AVEM vs. SDSI

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

AVEM (Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF) and SDSI (American Century Short Duration Strategic Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - AVEM is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, while SDSI is a Short-Term Bond fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. 1-3 Year Government/Credit Bond Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, AVEM returned 26.07%/yr vs 5.77%/yr for SDSI. At a 0.25 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. Both charge a 0.33% expense ratio.

Performance

AVEM vs. SDSI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF (AVEM) and American Century Short Duration Strategic Income ETF (SDSI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AVEM achieves a 27.59% return, which is significantly higher than SDSI's 1.22% return.

AVEM

• 1D: -1.39%
• 1M: 8.65%
• YTD: 27.59%
• 6M: 29.75%
• 1Y: 55.00%
• 3Y*: 26.07%
• 5Y*: 9.92%
• 10Y*: —

SDSI

• 1D: -0.04%
• 1M: 0.35%
• YTD: 1.22%
• 6M: 1.66%
• 1Y: 5.27%
• 3Y*: 5.77%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

AVEM vs. SDSI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
AVEM Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF	27.59%	34.48%	7.49%	15.30%	11.93%
SDSI American Century Short Duration Strategic Income ETF	1.22%	6.54%	5.63%	5.88%	2.05%

Correlation

The correlation between AVEM and SDSI is 0.39, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.39
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.27
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 14, 2022	0.25

The correlation between AVEM and SDSI shifts across timeframes, from 0.25 (all time) to 0.39 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

AVEM vs. SDSI - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	AVEM	SDSI
Technology	32.3%	-
Financial Services	20.7%	-
Consumer Cyclical	9.2%	-
Industrials	9.2%	7.5%
Basic Materials	8.1%	-
Communication Services	5.4%	90.0%
Energy	5.1%	-
Consumer Defensive	3.1%	-
Healthcare	2.8%	2.5%
Utilities	2.6%	-
Real Estate	1.6%	-

Return for Risk

AVEM vs. SDSI — Risk / Return Rank

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

AVEM

AVEM Risk / Return Rank: 82
AVEM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
AVEM Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
AVEM Omega Ratio Rank: 83
AVEM Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
AVEM Martin Ratio Rank: 82

SDSI

SDSI Risk / Return Rank: 91
SDSI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
SDSI Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
SDSI Omega Ratio Rank: 93
SDSI Calmar Ratio Rank: 84
SDSI Martin Ratio Rank: 90

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.

AVEM vs. SDSI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF (AVEM) and American Century Short Duration Strategic Income ETF (SDSI). 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	SDSI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.84	3.25	-0.40
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.65	5.01	-1.36
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.51	1.66	-0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.21	4.53	-0.32
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	16.70	21.22	-4.53
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AVEM vs. SDSI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AVEM Sharpe Ratio is 2.84, which is comparable to the SDSI Sharpe Ratio of 3.25. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AVEM and SDSI, 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

	AVEM	SDSI	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.84	3.25	-0.40
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.54	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.66	2.60	-1.94

Drawdowns

AVEM vs. SDSI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AVEM drawdown since its inception was -36.05%, which is greater than SDSI's maximum drawdown of -1.29%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVEM and SDSI.

Drawdown Indicators

	AVEM	SDSI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.05%	-1.29%	-34.76%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.13%	-1.17%	-11.96%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.02%	-1.29%	-16.73%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-34.00%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.39%	-0.07%	-1.32%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.09%	-0.24%	-9.85%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.30%	0.25%	+3.05%

Volatility

AVEM vs. SDSI - Volatility Comparison

Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF (AVEM) has a higher volatility of 8.33% compared to American Century Short Duration Strategic Income ETF (SDSI) at 0.41%. This indicates that AVEM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SDSI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AVEM	SDSI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.33%	0.41%	+7.92%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.72%	1.14%	+15.58%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.45%	1.63%	+17.82%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.34%	2.28%	+16.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.55%	2.28%	+18.27%

AVEM vs. SDSI - Expense Ratio Comparison

Both AVEM and SDSI have an expense ratio of 0.33%.

Dividends

AVEM vs. SDSI - Dividend Comparison

AVEM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.98%, less than SDSI's 4.42% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
AVEM Avantis Emerging Markets Equity ETF	1.98%	2.45%	3.17%	3.06%	2.77%	2.61%	1.60%	0.35%
SDSI American Century Short Duration Strategic Income ETF	4.42%	4.91%	5.49%	5.37%	0.98%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AVEM and SDSI in my portfolio?

AVEM and SDSI have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AVEM or SDSI?

AVEM has higher volatility (8.33%) compared to SDSI (0.41%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AVEM dropped -36.05% vs SDSI's -1.29%.

Which ETF is better, AVEM or SDSI?

On 3-year performance, AVEM leads with 26.07% vs 5.77% for SDSI. Both ETFs have the same 0.33% expense ratio. On volatility, SDSI has been the lower-risk option at 0.41%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, AVEM or SDSI?

Over the 3-year period, AVEM has performed better with a 26.07% return vs 5.77%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, AVEM or SDSI?

AVEM and SDSI have the same expense ratio: 0.33% per year.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, AVEM or SDSI?

SDSI has the higher dividend yield at 4.42%, compared with 1.98% for AVEM.

What is the main difference between AVEM and SDSI?

AVEM is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while SDSI is Short-Term Bond. AVEM tracks MSCI Emerging Markets Index, while SDSI tracks Bloomberg U.S. 1-3 Year Government/Credit Bond Index.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SDSI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.25 vs 2.84), 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.