FSCS vs. SPMD
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust SMID Capital Strength ETF (FSCS) and SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF (SPMD).
FSCS and SPMD are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FSCS is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the SMID Capital Strength Index. It was launched on Jun 20, 2017. SPMD is a passively managed fund by State Street that tracks the performance of the S&P MidCap 400 Index. It was launched on Nov 8, 2005. Both FSCS and SPMD 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
FSCS vs. SPMD - Performance Comparison
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FSCS vs. SPMD - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FSCS First Trust SMID Capital Strength ETF | -1.33% | 1.77% | 14.98% | 16.81% | -9.11% | 26.08% | 5.71% | 28.00% | -12.85% | 10.74% |
SPMD SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF | 2.59% | 7.44% | 13.91% | 16.48% | -13.13% | 24.76% | 13.46% | 25.19% | -10.34% | 11.15% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FSCS achieves a -1.33% return, which is significantly lower than SPMD's 2.59% return.
FSCS
- 1D
- 1.22%
- 1M
- -5.61%
- YTD
- -1.33%
- 6M
- -3.50%
- 1Y
- 2.82%
- 3Y*
- 9.68%
- 5Y*
- 5.99%
- 10Y*
- —
SPMD
- 1D
- 2.99%
- 1M
- -5.29%
- YTD
- 2.59%
- 6M
- 4.27%
- 1Y
- 17.37%
- 3Y*
- 12.11%
- 5Y*
- 6.60%
- 10Y*
- 10.73%
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FSCS vs. SPMD - Expense Ratio Comparison
FSCS has a 0.60% expense ratio, which is higher than SPMD's 0.05% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FSCS vs. SPMD — Risk / Return Rank
FSCS
SPMD
FSCS vs. SPMD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust SMID Capital Strength ETF (FSCS) and SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF (SPMD). 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.
| FSCS | SPMD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.16 | 0.83 | -0.66 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.37 | 1.30 | -0.93 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.05 | 1.18 | -0.13 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.25 | 1.25 | -1.00 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.87 | 5.41 | -4.54 |
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
| FSCS | SPMD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.16 | 0.83 | -0.66 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.33 | 0.34 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.51 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.39 | 0.43 | -0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between FSCS and SPMD is 0.88, 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
FSCS vs. SPMD - Dividend Comparison
FSCS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.91%, less than SPMD's 1.37% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FSCS First Trust SMID Capital Strength ETF | 0.91% | 0.75% | 1.12% | 1.47% | 1.71% | 1.21% | 1.33% | 1.68% | 1.67% | 0.67% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
SPMD SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF | 1.37% | 1.39% | 1.42% | 1.47% | 1.64% | 1.24% | 1.30% | 1.57% | 1.85% | 1.97% | 2.13% | 5.33% |
Drawdowns
FSCS vs. SPMD - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FSCS drawdown since its inception was -43.57%, smaller than the maximum SPMD drawdown of -57.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FSCS and SPMD.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FSCS | SPMD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -43.57% | -57.62% | +14.05% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.56% | -14.12% | +1.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -21.25% | -24.08% | +2.83% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -41.86% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.13% | -6.13% | -1.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.00% | -8.18% | +2.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.63% | 3.27% | +0.36% |
Volatility
FSCS vs. SPMD - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust SMID Capital Strength ETF (FSCS) is 3.53%, while SPDR Portfolio S&P 400 Mid Cap ETF (SPMD) has a volatility of 6.56%. This indicates that FSCS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPMD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FSCS | SPMD | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.53% | 6.56% | -3.03% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.76% | 11.95% | -3.19% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.50% | 21.11% | -3.61% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.15% | 19.71% | -1.56% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.35% | 21.18% | +0.17% |