Short interest in the WisdomTree U.S. High Dividend Fund (DHS) climbed sharply during December, rising by 412.0% from mid-month levels. As of December 31, 48,425 shares were sold short, up from 9,458 shares on December 15. This spike pushed the days-to-cover ratio to 2.4, based on an average daily trading volume of 19,986 shares, marking the heaviest period of bearish positioning seen in the fund this year.

Several asset managers have marginally increased their exposure to DHS over recent quarters. BOK Financial Private Wealth boosted its holdings by 10.8%, adding 115 shares in Q2. Captrust Financial Advisors and Capital Investment Advisors each lifted stakes by roughly 0.3%–3.1% during Q3, translating to net additions of 116 and 130 shares, respectively. Meanwhile, Capital Advisors Wealth Management and NewEdge Advisors approved modest increases of 3.8% and 1.2% in Q2 and Q3, respectively, signaling cautious confidence from select wealth managers despite the rise in short interest.

DHS tracks a fundamentally weighted index of high-yielding U.S. equities with minimum market caps of $200 million and average daily turnover of at least $200,000 over the prior quarter. The fund currently holds 365 positions, with the top ten accounting for under 25% of assets. It offers a 3.3% yield paid monthly, providing consistent income for investors targeting regular distributions. The broad sector mix—dominated by healthcare, financials, staples and energy—supports the fund’s risk-adjusted income profile preferred by income-seeking portfolios.