Poor’s called the “Investability Weighting Factor” (IWF). The

IWF is used to scale the market capitalization of each company by restrictions on shares available to be purchased. This “Float-adjusted Factor” is calculated for every component in the Index and then summed. Each component’s weight, at the Weighting Date, is equal to its Float-adjusted Factor divided by the sum of all Float-adjusted Factors for all the components in that Index. The Weighting Date is when component weights are set, and it occurs immediately after the close of trading on the second Friday of October. New Component weights take effect before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the third Friday of October (the “Reconstitution Date”).

The following capping rules apply in the following order:

 

   

Should any sector achieve a weight equal to or greater than 25% of the Index, weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 25% as of the annual Screening Date.

 

   

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date / weight of security in each index) shall be greater than $200 million to be eligible for each index. If a security’s volume factor falls below $200 million at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The securities’ weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor divided by $400 million.

 

   

In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million. The implementation of the volume factor may cause an increase in the holdings, sector and country weights above the specified caps.

 

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Should any company achieve a weighting equal to or greater than 24.0% of the Index, its weighting will be reduced to 20.0% at the close of the current calendar quarter, and the weights of all other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally. Moreover, should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed 50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced proportionally to reflect their relative weights before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.

The weights may fluctuate above the specified caps during the year but will be reset at each annual rebalance date.

Note: all sector cappings are conducted based on the old GICS sector classifications, i.e. real estate and financials are aggregated into one sector.

 

  2.5

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index.20 However, special dividends that are not reinvested in the total return index require index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price index.

 

  2.8

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, each class of share will be included. Conversion of a share class into another share class results in the deletion of the share class being phased out and an increase in shares of the surviving share class, provided that the surviving share class is in the Index.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, spin-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and rights offerings require changes in the index shares and the stock prices of the component companies in the Index. Some corporate

 

 

20 

For the International total return indexes, where information is available about both gross and net dividends, the Indexes assume re-investment of net dividends.

 

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actions, such as stock issuances, stock buybacks, warrant issuances, increases or decreases in dividend per share between reconstitutions, do not require changes in the index shares or the stock prices of the component companies in the Index. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends and entitlements, may require Index divisor adjustments. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate action. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components, such as deletions as a result of corporate actions, will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

IWF Changes

(1) The timing of adjustments to share counts or investable weight factors depends on the event causing the change, the public availability of source data, local market practices, and whether the change is larger than 5% of the float-adjusted share count.

(2) Changes of less than 5% of the float-adjusted shares are accumulated and made quarterly on the third Friday of March, June, September and December.

(3) Changes to an index constituent’s float-adjusted shares of 5% or more:

 

   

Changes due to mergers or acquisitions of publicly held companies are implemented when the transaction occurs, even if both of the companies are not in the same headline index, and regardless of the size of the change. The share change is applied so that it coincides with the deletion date of the target company if both the acquirer and the target are in the same Index.

 

   

Changes due to secondary public offerings (also known as placements), tender offers, Dutch auctions, exchange offers, bought deal equity offerings, or prospectus offerings are done as soon as reasonably possible after the data are verified.

 

   

Other changes of 5% or more (for example, due to company stock repurchases, private placements, redemptions, exercise of options, warrants, conversion of preferred stock, notes, debt, equity participations, at-the-market stock offerings or other recapitalizations) are made weekly.

If a 5% or more change in shares outstanding causes a company’s IWF to change by 5 percentage points or more, the IWF is updated at the same time as the share change. IWF changes resulting from partial tender offers are considered on a case-by-case basis.

 

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Exception: when total shares outstanding increase by more than 5%, but the new share issuance is directed to a strategic or major shareholder, it implies that there is no change in float-adjusted shares. However, in such instances, a total shares outstanding and resulting IWF change will be implemented regardless of whether the float-adjusted shares change by more than 5%.

 

  3.1.

Component Changes Additions

Additions to the Index are made at the annual reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented before the opening of trading on the first Monday following the closing of trading on the third Friday in October. No additions are made to the Index between annual reconstitutions, except in the cases of certain Spin-Off companies, defined below.

Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date.21 Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e. that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification.

