FEM vs. QAT
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund (FEM) and iShares MSCI Qatar ETF (QAT).
FEM and QAT are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FEM is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the NASDAQ AlphaDEX EM Index. It was launched on Apr 18, 2011. QAT is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI All Qatar Capped Index. It was launched on Apr 29, 2014. Both FEM and QAT 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 vs. QAT - Performance Comparison
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FEM vs. QAT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FEM First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund | 9.64% | 28.36% | 3.01% | 10.84% | -14.24% | 7.40% | -1.68% | 20.55% | -15.51% | 41.05% |
QAT iShares MSCI Qatar ETF | -1.16% | 8.81% | 5.20% | 2.72% | -7.23% | 14.42% | 6.94% | -0.44% | 20.03% | -11.66% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FEM achieves a 9.64% return, which is significantly higher than QAT's -1.16% return. Over the past 10 years, FEM has outperformed QAT with an annualized return of 8.47%, while QAT has yielded a comparatively lower 3.21% annualized return.
FEM
- 1D
- 1.40%
- 1M
- -4.37%
- YTD
- 9.64%
- 6M
- 11.51%
- 1Y
- 35.39%
- 3Y*
- 16.74%
- 5Y*
- 6.92%
- 10Y*
- 8.47%
QAT
- 1D
- 2.22%
- 1M
- -4.42%
- YTD
- -1.16%
- 6M
- -3.61%
- 1Y
- 8.10%
- 3Y*
- 5.46%
- 5Y*
- 3.59%
- 10Y*
- 3.21%
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FEM vs. QAT - Expense Ratio Comparison
FEM has a 0.80% expense ratio, which is higher than QAT's 0.59% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FEM vs. QAT — Risk / Return Rank
FEM
QAT
FEM vs. QAT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund (FEM) and iShares MSCI Qatar ETF (QAT). 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 | QAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.85 | 0.62 | +1.23 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.34 | 0.86 | +1.48 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.36 | 1.13 | +0.23 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.66 | 0.82 | +1.84 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.54 | 1.80 | +10.74 |
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 | QAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.85 | 0.62 | +1.23 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.38 | 0.24 | +0.14 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.41 | 0.18 | +0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.16 | 0.07 | +0.10 |
Correlation
The correlation between FEM and QAT is 0.32, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
FEM vs. QAT - Dividend Comparison
FEM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.84%, less than QAT's 3.55% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FEM First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund | 2.84% | 3.13% | 3.66% | 4.96% | 6.15% | 4.15% | 2.68% | 3.31% | 3.52% | 2.45% | 2.25% | 3.61% |
QAT iShares MSCI Qatar ETF | 3.55% | 3.51% | 5.90% | 3.92% | 4.78% | 2.33% | 2.63% | 3.57% | 4.63% | 4.10% | 3.51% | 4.49% |
Drawdowns
FEM vs. QAT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FEM drawdown since its inception was -46.23%, roughly equal to the maximum QAT drawdown of -45.21%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FEM and QAT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FEM | QAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -46.23% | -45.21% | -1.02% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.19% | -10.60% | -2.59% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.72% | -33.17% | +1.45% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -46.23% | -34.04% | -12.19% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -5.40% | -13.45% | +8.05% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.20% | -19.29% | +4.09% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.79% | 4.81% | -2.02% |
Volatility
FEM vs. QAT - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Emerging Markets AlphaDEX Fund (FEM) has a higher volatility of 8.51% compared to iShares MSCI Qatar ETF (QAT) at 5.05%. This indicates that FEM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than QAT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FEM | QAT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.51% | 5.05% | +3.46% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.64% | 9.07% | +4.57% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.24% | 13.22% | +6.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.21% | 14.84% | +3.37% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.95% | 17.60% | +3.35% |