ALTEX vs. DEMAX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

ALTEX (Firsthand Alternative Energy Fund) and DEMAX (Nomura Emerging Markets Fund Class A) are both mutual funds - ALTEX is a Technology Equities fund managed by Firsthand Funds, while DEMAX is a Emerging Markets Equities fund actively managed by Nomura. Over the past 10 years, ALTEX returned 10.88%/yr vs 17.69%/yr for DEMAX. Their 0.62 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. ALTEX charges 1.98%/yr vs 1.42%/yr for DEMAX.

Performance

ALTEX vs. DEMAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Firsthand Alternative Energy Fund (ALTEX) and Nomura Emerging Markets Fund Class A (DEMAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ALTEX achieves a 27.09% return, which is significantly lower than DEMAX's 68.34% return. Over the past 10 years, ALTEX has underperformed DEMAX with an annualized return of 10.88%, while DEMAX has yielded a comparatively higher 17.69% annualized return.

ALTEX

• 1D: 10.07%
• 1M: -13.83%
• 6M: 8.86%
• YTD: 27.09%
• 1Y: 24.52%
• 3Y*: 3.19%
• 5Y*: -0.59%
• 10Y*: 10.88%
• ALL TIME*: 2.18%

DEMAX

• 1D: 8.33%
• 1M: -18.24%
• 6M: 34.37%
• YTD: 68.34%
• 1Y: 155.43%
• 3Y*: 50.88%
• 5Y*: 22.86%
• 10Y*: 17.69%
• ALL TIME*: 10.51%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
ALTEX Firsthand Alternative Energy Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
DEMAX Nomura Emerging Markets Fund Class A	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

ALTEX vs. DEMAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ALTEX Firsthand Alternative Energy Fund	27.09%	6.62%	-6.79%	-2.31%	-18.26%	-5.09%	83.88%	55.04%	-18.56%	27.35%
DEMAX Nomura Emerging Markets Fund Class A	68.34%	86.33%	6.25%	17.34%	-28.85%	-2.32%	25.54%	24.05%	-17.32%	41.62%

Correlation

The correlation between ALTEX and DEMAX is 0.50, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.50
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.50
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.52
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.55
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 30, 2007	0.62

The correlation between ALTEX and DEMAX shifts across timeframes, from 0.50 (1 year) to 0.62 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

ALTEX vs. DEMAX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

ALTEX

ALTEX Risk / Return Rank: 13
ALTEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
ALTEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 14
ALTEX Omega Ratio Rank: 16
ALTEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
ALTEX Martin Ratio Rank: 12

DEMAX

DEMAX Risk / Return Rank: 91
DEMAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
DEMAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
DEMAX Omega Ratio Rank: 86
DEMAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 94
DEMAX Martin Ratio Rank: 96

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

ALTEX vs. DEMAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Firsthand Alternative Energy Fund (ALTEX) and Nomura Emerging Markets Fund Class A (DEMAX). 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.

	ALTEX	DEMAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.44	2.79	-2.35
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.86	2.86	-2.00
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.12	1.43	-0.31
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.65	4.04	-3.39
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.61	16.82	-15.21

ALTEX vs. DEMAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ALTEX Sharpe Ratio is 0.44, which is lower than the DEMAX Sharpe Ratio of 2.79. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ALTEX and DEMAX, 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

ALTEX vs. DEMAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ALTEX drawdown since its inception was -75.48%, which is greater than DEMAX's maximum drawdown of -63.23%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ALTEX and DEMAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	ALTEX	DEMAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-75.48%	-63.23%	-12.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-30.94%	-36.53%	+5.59%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-66.25%	-36.53%	-29.72%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-75.48%	-38.58%	-36.90%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-75.48%	-46.51%	-28.97%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-23.98%	-31.25%	+7.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-37.04%	-18.72%	-18.32%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	12.26%	8.74%	+3.52%

Volatility

ALTEX vs. DEMAX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Firsthand Alternative Energy Fund (ALTEX) is 17.13%, while Nomura Emerging Markets Fund Class A (DEMAX) has a volatility of 25.06%. This indicates that ALTEX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DEMAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ALTEX	DEMAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	17.13%	25.06%	-7.93%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	33.33%	49.51%	-16.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	45.33%	52.91%	-7.58%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	68.87%	30.11%	+38.76%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	51.79%	25.79%	+26.00%

ALTEX vs. DEMAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

ALTEX has a 1.98% expense ratio, which is higher than DEMAX's 1.42% expense ratio.

Dividends

ALTEX vs. DEMAX - Dividend Comparison

ALTEX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while DEMAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.30%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ALTEX Firsthand Alternative Energy Fund	0.00%	0.00%	1.50%	3.43%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	9.12%	0.05%	0.25%	0.00%	0.00%
DEMAX Nomura Emerging Markets Fund Class A	11.30%	19.03%	1.74%	2.76%	1.60%	3.16%	0.56%	0.57%	0.34%	1.59%	0.70%	0.03%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ALTEX and DEMAX in my portfolio?

ALTEX and DEMAX have a correlation of 0.50, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ALTEX or DEMAX?

DEMAX has higher volatility (25.06%) compared to ALTEX (17.13%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ALTEX dropped -75.48% vs DEMAX's -63.23%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DEMAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.79 vs 0.44), 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.