First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF (RFEM) Sharpe Ratio: 1.81

RFEM's Sharpe Ratio of 1.81 indicates that for each unit of volatility, it generates 1.81 units of excess return above the risk-free rate. The ratio is calculated using historical daily returns over the past 12 months (as of Jul 14, 2026).

Sharpe uses total volatility (standard deviation) which includes both upside and downside price movements, making it useful for comparing risk-adjusted returns across different assets. For how to read this number and when it can mislead, see Sharpe Ratio Explained.

RFEM Sharpe Ratio Rank

Above Average

RFEM ranks above 70.9% of all investments in our database based on Sharpe Ratio over the past 12 months, indicating above-average returns relative to volatility. Securities are ranked from 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

What moves the rank

Strong returns with low total volatility → Higher rank
High volatility (both upside and downside) → Lower rank
Consistent returns → Higher rank than volatile returns of same magnitude
Sharp drawdowns increase volatility → Lower rank

What you can do with this information

Above-average risk-adjusted returns with room for improvement
Compare against category peers to gauge relative positioning
Monitor for movement toward top tier or decline toward median
Consider pairing with top-tier holdings to improve portfolio efficiency

RFEM Sharpe Ratio Market Positioning

The chart shows RFEM's Sharpe Ratio relative to all ETFs on our platform, with color zones indicating percentile rankings. Higher ratios indicate better risk-adjusted returns.

Red zone (bottom 25%): 0.74 or lower
Yellow zone (middle 50%): 0.74 to 1.90
Green zone (top 25%): 1.90 or higher
Top 1%: 6.56+
Median: 1.39 — half of all investments score higher

How it compares to other similar ETFs

The table compares First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF's Sharpe Ratio with other ETFs in the Emerging Markets Equities category across multiple time periods, showing how RFEM's risk-adjusted performance compares to similar funds.

Data shows 1-, 5-, and 10-year periods, plus each fund's all-time average, as of Jul 14, 2026.

Symbol	Name	1Y Sharpe Ratio
EVLU	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Value Factor ETF	2.44
GEME	Pacific North of South Global Emerging Markets Equity Active ETF	2.42
PIE	Invesco DWA Emerging Markets Momentum ETF	2.30
DBEM	Xtrackers MSCI Emerging Markets Hedged Equity ETF	2.05
ROAM	Hartford Multifactor Emerging Markets ETF	2.03
EMXC	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ex China ETF	2.01
EQLT	iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Quality Factor ETF	1.94
XCEM	Columbia EM Core ex-China ETF	1.93
ECOW	Pacer Emerging Markets Cash Cows 100 ETF	1.91
AGEM	abrdn Emerging Markets Dividend Active ETF	1.89
RFEM	First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Emerging Markets ETF	1.81

Benchmark Against

Benchmark

S&P 500 Index

Lookback Period

How to choose period

Historical Sharpe Ratio

The chart shows RFEM's rolling Sharpe ratio over time compared to your chosen benchmark. Rising trends indicate improving returns relative to total volatility, while declining trends may signal deteriorating risk-adjusted performance or increased volatility. Use multiple timeframes to distinguish short-term fluctuations from long-term patterns.

Identify market cycles by observing when RFEM consistently outperforms (line above benchmark), underperforms (below benchmark), or aligns with the benchmark.

Loading charts...

Sharpe Ratio Calculator

How does RFEM fit in your portfolio?

Add your other holdings to see your portfolio's Sharpe Ratio and find out.

Analyze Your Portfolio