497K 1 wcbr31524497k.htm WISDOMTREE CYBERSECURITY FUND

 

 

 

 

 

WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund – WCBR (NASDAQ)

 

Summary Prospectus – March 15, 2024

 

Before you invest in the Fund, as defined below, you may want to review the Fund’s prospectus and statement of additional information (“SAI”), which contain more information about the Fund and the risks of investing in the Fund. The Fund’s current prospectus and SAI are incorporated by reference into this summary prospectus. You can find the Fund’s prospectus and SAI, reports to shareholders, as well as other information about the Fund, online at www.wisdomtree.com/investments/resource-library/prospectus-regulatory-reports. You may also obtain this information at no charge by calling 1-866-909-9473 or by sending an e-mail request to getinfo@wisdomtree.com.

 

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%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses 0.45%

 

Example

This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem or hold all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:

 

  1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
  $ 46 $ 144 $ 252 $ 567

 

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 higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in the Fund’s Annual Fund Operating Expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 45% of the average value of its portfolio, excluding the value of portfolio securities received or delivered as a result of in-kind creations or redemptions of the Fund’s capital shares.

 

Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund

WisdomTree, Inc., the Index Provider and parent company of the Fund’s investment adviser, WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc. (“WisdomTree Asset Management” or the “Adviser”), designed the Index to provide exposure to

 

  

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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 a median daily dollar trading volume of at least $1 million for each of the preceding three months.

 

The Index is reconstituted and rebalanced semi-annually. The Index Provider currently uses the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS®), a widely recognized industry classification methodology developed by MSCI, Inc. and Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, to assign companies to a given sector or industry and identify the sectors represented in the Index. The sectors represented in the Index, as well as the extent of such representation, are expected to vary over time. A sector typically is comprised of multiple industries. For example, the Energy Sector is comprised of, among others, the Energy Equipment and Services Industry and the Oil, Gas and Consumable Fuels Industry. As of September 30, 2023, companies assigned to the Information Technology Sector comprised a significant portion (i.e., approximately 15% or more of the total weighting) of the Index; however, the Index’s sector exposure may change from time to time.

 

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

 

As of September 30, 2023, the equity securities of companies domiciled in or otherwise tied (e.g., a company’s principal place of business is maintained in that region or country) to the United States comprised a significant portion (i.e., approximately 15% or more of the total weighting) of the Index, although the Index’s geographic exposure may change from time to time.

 

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

You can lose money on your investment in the Fund. While certain of the risks are prioritized in terms of their relevance to the Fund’s investment strategies, most risks are presented in alphabetical order. This ordering approach is designed to both facilitate an investor’s understanding of the Fund’s risks and enable an investor to easily locate and compare risks among 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 investment 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 Funds” 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 loss, 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 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.
   
Shares of the Fund May Trade at Prices Other Than NAV. As with all exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), Fund shares may be bought and sold in the secondary market at market prices. The market 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

 

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  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. Additionally, in stressed market conditions, the market for the Fund’s shares may become less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings.

 

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 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 Fund redeemed shares in kind.

 

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, institutional investors authorized to purchase and redeem shares directly from the Fund (i.e., 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.

 

Foreign Securities Risk. Investments in non-U.S. securities involve political, regulatory, and economic risks that may not be present in 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, political or economic instability, or geographic events that adversely impact issuers of foreign securities. Investments in non-U.S. securities also may be subject to withholding or other taxes and may be subject to additional trading, settlement, custodial, and operational risks. These and other factors can make investments in the Fund more volatile and potentially less liquid than other types of investments. These risks may be heightened to the extent the Fund invests in companies domiciled in or otherwise tied to developing or emerging market countries.

 

Geographic Investment Risk. To the extent the Fund invests a significant portion of its assets in a single country or region, it is more likely to be impacted by events or conditions affecting that country or region.

 

Investments in the United States
The economic, political, regulatory and other events and conditions that affect issuers and investments in the United States differ significantly from those associated with other countries and regions. For example, routine political events, such as a presidential election, can have a significant effect on the U.S. markets and lead to periods of increased volatility. U.S. financial markets also have become increasingly globalized, hosting participants from all over the world and on a more macro level, becoming more tightly integrated with financial markets around the world. As a result, U.S. financial markets are also increasingly vulnerable to the risks that may affect non-U.S. financial markets. Any event or condition that affects the U.S. economy, whether originating from within or outside of the United States may have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investments in the United States and thus, the Fund’s performance.

