FDTS vs. PIT
FDTS (First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund) and PIT (VanEck Commodity Strategy ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FDTS is a Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities fund tracking the NASDAQ AlphaDEX DM Ex-US Small Cap Index, while PIT is a Commodities fund actively managed by VanEck. FDTS is passively managed, while PIT is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, FDTS returned 24.70%/yr vs 21.53%/yr for PIT. At a 0.26 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FDTS charges 0.80%/yr vs 0.55%/yr for PIT.
Performance
FDTS vs. PIT - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FDTS achieves a 18.78% return, which is significantly lower than PIT's 32.48% return.
FDTS
- 1D
- -0.17%
- 1M
- -3.79%
- YTD
- 18.78%
- 6M
- 20.77%
- 1Y
- 44.72%
- 3Y*
- 24.70%
- 5Y*
- 10.78%
- 10Y*
- 10.96%
PIT
- 1D
- -1.00%
- 1M
- -9.18%
- YTD
- 32.48%
- 6M
- 34.12%
- 1Y
- 45.92%
- 3Y*
- 21.53%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
FDTS vs. PIT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FDTS First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund | 18.78% | 51.17% | 2.44% | 10.96% | 0.09% |
PIT VanEck Commodity Strategy ETF | 32.48% | 21.63% | 6.77% | -4.54% | 1.67% |
Correlation
The correlation between FDTS and PIT is 0.01, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.01 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 22, 2022 | 0.26 |
Over the past year, the correlation between FDTS and PIT has dropped to 0.01 - well below their long-term average of 0.26, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
FDTS vs. PIT — Risk / Return Rank
FDTS
PIT
FDTS vs. PIT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund (FDTS) and VanEck Commodity Strategy ETF (PIT). 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.
| FDTS | PIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.09 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.30 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.42 | 1.40 | +0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.43 | 4.66 | -1.23 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.78 | 15.95 | -4.17 |
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Drawdowns
FDTS vs. PIT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FDTS drawdown since its inception was -51.26%, which is greater than PIT's maximum drawdown of -12.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FDTS and PIT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FDTS | PIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.26% | -12.27% | -38.99% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.61% | -10.56% | -2.05% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.19% | -12.27% | -0.92% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.11% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -51.26% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.77% | -10.56% | +5.79% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.64% | -4.02% | -6.62% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.66% | 3.08% | +0.58% |
Volatility
FDTS vs. PIT - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund (FDTS) has a higher volatility of 8.44% compared to VanEck Commodity Strategy ETF (PIT) at 4.99%. This indicates that FDTS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than PIT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FDTS | PIT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.44% | 4.99% | +3.45% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 15.54% | 19.29% | -3.75% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.27% | 21.58% | -3.31% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.42% | 17.50% | +11.92% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.92% | 17.50% | +7.42% |
FDTS vs. PIT - Expense Ratio Comparison
FDTS has a 0.80% expense ratio, which is higher than PIT's 0.55% expense ratio.
Dividends
FDTS vs. PIT - Dividend Comparison
FDTS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.53%, less than PIT's 6.73% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FDTS First Trust Developed Markets ex-US Small Cap AlphaDEX Fund | 2.53% | 2.94% | 3.94% | 2.90% | 3.71% | 3.01% | 2.02% | 2.30% | 1.96% | 2.08% | 1.78% | 1.73% |
PIT VanEck Commodity Strategy ETF | 6.73% | 8.92% | 3.59% | 6.44% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FDTS and PIT have a correlation of 0.01, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FDTS has higher volatility (8.44%) compared to PIT (4.99%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FDTS dropped -51.26% vs PIT's -12.27%.
On 3-year performance, FDTS leads with 24.70% vs 21.53% for PIT. On fees, PIT is cheaper at 0.55% per year. On volatility, PIT has been the lower-risk option at 4.99%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, FDTS has performed better with a 24.70% return vs 21.53%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
PIT is cheaper with a 0.55% expense ratio, compared with 0.80% for FDTS.
PIT has the higher dividend yield at 6.73%, compared with 2.53% for FDTS.
FDTS is categorized as Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities, while PIT is Commodities. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and VanEck. Their fees differ too: 0.80% for FDTS and 0.55% for PIT.
FDTS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs 2.28), 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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