AVEM vs. DGS
AVEM (Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF) and DGS (WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund) are both exchange-traded funds - AVEM is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, while DGS is a Emerging Markets Diversified fund tracking the WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, AVEM returned 9.92%/yr vs 7.85%/yr for DGS. Their correlation of 0.92 suggests significant overlap in exposure. AVEM charges 0.33%/yr vs 0.58%/yr for DGS.
Performance
AVEM vs. DGS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AVEM achieves a 27.59% return, which is significantly higher than DGS's 14.53% return.
AVEM
- 1D
- -1.39%
- 1M
- 8.65%
- YTD
- 27.59%
- 6M
- 29.75%
- 1Y
- 55.00%
- 3Y*
- 26.07%
- 5Y*
- 9.92%
- 10Y*
- —
DGS
- 1D
- -1.37%
- 1M
- 2.58%
- YTD
- 14.53%
- 6M
- 15.57%
- 1Y
- 27.26%
- 3Y*
- 16.17%
- 5Y*
- 7.85%
- 10Y*
- 9.93%
AVEM vs. DGS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AVEM Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 27.59% | 34.48% | 7.49% | 15.30% | -18.15% | 5.16% | 14.39% | 11.13% |
DGS WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund | 14.53% | 21.18% | 1.13% | 19.08% | -12.35% | 15.33% | 4.06% | 6.43% |
Correlation
The correlation between AVEM and DGS is 0.90, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.90 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.91 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.91 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 20, 2019 | 0.92 |
The correlation between AVEM and DGS has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.92 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
AVEM vs. DGS — Risk / Return Rank
AVEM
DGS
AVEM vs. DGS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF (AVEM) and WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund (DGS). 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.
| AVEM | DGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.08 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.22 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.51 | 1.32 | +0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.21 | 2.72 | +1.49 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 16.70 | 9.16 | +7.54 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| AVEM | DGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.84 | 1.76 | +1.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.54 | 0.53 | +0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.58 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.66 | 0.23 | +0.43 |
Drawdowns
AVEM vs. DGS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AVEM drawdown since its inception was -36.05%, smaller than the maximum DGS drawdown of -61.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVEM and DGS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AVEM | DGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -36.05% | -61.83% | +25.78% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.13% | -10.06% | -3.07% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.02% | -19.31% | +1.29% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -34.00% | -24.86% | -9.14% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -44.08% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.39% | -1.40% | +0.01% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.09% | -12.59% | +2.50% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.30% | 2.98% | +0.32% |
Volatility
AVEM vs. DGS - Volatility Comparison
Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF (AVEM) has a higher volatility of 8.33% compared to WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund (DGS) at 5.24%. This indicates that AVEM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DGS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AVEM | DGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.33% | 5.24% | +3.09% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.72% | 13.03% | +3.69% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.45% | 15.56% | +3.89% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.34% | 14.87% | +3.47% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.55% | 17.32% | +3.23% |
AVEM vs. DGS - Expense Ratio Comparison
AVEM has a 0.33% expense ratio, which is lower than DGS's 0.58% expense ratio.
Dividends
AVEM vs. DGS - Dividend Comparison
AVEM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.98%, less than DGS's 3.21% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AVEM Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF | 1.98% | 2.45% | 3.17% | 3.06% | 2.77% | 2.61% | 1.60% | 0.35% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
DGS WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund | 3.21% | 3.45% | 3.36% | 4.55% | 5.34% | 3.98% | 3.69% | 3.95% | 4.24% | 2.81% | 3.42% | 3.28% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.90, AVEM and DGS move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
AVEM has higher volatility (8.33%) compared to DGS (5.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AVEM dropped -36.05% vs DGS's -61.83%.
On 5-year performance, AVEM leads with 9.92% vs 7.85% for DGS. On fees, AVEM is cheaper at 0.33% per year. On volatility, DGS has been the lower-risk option at 5.24%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, AVEM has performed better with a 9.92% return vs 7.85%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
AVEM is cheaper with a 0.33% expense ratio, compared with 0.58% for DGS.
DGS has the higher dividend yield at 3.21%, compared with 1.98% for AVEM.
AVEM is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while DGS is Emerging Markets Diversified. AVEM tracks MSCI Emerging Markets Index, while DGS tracks WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Index. They also come from different issuers: American Century and WisdomTree. Their fees differ too: 0.33% for AVEM and 0.58% for DGS.
AVEM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.84 vs 1.76), 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.
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