 

  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company, it is allowed into the index that its parent company is in until the next annual reconstitution. Spin-off shares of publicly traded companies that are included in the same indexes as their parent company are increased to reflect the spin-off and the weights of the remaining components are

 

 

21

Companies being acquired will be deleted from the WisdomTree indexes immediately before the effective date of the acquisition or upon notice of a suspension of trading in the stock of the company that is being acquired. In cases where an effective date is not publicly announced in advance, or where a notice of suspension of trading in connection with an acquisition is not announced in advance, WisdomTree reserves the right to delete the company being acquired based on best available market information

 

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adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that meet all other Index inclusion requirements must wait until the next annual reconstitution to be included in the Index.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WisdomTree reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy or reincorporate outside of a defined domicile in the intervening weeks between the Screening Date and the Reconstitution Date are not included in the Index, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters

Selection parameters for the Index are defined in section 2.1. Companies that pass this selection criteria as of the Screening Date are included in the WisdomTree Global ex-Mexico Equity Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and annual reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR GROWTH LEADERS INDEX

 

  1.

Index Overview and Description

The WisdomTree Growth Leaders Index [referred to as “the Index”] was developed by WisdomTree Investments (WTI). WisdomTree Growth Leaders Index is comprised of mid- and large-cap companies that are generating substantial revenue from a modern platform business. A modern platform business can be defined as a multi-sided business model focused on creating value by facilitating interactions between two or more interdependent groups through technology. These platform businesses are positioned to benefit from the “network effect” which is the positive effect on a good or service as the number of customers or participants increases.

Included companies must facilitate the exchange of value between two or more groups, usually a demand side and a supply side and are often referred to as “consumers” and “producers,” respectively. Generally, platforms must allow consumers to easily sign up and provide a standardized process to onboard producers. Eligible platform types will include the following: services, product, payment, investment, social networking, gaming, communication, content and development.

The Index is reconstituted on an annual basis (following the close of trading on the second Friday in June22).

The Index is calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Index. The Index is calculated using primary market prices and calculated in U.S. dollars.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the Index, component companies must be under coverage by the market management team of the third party independent index calculation agent. Eligible companies that are domiciled outside of China must list shares on a U.S. or European stock exchange, while China-domiciled companies must list shares on a China domestic or Hong Kong stock exchange. Constituents are required to generate significant revenue from business lines active in modern platforms or digital marketplaces based on several factors such as business model, customer or participant relationship and revenue source. Additionally, companies must have generated at least 7% compound annual revenue growth over the trailing three years (if a security was recently listed 2- or 1-year growth rates will be substituted). Companies

 

22 

Annual rebalance commencing June 2020.

 

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need to have a float-adjusted market capitalization of at least $2 billion and an average daily dollar volume of at least $1,000,000 for each of the three months preceding the Screening Date (after the close of trading on the last trading day in May).    If a security was recently listed and does not have 3-months of trading history, the data available since listing will be used to extrapolate a 3-month average daily traded value. Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, holding companies, ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are eligible for inclusion. Limited partnerships, limited liability companies, royalty trusts, Business Development Companies (BDCs) and mortgage REITs are excluded. Preferred stocks, closed-end funds, passive foreign investment companies, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. The publicly traded security for WisdomTree Investments, Inc., ticker WETF, is not eligible for inclusion in any of WisdomTree’s equity indexes.

In order to be classified as a platform business, a company needs to have financial metrics and applicable language in its Annual Report, 10K or equivalent report. As an example, the following information and guidelines will be used in making the classification.

Customer relationship—business has direct relationship with a user group who consumes value (e.g., product, service, content, etc.).

Producer relationship—business has direct relationship with an external user group who supplies the value to be consumed by another user group. In some cases, this producer user can be the same person as the consumer group, but they engage in a separate set of activities related to creating value when acting as a producer.

Value Created by Producer—the value (e.g., product, service, content, etc.) being consumed by Consumer user group is being supplied by a third-party and is not directly controlled by the company, and that supply does not sit on company’s balance sheet.