 

Geopolitical Risk. The United States may experience security concerns, war, threats of war, aggression and/or conflict, terrorism, economic uncertainty, sanctions or the threat of sanctions, natural and environmental disasters, the spread of infectious illness, widespread disease or other public health issues and/or systemic market dislocations that lead to increased short-term market volatility and 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 may not perform as intended. The Index Provider has the right to make adjustments to the composition and/or operation of 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

 

  

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  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 a 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 invests 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.

 

Mid-Capitalization Investing Risk. The Fund may invest in the securities of mid-capitalization companies. As a result, the Fund’s performance may be adversely affected if securities of these companies underperform securities of other capitalization ranges or the market as a whole. Securities of mid-capitalization companies are often less stable and more vulnerable to market volatility and adverse economic developments than securities of larger companies, but mid-capitalization companies may also underperform the securities of small-capitalization companies because medium capitalization companies are more mature and are subject to slower growth during economic expansion.

 

Non-Correlation Risk. As with all index funds, the performance of the Fund and that of the Index may differ from each other 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, when markets are volatile, the ability to sell securities at fair market prices may be adversely affected and may result in additional trading costs and/or increase the non-correlation risk. The Fund's use of sampling techniques also may affect its ability to achieve close correlation with its Index.

 

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 may invest 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.

 

Fund Performance

Historical Fund performance, which varies over time, can provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart that follows shows the annual total returns of the Fund for each full calendar year since the Fund commenced operations, or the past 10 calendar years, as applicable. The table that follows the bar chart shows the Fund’s average annual total returns, both before and after taxes. This table also shows how the Fund’s performance compares to that of the Index and the S&P 500 Information Technology Index, a relevant broad-based securities index. In addition, performance also is shown for the S&P 500 Growth Index, another comparative index that also represents the asset class in which the Fund invests. Index returns do not reflect deductions for fees, expenses or taxes. All returns assume reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated

 

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performance information for the Fund is available online on the Fund’s website at www.wisdomtree.com/investments.

 

 

 

The Fund’s year-to-date total return as of September 30, 2023 was 34.06%.

 

Best and Worst Quarter Returns (for the periods reflected in the bar chart above)

 

  Return Quarter/Year
Highest Return (4.72)% 3Q/2022
Lowest Return (27.87)% 2Q/2022

 

After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not relevant if you hold your shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. In some cases, the return after taxes may exceed the return before taxes due to an assumed tax benefit from any losses on a sale of Fund shares at the end of the measurement period.

 

Average Annual Total Returns for the periods ending December 31, 2022

 

WisdomTree Cybersecurity Fund 1 Year Since Inception
January 28, 2021
Return Before Taxes Based on NAV (41.57)% (21.11)%
Return After Taxes on Distributions (41.57)% (21.15)%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares (24.61)% (15.62)%
WisdomTree Team8 Cybersecurity Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (41.75)% (21.01)%
S&P 500 Information Technology Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (28.19)% (2.31)%
S&P 500 Growth Index (Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) (29.41)% (4.03)%

 

Management

 

Investment Adviser and Sub-Adviser

WisdomTree Asset Management serves as investment adviser to the Fund. Mellon Investments Corporation (the “Sub-Adviser”) serves as the investment 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 identified below.

 

Marlene Walker-Smith, a Director, Head of Equity Index Portfolio Management, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since its inception in January 2021.

 

David France, CFA, a Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager and Team Manager, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since June 2021.

 

  

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Todd Frysinger, CFA, a Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager and Team Manager, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since June 2021.

 

Vlasta Sheremeta, CFA, a Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager and Team Manager, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since June 2021.

 

Michael Stoll, a Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager and Team Manager, has been a portfolio manager of the Fund since June 2021.

 

Buying and Selling Fund Shares

The Fund is an ETF. This means that individual shares of the Fund are listed for trading on a national securities exchange, currently 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/investments.

 

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.

 

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WIS-WCBR-SUM-0324