EMLP vs. BILT
EMLP (First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund) and BILT (iShares Infrastructure Active ETF) are both Infrastructure Equities funds. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, EMLP returned 19.09% vs 17.98% for BILT. Their 0.74 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. EMLP charges 0.96%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for BILT.
Performance
EMLP vs. BILT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EMLP achieves a 17.75% return, which is significantly higher than BILT's 14.30% return.
EMLP
- 1D
- 0.37%
- 1M
- 0.62%
- 6M
- 11.20%
- YTD
- 17.75%
- 1Y
- 19.09%
- 3Y*
- 20.43%
- 5Y*
- 16.56%
- 10Y*
- 10.12%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.68%
BILT
- 1D
- 0.11%
- 1M
- -1.05%
- 6M
- 8.99%
- YTD
- 14.30%
- 1Y
- 17.98%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
- ALL TIME*
- 19.07%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2.38M | $1.70M | $1.65M | |
| $12.88M | $10.50M | $12.16M |
EMLP vs. BILT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|
EMLP First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund | 17.75% | 1.01% |
BILT iShares Infrastructure Active ETF | 14.30% | 4.16% |
Correlation
The correlation between EMLP and BILT is 0.74, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.74 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 31, 2025 | 0.74 |
The correlation between EMLP and BILT has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.74 to 0.74 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
EMLP vs. BILT — Risk / Return Rank
EMLP
BILT
EMLP vs. BILT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund (EMLP) and iShares Infrastructure Active ETF (BILT). 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.
| EMLP | BILT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.05 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.33 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.72 | 3.52 | +0.20 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.54 | 10.60 | -0.06 |
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Drawdowns
EMLP vs. BILT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EMLP drawdown since its inception was -43.61%, which is greater than BILT's maximum drawdown of -5.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EMLP and BILT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EMLP | BILT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -43.61% | -5.38% | -38.23% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.94% | -5.38% | +0.44% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.47% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -14.59% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.61% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.94% | -2.25% | +0.31% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.71% | -1.36% | -4.35% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.74% | 1.78% | -0.04% |
Volatility
EMLP vs. BILT - Volatility Comparison
First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund (EMLP) has a higher volatility of 3.87% compared to iShares Infrastructure Active ETF (BILT) at 3.10%. This indicates that EMLP's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BILT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EMLP | BILT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.87% | 3.10% | +0.77% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.48% | 8.44% | +0.04% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 10.36% | 10.31% | +0.05% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.49% | 10.31% | +4.18% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.67% | 10.31% | +7.36% |
EMLP vs. BILT - Expense Ratio Comparison
EMLP has a 0.96% expense ratio, which is higher than BILT's 0.60% expense ratio.
Dividends
EMLP vs. BILT - Dividend Comparison
EMLP's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.76%, less than BILT's 5.70% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
BILT iShares Infrastructure Active ETF | 5.70% | 0.99% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
EMLP First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund | 2.76% | 3.18% | 3.19% | 3.92% | 3.15% | 3.29% | 4.70% | 3.71% | 4.71% | 3.80% | 3.62% | 4.63% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EMLP and BILT have a correlation of 0.74, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
EMLP has higher volatility (3.87%) compared to BILT (3.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EMLP dropped -43.61% vs BILT's -5.38%.
On 1-year performance, EMLP leads with 19.09% vs 17.98% for BILT. On fees, BILT is cheaper at 0.60% per year. On volatility, BILT has been the lower-risk option at 3.10%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, EMLP has performed better with a 19.09% return vs 17.98%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
BILT is cheaper with a 0.60% expense ratio, compared with 0.96% for EMLP.
BILT has the higher dividend yield at 5.70%, compared with 2.76% for EMLP.
They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.96% for EMLP and 0.60% for BILT.
BILT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.84 vs 1.78), 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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