EMDM vs. ROKT
EMDM (First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF) and ROKT (SPDR S&P Kensho Final Frontiers ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - EMDM is a Emerging Markets Diversified fund tracking the Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies Index - Benchmark TR Net, while ROKT is a Industrials Equities fund tracking the S&P Kensho Final Frontiers Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, EMDM returned 31.21%/yr vs 41.32%/yr for ROKT. A 0.54 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. EMDM charges 0.75%/yr vs 0.45%/yr for ROKT.
Performance
EMDM vs. ROKT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with EMDM having a 40.57% return and ROKT slightly higher at 41.07%.
EMDM
- 1D
- 3.15%
- 1M
- 9.44%
- YTD
- 40.57%
- 6M
- 45.75%
- 1Y
- 88.85%
- 3Y*
- 31.21%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
ROKT
- 1D
- -0.04%
- 1M
- 2.04%
- YTD
- 41.07%
- 6M
- 45.45%
- 1Y
- 96.86%
- 3Y*
- 41.32%
- 5Y*
- 23.72%
- 10Y*
- —
EMDM vs. ROKT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
EMDM First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF | 40.57% | 59.68% | -4.93% | 14.75% |
ROKT SPDR S&P Kensho Final Frontiers ETF | 41.07% | 50.56% | 27.89% | 7.25% |
Correlation
The correlation between EMDM and ROKT is 0.54, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.54 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.53 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 3, 2023 | 0.54 |
The correlation between EMDM and ROKT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.53 to 0.54 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
EMDM vs. ROKT — Risk / Return Rank
EMDM
ROKT
EMDM vs. ROKT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM) and SPDR S&P Kensho Final Frontiers ETF (ROKT). 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 | ROKT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.38 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.33 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.60 | 1.48 | +0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.71 | 6.38 | -0.67 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 22.71 | 25.67 | -2.96 |
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Drawdowns
EMDM vs. ROKT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EMDM drawdown since its inception was -18.81%, smaller than the maximum ROKT drawdown of -43.16%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EMDM and ROKT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EMDM | ROKT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.81% | -43.16% | +24.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -15.65% | -15.27% | -0.38% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.81% | -23.46% | +4.65% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -23.46% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.23% | -12.23% | +12.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.08% | -6.77% | +2.69% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.93% | 3.79% | +0.14% |
Volatility
EMDM vs. ROKT - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM) is 12.51%, while SPDR S&P Kensho Final Frontiers ETF (ROKT) has a volatility of 15.94%. This indicates that EMDM experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ROKT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EMDM | ROKT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 12.51% | 15.94% | -3.43% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.03% | 27.00% | -3.97% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 25.39% | 31.03% | -5.64% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.42% | 23.33% | -2.91% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.42% | 25.42% | -5.00% |
EMDM vs. ROKT - Expense Ratio Comparison
EMDM has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is higher than ROKT's 0.45% expense ratio.
Dividends
EMDM vs. ROKT - Dividend Comparison
EMDM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.54%, more than ROKT's 0.28% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EMDM First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF | 2.54% | 3.57% | 5.87% | 2.16% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
ROKT SPDR S&P Kensho Final Frontiers ETF | 0.28% | 0.41% | 0.57% | 0.62% | 0.54% | 1.79% | 0.48% | 0.74% | 0.16% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EMDM and ROKT have a correlation of 0.54, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ROKT has higher volatility (15.94%) compared to EMDM (12.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EMDM dropped -18.81% vs ROKT's -43.16%.
On 3-year performance, ROKT leads with 41.32% vs 31.21% for EMDM. On fees, ROKT is cheaper at 0.45% per year. On volatility, EMDM has been the lower-risk option at 12.51%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, ROKT has performed better with a 41.32% return vs 31.21%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
ROKT is cheaper with a 0.45% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for EMDM.
EMDM has the higher dividend yield at 2.54%, compared with 0.28% for ROKT.
EMDM is categorized as Emerging Markets Diversified, while ROKT is Industrials Equities. EMDM tracks Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies Index - Benchmark TR Net, while ROKT tracks S&P Kensho Final Frontiers Index. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and State Street. Their fees differ too: 0.75% for EMDM and 0.45% for ROKT.
EMDM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.52 vs 3.14), 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.
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