Network Effect—there is a positive network externality between the consumer and producer user groups, meaning that the demand for the platform from one user group is dependent upon the number of users on the other side of the platform. The company will either explicitly mention it is subject to network effects or include a statement indicating that the more consumers that use the platform, the more value each producer will get from the platform, and vice versa.

Network Ownership -The company owns the network by which the consumers and producers directly connect. If the company services multiple customer groups but does not own the underlying network that connects them,

 

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it may not qualify (i.e., it is a service provider to that network, and not a platform business itself).

Platform Revenue—The company derives revenue from its platform business unit(s). There is direct platform revenue, which includes money captured as revenue by the platform as a percentage of the monetary value of each transaction it facilitates (e.g., a take rate). There is also indirect platform revenue, which includes revenue generated by providing products or services related to the facilitation of value exchanges on the platform (e.g., advertising, fulfillment services, additional software features that enable the user to transact on the platform).

Platform Revenue Percentage - The company must have a certain threshold of revenue that can be mapped or influenced from a platform business unit or relevant business units. The standard threshold is 50%, except for platform types that require high fixed costs due to hardware, upfront development, labor, or logistics costs, as in development platforms, services marketplaces, and product marketplaces. Targeted platform revenue thresholds by platform type:

 

   

Product Marketplace: 20%

 

   

Services Marketplace: 35%

 

   

Investment Platform: 50%

 

   

Payment Platform: 50%

 

   

Social Networking Platform: 50%

 

   

Social Gaming Platform: 50%

 

   

Communication Platform: 50%

 

   

Content Platform: 50%

 

   

Development Platform: 20%23

 

  2.2

Base Date and Base Value

The WisdomTree Growth Leaders Index was established with a base value of 200 on April 30, 2019.

 

  2.3

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the Growth Leaders Index:

 

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

 

23 

Development platforms also consider total dollar amount of revenue as well and will include companies that generate $1 billion of revenue, regardless of percentage of total revenue.

 

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Pi = Price of security i

Ei = Cross rate of currency of Security i vs. USD. If security price in USD, Ei = 1 D = Divisor

The Index is calculated whenever the stock exchanges are open. If trading is suspended while the exchange the component company trades on is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Index. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both a price and total-return basis, in U.S. dollars. The price Index is calculated and disseminated on an intra-day basis. The total return Indexes are calculated and disseminated on an end-of-day basis.

 

  2.4

Weighting

The WisdomTree Growth Leaders Index is a modified market-capitalization weighted index—securities are weighted by an average of their equal and market cap weights.

 

   

The maximum weight of any individual security is capped at 9% on the annual rebalance, prior to the implementation of the country caps, and the weights of all other components will be adjusted proportionally.

 

   

Exposure to U.S. domiciled companies will be proportionally reduced or increased to 88%.

 

   

The top 12 non-U.S. domiciled companies ranked by sales-growth are added to the index. Should exposure to China-domiciled companies breach 5%, the total weight of these companies will be proportionally reduced to 5%. Should exposure to non-US-domiciled companies breach 12%, the total weight of companies will be proportionally reduced to 12%

The Weighting Date is when component weights are set and it occurs on Monday following the first Friday of the rebalance month. The changes will go into effect after the close of trading on the second Friday of the rebalance month.

Should the “collective weight” of Index component securities whose individual current weights equal or exceed 5.0% of the Index, when added together, equal or exceed 50.0% of the Index, the weightings in those component securities will be reduced so that their collective weight equals 40.0% of the Index at the close of the current calendar quarter, and other components in the Index will be rebalanced to reflect their relative weights before the adjustment. Further iterations of these adjustments may occur until no company or group of companies violates these rules.

 

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Buffer Rules:

Market capitalization: an existing index constituent shall continue to remain in the index even if its market capitalization does not meet the previously defined minimum market capitalization criteria; but remains within 50% of this limit.

Liquidity: an existing index constituent shall continue to remain in the index even if its liquidity is below the previously defined average daily traded value limit; but remains within 50% of this limit.

Revenue: an existing index constituent shall continue to remain in the index even if its revenue does not meet the previously defined minimum criteria; but revenue from digital marketplaces remains over 40%.

