FEMB vs. SGOV
FEMB (First Trust Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF) and SGOV (iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FEMB is a Emerging Markets Bonds fund actively managed by First Trust, while SGOV is a Ultrashort Bond fund tracking the ICE 0-3 Month US Treasury Securities Index. FEMB is actively managed, while SGOV is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FEMB returned 1.63%/yr vs 3.54%/yr for SGOV. At a correlation of -0.01, they often move in opposite directions. FEMB charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for SGOV.
Performance
FEMB vs. SGOV - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FEMB achieves a 0.60% return, which is significantly lower than SGOV's 1.51% return.
FEMB
- 1D
- -0.81%
- 1M
- 0.57%
- YTD
- 0.60%
- 6M
- 0.88%
- 1Y
- 10.20%
- 3Y*
- 7.79%
- 5Y*
- 1.63%
- 10Y*
- 2.51%
SGOV
- 1D
- 0.01%
- 1M
- 0.29%
- YTD
- 1.51%
- 6M
- 1.80%
- 1Y
- 3.95%
- 3Y*
- 4.72%
- 5Y*
- 3.54%
- 10Y*
- —
FEMB vs. SGOV - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FEMB First Trust Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF | 0.60% | 21.77% | -5.61% | 17.12% | -10.50% | -13.40% | 13.08% |
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 1.51% | 4.24% | 5.27% | 5.12% | 1.58% | 0.04% | 0.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between FEMB and SGOV is -0.08, 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 | -0.08 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.00 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.00 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 29, 2020 | -0.01 |
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Return for Risk
FEMB vs. SGOV — Risk / Return Rank
FEMB
SGOV
FEMB vs. SGOV - 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 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV). 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 | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -19.05 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -273.90 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 195.55 | -194.32 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.35 | 398.20 | -396.85 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.34 | 4,462.00 | -4,457.66 |
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 | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.22 | 20.28 | -19.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.16 | 14.73 | -14.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.23 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.09 | 12.48 | -12.40 |
Drawdowns
FEMB vs. SGOV - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FEMB drawdown since its inception was -30.44%, which is greater than SGOV's maximum drawdown of -0.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FEMB and SGOV.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FEMB | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -30.44% | -0.03% | -30.41% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.58% | -0.01% | -7.57% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.13% | -0.01% | -10.12% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -27.85% | -0.03% | -27.82% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -30.44% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.91% | 0.00% | -3.91% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.93% | -0.00% | -9.93% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.35% | 0.00% | +2.35% |
Volatility
FEMB vs. SGOV - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF (FEMB) has a higher volatility of 3.05% compared to iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) at 0.05%. This indicates that FEMB's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SGOV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FEMB | SGOV | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.05% | 0.05% | +3.00% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.57% | 0.13% | +6.44% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 8.36% | 0.20% | +8.16% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.26% | 0.24% | +10.02% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.99% | 0.24% | +10.75% |
FEMB vs. SGOV - Expense Ratio Comparison
FEMB has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than SGOV's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
FEMB vs. SGOV - Dividend Comparison
FEMB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.06%, more than SGOV's 3.86% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FEMB First Trust Emerging Markets Local Currency Bond ETF | 6.06% | 5.67% | 6.09% | 5.15% | 6.35% | 6.12% | 5.29% | 5.40% | 5.86% | 6.38% | 5.83% | 4.89% |
SGOV iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF | 3.86% | 4.10% | 5.10% | 4.87% | 1.45% | 0.03% | 0.05% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FEMB and SGOV have a correlation of -0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FEMB has higher volatility (3.05%) compared to SGOV (0.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FEMB dropped -30.44% vs SGOV's -0.03%.
On 5-year performance, SGOV leads with 3.54% vs 1.63% for FEMB. On fees, SGOV is cheaper at 0.09% per year. On volatility, SGOV has been the lower-risk option at 0.05%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, SGOV has performed better with a 3.54% return vs 1.63%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SGOV is cheaper with a 0.09% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for FEMB.
FEMB has the higher dividend yield at 6.06%, compared with 3.86% for SGOV.
FEMB is categorized as Emerging Markets Bonds, while SGOV is Ultrashort Bond. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for FEMB and 0.09% for SGOV.
SGOV currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (20.28 vs 1.22), 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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