EMDM vs. EEMS
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM) and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF (EEMS).
EMDM and EEMS are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. EMDM is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies Index - Benchmark TR Net. It was launched on Mar 2, 2023. EEMS is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index. It was launched on Aug 16, 2011. Both EMDM and EEMS 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
EMDM vs. EEMS - Performance Comparison
Loading graphics...
EMDM vs. EEMS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
EMDM First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF | 13.96% | 59.68% | -4.93% | 14.21% |
EEMS iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF | 3.38% | 19.78% | 3.13% | 16.30% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EMDM achieves a 13.96% return, which is significantly higher than EEMS's 3.38% return.
EMDM
- 1D
- 1.85%
- 1M
- -8.42%
- YTD
- 13.96%
- 6M
- 28.51%
- 1Y
- 70.27%
- 3Y*
- 25.62%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
EEMS
- 1D
- 0.84%
- 1M
- -5.33%
- YTD
- 3.38%
- 6M
- 4.76%
- 1Y
- 27.44%
- 3Y*
- 14.64%
- 5Y*
- 6.60%
- 10Y*
- 8.19%
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
EMDM vs. EEMS - Expense Ratio Comparison
EMDM has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is higher than EEMS's 0.73% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
EMDM vs. EEMS — Risk / Return Rank
EMDM
EEMS
EMDM vs. EEMS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM) and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF (EEMS). 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.
| EMDM | EEMS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 3.00 | 1.56 | +1.44 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 3.61 | 2.09 | +1.51 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.55 | 1.30 | +0.25 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.58 | 2.68 | +1.89 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 19.05 | 9.64 | +9.41 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading graphics...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| EMDM | EEMS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.00 | 1.56 | +1.44 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.42 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.46 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.31 | 0.28 | +1.03 |
Correlation
The correlation between EMDM and EEMS 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
EMDM vs. EEMS - Dividend Comparison
EMDM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.13%, more than EEMS's 2.99% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EMDM First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF | 3.13% | 3.57% | 5.87% | 2.16% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
EEMS iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF | 2.99% | 3.09% | 2.60% | 2.69% | 0.89% | 3.56% | 2.14% | 2.64% | 3.06% | 2.47% | 2.51% | 2.33% |
Drawdowns
EMDM vs. EEMS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EMDM drawdown since its inception was -18.81%, smaller than the maximum EEMS drawdown of -48.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EMDM and EEMS.
Loading graphics...
Drawdown Indicators
| EMDM | EEMS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.81% | -48.89% | +30.08% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.65% | -10.99% | -4.66% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -27.07% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -48.89% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.78% | -7.86% | -1.92% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.17% | -10.60% | +6.43% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.76% | 3.06% | +0.70% |
Volatility
EMDM vs. EEMS - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM) has a higher volatility of 11.92% compared to iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF (EEMS) at 8.24%. This indicates that EMDM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EEMS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading graphics...
Volatility by Period
| EMDM | EEMS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.92% | 8.24% | +3.68% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.42% | 12.39% | +6.03% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.58% | 17.74% | +5.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.00% | 15.69% | +3.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.00% | 17.79% | +1.21% |