FAAR vs. COMB
FAAR (First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF) and COMB (GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF) are both Commodities funds. Both are actively managed. Over the past 5 years, FAAR returned 8.07%/yr vs 11.27%/yr for COMB. At a 0.42 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FAAR charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.25%/yr for COMB.
Performance
FAAR vs. COMB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with FAAR having a 25.73% return and COMB slightly higher at 26.81%.
FAAR
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- -0.79%
- YTD
- 25.73%
- 6M
- 23.17%
- 1Y
- 40.73%
- 3Y*
- 11.79%
- 5Y*
- 8.07%
- 10Y*
- 5.17%
COMB
- 1D
- 0.03%
- 1M
- -2.98%
- YTD
- 26.81%
- 6M
- 25.89%
- 1Y
- 38.86%
- 3Y*
- 16.31%
- 5Y*
- 11.27%
- 10Y*
- —
FAAR vs. COMB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAAR First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF | 25.73% | 8.07% | 5.97% | -5.63% | 10.15% | 12.34% | 8.60% | -1.28% | -9.17% | 2.82% |
COMB GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF | 26.81% | 15.12% | 5.24% | -7.75% | 14.56% | 26.34% | -2.95% | 7.02% | -11.41% | 4.98% |
Correlation
The correlation between FAAR and COMB is 0.68, 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 | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 25, 2017 | 0.42 |
Over the past year, FAAR and COMB have become more correlated (0.68) than their long-term average of 0.42, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
FAAR vs. COMB — Risk / Return Rank
FAAR
COMB
FAAR vs. COMB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF (FAAR) and GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF (COMB). 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.
| FAAR | COMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.74 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.32 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.52 | 1.41 | +0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 8.44 | 5.08 | +3.36 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 23.64 | 13.24 | +10.40 |
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
| FAAR | COMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.04 | 2.29 | +0.74 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.62 | 0.68 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.45 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.45 | 0.52 | -0.07 |
Drawdowns
FAAR vs. COMB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FAAR drawdown since its inception was -18.03%, smaller than the maximum COMB drawdown of -33.50%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FAAR and COMB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FAAR | COMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -18.03% | -33.50% | +15.47% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.85% | -7.69% | +2.84% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -11.54% | -11.35% | -0.19% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.03% | -26.63% | +8.60% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -18.03% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.11% | -4.35% | +3.24% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.85% | -12.06% | +4.21% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.73% | 2.94% | -1.21% |
Volatility
FAAR vs. COMB - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF (FAAR) is 2.44%, while GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF (COMB) has a volatility of 5.14%. This indicates that FAAR experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than COMB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FAAR | COMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.44% | 5.14% | -2.70% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.72% | 14.99% | -5.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.48% | 17.02% | -3.54% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.02% | 16.70% | -3.68% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.51% | 15.13% | -3.62% |
FAAR vs. COMB - Expense Ratio Comparison
FAAR has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than COMB's 0.25% expense ratio.
Dividends
FAAR vs. COMB - Dividend Comparison
FAAR's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.15%, more than COMB's 7.14% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
COMB GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K-1 ETF | 7.14% | 9.05% | 2.48% | 6.57% | 30.85% | 15.83% | 0.07% | 1.48% | 0.97% | 0.20% |
FAAR First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF | 9.15% | 11.63% | 3.45% | 3.20% | 5.82% | 6.49% | 3.05% | 1.02% | 0.58% | 2.83% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FAAR and COMB have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
COMB has higher volatility (5.14%) compared to FAAR (2.44%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FAAR dropped -18.03% vs COMB's -33.50%.
On 5-year performance, COMB leads with 11.27% vs 8.07% for FAAR. On fees, COMB is cheaper at 0.25% per year. On volatility, FAAR has been the lower-risk option at 2.44%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, COMB has performed better with a 11.27% return vs 8.07%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
COMB is cheaper with a 0.25% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for FAAR.
FAAR has the higher dividend yield at 9.15%, compared with 7.14% for COMB.
They also come from different issuers: First Trust and GraniteShares. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for FAAR and 0.25% for COMB.
FAAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.04 vs 2.29), 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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