EKG vs. MDEV

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Nasdaq Lux Digital Health Solutions ETF (EKG) and First Trust Indxx Medical Devices ETF (MDEV).

EKG and MDEV are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. EKG is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ Lux Health Tech Index. It was launched on Mar 22, 2022. MDEV is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the Indxx Global Medical Equipment Index. It was launched on Jun 22, 2021. Both EKG and MDEV are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

EKG vs. MDEV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Nasdaq Lux Digital Health Solutions ETF (EKG) and First Trust Indxx Medical Devices ETF (MDEV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

EKG vs. MDEV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
EKG First Trust Nasdaq Lux Digital Health Solutions ETF	-14.59%	11.89%	6.53%	-0.11%	-19.59%
MDEV First Trust Indxx Medical Devices ETF	-9.41%	2.00%	1.79%	7.55%	-13.73%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, EKG achieves a -14.59% return, which is significantly lower than MDEV's -9.41% return.

EKG

• 1D: 2.98%
• 1M: -9.70%
• YTD: -14.59%
• 6M: -6.74%
• 1Y: 3.73%
• 3Y*: -1.76%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

MDEV

• 1D: 2.23%
• 1M: -9.05%
• YTD: -9.41%
• 6M: -4.81%
• 1Y: -5.71%
• 3Y*: -2.27%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

EKG vs. MDEV - Expense Ratio Comparison

EKG has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is lower than MDEV's 0.70% expense ratio.

MDEV

First Trust Indxx Medical Devices ETF

EKG

First Trust Nasdaq Lux Digital Health Solutions ETF

Return for Risk

EKG vs. MDEV — Risk / Return Rank

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

EKG

EKG Risk / Return Rank: 16
EKG Sharpe Ratio Rank: 16
EKG Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
EKG Omega Ratio Rank: 16
EKG Calmar Ratio Rank: 15
EKG Martin Ratio Rank: 16

MDEV

MDEV Risk / Return Rank: 5
MDEV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6
MDEV Sortino Ratio Rank: 6
MDEV Omega Ratio Rank: 6
MDEV Calmar Ratio Rank: 6
MDEV Martin Ratio Rank: 3

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.

EKG vs. MDEV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Nasdaq Lux Digital Health Solutions ETF (EKG) and First Trust Indxx Medical Devices ETF (MDEV). 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.

	EKG	MDEV	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.15	-0.30	+0.45
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.40	-0.31	+0.71
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.05	0.96	+0.09
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.16	-0.37	+0.53
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.54	-1.17	+1.72
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

EKG vs. MDEV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current EKG Sharpe Ratio is 0.15, which is higher than the MDEV Sharpe Ratio of -0.30. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of EKG and MDEV, 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

	EKG	MDEV	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.15	-0.30	+0.45
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	-0.18	-0.31	+0.12

Correlation

The correlation between EKG and MDEV is 0.82, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

EKG vs. MDEV - Dividend Comparison

Neither EKG nor MDEV has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Drawdowns

EKG vs. MDEV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum EKG drawdown since its inception was -43.82%, roughly equal to the maximum MDEV drawdown of -42.34%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EKG and MDEV.

Drawdown Indicators

	EKG	MDEV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-43.82%	-42.34%	-1.48%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-21.99%	-14.88%	-7.11%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-24.74%	-32.20%	+7.46%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-22.65%	-25.39%	+2.74%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.43%	4.66%	+1.77%

Volatility

EKG vs. MDEV - Volatility Comparison

First Trust Nasdaq Lux Digital Health Solutions ETF (EKG) has a higher volatility of 7.93% compared to First Trust Indxx Medical Devices ETF (MDEV) at 5.67%. This indicates that EKG's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MDEV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	EKG	MDEV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.93%	5.67%	+2.26%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.45%	10.88%	+3.57%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	24.70%	18.99%	+5.71%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	27.08%	19.00%	+8.08%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	27.08%	19.00%	+8.08%