FEMB vs. LEMB
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF (FEMB) and iShares J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF (LEMB).
FEMB and LEMB are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FEMB is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on Nov 4, 2014. LEMB is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the J.P. Morgan GBI-EM Global 15 cap 4.5 floor. It was launched on Oct 18, 2011.
Performance
FEMB vs. LEMB - Performance Comparison
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FEMB vs. LEMB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FEMB First Trust Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF | -2.12% | 21.77% | -5.61% | 17.12% | -10.50% | -13.40% | 3.16% | 11.52% | -7.19% | 11.92% |
LEMB iShares J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF | -1.85% | 18.02% | -1.72% | 7.23% | -10.74% | -9.92% | 3.10% | 6.40% | -7.49% | 12.49% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FEMB achieves a -2.12% return, which is significantly lower than LEMB's -1.85% return. Over the past 10 years, FEMB has outperformed LEMB with an annualized return of 1.94%, while LEMB has yielded a comparatively lower 1.00% annualized return.
FEMB
- 1D
- 1.15%
- 1M
- -6.18%
- YTD
- -2.12%
- 6M
- 0.86%
- 1Y
- 13.41%
- 3Y*
- 7.19%
- 5Y*
- 2.14%
- 10Y*
- 1.94%
LEMB
- 1D
- 0.94%
- 1M
- -5.03%
- YTD
- -1.85%
- 6M
- 1.44%
- 1Y
- 11.60%
- 3Y*
- 5.53%
- 5Y*
- 0.81%
- 10Y*
- 1.00%
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FEMB vs. LEMB - Expense Ratio Comparison
FEMB has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than LEMB's 0.30% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FEMB vs. LEMB — Risk / Return Rank
FEMB
LEMB
FEMB vs. LEMB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF (FEMB) and iShares J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF (LEMB). 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.
| FEMB | LEMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.51 | 1.70 | -0.19 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.07 | 2.29 | -0.21 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.33 | -0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.83 | 1.99 | -0.15 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.66 | 8.51 | -0.85 |
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
| FEMB | LEMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.51 | 1.70 | -0.19 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.21 | 0.10 | +0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.17 | 0.11 | +0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.07 | 0.02 | +0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between FEMB and LEMB is 0.60, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
FEMB vs. LEMB - Dividend Comparison
FEMB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.00%, more than LEMB's 2.49% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FEMB First Trust Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF | 6.00% | 5.67% | 6.09% | 5.15% | 6.35% | 6.12% | 5.29% | 5.40% | 5.86% | 6.38% | 5.83% | 4.89% |
LEMB iShares J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF | 2.49% | 2.44% | 0.00% | 1.34% | 0.86% | 3.89% | 0.00% | 4.39% | 3.46% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.64% |
Drawdowns
FEMB vs. LEMB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FEMB drawdown since its inception was -30.44%, roughly equal to the maximum LEMB drawdown of -30.82%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FEMB and LEMB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FEMB | LEMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -30.44% | -30.82% | +0.38% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.58% | -6.00% | -1.58% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -27.85% | -25.29% | -2.56% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.44% | -29.09% | -1.35% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.52% | -7.73% | +1.21% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.03% | -12.83% | +2.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.81% | 1.40% | +0.41% |
Volatility
FEMB vs. LEMB - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF (FEMB) has a higher volatility of 3.81% compared to iShares J.P. Morgan EM Local Currency Bond ETF (LEMB) at 3.56%. This indicates that FEMB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than LEMB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FEMB | LEMB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.81% | 3.56% | +0.25% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.46% | 4.71% | +0.75% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.94% | 6.85% | +2.09% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.21% | 8.19% | +2.02% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.22% | 9.33% | +1.89% |