ETF Evaluator: William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF () Follow This ETF

William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF Overview

William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF (WBEM) is an actively managed International Equity Diversified Emerging Markets exchange-traded fund (ETF). William Blair launched the ETF in 2026.

The investment seeks long-term capital appreciation. Under normal circumstances, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) in emerging markets equity securities. It is non-diversified.

About William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF (WBEM)

There are 3 members of the management team with an average tenure of 0.05 years: Todd McClone (2026), Casey Preyss (2026) and Vivian Thurston (2026). Management tenure is more important for actively managed ETFs than passive index ETFs.

William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF has securities in its portfolio. The top 10 holdings constitute 0.0% of the ETF’s assets. The ETF meets the SEC requirement of being classified as a nondiversified fund. The ETF is not considered to have an ESG focus with its investment selection and management.

William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF is part of the Equity global asset class and is within the International Equity ETF group. William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF has 0.0% of its portfolio invested in foreign issues. The overall assets allocated to domestic stock is 0.0% There is 0.0% allocated to foreign stock, and 0.0% is allocated to preferred stocks. The bond allocation as a percentage of total assets is 0.0% (0.0% domestic bond, 0.0% foreign bond and 0.0% convertible bond). William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF has 0.0% of the portfolio in cash.

Assets Under Management

The fund has $9 million in total assets, which is below the $3 billion average for the Diversified Emerging Markets category. Normally, lower assets under management translates to higher average expense ratios, and greater total assets are desired. However, for some investment categories, such as small-cap investing, it may be difficult for the manager to fully employ the desired active strategy if assets grow too large or too quickly.

WBEM Performance and Fees

The expense ratio measures how much of a fund’s assets are used for administrative expenses and operating expenses, including adviser fees and fees for the transfer agent and custodial services. The William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF expense ratio is above average compared to funds in the Diversified Emerging Markets category. William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF has an expense ratio of 0.65%, which is 27% higher than its category average, making the fund expense ratio grade a D. While it is difficult to predict returns, it is known that high annual expense ratios reduce your rate of return, and excessive fees are difficult to overcome. Active management normally comes with higher expense ratios than passive index management. Certain investment categories such as small company and foreign also normally have higher expense ratios. It is best to compare fund expense ratios against the category averages for meaningful assessments.

High portfolio turnover can translate to higher expenses and lower aftertax returns. William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF has a portfolio turnover rate of 0%, which indicates that it holds its assets around /years. By way of comparison, the average portfolio turnover is 47% for the Diversified Emerging Markets category.

Recently, in the month of October 2026, William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF returned 0.0%, which earned it a grade of NA, as the Diversified Emerging Markets category had an average return of -7.3%. The letter grades of A, B, C, D and F are based upon relative rankings within the investment category. A grade of A, for example, would indicate that the return is in the highest 20% for that time period compared to all ETFs in that category.

William Blair Emerging Markets Eq ETF has a trailing yield of 0.00%, which is below the 2.61% category average. The fund normally distributes its income annually and its capital gains annually.

It’s natural to seek the best-performing investments, but you must consider the relationship between risk and return and the impact of costs and taxes on your realized returns.

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