FAAR vs. CMDY
FAAR (First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF) and CMDY (iShares Bloomberg Roll Select Commodity Strategy ETF) are both Commodities funds. FAAR is actively managed, while CMDY is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FAAR returned 7.50%/yr vs 8.63%/yr for CMDY. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FAAR charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.28%/yr for CMDY.
Performance
FAAR vs. CMDY - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FAAR achieves a 17.40% return, which is significantly higher than CMDY's 12.04% return.
FAAR
- 1D
- -1.46%
- 1M
- -6.59%
- YTD
- 17.40%
- 6M
- 17.10%
- 1Y
- 28.26%
- 3Y*
- 10.03%
- 5Y*
- 7.50%
- 10Y*
- 4.54%
CMDY
- 1D
- -1.90%
- 1M
- -11.06%
- YTD
- 12.04%
- 6M
- 10.50%
- 1Y
- 21.81%
- 3Y*
- 10.68%
- 5Y*
- 8.63%
- 10Y*
- —
FAAR vs. CMDY - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAAR First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF | 17.40% | 8.07% | 5.97% | -5.63% | 10.15% | 12.34% | 8.60% | -1.28% | -7.91% |
CMDY iShares Bloomberg Roll Select Commodity Strategy ETF | 12.04% | 15.81% | 5.43% | -9.33% | 14.55% | 26.38% | 1.15% | 4.96% | -11.13% |
Correlation
The correlation between FAAR and CMDY is 0.70, 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 | 0.70 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 5, 2018 | 0.44 |
Over the past year, FAAR and CMDY have become more correlated (0.70) than their long-term average of 0.44, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
FAAR vs. CMDY — Risk / Return Rank
FAAR
CMDY
FAAR vs. CMDY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF (FAAR) and iShares Bloomberg Roll Select Commodity Strategy ETF (CMDY). 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.
| FAAR | CMDY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.80 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.27 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.37 | 1.25 | +0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.71 | 1.54 | +2.17 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.66 | 6.83 | +7.83 |
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Drawdowns
FAAR vs. CMDY - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FAAR drawdown since its inception was -18.03%, smaller than the maximum CMDY drawdown of -31.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FAAR and CMDY.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FAAR | CMDY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.03% | -31.19% | +13.16% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.66% | -14.23% | +6.57% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.54% | -14.23% | +2.69% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.03% | -26.56% | +8.53% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.03% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.66% | -14.23% | +6.57% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.82% | -13.11% | +5.29% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.93% | 3.20% | -1.27% |
Volatility
FAAR vs. CMDY - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF (FAAR) is 2.82%, while iShares Bloomberg Roll Select Commodity Strategy ETF (CMDY) has a volatility of 3.90%. This indicates that FAAR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CMDY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FAAR | CMDY | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.82% | 3.90% | -1.08% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.80% | 14.58% | -4.78% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.30% | 16.37% | -3.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 12.97% | 15.80% | -2.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.55% | 14.65% | -3.10% |
FAAR vs. CMDY - Expense Ratio Comparison
FAAR has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than CMDY's 0.28% expense ratio.
Dividends
FAAR vs. CMDY - Dividend Comparison
FAAR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.80%, less than CMDY's 11.51% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CMDY iShares Bloomberg Roll Select Commodity Strategy ETF | 11.51% | 12.89% | 4.23% | 5.10% | 3.98% | 16.09% | 0.15% | 2.21% | 1.73% | 0.00% |
FAAR First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF | 9.80% | 11.63% | 3.45% | 3.20% | 5.82% | 6.49% | 3.05% | 1.02% | 0.58% | 2.83% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FAAR and CMDY have a correlation of 0.70, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CMDY has higher volatility (3.90%) compared to FAAR (2.82%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FAAR dropped -18.03% vs CMDY's -31.19%.
On 5-year performance, CMDY leads with 8.63% vs 7.50% for FAAR. On fees, CMDY is cheaper at 0.28% per year. On volatility, FAAR has been the lower-risk option at 2.82%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, CMDY has performed better with a 8.63% return vs 7.50%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
CMDY is cheaper with a 0.28% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for FAAR.
CMDY has the higher dividend yield at 11.51%, compared with 9.80% for FAAR.
They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for FAAR and 0.28% for CMDY.
FAAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.15 vs 1.35), 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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