FST.TO vs. DMEC.TO

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

FST.TO (First Trust Canadian Capital Strength ETF) and DMEC.TO (Desjardins Canadian Equity Index ETF) are both Canada Equities funds. FST.TO is actively managed, while DMEC.TO is passively managed. Over the past year, FST.TO returned 29.93% vs 34.96% for DMEC.TO. A 0.76 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FST.TO charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for DMEC.TO.

Performance

FST.TO vs. DMEC.TO - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a CA$10,000 investment in First Trust Canadian Capital Strength ETF (FST.TO) and Desjardins Canadian Equity Index ETF (DMEC.TO). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FST.TO achieves a 8.82% return, which is significantly lower than DMEC.TO's 10.72% return.

FST.TO

• 1D: -0.41%
• 1M: 1.37%
• YTD: 8.82%
• 6M: 10.70%
• 1Y: 29.93%
• 3Y*: 23.82%
• 5Y*: 16.78%
• 10Y*: —

DMEC.TO

• 1D: -1.07%
• 1M: 3.70%
• YTD: 10.72%
• 6M: 13.13%
• 1Y: 34.96%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

FST.TO vs. DMEC.TO - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
FST.TO First Trust Canadian Capital Strength ETF	8.82%	29.77%	15.21%
DMEC.TO Desjardins Canadian Equity Index ETF	10.72%	31.87%	16.56%

Correlation

The correlation between FST.TO and DMEC.TO is 0.84, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 19, 2024	0.76

The correlation between FST.TO and DMEC.TO has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.76 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

FST.TO vs. DMEC.TO — Risk / Return Rank

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

FST.TO

FST.TO Risk / Return Rank: 80
FST.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
FST.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
FST.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 76
FST.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
FST.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 89

DMEC.TO

DMEC.TO Risk / Return Rank: 82
DMEC.TO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
DMEC.TO Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
DMEC.TO Omega Ratio Rank: 84
DMEC.TO Calmar Ratio Rank: 75
DMEC.TO Martin Ratio Rank: 84

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.

FST.TO vs. DMEC.TO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Canadian Capital Strength ETF (FST.TO) and Desjardins Canadian Equity Index ETF (DMEC.TO). 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.

	FST.TO	DMEC.TO	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.43	2.80	-0.37
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.47	3.59	-0.11
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	1.51	-0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.29	3.73	+0.56
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	19.64	17.20	+2.44
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FST.TO vs. DMEC.TO - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FST.TO Sharpe Ratio is 2.43, which is comparable to the DMEC.TO Sharpe Ratio of 2.80. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FST.TO and DMEC.TO, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	FST.TO	DMEC.TO	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.43	2.80	-0.37
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	1.20	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.83	2.21	-1.38

Drawdowns

FST.TO vs. DMEC.TO - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FST.TO drawdown since its inception was -38.15%, which is greater than DMEC.TO's maximum drawdown of -12.15%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FST.TO and DMEC.TO.

Drawdown Indicators

	FST.TO	DMEC.TO	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-38.15%	-12.15%	-26.00%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.01%	-9.41%	+2.40%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.33%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-14.73%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.41%	-1.07%	+0.66%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.27%	-1.42%	-1.85%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.53%	2.04%	-0.51%

Volatility

FST.TO vs. DMEC.TO - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust Canadian Capital Strength ETF (FST.TO) is 2.60%, while Desjardins Canadian Equity Index ETF (DMEC.TO) has a volatility of 3.42%. This indicates that FST.TO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DMEC.TO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FST.TO	DMEC.TO	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.60%	3.42%	-0.82%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.82%	10.28%	-0.46%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.38%	12.56%	-0.18%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.04%	12.97%	+1.07%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.32%	12.97%	+2.35%

FST.TO vs. DMEC.TO - Expense Ratio Comparison

FST.TO has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than DMEC.TO's 0.05% expense ratio.

Dividends

FST.TO vs. DMEC.TO - Dividend Comparison

FST.TO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.93%, less than DMEC.TO's 1.91% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
DMEC.TO Desjardins Canadian Equity Index ETF	1.91%	1.78%	1.39%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
FST.TO First Trust Canadian Capital Strength ETF	0.93%	1.01%	1.16%	1.63%	2.03%	1.87%	1.85%	1.91%	1.37%	1.30%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FST.TO and DMEC.TO in my portfolio?

FST.TO and DMEC.TO have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, FST.TO or DMEC.TO?

On fees, DMEC.TO is cheaper at 0.05% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, FST.TO or DMEC.TO?

DMEC.TO is cheaper with a 0.05% expense ratio, compared with 0.65% for FST.TO.

What is the main difference between FST.TO and DMEC.TO?

They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Desjardins. Their fees differ too: 0.65% for FST.TO and 0.05% for DMEC.TO.