DEFA14A: WisdomTree Receives ISS Endorsement for All Nine Board Nominees Ahead of 2024 Annual Meeting

Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) joins Glass Lewis in recommending WisdomTree stockholders vote for all nine of the company's board nominees at the upcoming 2024 annual meeting.

Summary

• WisdomTree, Inc. announced that Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) has recommended that stockholders vote for all nine of its board nominees at the 2024 Annual Meeting.
• ISS's recommendation aligns with that of Glass Lewis, another leading independent proxy advisory firm.
• ISS highlighted WisdomTree's strong operational performance, margin improvement, and peer-leading total stockholder returns (TSR) as key factors in its endorsement.
• The ISS report also acknowledged the company's focus on margin improvement, the solid performance of its core business, and the significant outperformance of its TSR compared to peers over the past three years.
• WisdomTree urges stockholders to vote FOR all nine director nominees using the WHITE proxy card.

Sentiment

Score: 8

Explanation: The document conveys a positive sentiment due to the endorsements from ISS and Glass Lewis, highlighting strong performance metrics and corporate governance practices. The focus on shareholder value and strategic initiatives further contributes to the positive outlook.

Positives

• ISS and Glass Lewis both recommend voting for all nine WisdomTree board nominees.
• WisdomTree has demonstrated strong operational performance and margin improvement.
• The company's total stockholder returns have significantly outperformed peers over the past three years.
• The board has been declassified and refreshed, and all committees are chaired by directors that have joined within the last three years.
• WisdomTree currently has approximately $109 billion in assets under management globally.

Risks

• Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially.
• These risks include the impact and contributions of the slate of director nominees and WisdomTree's ability to achieve its financial and business plans, goals, and objectives.

Future Outlook

WisdomTree aims to continue driving stockholder value through its financial and business plans, including the successful implementation of its strategy relating to WisdomTree Prime.

Management Comments

• Win Neuger, Chair of the WisdomTree Board of Directors, said, 'We are pleased that ISS recognizes the value WisdomTree continues to deliver to its stockholders, much as Glass Lewis did earlier today.'

Industry Context

The endorsement from ISS and Glass Lewis is significant as it can influence how institutional investors vote, potentially impacting the outcome of the director elections at the annual meeting. This is especially relevant given the dissident stockholder ETFS Capitals actions.

Comparison to Industry Standards

• WisdomTree's peer-leading total stockholder returns (TSR) are highlighted as a key differentiator.
• The company's strong expansion in gross and adjusted operating margins is also noted as a positive compared to industry peers.
• The report does not provide specific comparisons to named competitors, but emphasizes WisdomTree's outperformance relative to its peer group.

Stakeholder Impact

• The recommendations from ISS and Glass Lewis are expected to positively influence shareholder confidence.
• The company's strong performance and strategic direction aim to benefit stockholders through increased value.
• The focus on corporate governance and board refreshment is intended to ensure effective oversight and accountability.

Next Steps

• Stockholders are urged to vote FOR all nine director nominees using the WHITE proxy card.
• WisdomTree will proceed with its 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.

Key Dates

Keywords

WisdomTree, ISS, Glass Lewis, proxy vote, board nominees, annual meeting, stockholders, corporate governance, total stockholder returns, margin improvement, digital assets, WisdomTree Prime