FDD vs. FKU

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund (FDD) and First Trust United Kingdom AlphaDEX Fund (FKU).

FDD and FKU 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. FKU is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ AlphaDEX United Kingdom Index. It was launched on Feb 14, 2012. Both FDD and FKU 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. FKU - 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 United Kingdom AlphaDEX Fund (FKU). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

FDD vs. FKU - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FDD First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund	3.33%	62.50%	0.28%	14.16%	-16.14%	16.03%	-3.80%	23.79%	-8.98%	19.07%
FKU First Trust United Kingdom AlphaDEX Fund	1.02%	37.97%	8.06%	20.59%	-24.12%	20.55%	-6.01%	32.90%	-16.21%	25.81%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FDD achieves a 3.33% return, which is significantly higher than FKU's 1.02% return. Over the past 10 years, FDD has outperformed FKU with an annualized return of 9.55%, while FKU has yielded a comparatively lower 6.93% annualized return.

FDD

• 1D: 1.18%
• 1M: -2.31%
• YTD: 3.33%
• 6M: 12.45%
• 1Y: 38.38%
• 3Y*: 23.12%
• 5Y*: 10.95%
• 10Y*: 9.55%

FKU

• 1D: 1.80%
• 1M: -6.54%
• YTD: 1.02%
• 6M: 6.60%
• 1Y: 31.63%
• 3Y*: 19.20%
• 5Y*: 8.06%
• 10Y*: 6.93%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

FDD vs. FKU - Expense Ratio Comparison

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

FKU

First Trust United Kingdom AlphaDEX Fund

FDD

First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund

Return for Risk

FDD vs. FKU — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

FDD

FDD Risk / Return Rank: 91
FDD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
FDD Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
FDD Omega Ratio Rank: 92
FDD Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
FDD Martin Ratio Rank: 91

FKU

FKU Risk / Return Rank: 80
FKU Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
FKU Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
FKU Omega Ratio Rank: 81
FKU Calmar Ratio Rank: 76
FKU Martin Ratio Rank: 76

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. FKU - 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 United Kingdom AlphaDEX Fund (FKU). 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.

	FDD	FKU	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.07	1.65	+0.41
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.73	2.27	+0.46
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.41	1.32	+0.09
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.37	2.25	+1.12
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.88	8.93	+3.95
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. FKU - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FDD Sharpe Ratio is 2.07, which is comparable to the FKU Sharpe Ratio of 1.65. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FDD and FKU, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FDD	FKU	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.07	1.65	+0.41
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60	0.36	+0.25
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.48	0.29	+0.19
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.08	0.32	-0.23

Correlation

The correlation between FDD and FKU is 0.71, 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. FKU - Dividend Comparison

FDD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.83%, more than FKU's 2.85% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FDD First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund	3.83%	3.99%	7.65%	6.85%	6.07%	3.44%	4.01%	4.69%	5.05%	2.78%	4.88%	4.35%
FKU First Trust United Kingdom AlphaDEX Fund	2.85%	2.89%	4.07%	3.82%	5.55%	2.98%	1.48%	3.34%	5.12%	2.93%	2.60%	2.64%

Drawdowns

FDD vs. FKU - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FDD drawdown since its inception was -74.77%, which is greater than FKU's maximum drawdown of -54.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FDD and FKU.

Drawdown Indicators

	FDD	FKU	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-74.77%	-54.39%	-20.38%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.44%	-14.25%	+2.81%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.11%	-41.84%	+6.73%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-41.43%	-54.39%	+12.96%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.58%	-9.34%	+4.76%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-35.78%	-10.87%	-24.91%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.00%	3.59%	-0.59%

Volatility

FDD vs. FKU - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust STOXX European Select Dividend Index Fund (FDD) is 7.06%, while First Trust United Kingdom AlphaDEX Fund (FKU) has a volatility of 7.81%. This indicates that FDD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FKU based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FDD	FKU	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.06%	7.81%	-0.75%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.45%	12.74%	-1.29%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.64%	19.21%	-0.57%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.26%	22.70%	-4.44%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.10%	24.36%	-4.26%