EMDV.L vs. FEM.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

EMDV.L (SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist)) and FEM.L (First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc) are both Emerging Markets Equities funds tracking the MSCI EM NR USD, from State Street and First Trust respectively. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, EMDV.L returned 6.88%/yr vs 10.14%/yr for FEM.L. A 0.80 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. EMDV.L charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.80%/yr for FEM.L.

Performance

EMDV.L vs. FEM.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) (EMDV.L) and First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FEM.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Different Trading Currencies

EMDV.L is traded in GBP, while FEM.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the FEM.L values have been converted to GBP using the latest available exchange rates.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, EMDV.L achieves a 3.89% return, which is significantly lower than FEM.L's 19.38% return. Over the past 10 years, EMDV.L has underperformed FEM.L with an annualized return of 6.88%, while FEM.L has yielded a comparatively higher 10.14% annualized return.

EMDV.L

• 1D: -0.29%
• 1M: -1.07%
• YTD: 3.89%
• 6M: 2.18%
• 1Y: 9.77%
• 3Y*: 8.73%
• 5Y*: 5.38%
• 10Y*: 6.88%

FEM.L

• 1D: -0.53%
• 1M: -0.64%
• YTD: 19.38%
• 6M: 20.41%
• 1Y: 41.02%
• 3Y*: 17.20%
• 5Y*: 8.32%
• 10Y*: 10.14%

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

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

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
EMDV.L SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist)	3.89%	8.10%	16.29%	-0.66%	1.92%	0.14%	-5.08%	7.32%	-0.61%	16.71%
FEM.L First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc	19.38%	18.46%	5.12%	4.21%	-3.80%	8.72%	-3.95%	15.10%	-11.29%	27.59%

Correlation

The correlation between EMDV.L and FEM.L is 0.59, 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	0.59
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.68
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.70
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.77
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 15, 2013	0.80

Over the past year, the correlation between EMDV.L and FEM.L has dropped to 0.59 - well below their long-term average of 0.80, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

EMDV.L vs. FEM.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	EMDV.L	FEM.L
Financial Services	32.9%	6.4%
Consumer Cyclical	13.2%	5.7%
Communication Services	12.9%	4.6%
Industrials	12.4%	20.3%
Real Estate	7.0%	2.6%
Technology	6.7%	27.7%
Energy	5.3%	13.1%
Consumer Defensive	2.8%	2.9%
Healthcare	2.6%	2.8%
Basic Materials	2.2%	7.9%
Utilities	2.0%	6.0%

Return for Risk

EMDV.L vs. FEM.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

EMDV.L

EMDV.L Risk / Return Rank: 23
EMDV.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
EMDV.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 23
EMDV.L Omega Ratio Rank: 23
EMDV.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 25
EMDV.L Martin Ratio Rank: 22

FEM.L

FEM.L Risk / Return Rank: 84
FEM.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
FEM.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
FEM.L Omega Ratio Rank: 81
FEM.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) (EMDV.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.

	EMDV.L	FEM.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.83	2.67	-1.84
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.20	3.46	-2.26
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.48	-0.33
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.16	5.87	-4.70
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	2.64	18.76	-16.12
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

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

The current EMDV.L Sharpe Ratio is 0.83, which is lower than the FEM.L Sharpe Ratio of 2.67. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of EMDV.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

	EMDV.L	FEM.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.83	2.67	-1.84
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.37	0.52	-0.15
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.41	0.54	-0.14
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.23	0.35	-0.11

Drawdowns

EMDV.L vs. FEM.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum EMDV.L drawdown since its inception was -48.26%, which is greater than FEM.L's maximum drawdown of -35.42%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EMDV.L and FEM.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	EMDV.L	FEM.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-48.26%	-35.42%	-12.84%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.38%	-6.96%	-1.42%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.20%	-17.83%	+4.63%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.31%	-17.83%	+2.52%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.93%	-35.42%	+0.49%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.29%	-1.32%	-3.97%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.49%	-8.99%	-4.50%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.70%	2.18%	+1.52%

Volatility

EMDV.L vs. FEM.L - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist) (EMDV.L) is 3.75%, while First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FEM.L) has a volatility of 5.20%. This indicates that EMDV.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

	EMDV.L	FEM.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.75%	5.20%	-1.45%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.56%	12.21%	-3.65%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.78%	15.31%	-3.53%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.56%	15.96%	-1.40%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.96%	18.68%	-1.72%

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

EMDV.L has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is lower than FEM.L's 0.80% expense ratio.

Dividends

EMDV.L vs. FEM.L - Dividend Comparison

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

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
EMDV.L SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Dividend Aristocrats UCITS ETF (Dist)	0.00%	1.29%	4.08%	4.98%	4.45%	3.28%	3.19%	3.83%	3.49%	2.89%	4.15%	5.95%
FEM.L First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

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

EMDV.L and FEM.L have a correlation of 0.59, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

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

On fees, EMDV.L is cheaper at 0.55% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

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

EMDV.L is cheaper with a 0.55% expense ratio, compared with 0.80% for FEM.L.

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

Both ETFs track MSCI EM NR USD. They also come from different issuers: State Street and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for EMDV.L and 0.80% for FEM.L.