The following liquidity adjustment factors will be applied:

A further volume screen requires that a calculated volume factor (the average daily dollar volume for three months preceding the Screening Date / weight of security in each index) shall be greater than $400 million to be eligible for each index.    If a security’s volume factor falls below $400 million at the annual screening, but is currently in the Index, it will remain in the Index. The securities’ weight will be adjusted downwards by an adjustment factor equal to its volume factor divided by $400 million.

In the event a security has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $400 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $400 million.    

 

  2.5

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index. However, special dividends that are not reinvested in the total return index require index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price index.

 

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  2.6

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, the share class with the highest average daily volume will be included. Conversion of a share class into another share class results in the deletion of the share class being phased out and an increase in shares of the surviving share class, provided that the surviving share class is in the Index.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, spins-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and rights offerings require changes in the index shares and the stock prices of the component companies in the Index. Some corporate actions, such as stock issuances, stock buybacks, warrant issuances, increases or decreases in dividend per share between reconstitutions, do not require changes in the index shares or the stock prices of the component companies in the Index. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends and entitlements, may require Index divisor adjustments. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components, such as deletions as a result of corporate actions, will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

 

  3.1.

Component Changes

Additions

Additions to the Index are made at the reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented following the close of trading on the second Friday in June.    No additions are made to the Index between reconstitutions, except in the cases of certain spin-off companies defined below.

Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day

 

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prior to the execution date.24 Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e., that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification.

 

  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company it is allowed to stay in the Index that its parent company is in until the next reconstitution. Spin-off shares of publicly traded companies that are included in the same indexes as their parent company are increased to reflect the spin-off and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that meet all other Index inclusion requirements must wait until the next reconstitution to be included in the Index.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WTI reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy, or reincorporate outside of a defined domicile in the intervening weeks between the Screening Date and the Reconstitution Date are not included in the Index, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters

Selection parameters for the WisdomTree Growth Leaders Index are defined in section 2.1. Companies that pass these selection criteria as of the Screening Date are included in the Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

24 

Companies being acquired will be deleted from the Index immediately before the effective date of the acquisition or upon notice of a suspension of trading in the stock of the company that is being acquired. In cases where an effective date is not publicly announced in advance, or where a notice of suspension of trading in connection with an acquisition is not announced in advance, WisdomTree reserves the right to delete the company being acquired based on best available market information

 

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METHODOLOGY GUIDE FOR CYBERSECURITY INDEX

 

  1.

Index Overview and Description

The WisdomTree Team8 Cybersecurity Index [referred to as “the Index”] is designed to track the performance of companies primarily involved in providing cyber security-oriented products. The Index was developed by WisdomTree Investments, Inc. (“WTI”), in collaboration with third party specialists in the cyber security sector.

The Index is reconstituted on semi-annual basis following the close of trading on the third Friday in March and September.

The Index is calculated to capture price appreciation and total return, which assumes dividends are reinvested into the Index. The Index is calculated using primary market prices and calculated in U.S. dollars.

 

  2.

Key Features

 

  2.1.

Membership Criteria

To be eligible for inclusion in the Index, component companies must be under coverage by the market management team of the third-party independent index calculation agent, must list shares on eligible stock exchanges and derive at least 50% of their revenue from providing primarily cyber security oriented products.

In the developed world, component companies must list their shares on one of the stock exchanges in the U.S., Europe (i.e., Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom), the Tokyo Stock Exchange, or on stock exchanges in Australia, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore or Canada.

In the developed world, component companies must list their shares on one of the stock exchanges in the U.S., Europe (i.e., Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom), the Tokyo Stock Exchange, or on stock exchanges in Australia, Israel, Hong Kong, Singapore or Canada.

In the developing world, component companies must have their shares listed on a stock exchange in one of the following countries: Brazil, Chile, China, Czech Republic, Hungary, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, or Turkey. Securities must be incorporated in one of these Emerging Market Countries. In the case of China, companies that are incorporated or

 

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domiciled in China and trade on one of the stock exchanges in the developed world are eligible for inclusion. In addition, Chinese domestic listed companies that are part of the connect program25 and meet index requirements will be selected for inclusion.

