AFMC vs. FSMD

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Active Factor Mid Cap ETF (AFMC) and Fidelity Small-Mid Multifactor ETF (FSMD).

AFMC and FSMD are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. AFMC is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on Dec 3, 2019. FSMD is a passively managed fund by Fidelity that tracks the performance of the Fidelity Small-Mid Multifactor Index. It was launched on Feb 26, 2019.

Performance

AFMC vs. FSMD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Active Factor Mid Cap ETF (AFMC) and Fidelity Small-Mid Multifactor ETF (FSMD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

AFMC vs. FSMD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
AFMC First Trust Active Factor Mid Cap ETF	3.16%	10.23%	19.06%	21.46%	-15.55%	25.75%	5.87%	2.56%
FSMD Fidelity Small-Mid Multifactor ETF	1.72%	8.70%	15.18%	17.37%	-11.15%	26.40%	8.94%	2.30%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AFMC achieves a 3.16% return, which is significantly higher than FSMD's 1.72% return.

AFMC

• 1D: 2.65%
• 1M: -4.78%
• YTD: 3.16%
• 6M: 4.11%
• 1Y: 17.62%
• 3Y*: 16.36%
• 5Y*: 8.78%
• 10Y*: —

FSMD

• 1D: 3.04%
• 1M: -4.67%
• YTD: 1.72%
• 6M: 2.29%
• 1Y: 15.81%
• 3Y*: 13.07%
• 5Y*: 7.84%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AFMC vs. FSMD - Expense Ratio Comparison

AFMC has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than FSMD's 0.29% expense ratio.

AFMC

First Trust Active Factor Mid Cap ETF

FSMD

Fidelity Small-Mid Multifactor ETF

Return for Risk

AFMC vs. FSMD — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AFMC

AFMC Risk / Return Rank: 55
AFMC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 51
AFMC Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
AFMC Omega Ratio Rank: 51
AFMC Calmar Ratio Rank: 55
AFMC Martin Ratio Rank: 62

FSMD

FSMD Risk / Return Rank: 52
FSMD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 46
FSMD Sortino Ratio Rank: 49
FSMD Omega Ratio Rank: 47
FSMD Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
FSMD Martin Ratio Rank: 60

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AFMC vs. FSMD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Active Factor Mid Cap ETF (AFMC) and Fidelity Small-Mid Multifactor ETF (FSMD). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	AFMC	FSMD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.91	0.79	+0.12
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.41	1.26	+0.15
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.17	+0.02
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.41	1.33	+0.07
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.07	5.61	+0.46
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AFMC vs. FSMD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AFMC Sharpe Ratio is 0.91, which is comparable to the FSMD Sharpe Ratio of 0.79. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AFMC and FSMD, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AFMC	FSMD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.91	0.79	+0.12
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.47	0.43	+0.04
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.46	0.47	-0.01

Correlation

The correlation between AFMC and FSMD is 0.94, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

AFMC vs. FSMD - Dividend Comparison

AFMC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.88%, less than FSMD's 1.37% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
AFMC First Trust Active Factor Mid Cap ETF	0.88%	0.96%	0.64%	0.87%	1.42%	0.84%	1.05%	0.29%
FSMD Fidelity Small-Mid Multifactor ETF	1.37%	1.33%	1.29%	1.37%	1.54%	1.18%	1.32%	1.37%

Drawdowns

AFMC vs. FSMD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AFMC drawdown since its inception was -42.14%, roughly equal to the maximum FSMD drawdown of -40.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AFMC and FSMD.

Drawdown Indicators

	AFMC	FSMD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.14%	-40.67%	-1.47%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.18%	-12.63%	-0.55%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.40%	-22.16%	-3.24%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.77%	-5.65%	-0.12%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.80%	-6.12%	-1.68%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.05%	3.01%	+0.04%

Volatility

AFMC vs. FSMD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust Active Factor Mid Cap ETF (AFMC) is 6.01%, while Fidelity Small-Mid Multifactor ETF (FSMD) has a volatility of 6.73%. This indicates that AFMC experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FSMD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AFMC	FSMD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.01%	6.73%	-0.72%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.36%	11.32%	+0.04%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.43%	20.07%	-0.64%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.97%	18.43%	+0.54%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.11%	21.54%	+1.57%