First Trust Financials AlphaDEX Fund (FXO) belongs to the Financials Equities category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with FXO. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to FXO
FXO charges 0.62% annually. There are 31 ETFs in the Financials Equities category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.08%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF | 0.08% | 57.61B | Dec 1998 | FXO vs XLF | |
| Fidelity MSCI Financials Index ETF | 0.08% | 2.23B | Oct 2013 | FXO vs FNCL | |
| Vanguard Financials ETF | 0.09% | 13.90B | Jan 2004 | FXO vs VFH | |
| VanEck Financials TruSector ETF | 0.10% | 593.86K | Apr 2026 | FXO vs TRUF | |
| Gabelli Financial Services Opportunities ETF | 0.10% | 50.20M | May 2022 | FXO vs GABF |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to FXO
FXO has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 45. There are 14 ETFs in the Financials Equities category with higher risk-adjusted ranks, going as high as 94.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSBC Holdings plc ADRhedged ETF | 94 | 5.04M | Oct 2024 | FXO vs HSBH | |
| Themes Global Systemically Important Banks ETF | 87 | 48.36M | Dec 2023 | FXO vs GSIB | |
| iShares MSCI Europe Financials ETF | 66 | 4.20B | Jan 2010 | FXO vs EUFN | |
| Invesco KBW Bank ETF | 65 | 6.70B | Nov 2011 | FXO vs KBWB | |
| Invesco S&P SmallCap Financials ETF | 64 | 27.49M | Apr 2010 | FXO vs PSCF |
Top Performing FXO Alternatives (YTD)
FXO is at 12.28% YTD. There are 13 ETFs in the Financials Equities category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 37.72%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSBC Holdings plc ADRhedged ETF | 37.72% | 5.04M | Oct 2024 | FXO vs HSBH | |
| First Trust NASDAQ ABA Community Bank Index Fund | 25.48% | 93.23M | Jun 2009 | FXO vs QABA | |
| Portfolio Building Block European Banks Index ETF | 24.05% | 438.81M | Nov 2025 | FXO vs PBEU | |
| Themes Global Systemically Important Banks ETF | 22.50% | 48.36M | Dec 2023 | FXO vs GSIB | |
| SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF | 21.51% | 4.62B | Jun 2006 | FXO vs KRE |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to FXO
FXO has 15.51% 1-year volatility. There are 11 ETFs in the Financials Equities category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 11.80%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Street Financial Select Sector SPDR Premium ... | 11.80% | 7.51M | Jul 2025 | FXO vs XLFI | |
| iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF | 13.37% | 68.36M | Sep 2020 | FXO vs KWT | |
| VanEck Financials TruSector ETF | 13.46% | 593.86K | Apr 2026 | FXO vs TRUF | |
| iShares Global Financials ETF | 14.05% | 690.89M | Nov 2001 | FXO vs IXG | |
| iShares U.S. Financials ETF | 14.58% | 4.43B | May 2000 | FXO vs IYF |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to FXO
FXO has a 1-year max drawdown of -11.72%. There are 5 ETFs in the Financials Equities category with shallower 1-year drawdowns, going as shallow as -7.62%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| iShares U.S. Insurance ETF | -7.62% | 537.00M | May 2006 | FXO vs IAK | |
| Invesco KBW Property & Casualty Insurance ETF | -9.56% | 272.55M | Dec 2010 | FXO vs KBWP | |
| Invesco S&P SmallCap Financials ETF | -9.91% | 27.49M | Apr 2010 | FXO vs PSCF | |
| iShares Global Financials ETF | -11.33% | 690.89M | Nov 2001 | FXO vs IXG | |
| iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF | -11.54% | 68.36M | Sep 2020 | FXO vs KWT |
Other ETFs from First Trust
The 10 most viewed First Trust ETFs shown here include CIBR, GRID, AIRR and span 16 categories. AUM among these funds goes as high as $25B.
Often Compared With FXO
Investors most often compare FXO with IAI, KCE, VOO. These 20 comparison targets span 13 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare FXO with Any Fund or Stock
Compare FXO with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair FXO with funds that move differently
First Trust Financials AlphaDEX Fund alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to FXO.
Explore FXO Diversifiers