FLSA vs. KWT

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia ETF (FLSA) and iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF (KWT).

FLSA and KWT are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FLSA is a passively managed fund by Franklin Templeton that tracks the performance of the FTSE Saudi Arabia RIC Capped Index. It was launched on Oct 9, 2018. KWT is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI All Kuwait Select Size Liquidity Capped Index. It was launched on Sep 1, 2020. Both FLSA and KWT 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

FLSA vs. KWT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia ETF (FLSA) and iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF (KWT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

FLSA vs. KWT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
FLSA Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia ETF	9.11%	-7.15%	-0.29%	12.99%	-3.58%	35.72%	8.77%
KWT iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF	-5.58%	25.38%	11.29%	-4.71%	5.16%	30.73%	9.07%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FLSA achieves a 9.11% return, which is significantly higher than KWT's -5.58% return.

FLSA

• 1D: 2.36%
• 1M: 6.79%
• YTD: 9.11%
• 6M: 0.01%
• 1Y: -0.07%
• 3Y*: 3.84%
• 5Y*: 5.24%
• 10Y*: —

KWT

• 1D: 1.57%
• 1M: -4.87%
• YTD: -5.58%
• 6M: -5.74%
• 1Y: 6.96%
• 3Y*: 8.85%
• 5Y*: 10.06%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

FLSA vs. KWT - Expense Ratio Comparison

FLSA has a 0.39% expense ratio, which is lower than KWT's 0.74% expense ratio.

KWT

iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF

FLSA

Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia ETF

Return for Risk

FLSA vs. KWT — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

FLSA

FLSA Risk / Return Rank: 12
FLSA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
FLSA Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
FLSA Omega Ratio Rank: 12
FLSA Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
FLSA Martin Ratio Rank: 13

KWT

KWT Risk / Return Rank: 26
KWT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 27
KWT Sortino Ratio Rank: 26
KWT Omega Ratio Rank: 27
KWT Calmar Ratio Rank: 27
KWT Martin Ratio Rank: 24

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

FLSA vs. KWT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia ETF (FLSA) and iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF (KWT). 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.

	FLSA	KWT	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.00	0.47	-0.47
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.13	0.75	-0.61
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.02	1.11	-0.09
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.06	0.63	-0.57
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.11	1.69	-1.58
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FLSA vs. KWT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FLSA Sharpe Ratio is -0.00, which is lower than the KWT Sharpe Ratio of 0.47. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FLSA and KWT, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FLSA	KWT	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.00	0.47	-0.47
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.33	0.74	-0.41
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.40	0.86	-0.47

Correlation

The correlation between FLSA and KWT is 0.36, 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

FLSA vs. KWT - Dividend Comparison

FLSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.68%, less than KWT's 5.72% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
FLSA Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia ETF	3.68%	4.01%	3.01%	3.09%	1.90%	1.95%	2.16%	3.18%
KWT iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF	5.72%	5.40%	6.09%	2.25%	5.87%	7.65%	0.27%	0.00%

Drawdowns

FLSA vs. KWT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FLSA drawdown since its inception was -38.31%, which is greater than KWT's maximum drawdown of -24.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FLSA and KWT.

Drawdown Indicators

	FLSA	KWT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-38.31%	-24.37%	-13.94%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.30%	-11.54%	+0.24%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-27.25%	-24.37%	-2.88%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-12.60%	-10.14%	-2.46%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.16%	-7.36%	-4.80%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.30%	4.29%	+2.01%

Volatility

FLSA vs. KWT - Volatility Comparison

Franklin FTSE Saudi Arabia ETF (FLSA) has a higher volatility of 7.17% compared to iShares MSCI Kuwait ETF (KWT) at 4.32%. This indicates that FLSA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than KWT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FLSA	KWT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.17%	4.32%	+2.85%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.15%	11.09%	+1.06%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.72%	14.87%	+2.85%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.82%	13.61%	+2.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.54%	13.99%	+5.55%