Companies need to have market capitalization of at least $300 million and an average daily dollar volume greater than $1,000,000 for each of the three months preceding the Screening Date (after the close of trading on the last trading day in February and August).

Common stocks, REITs, tracking stocks, holding companies, ADRs, GDRs and EDRs are eligible for inclusion. Limited partnerships, limited liability companies, royalty trusts, Business Development Companies (BDCs) and mortgage REITs are excluded. Preferred stocks, closed-end funds, passive foreign investment companies, exchange-traded funds, and derivative securities such as warrants and rights are not eligible. The publicly traded security for WisdomTree Investments, Inc., ticker WETF, is not eligible for inclusion in any of WisdomTree’s equity indexes.

Growth Score:

The index utilizes a “Growth Score” as defined by WTI. The “Revenue CAGR” for each company is calculated as the compound average annual revenue growth over the trailing three years. If a security was recently listed or if the data is missing, then 2- or 1-year growth rates will be used.

WTI assigns each company the following Growth Scores:

 

   

“Growing Fast” – companies with a Revenue CAGR of 20% or higher

 

   

“Growing” – companies that are not in the index with at least 7% Revenue CAGR, or companies that are currently in the index with a Revenue CAGR of 5% or higher.

 

   

“N/A”—any other company

Focus Score:

The Index also utilizes a “Focus Score” which is developed by WTI in collaboration with third party specialists in the cyber security sector, which captures the perceived degree of a company’s overall involvement across development themes in cyber security.

Based on the number of Development Themes along which a company scores a “High Exposure” (“Highs”), WTI defines a company’s Focus

 

25 

Stock Connect is a unique collaboration between the Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges, which allows international and Mainland Chinese investors to trade securities in each other’s markets through the trading and clearing facilities of their home exchange. First launched in November 2014, the scheme now covers over 2,000 eligible equities in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

 

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Score to be

 

   

“Broad Focus” if Highs is 3 or above

 

   

“Narrow Focus” if Highs is 1 or 2

 

   

“N/A” if Highs is zero

Screening Criteria for Growth and Focus Scores

Companies being rated as “Growing Fast” or “Growing” in Growth Score and not being rated as “N/A” by Focus Score will be selected for inclusion. This means:

 

   

Any new company entering the index must have at least 7% Revenue CAGR.

 

   

Companies that are currently in the index with a Revenue CAGR below 5% will be excluded during the rebalance.

Furthermore, if less than 25 companies pass both Growth and Focus screens, the remaining companies from “Broad Focus” and “Narrow Focus” will be ranked by Revenue CAGR. Companies with higher Revenue CAGR will be selected for inclusion.

 

  2.2

Base Date and Base Value

The WisdomTree Team8 Cybersecurity Index was established with a base value of 200 on October 30, 2020.

 

  2.3

Calculation and Dissemination

The following formula is used to calculate the index levels for the Cybersecurity Index:

LOGO

Si = Number of shares in the index for security i.

Pi = Price of security i

Ei = Cross rate of currency of Security i vs. USD. If security price in USD, Ei = 1

D = Divisor

The Index is calculated whenever the stock exchanges are open. If trading is suspended while the exchange the component company trades on is still open, the last traded price for that stock is used for all subsequent Index computations until trading resumes. If trading is suspended before the opening, the stock’s adjusted closing price from the previous day is used to calculate the Index. Until a particular stock opens, its adjusted closing price from the previous day is used in the Index computation. Index values are calculated on both, price and total-return basis, in U.S. dollars, and disseminated on an end-of-day basis.

 

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  2.4

Weighting

Companies are assigned a Weight Factor based on their Focus and Growth Scores:

 

   

1.33 for companies with scores of “Broad Focus” and “Growing Fast”

 

   

0.75 for companies with “Narrow Focus” and “Growing”

 

   

1 for all other companies

Companies are weighted to reflect their proportionate share of the Weighting Factor, subject to the following “5/37.5 rule” and liquidity adjustment:

5%/37.5% rule – the collective weights of companies with over 5% weight is capped at 37.5% at the index rebalance.

