EMDM vs. PPT

Last updated Jun 14, 2026

EMDM (First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF) and PPT (Putnam Premier Income Trust) are both funds - EMDM is a Emerging Markets Diversified fund tracking the Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies Index - Benchmark TR Net, while PPT is a Multisector Bonds fund actively managed by Putnam Investments. EMDM is passively managed, while PPT is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, EMDM returned 30.34%/yr vs 7.60%/yr for PPT. At a 0.21 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

EMDM vs. PPT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM) and Putnam Premier Income Trust (PPT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, EMDM achieves a 36.28% return, which is significantly higher than PPT's 0.81% return.

EMDM

• 1D: 0.70%
• 1M: 6.11%
• YTD: 36.28%
• 6M: 42.03%
• 1Y: 83.08%
• 3Y*: 30.34%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

PPT

• 1D: 0.29%
• 1M: 0.47%
• YTD: 0.81%
• 6M: 1.85%
• 1Y: 2.23%
• 3Y*: 7.60%
• 5Y*: 2.15%
• 10Y*: 4.57%

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

EMDM vs. PPT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
EMDM First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF	36.28%	59.68%	-4.93%	14.75%
PPT Putnam Premier Income Trust	0.81%	8.39%	8.80%	4.78%

Correlation

The correlation between EMDM and PPT is 0.19, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.19
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.21
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 3, 2023	0.21

Return for Risk

EMDM vs. PPT — Risk / Return Rank

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

EMDM

EMDM Risk / Return Rank: 92
EMDM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
EMDM Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
EMDM Omega Ratio Rank: 92
EMDM Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
EMDM Martin Ratio Rank: 92

PPT

PPT Risk / Return Rank: 5
PPT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
PPT Sortino Ratio Rank: 4
PPT Omega Ratio Rank: 4
PPT Calmar Ratio Rank: 6
PPT Martin Ratio Rank: 5

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.

EMDM vs. PPT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM) and Putnam Premier Income Trust (PPT). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	EMDM	PPT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	3.21	0.18	+3.03
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.78	0.33	+3.45
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.55	1.04	+0.51
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.18	0.33	+4.84
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	20.59	0.77	+19.82

EMDM vs. PPT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current EMDM Sharpe Ratio is 3.21, which is higher than the PPT Sharpe Ratio of 0.18. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of EMDM and PPT, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

EMDM vs. PPT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum EMDM drawdown since its inception was -18.81%, smaller than the maximum PPT drawdown of -49.76%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EMDM and PPT.

Drawdown Indicators

	EMDM	PPT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.81%	-49.76%	+30.95%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-15.65%	-5.05%	-10.60%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.81%	-9.10%	-9.71%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-18.92%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-31.79%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-3.27%	-3.62%	+0.35%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.08%	-11.23%	+7.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.93%	2.18%	+1.75%

Volatility

EMDM vs. PPT - Volatility Comparison

First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM) has a higher volatility of 12.16% compared to Putnam Premier Income Trust (PPT) at 2.25%. This indicates that EMDM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PPT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	EMDM	PPT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	12.16%	2.25%	+9.91%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	22.86%	6.99%	+15.87%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	25.23%	9.36%	+15.87%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.36%	11.96%	+8.40%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.36%	14.45%	+5.91%

Dividends

EMDM vs. PPT - Dividend Comparison

EMDM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.62%, less than PPT's 9.07% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
EMDM First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF	2.62%	3.57%	5.87%	2.16%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PPT Putnam Premier Income Trust	9.07%	8.81%	8.76%	8.74%	8.60%	7.31%	8.84%	7.73%	6.84%	5.85%	6.28%	6.30%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both EMDM and PPT in my portfolio?

EMDM and PPT have a correlation of 0.19, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, EMDM or PPT?

EMDM has higher volatility (12.16%) compared to PPT (2.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EMDM dropped -18.81% vs PPT's -49.76%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

EMDM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.21 vs 0.18), 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.