EMXF vs. SPEM
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF (EMXF) and SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF (SPEM).
EMXF and SPEM are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. EMXF is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets Choice ESG Screened 5% Issuer Capped Index. It was launched on Oct 6, 2020. SPEM is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P Emerging Markets BMI. It was launched on Mar 19, 2007. Both EMXF and SPEM 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
EMXF vs. SPEM - Performance Comparison
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EMXF vs. SPEM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EMXF iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF | 2.81% | 29.40% | 8.03% | 6.63% | -18.99% | 4.45% | 15.32% |
SPEM SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF | 0.21% | 25.63% | 11.40% | 10.51% | -17.90% | 1.51% | 11.92% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EMXF achieves a 2.81% return, which is significantly higher than SPEM's 0.21% return.
EMXF
- 1D
- 3.35%
- 1M
- -8.16%
- YTD
- 2.81%
- 6M
- 8.14%
- 1Y
- 29.67%
- 3Y*
- 14.20%
- 5Y*
- 4.25%
- 10Y*
- —
SPEM
- 1D
- 3.17%
- 1M
- -7.13%
- YTD
- 0.21%
- 6M
- 1.89%
- 1Y
- 22.70%
- 3Y*
- 14.39%
- 5Y*
- 4.29%
- 10Y*
- 8.16%
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EMXF vs. SPEM - Expense Ratio Comparison
EMXF has a 0.16% expense ratio, which is higher than SPEM's 0.11% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
EMXF vs. SPEM — Risk / Return Rank
EMXF
SPEM
EMXF vs. SPEM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF (EMXF) and SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF (SPEM). 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.
| EMXF | SPEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.61 | 1.28 | +0.32 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.19 | 1.80 | +0.39 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.31 | 1.26 | +0.05 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.38 | 1.82 | +0.56 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.33 | 7.01 | +2.33 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| EMXF | SPEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.61 | 1.28 | +0.32 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.20 | 0.25 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.44 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.36 | 0.21 | +0.15 |
Correlation
The correlation between EMXF and SPEM is 0.87, 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
EMXF vs. SPEM - Dividend Comparison
EMXF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.34%, more than SPEM's 2.77% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EMXF iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF | 3.34% | 3.43% | 2.92% | 2.25% | 2.42% | 1.87% | 0.41% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SPEM SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF | 2.77% | 2.77% | 2.78% | 2.80% | 3.38% | 3.14% | 1.92% | 2.94% | 2.34% | 1.12% | 1.51% | 2.40% |
Drawdowns
EMXF vs. SPEM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EMXF drawdown since its inception was -33.13%, smaller than the maximum SPEM drawdown of -64.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EMXF and SPEM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EMXF | SPEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.13% | -64.41% | +31.28% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.53% | -12.35% | -0.18% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.89% | -31.94% | -0.95% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -36.06% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.60% | -8.56% | -1.04% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.34% | -14.87% | +2.53% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.19% | 3.20% | -0.01% |
Volatility
EMXF vs. SPEM - Volatility Comparison
iShares ESG Advanced MSCI EM ETF (EMXF) has a higher volatility of 9.71% compared to SPDR Portfolio Emerging Markets ETF (SPEM) at 8.25%. This indicates that EMXF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SPEM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EMXF | SPEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.71% | 8.25% | +1.46% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.59% | 12.23% | +1.36% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.56% | 17.79% | +0.77% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.82% | 16.95% | +4.87% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.61% | 18.76% | +2.85% |