Liquidity adjustment—In the event a company has a calculated volume factor (average daily volume traded over the preceding three months / weight in the index) that is less than $250 million, its weight will be reduced such that weight after volume adjustment = weight before adjustment x calculated volume factor / $250 million.

The Weighting Date is when component weights are set, and it occurs after the close of trading on the second Friday of the rebalance month. The changes will go into effect after the close of trading on the third Friday of the rebalance month.

 

  2.5

Dividend Treatment

Normal dividend payments are not taken into account in the price Index, whereas they are reinvested and accounted for in the total return Index. However, special dividends that are not reinvested in the net total return index require index divisor adjustments to prevent the distribution from distorting the price index.

2.6 Tax Rates

The WisdomTree Team8 Cybersecurity total return index is calculated on a net basis. Net return indices reflect the return to an investor where dividends are reinvested after the deduction of a withholding tax. The tax rate applied is the rate to non-resident institutions that do not benefit from double taxation treaties and is determined by the independent calculation agent in accordance with their methodology.

 

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  2.7

Multiple Share Classes

In the event a component company issues multiple classes of shares of common stock, the share class with the highest average daily volume will be included. Conversion of a share class into another share class results in the deletion of the share class being phased out and an increase in shares of the surviving share class, provided that the surviving share class is in the Index.

 

  3.

Index Maintenance

Index Maintenance includes monitoring and implementing the adjustments for company deletions, stock splits, stock dividends, spins-offs, or other corporate actions. Some corporate actions, such as stock splits, stock dividends, and rights offerings require changes in the index shares and the stock prices of the component companies in the Index. Some corporate actions, such as stock issuances, stock buybacks, warrant issuances, increases or decreases in dividend per share between reconstitutions, do not require changes in the index shares or the stock prices of the component companies in the Index. Other corporate actions, such as special dividends and entitlements, may require Index divisor adjustments. Any corporate action, whether it requires divisor adjustments or not, will be implemented after the close of trading on the day prior to the ex-date of such corporate actions. Whenever possible, changes to the Index’s components, such as deletions as a result of corporate actions, will be announced at least two business days prior to their implementation date.

 

  3.1.

Component Changes

Additions

Additions to the Index are made at reconstitution according to the inclusion criteria defined above. Changes are implemented following the close of trading on the third Friday in March and September. No additions are made to the Index between reconstitutions, except in the cases of certain spin-off companies defined below.

Deletions

Shares of companies that are de-listed or acquired by a company outside of the Index are deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in composition of the Index. A component company that files for bankruptcy is deleted from the Index and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. If a component company is acquired by another company in the

 

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Index for stock, the acquiring company’s shares and weight in the Index are adjusted to reflect the transaction after the close of trading on the day prior to the execution date.26 Component companies that reclassify their shares (i.e., that convert multiple share classes into a single share class) remain in the Index, although index shares are adjusted to reflect the reclassification.

 

  3.2.

Spin-Offs and IPOs

Should a company be spun-off from an existing component company, it is allowed to stay in the Index that its parent company is in until the next reconstitution. Spin-off shares of publicly traded companies that are included in the same indexes as their parent company are increased to reflect the spin-off and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted proportionately to reflect the change in the composition of the Index. Companies that go public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and that meet all other Index inclusion requirements must wait until the next reconstitution to be included in the Index.

 

  4.

Index Divisor Adjustments

Changes in the Index’s market capitalization due to changes in composition, weighting or corporate actions result in a divisor change to maintain the Index’s continuity. By adjusting the divisor, the Index value retains its continuity before and after the event. Corporate actions that require divisor adjustments will be implemented prior to the opening of trading on the effective date. In certain instances where information is incomplete, or the completion of an event is announced too late to be implemented prior to the ex-date, the implementation will occur as of the close of the following day or as soon as practicable thereafter. For corporate actions not described herein, or combinations of different types of corporate events and other exceptional cases, WTI reserves the right to determine the appropriate implementation method.

