AVMA vs. HISF

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Avantis Moderate Allocation ETF (AVMA) and First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF (HISF).

AVMA and HISF are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. AVMA is an actively managed fund by Avantis. It was launched on Jun 27, 2023. HISF is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on Aug 13, 2014.

Performance

AVMA vs. HISF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Avantis Moderate Allocation ETF (AVMA) and First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF (HISF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

AVMA vs. HISF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
AVMA Avantis Moderate Allocation ETF	1.73%	16.72%	8.33%
HISF First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF	-0.74%	8.39%	3.30%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AVMA achieves a 1.73% return, which is significantly higher than HISF's -0.74% return.

AVMA

• 1D: 1.95%
• 1M: -4.19%
• YTD: 1.73%
• 6M: 4.85%
• 1Y: 18.98%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

HISF

• 1D: 0.60%
• 1M: -1.96%
• YTD: -0.74%
• 6M: 0.66%
• 1Y: 5.20%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

AVMA vs. HISF - Expense Ratio Comparison

AVMA has a 0.21% expense ratio, which is lower than HISF's 0.87% expense ratio.

HISF

First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF

AVMA

Avantis Moderate Allocation ETF

Return for Risk

AVMA vs. HISF — Risk / Return Rank

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

AVMA

AVMA Risk / Return Rank: 83
AVMA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
AVMA Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
AVMA Omega Ratio Rank: 85
AVMA Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
AVMA Martin Ratio Rank: 86

HISF

HISF Risk / Return Rank: 74
HISF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
HISF Sortino Ratio Rank: 77
HISF Omega Ratio Rank: 72
HISF Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
HISF Martin Ratio Rank: 72

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.

AVMA vs. HISF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Avantis Moderate Allocation ETF (AVMA) and First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF (HISF). 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.

	AVMA	HISF	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.57	1.42	+0.15
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.25	1.98	+0.27
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.27	+0.07
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.08	1.83	+0.25
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	9.88	7.59	+2.29
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AVMA vs. HISF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AVMA Sharpe Ratio is 1.57, which is comparable to the HISF Sharpe Ratio of 1.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AVMA and HISF, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AVMA	HISF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.57	1.42	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.30	1.32	-0.02

Correlation

The correlation between AVMA and HISF is 0.43, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

AVMA vs. HISF - Dividend Comparison

AVMA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.54%, less than HISF's 4.92% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023
AVMA Avantis Moderate Allocation ETF	2.54%	2.21%	2.28%	1.11%
HISF First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF	4.92%	4.69%	3.92%	0.00%

Drawdowns

AVMA vs. HISF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AVMA drawdown since its inception was -11.81%, which is greater than HISF's maximum drawdown of -3.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AVMA and HISF.

Drawdown Indicators

	AVMA	HISF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-11.81%	-3.86%	-7.95%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.15%	-2.90%	-6.25%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.58%	-1.96%	-2.62%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.61%	-0.86%	-0.75%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.92%	0.70%	+1.22%

Volatility

AVMA vs. HISF - Volatility Comparison

Avantis Moderate Allocation ETF (AVMA) has a higher volatility of 4.36% compared to First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF (HISF) at 1.76%. This indicates that AVMA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HISF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AVMA	HISF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.36%	1.76%	+2.60%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.00%	2.26%	+4.74%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.13%	3.67%	+8.46%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.33%	3.96%	+6.37%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.33%	3.96%	+6.37%