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FDM vs. REGL
Performance
Return for Risk
Dividends
Drawdowns
Volatility

FDM vs. REGL

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund (FDM) and ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (REGL).

FDM and REGL are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FDM is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the Dow Jones Select Microcap Index. It was launched on Sep 27, 2005. REGL is a passively managed fund by ProShares that tracks the performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats Index. It was launched on Feb 5, 2015. Both FDM and REGL 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

FDM vs. REGL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund (FDM) and ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (REGL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

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FDM vs. REGL - Yearly Performance Comparison

2026 (YTD)202520242023202220212020201920182017
FDM
First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund		3.39%18.64%13.00%12.76%-11.61%35.08%-4.04%27.45%-13.53%8.72%
REGL
ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF		3.22%6.89%12.26%5.41%-0.62%20.38%7.50%18.79%-3.25%10.17%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FDM achieves a 3.39% return, which is significantly higher than REGL's 3.22% return. Over the past 10 years, FDM has outperformed REGL with an annualized return of 11.22%, while REGL has yielded a comparatively lower 9.51% annualized return.

FDM

1D
1.32%
1M
-3.24%
YTD
3.39%
6M
9.17%
1Y
33.86%
3Y*
17.23%
5Y*
7.95%
10Y*
11.22%

REGL

1D
1.37%
1M
-5.30%
YTD
3.22%
6M
2.59%
1Y
9.63%
3Y*
9.51%
5Y*
6.82%
10Y*
9.51%
*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 Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund

ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF

Often compared with FDM:
FDM vs. IWCFDM vs. PVIVXFDM vs. DFSCXFDM vs. JMCRXFDM vs. VBFDM vs. SPYFDM vs. SCHD
Often compared with REGL:
REGL vs. NOBLREGL vs. SMDVREGL vs. SDVYREGL vs. SCHDREGL vs. IWRREGL vs. TMDVREGL vs. EZM

FDM vs. REGL - Expense Ratio Comparison

FDM has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than REGL's 0.40% expense ratio.

FDM
First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund
REGL
ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF

Return for Risk

FDM vs. REGL — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.
FDM
FDM Risk / Return Rank: 8383
Overall Rank
FDM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8181
Sharpe Ratio Rank
FDM Sortino Ratio Rank: 8484
Sortino Ratio Rank
FDM Omega Ratio Rank: 7878
Omega Ratio Rank
FDM Calmar Ratio Rank: 8888
Calmar Ratio Rank
FDM Martin Ratio Rank: 8585
Martin Ratio Rank
REGL
REGL Risk / Return Rank: 3535
Overall Rank
REGL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 3434
Sharpe Ratio Rank
REGL Sortino Ratio Rank: 3535
Sortino Ratio Rank
REGL Omega Ratio Rank: 3131
Omega Ratio Rank
REGL Calmar Ratio Rank: 3939
Calmar Ratio Rank
REGL Martin Ratio Rank: 3737
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.

FDM vs. REGL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund (FDM) and ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (REGL). 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.

FDMREGLDifference

Sharpe ratio

Return per unit of total volatility

1.53

0.60

+0.93

Sortino ratio

Return per unit of downside risk

2.22

0.97

+1.25

Omega ratio

Gain probability vs. loss probability

1.29

1.12

+0.17

Calmar ratio

Return relative to maximum drawdown

2.78

0.94

+1.84

Martin ratio

Return relative to average drawdown

9.61

3.29

+6.31

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

FDM vs. REGL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FDM Sharpe Ratio is 1.53, which is higher than the REGL Sharpe Ratio of 0.60. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FDM and REGL, 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

FDMREGLDifference

Sharpe Ratio (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

1.53

0.60

+0.93

Sharpe Ratio (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period

0.37

0.43

-0.05

Sharpe Ratio (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period

0.48

0.52

-0.04

Sharpe Ratio (All Time)

Calculated using the full available price history

0.34

0.53

-0.19

Correlation

The correlation between FDM and REGL is 0.79, 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

FDM vs. REGL - Dividend Comparison

FDM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.33%, less than REGL's 2.25% yield.

TTM20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015
FDM
First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund		1.33%1.43%1.56%1.81%1.80%1.08%1.68%1.37%1.26%0.97%1.13%1.45%
REGL
ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF		2.25%2.32%2.28%2.40%2.32%2.50%2.41%1.96%2.09%1.63%1.20%1.66%

Drawdowns

FDM vs. REGL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FDM drawdown since its inception was -63.45%, which is greater than REGL's maximum drawdown of -36.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FDM and REGL.

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Drawdown Indicators

FDMREGLDifference

Max Drawdown

Largest peak-to-trough decline

-63.45%

-36.37%

-27.08%

Max Drawdown (1Y)

Largest decline over 1 year

-11.99%

-10.94%

-1.05%

Max Drawdown (5Y)

Largest decline over 5 years

-23.74%

-16.96%

-6.78%

Max Drawdown (10Y)

Largest decline over 10 years

-47.76%

-36.37%

-11.39%

Current Drawdown

Current decline from peak

-5.74%

-6.51%

+0.77%

Average Drawdown

Average peak-to-trough decline

-11.43%

-4.09%

-7.34%

Ulcer Index

Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks

3.46%

3.11%

+0.35%

Volatility

FDM vs. REGL - Volatility Comparison

First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund (FDM) has a higher volatility of 6.37% compared to ProShares S&P MidCap 400 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (REGL) at 4.35%. This indicates that FDM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than REGL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

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Volatility by Period

FDMREGLDifference

Volatility (1M)

Calculated over the trailing 1-month period

6.37%

4.35%

+2.02%

Volatility (6M)

Calculated over the trailing 6-month period

14.17%

9.21%

+4.96%

Volatility (1Y)

Calculated over the trailing 1-year period

22.29%

16.27%

+6.02%

Volatility (5Y)

Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized

21.53%

16.11%

+5.42%

Volatility (10Y)

Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized

23.33%

18.31%

+5.02%