FDT vs. IYZ
FDT (First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund) and IYZ (iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FDT is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ AlphaDEX DM Ex-US Index, while IYZ is a Communications Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Telecommunications Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, FDT returned 11.35%/yr vs 5.71%/yr for IYZ. A 0.58 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FDT charges 0.80%/yr vs 0.42%/yr for IYZ.
Performance
FDT vs. IYZ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FDT achieves a 26.48% return, which is significantly lower than IYZ's 28.55% return. Over the past 10 years, FDT has outperformed IYZ with an annualized return of 11.35%, while IYZ has yielded a comparatively lower 5.71% annualized return.
FDT
- 1D
- 2.64%
- 1M
- 3.53%
- YTD
- 26.48%
- 6M
- 26.98%
- 1Y
- 53.96%
- 3Y*
- 28.59%
- 5Y*
- 13.14%
- 10Y*
- 11.35%
IYZ
- 1D
- -0.79%
- 1M
- 1.50%
- YTD
- 28.55%
- 6M
- 31.94%
- 1Y
- 57.01%
- 3Y*
- 27.64%
- 5Y*
- 7.66%
- 10Y*
- 5.71%
FDT vs. IYZ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FDT First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund | 26.48% | 52.21% | 6.97% | 15.03% | -19.51% | 11.43% | 4.29% | 16.82% | -19.98% | 34.42% |
IYZ iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF | 28.55% | 29.28% | 20.53% | 3.90% | -30.29% | 11.69% | 4.13% | 16.14% | -8.59% | -11.86% |
Correlation
The correlation between FDT and IYZ is 0.46, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.48 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.55 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.56 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 19, 2011 | 0.58 |
The correlation between FDT and IYZ shifts across timeframes, from 0.46 (1 year) to 0.58 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
FDT vs. IYZ — Risk / Return Rank
FDT
IYZ
FDT vs. IYZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund (FDT) and iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF (IYZ). 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.
| FDT | IYZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.33 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.51 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.49 | 1.53 | -0.04 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 4.04 | 6.65 | -2.60 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 15.31 | 26.10 | -10.79 |
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Drawdowns
FDT vs. IYZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FDT drawdown since its inception was -46.10%, smaller than the maximum IYZ drawdown of -77.11%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FDT and IYZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FDT | IYZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.10% | -77.11% | +31.01% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.41% | -8.62% | -4.79% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.29% | -13.85% | -0.44% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.80% | -39.74% | +6.94% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.10% | -39.74% | -6.36% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.82% | -5.52% | +4.70% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.76% | -40.09% | +29.33% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.54% | 2.19% | +1.35% |
Volatility
FDT vs. IYZ - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund (FDT) has a higher volatility of 9.32% compared to iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF (IYZ) at 8.04%. This indicates that FDT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IYZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FDT | IYZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.32% | 8.04% | +1.28% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.44% | 15.62% | +1.82% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.76% | 18.64% | +1.12% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.50% | 18.89% | -0.39% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.63% | 19.31% | -0.68% |
FDT vs. IYZ - Expense Ratio Comparison
FDT has a 0.80% expense ratio, which is higher than IYZ's 0.42% expense ratio.
Dividends
FDT vs. IYZ - Dividend Comparison
FDT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.82%, more than IYZ's 1.91% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FDT First Trust Developed Markets ex-US AlphaDEX Fund | 2.82% | 3.27% | 3.89% | 4.36% | 2.29% | 3.80% | 2.42% | 2.78% | 2.13% | 1.57% | 1.76% | 1.83% |
IYZ iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF | 1.91% | 2.04% | 1.94% | 2.27% | 2.55% | 2.51% | 2.60% | 2.36% | 2.15% | 3.54% | 2.27% | 1.98% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FDT and IYZ have a correlation of 0.46, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FDT has higher volatility (9.32%) compared to IYZ (8.04%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FDT dropped -46.10% vs IYZ's -77.11%.
On 10-year performance, FDT leads with 11.35% vs 5.71% for IYZ. On fees, IYZ is cheaper at 0.42% per year. On volatility, IYZ has been the lower-risk option at 8.04%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, FDT has performed better with a 11.35% return vs 5.71%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
IYZ is cheaper with a 0.42% expense ratio, compared with 0.80% for FDT.
FDT has the higher dividend yield at 2.82%, compared with 1.91% for IYZ.
FDT is categorized as Foreign Large Cap Equities, while IYZ is Communications Equities. FDT tracks NASDAQ AlphaDEX DM Ex-US Index, while IYZ tracks Dow Jones U.S. Select Telecommunications Index. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.80% for FDT and 0.42% for IYZ.
IYZ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.08 vs 2.75), 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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