CAPS.L vs. FEM.L

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

CAPS.L (First Trust Capital Strength UCITS ETF Acc) and FEM.L (First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc) are both exchange-traded funds - CAPS.L is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Russell 1000 TR USD, while FEM.L is a Emerging Markets Equities fund tracking the MSCI EM NR USD. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, CAPS.L returned 6.26%/yr vs 8.43%/yr for FEM.L. At a 0.20 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. CAPS.L charges 0.60%/yr vs 0.80%/yr for FEM.L.

Performance

CAPS.L vs. FEM.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in First Trust Capital Strength UCITS ETF Acc (CAPS.L) and First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FEM.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CAPS.L achieves a -0.55% return, which is significantly lower than FEM.L's 20.02% return.

CAPS.L

• 1D: 0.73%
• 1M: -0.30%
• YTD: -0.55%
• 6M: -0.38%
• 1Y: 3.20%
• 3Y*: 6.55%
• 5Y*: 6.26%
• 10Y*: —

FEM.L

• 1D: -0.68%
• 1M: 0.07%
• YTD: 20.02%
• 6M: 21.15%
• 1Y: 42.71%
• 3Y*: 17.72%
• 5Y*: 8.43%
• 10Y*: 10.39%

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

CAPS.L vs. FEM.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021
CAPS.L First Trust Capital Strength UCITS ETF Acc	-0.55%	-0.65%	12.99%	2.23%	0.10%	19.38%
FEM.L First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc	20.02%	18.46%	5.12%	4.21%	-3.80%	-0.35%

Correlation

The correlation between CAPS.L and FEM.L is 0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.05
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.14
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.20
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 3, 2021	0.20

The correlation between CAPS.L and FEM.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.05 (1 year) to 0.20 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

CAPS.L vs. FEM.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

CAPS.L

CAPS.L Risk / Return Rank: 13
CAPS.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 14
CAPS.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 13
CAPS.L Omega Ratio Rank: 13
CAPS.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
CAPS.L Martin Ratio Rank: 14

FEM.L

FEM.L Risk / Return Rank: 86
FEM.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
FEM.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
FEM.L Omega Ratio Rank: 83
FEM.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
FEM.L Martin Ratio Rank: 88

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.

CAPS.L vs. FEM.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Capital Strength UCITS ETF Acc (CAPS.L) and First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FEM.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.

	CAPS.L	FEM.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.33	2.78	-2.45
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.55	3.58	-3.03
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.06	1.50	-0.44
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.36	6.11	-5.75
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.02	19.55	-18.53
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CAPS.L vs. FEM.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CAPS.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.33, which is lower than the FEM.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.78. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CAPS.L and FEM.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

	CAPS.L	FEM.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.33	2.78	-2.45
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.33	0.53	-0.20
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.56	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.33	0.35	-0.02

Drawdowns

CAPS.L vs. FEM.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CAPS.L drawdown since its inception was -22.86%, smaller than the maximum FEM.L drawdown of -35.42%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CAPS.L and FEM.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	CAPS.L	FEM.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.86%	-35.42%	+12.56%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.95%	-6.96%	-1.99%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-22.86%	-17.83%	-5.03%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-22.86%	-17.83%	-5.03%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-35.42%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-16.47%	-0.80%	-15.67%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.21%	-8.99%	-1.22%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.14%	2.18%	+0.96%

Volatility

CAPS.L vs. FEM.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust Capital Strength UCITS ETF Acc (CAPS.L) is 3.70%, while First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FEM.L) has a volatility of 5.18%. This indicates that CAPS.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FEM.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CAPS.L	FEM.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.70%	5.18%	-1.48%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.09%	12.20%	-5.11%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	9.78%	15.31%	-5.53%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.27%	15.96%	+3.31%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.27%	18.69%	+0.58%

CAPS.L vs. FEM.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

CAPS.L has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is lower than FEM.L's 0.80% expense ratio.

Dividends

CAPS.L vs. FEM.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither CAPS.L nor FEM.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CAPS.L and FEM.L in my portfolio?

CAPS.L and FEM.L have a correlation of 0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, CAPS.L or FEM.L?

On fees, CAPS.L is cheaper at 0.60% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, CAPS.L or FEM.L?

CAPS.L is cheaper with a 0.60% expense ratio, compared with 0.80% for FEM.L.

What is the main difference between CAPS.L and FEM.L?

CAPS.L is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while FEM.L is Emerging Markets Equities. CAPS.L tracks Russell 1000 TR USD, while FEM.L tracks MSCI EM NR USD. Their fees differ too: 0.60% for CAPS.L and 0.80% for FEM.L.