ASL.L vs. HUKX.L

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

ASL.L (Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc) is a stock, while HUKX.L (HSBC FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP) is Europe Equities fund tracking the FTSE AllSh TR GBP. Over the past 10 years, ASL.L returned 7.61%/yr vs 9.18%/yr for HUKX.L. A 0.53 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

ASL.L vs. HUKX.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc (ASL.L) and HSBC FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP (HUKX.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ASL.L achieves a 5.03% return, which is significantly lower than HUKX.L's 5.40% return. Over the past 10 years, ASL.L has underperformed HUKX.L with an annualized return of 7.61%, while HUKX.L has yielded a comparatively higher 9.18% annualized return.

ASL.L

• 1D: -0.98%
• 1M: 4.55%
• YTD: 5.03%
• 6M: 7.07%
• 1Y: 11.97%
• 3Y*: 12.04%
• 5Y*: 4.10%
• 10Y*: 7.61%

HUKX.L

• 1D: -0.27%
• 1M: -0.19%
• YTD: 5.40%
• 6M: 8.09%
• 1Y: 20.84%
• 3Y*: 14.62%
• 5Y*: 11.81%
• 10Y*: 9.18%

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

ASL.L vs. HUKX.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ASL.L Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc	5.03%	10.86%	10.70%	8.01%	-7.29%	20.31%	-16.46%	39.70%	-11.76%	22.64%
HUKX.L HSBC FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP	5.40%	26.20%	9.58%	7.36%	5.07%	17.54%	-11.64%	17.42%	-8.67%	12.39%

Correlation

The correlation between ASL.L and HUKX.L is 0.56, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.56
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.52
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.54
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.49
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 26, 2009	0.53

The correlation between ASL.L and HUKX.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.49 to 0.56 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

ASL.L vs. HUKX.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

ASL.L

ASL.L Risk / Return Rank: 60
ASL.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 66
ASL.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
ASL.L Omega Ratio Rank: 57
ASL.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 57
ASL.L Martin Ratio Rank: 62

HUKX.L

HUKX.L Risk / Return Rank: 53
HUKX.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
HUKX.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 56
HUKX.L Omega Ratio Rank: 58
HUKX.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 48
HUKX.L Martin Ratio Rank: 49

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.

ASL.L vs. HUKX.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc (ASL.L) and HSBC FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP (HUKX.L). 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.

	ASL.L	HUKX.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.77	1.92	-1.15
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.18	2.69	-1.51
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.36	-0.22
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.70	2.36	-1.66
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.17	8.19	-6.02
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ASL.L vs. HUKX.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ASL.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.77, which is lower than the HUKX.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ASL.L and HUKX.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	ASL.L	HUKX.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.77	1.92	-1.15
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.24	0.93	-0.69
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.35	0.61	-0.26
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.60	0.53	+0.06

Drawdowns

ASL.L vs. HUKX.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ASL.L drawdown since its inception was -60.11%, which is greater than HUKX.L's maximum drawdown of -34.22%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ASL.L and HUKX.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	ASL.L	HUKX.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.11%	-34.22%	-25.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-17.08%	-8.78%	-8.30%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-25.35%	-12.95%	-12.40%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.98%	-12.95%	-19.03%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-59.56%	-34.22%	-25.34%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.85%	-4.15%	-1.70%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.24%	-4.37%	-6.87%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.50%	2.54%	+2.96%

Volatility

ASL.L vs. HUKX.L - Volatility Comparison

Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc (ASL.L) has a higher volatility of 4.66% compared to HSBC FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP (HUKX.L) at 4.12%. This indicates that ASL.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HUKX.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ASL.L	HUKX.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.66%	4.12%	+0.54%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.59%	9.43%	+2.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.55%	10.82%	+4.73%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.99%	12.65%	+4.34%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.40%	14.96%	+6.44%

Dividends

ASL.L vs. HUKX.L - Dividend Comparison

ASL.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.65%, more than HUKX.L's 2.86% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ASL.L Aberforth Smaller Companies Trust plc	3.65%	3.20%	3.48%	3.50%	2.75%	2.31%	2.92%	2.50%	3.16%	2.30%	2.63%	2.11%
HUKX.L HSBC FTSE 100 UCITS ETF GBP	2.86%	2.95%	3.74%	3.50%	3.63%	3.19%	4.04%	4.31%	4.35%	3.79%	3.49%	3.79%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ASL.L and HUKX.L in my portfolio?

ASL.L and HUKX.L have a correlation of 0.56, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.