AIRR vs. COST

Last updated Jul 21, 2026

AIRR (First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF) is Building & Construction fund tracking the Richard Bernstein Advisors American Industrial Renaissance Index, while COST (Costco Wholesale Corporation) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, AIRR returned 20.34%/yr vs 20.81%/yr for COST. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

AIRR vs. COST - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF (AIRR) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AIRR achieves a 22.34% return, which is significantly higher than COST's 8.82% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with AIRR having a 20.34% annualized return and COST not far ahead at 20.81%.

AIRR

• 1D: -0.75%
• 1M: -8.17%
• 6M: 5.94%
• YTD: 22.34%
• 1Y: 41.57%
• 3Y*: 30.56%
• 5Y*: 24.62%
• 10Y*: 20.34%
• ALL TIME*: 15.88%

COST

• 1D: -0.54%
• 1M: -1.64%
• 6M: -2.61%
• YTD: 8.82%
• 1Y: -1.04%
• 3Y*: 20.42%
• 5Y*: 18.94%
• 10Y*: 20.81%
• ALL TIME*: 16.93%

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

AIRR vs. COST - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
AIRR First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF	22.34%	27.92%	33.45%	31.43%	-2.08%	33.01%	17.17%	33.97%	-20.57%	16.28%
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation	8.82%	-5.39%	39.62%	49.00%	-19.05%	51.82%	32.67%	45.70%	10.60%	22.37%

Correlation

The correlation between AIRR and COST is -0.12, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.12
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.19
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.32
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.32
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 11, 2014	0.32

The correlation between AIRR and COST shifts across timeframes, from -0.12 (1 year) to 0.32 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

AIRR vs. COST — Risk / Return Rank

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

AIRR

AIRR Risk / Return Rank: 67
AIRR Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
AIRR Sortino Ratio Rank: 60
AIRR Omega Ratio Rank: 54
AIRR Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
AIRR Martin Ratio Rank: 77

COST

COST Risk / Return Rank: 40
COST Sharpe Ratio Rank: 43
COST Sortino Ratio Rank: 35
COST Omega Ratio Rank: 35
COST Calmar Ratio Rank: 43
COST Martin Ratio Rank: 43

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.

AIRR vs. COST - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF (AIRR) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST). 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.

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.

	AIRR	COST	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.54	-0.05	+1.60
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.16	0.06	+2.09
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.01	+0.25
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.19	-0.06	+3.25
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.53	-0.14	+10.67

AIRR vs. COST - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AIRR Sharpe Ratio is 1.54, which is higher than the COST Sharpe Ratio of -0.05. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AIRR and COST, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

AIRR vs. COST - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AIRR drawdown since its inception was -42.37%, smaller than the maximum COST drawdown of -53.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AIRR and COST.

Drawdown Indicators

	AIRR	COST	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.37%	-53.39%	+11.02%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.09%	-16.57%	+3.48%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-27.95%	-20.74%	-7.21%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.95%	-31.40%	+3.45%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.37%	-31.40%	-10.97%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-9.79%	-14.49%	+4.70%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.46%	-13.36%	+5.90%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.96%	7.38%	-3.42%

Volatility

AIRR vs. COST - Volatility Comparison

First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF (AIRR) has a higher volatility of 8.05% compared to Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) at 7.25%. This indicates that AIRR's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than COST based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AIRR	COST	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.05%	7.25%	+0.80%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	21.03%	14.98%	+6.05%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	27.10%	19.74%	+7.36%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.49%	22.90%	+2.59%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.35%	22.02%	+4.33%

Dividends

AIRR vs. COST - Dividend Comparison

AIRR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.09%, less than COST's 0.57% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AIRR First Trust RBA American Industrial Renaissance ETF	0.09%	0.19%	0.18%	0.23%	0.12%	0.05%	0.10%	0.20%	0.43%	0.30%	0.08%	0.47%
COST Costco Wholesale Corporation	0.57%	0.59%	0.49%	2.87%	0.76%	0.54%	3.38%	0.86%	1.08%	4.81%	1.09%	4.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AIRR and COST in my portfolio?

AIRR and COST have a correlation of -0.12, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AIRR or COST?

AIRR has higher volatility (8.05%) compared to COST (7.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AIRR dropped -42.37% vs COST's -53.39%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AIRR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.54 vs -0.05), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.