 

26 

Companies being acquired will be deleted from the Index immediately before the effective date of the acquisition or upon notice of a suspension of trading in the stock of the company that is being acquired. In cases where an effective date is not publicly announced in advance, or where a notice of suspension of trading in connection with an acquisition is not announced in advance, WisdomTree reserves the right to delete the company being acquired based on best available market information

 

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Companies that are acquired, de-listed, file for bankruptcy, or reincorporate outside of a defined domicile in the intervening weeks between the Screening Date and the Reconstitution Date are not included in the Index, and the weights of the remaining components are adjusted accordingly.

 

  5.

Selection Parameters

Selection parameters for the WisdomTree Team8 Cybersecurity Index are defined in section 2.1. Companies that pass these selection criteria as of the Screening Date are included in the Index. The component companies are assigned weights in the Index as defined in section 2.4., and reconstitution of the Index takes effect as defined in section 3.1.

 

Page 117 of 117

LOGO

January 15, 2021

WisdomTree Trust

245 Park Avenue

35th Floor

New York, NY 10167

 

Re:

Registration Statement on Form N-1A

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to WisdomTree Trust, a Delaware statutory trust (the “Trust”), in connection with Post-Effective Amendment Number 769 to the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on or about January 15, 2021 (the “Registration Statement”), with respect to the issuance of shares of beneficial interest, with $0.001 par value per share (collectively, the “Shares”), of the Trust’s WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund (the “Fund”). You have requested that we deliver this opinion to you in connection with the Trust’s filing of the Registration Statement.

In connection with the furnishing of this opinion, we have examined the following documents:    

 

  (a)

A certificate of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, dated as of a recent date, as to the existence and good standing of the Trust;

 

  (b)

A copy, certified by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, of the Trust’s Certificate of Trust dated December 15, 2005, as filed with the Secretary of State (the “Certificate of Trust”);

 

  (c)

Copies of the Trust’s Trust Instrument, dated December 15, 2005, and Schedule A thereto as revised to date (the “Trust Instrument”), and the Trust’s By-Laws dated December 15, 2005, as amended June 16, 2016 (the “By-Laws”), each certified by an authorized officer of the Trust;

 

  (d)

Certain certificates executed by an authorized officer of the Trust certifying that the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the “Board”) has adopted resolutions that properly establish the Fund, authorize the issuance of Shares of the Fund, and authorize the offer and sale of such Shares; and

 

  (e)

A printer’s proof of the Registration Statement.

 

  
  

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WisdomTree Trust

January 15, 2021

Page 2

In such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the conformity to the originals of all of the documents reviewed by us as copies, including conformed copies, the authenticity and completeness of all original documents reviewed by us in original or copy form, and the legal competence of each individual executing any document. We have assumed that the Registration Statement, as filed with the Commission, will be in substantially the form of the printer’s proof referred to in paragraph (e) above. We also have assumed for the purposes of this opinion that the Certificate of Trust, Trust Instrument, By-Laws, and the actions of the Board will not have been amended, modified or withdrawn with respect to matters relating to the Shares, and will be in full force and effect on the date of issuance of such Shares.

This opinion is based entirely on our review of the documents listed above and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for the purposes of this opinion and such investigation of law as we have deemed necessary or appropriate. We have made no other review or investigation of any kind whatsoever, and we have assumed, without independent inquiry, the accuracy of the information set forth in such documents.

This opinion is limited solely to the Delaware Statutory Trust Act to the extent that the same may apply to or govern the transaction referred to herein, and we express no opinion with respect to the laws of any other jurisdiction or to any other laws of the State of Delaware. Further, we express no opinion as to any state or federal securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Delaware. No opinion is given herein as to the choice of law or internal substantive rules of law that any tribunal may apply to such transaction. In addition, to the extent that the Trust Instrument or the By-Laws refer to, incorporate, or require compliance with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), or any other law or regulation applicable to the Trust, except for the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, we have assumed compliance by the Trust with the 1940 Act and such other laws and regulations.

We understand that all of the foregoing assumptions and limitations are acceptable to you.

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that the Shares, when issued and sold in accordance with the Trust Instrument, By-Laws, actions of the Board, and Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid, and nonassessable by the Trust.

This opinion is given as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update this opinion to reflect any changes in law or any other facts or circumstances which may hereafter come to our attention. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In rendering this opinion and giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

Very truly yours,

 

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