FEM.L vs. IEMA.L
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FEM.L) and iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IEMA.L).
FEM.L and IEMA.L are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FEM.L is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the MSCI EM NR USD. It was launched on Apr 9, 2013. IEMA.L is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. It was launched on Sep 25, 2009. Both FEM.L and IEMA.L 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
FEM.L vs. IEMA.L - Performance Comparison
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FEM.L vs. IEMA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FEM.L First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc | 11.44% | 18.46% | 5.12% | 4.21% | -3.80% | 8.72% | -3.95% | 15.10% | -11.29% | 27.59% |
IEMA.L iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF USD (Acc) | 6.65% | 24.83% | 9.49% | 3.96% | -10.74% | -1.91% | 15.51% | 11.35% | -8.84% | 24.06% |
Different Trading Currencies
FEM.L is traded in GBp, while IEMA.L is traded in USD. To make them comparable, the IEMA.L values have been converted to GBp using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FEM.L achieves a 11.44% return, which is significantly higher than IEMA.L's 6.65% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with FEM.L having a 9.02% annualized return and IEMA.L not far behind at 8.99%.
FEM.L
- 1D
- 2.05%
- 1M
- -2.65%
- YTD
- 11.44%
- 6M
- 14.12%
- 1Y
- 30.88%
- 3Y*
- 14.03%
- 5Y*
- 7.63%
- 10Y*
- 9.02%
IEMA.L
- 1D
- 4.04%
- 1M
- -4.70%
- YTD
- 6.65%
- 6M
- 10.96%
- 1Y
- 31.76%
- 3Y*
- 14.08%
- 5Y*
- 5.26%
- 10Y*
- 8.99%
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FEM.L vs. IEMA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison
FEM.L has a 0.80% expense ratio, which is higher than IEMA.L's 0.18% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FEM.L vs. IEMA.L — Risk / Return Rank
FEM.L
IEMA.L
FEM.L vs. IEMA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FEM.L) and iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IEMA.L). 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.
| FEM.L | IEMA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.85 | 1.79 | +0.06 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.31 | 2.37 | -0.06 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.35 | 1.34 | +0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.45 | 3.07 | +0.38 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.64 | 10.40 | +2.24 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| FEM.L | IEMA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.85 | 1.79 | +0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.48 | 0.32 | +0.16 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.48 | 0.49 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.32 | 0.33 | -0.01 |
Correlation
The correlation between FEM.L and IEMA.L 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
FEM.L vs. IEMA.L - Dividend Comparison
Neither FEM.L nor IEMA.L has paid dividends to shareholders.
Drawdowns
FEM.L vs. IEMA.L - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FEM.L drawdown since its inception was -35.42%, which is greater than IEMA.L's maximum drawdown of -31.72%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FEM.L and IEMA.L.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FEM.L | IEMA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.42% | -39.66% | +4.24% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.09% | -12.76% | +1.67% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.83% | -37.08% | +19.25% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.42% | -39.66% | +4.24% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.65% | -8.93% | +6.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.09% | -15.43% | +6.34% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.50% | 3.49% | -0.99% |
Volatility
FEM.L vs. IEMA.L - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX UCITS ETF Acc (FEM.L) is 5.83%, while iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (IEMA.L) has a volatility of 8.32%. This indicates that FEM.L experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IEMA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FEM.L | IEMA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.83% | 8.32% | -2.49% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.58% | 13.63% | -1.05% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.63% | 17.66% | -1.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.89% | 16.54% | -0.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.71% | 18.60% | +0.11% |