- ISIN
- US33737J4067
- CUSIP
- 33737J406
- Issuer
- First Trust
- Inception Date
- Feb 15, 2012
- Region
- Developed Markets (Broad)
- Category
- Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities
- Leveraged
- 1x (No leverage)
- Index Tracked
- NASDAQ AlphaDEX DM Ex-US Small Cap Index
- Distribution Policy
- Distributing
- Asset Class
- Equity
- Asset Class Size
- Multi-Cap
- Asset Class Style
- Blend
- Assets Under Management
- $14M
Share Price Chart
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Performance
FDTS Performance Chart
First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund (FDTS) is up 16.8% since the beginning of the year. FDTS is currently trading at $68 per share. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of FDTS shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,688.
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Returns By Period
First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund (FDTS) has returned 16.84% so far this year and 42.46% over the past 12 months. Over the last ten years, FDTS has returned 10.93% per year, falling short of the S&P 500 Index benchmark, which averaged 13.88% annually.
First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund
- 1D
- -0.90%
- 1M
- -2.72%
- YTD
- 16.84%
- 6M
- 17.25%
- 1Y
- 42.46%
- 3Y*
- 25.44%
- 5Y*
- 11.04%
- 10Y*
- 10.93%
Benchmark (S&P 500 Index)
- 1D
- -0.37%
- 1M
- -0.01%
- YTD
- 9.16%
- 6M
- 8.64%
- 1Y
- 25.22%
- 3Y*
- 19.78%
- 5Y*
- 11.99%
- 10Y*
- 13.88%
FDTS Monthly Returns History
Based on dividend-adjusted daily data since Feb 16, 2012, FDTS's average daily return is +0.04%, while the average monthly return is +0.81%. At this rate, an investment would double in approximately 7.2 years.
Historically, 61% of months were positive and 39% were negative. The best month was Apr 2020 with a return of +15.0%, while the worst month was Mar 2020 at -17.8%. The longest winning streak lasted 14 consecutive months, and the longest losing streak was 4 months.
On a daily basis, FDTS closed higher 41% of trading days. The best single day was Jul 27, 2022 with a return of +12.1%, while the worst single day was Mar 12, 2020 at -13.3%.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 10.72% | 10.98% | -9.63% | 8.93% | -1.16% | -2.27% | 16.84% | ||||||
| 2025 | 2.53% | 0.51% | 2.41% | 4.57% | 7.82% | 8.10% | 1.55% | 6.34% | 3.32% | -0.49% | 3.27% | 2.48% | 51.17% |
| 2024 | -1.36% | 2.21% | 4.21% | -3.03% | 5.44% | -3.18% | 2.92% | 1.15% | 2.12% | -4.86% | -0.46% | -2.17% | 2.44% |
| 2023 | 8.15% | -2.34% | 1.15% | -3.12% | -4.57% | 5.25% | 5.73% | -2.04% | -3.01% | -3.23% | 5.67% | 3.92% | 10.96% |
| 2022 | -9.18% | 1.34% | 5.92% | -11.37% | 8.81% | -15.11% | 7.16% | -7.20% | -8.70% | 5.17% | 7.45% | 3.38% | -15.34% |
| 2021 | 1.59% | 0.07% | 5.66% | 4.03% | 2.41% | -1.14% | 2.26% | -0.88% | -1.84% | 0.91% | -5.84% | 4.51% | 11.79% |
Benchmark Metrics
First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund has an annualized alpha of 3.23%, beta of 0.57, and R2 of 0.17 versus S&P 500 Index. Calculated based on daily prices since February 16, 2012.
- This ETF participated in 100.91% of S&P 500 Index downside but only 83.29% of its upside - more exposed to losses than it benefited from rallies.
- Beta of 0.57 may look defensive, but with R2 of 0.17 this ETF is largely uncorrelated with S&P 500 Index - low beta reflects independence, not downside protection. See the Volatility section for a true picture of this ETF's risk.
- R2 of 0.17 means this ETF moves largely independently of S&P 500 Index - capture ratios reflect limited market correlation rather than active downside protection. Consider using a more representative benchmark.
- Alpha
- 3.23%
- Beta
- 0.57
- R²
- 0.17
- Upside Capture
- 83.29%
- Downside Capture
- 100.91%
Expense Ratio
FDTS has an expense ratio of 0.80%, placing it in the medium range.
Return for Risk
Risk / Return Rank
FDTS ranks 71 for risk / return — better than 71% of ETFs on our site. You're getting solid returns for the risk taken. A good sign, especially for investors who want growth without excessive volatility.
Return / Risk — by metrics
The table below present risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund (FDTS) and compare them to S&P 500 Index.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| FDTS | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.31 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.36 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.37 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.38 | 2.78 | +0.60 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.41 | 12.44 | -1.03 |
Dividends
Dividend History
First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund provided a 2.57% dividend yield over the last twelve months, with an annual payout of $1.75 per share. The fund has been increasing its distributions for 2 consecutive years.
| Period | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend | $1.75 | $1.72 | $1.57 | $1.17 | $1.39 | $1.39 | $0.86 | $0.89 | $0.65 | $0.93 | $0.59 | $0.57 |
Dividend yield | 2.57% | 2.94% | 3.94% | 2.90% | 3.71% | 3.01% | 2.02% | 2.30% | 1.96% | 2.08% | 1.78% | 1.73% |
Monthly Dividends
The table displays the monthly dividend distributions for First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund. The dividends shown in the table have been adjusted to account for any splits that may have occurred.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.16 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.16 | ||||||
| 2025 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.12 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.62 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.34 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.63 | $1.72 |
| 2024 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.20 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.50 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.15 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.72 | $1.57 |
| 2023 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.10 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.55 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.14 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.38 | $1.17 |
| 2022 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.06 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.40 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.33 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.60 | $1.39 |
| 2021 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.31 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.31 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.07 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.70 | $1.39 |
Drawdowns
Drawdowns Chart
The Drawdowns chart displays portfolio losses from any high point along the way. Drawdowns are calculated considering price movements and all distributions paid, if any.
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Worst Drawdowns
The table below displays the maximum drawdowns of the First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund. A maximum drawdown is a measure of risk, indicating the largest reduction in portfolio value due to a series of losing trades.
The maximum drawdown for the First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund was 51.26%, occurring on Mar 23, 2020. Recovery took 224 trading sessions.
The current First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund drawdown is 6.32%.
Related event | Drawdown | Fall | Recovery | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
COVID crash2020 | -51.26%Mar 2020 | 2y 1mo | 10mo 24d | 3y 12dJan 2018 - Feb 2021 |
Bear market2022 | -33.11%Sep 2022 | 1y 22d | 2y 7mo | 3y 7moSep 2021 - May 2025 |
2016 bear market2016 | -24.73%Feb 2016 | 1y 7mo | 1y 2mo | 2y 10moJul 2014 - May 2017 |
2012 bear market2012 | -20.32%Jun 2012 | 3mo 7d | 7mo 11d | 10mo 18dFeb 2012 - Jan 2013 |
2026 correction2026 | -12.61%Mar 2026 | 1mo 2d | 1mo 7d | 2mo 9dFeb 2026 - May 2026 |
Drawdown Indicators
| FDTS | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.26% | -56.78% | +5.52% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.61% | -9.10% | -3.51% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.19% | -18.90% | +5.71% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.11% | -25.43% | -7.68% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -51.26% | -33.92% | -17.34% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.32% | -1.80% | -4.52% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.64% | -10.71% | +0.07% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.73% | 2.03% | +1.70% |
Volatility
Volatility Chart
The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
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