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FDD vs. FEP
Performance
Return for Risk
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

FDD vs. FEP

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund (FDD) and First Trust Europe AlphaDEX Fund (FEP).

FDD and FEP are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FDD is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the STOXX Europe Select Dividend 30. It was launched on Aug 27, 2007. FEP is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the Defined Europe Index. It was launched on Apr 26, 2011. Both FDD and FEP 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

FDD vs. FEP - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund (FDD) and First Trust Europe AlphaDEX Fund (FEP). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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FDD vs. FEP - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
FDD
First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund		2.13%62.50%0.28%14.16%-16.14%16.03%-3.80%23.79%-8.98%19.07%
FEP
First Trust Europe AlphaDEX Fund		1.73%55.72%3.38%16.85%-22.97%17.03%4.12%24.83%-19.00%36.27%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FDD achieves a 2.13% return, which is significantly higher than FEP's 1.73% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with FDD having a 9.42% annualized return and FEP not far ahead at 9.77%.

FDD

1D
3.55%
1M
-4.63%
YTD
2.13%
6M
11.69%
1Y
36.97%
3Y*
22.64%
5Y*
10.69%
10Y*
9.42%

FEP

1D
4.18%
1M
-7.37%
YTD
1.73%
6M
7.95%
1Y
38.59%
3Y*
20.97%
5Y*
9.58%
10Y*
9.77%
*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs

Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.

First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund

First Trust Europe AlphaDEX Fund

Often compared with FDD:
FDD vs. EUFNFDD vs. VTIFDD vs. FLAXFDD vs. RFEUFDD vs. VUAA.LFDD vs. IQDFFDD vs. DVY
Often compared with FEP:
FEP vs. DFEFEP vs. FEUZFEP vs. HEDJFEP vs. DWMFFEP vs. VGKFEP vs. QYLDFEP vs. DBEU

FDD vs. FEP - Expense Ratio Comparison

FDD has a 0.58% expense ratio, which is lower than FEP's 0.80% expense ratio.

FEP
First Trust Europe AlphaDEX Fund
FDD
First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund

Return for Risk

FDD vs. FEP — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
FDD
FDD Risk / Return Rank: 9292
Overall Rank
FDD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9191
Sharpe Ratio Rank
FDD Sortino Ratio Rank: 9292
Sortino Ratio Rank
FDD Omega Ratio Rank: 9292
Omega Ratio Rank
FDD Calmar Ratio Rank: 9191
Calmar Ratio Rank
FDD Martin Ratio Rank: 9292
Martin Ratio Rank
FEP
FEP Risk / Return Rank: 9090
Overall Rank
FEP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9090
Sharpe Ratio Rank
FEP Sortino Ratio Rank: 9090
Sortino Ratio Rank
FEP Omega Ratio Rank: 9191
Omega Ratio Rank
FEP Calmar Ratio Rank: 9090
Calmar Ratio Rank
FEP Martin Ratio Rank: 9090
Martin Ratio Rank
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.

FDD vs. FEP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund (FDD) and First Trust Europe AlphaDEX Fund (FEP). 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.

FDDFEPDifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

2.00

2.00

0.00

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

2.65

2.57

+0.08

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.40

1.39

0.00

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

3.15

2.98

+0.17

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

12.09

11.45

+0.64

Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FDD vs. FEP - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FDD Sharpe Ratio is 2.00, which is comparable to the FEP Sharpe Ratio of 2.00. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FDD and FEP, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

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Sharpe Ratios by Period

FDDFEPDifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

2.00

2.00

0.00

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.59

0.49

+0.10

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.47

0.47

0.00

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.08

0.31

-0.24

Correlation

The correlation between FDD and FEP is 0.80, 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

FDD vs. FEP - Dividend Comparison

FDD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.87%, more than FEP's 3.21% yield.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
FDD
First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund		3.87%3.99%7.65%6.85%6.07%3.44%4.01%4.69%5.05%2.78%4.88%4.35%
FEP
First Trust Europe AlphaDEX Fund		3.21%3.33%4.94%3.27%3.00%3.49%2.32%2.63%2.62%1.65%2.14%2.20%

Drawdowns

FDD vs. FEP - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FDD drawdown since its inception was -74.77%, which is greater than FEP's maximum drawdown of -46.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FDD and FEP.

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Drawdown Indicators

FDDFEPDifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-74.77%

-46.05%

-28.72%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-11.44%

-12.31%

+0.87%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-35.11%

-38.99%

+3.88%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-41.43%

-46.05%

+4.62%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-5.69%

-7.79%

+2.10%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-35.79%

-12.14%

-23.65%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

2.98%

3.21%

-0.23%

Volatility

FDD vs. FEP - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund (FDD) is 7.53%, while First Trust Europe AlphaDEX Fund (FEP) has a volatility of 9.11%. This indicates that FDD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FEP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

FDDFEPDifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

7.53%

9.11%

-1.58%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

11.41%

12.56%

-1.15%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

18.63%

19.48%

-0.85%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

18.26%

19.58%

-1.32%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

20.10%

20.65%

-0.55%