FTGC vs. DBMF
FTGC (First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund) and DBMF (iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FTGC is a Commodities fund actively managed by First Trust, while DBMF is a Systematic Trend fund actively managed by iM Global Partners. Both are actively managed. Over the past 5 years, FTGC returned 12.04%/yr vs 8.01%/yr for DBMF. At a 0.23 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. FTGC charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for DBMF.
Performance
FTGC vs. DBMF - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FTGC achieves a 21.85% return, which is significantly higher than DBMF's 10.27% return.
FTGC
- 1D
- -0.10%
- 1M
- -6.23%
- YTD
- 21.85%
- 6M
- 22.43%
- 1Y
- 30.18%
- 3Y*
- 15.83%
- 5Y*
- 12.04%
- 10Y*
- 7.24%
DBMF
- 1D
- 0.26%
- 1M
- -1.31%
- YTD
- 10.27%
- 6M
- 11.24%
- 1Y
- 26.94%
- 3Y*
- 9.64%
- 5Y*
- 8.01%
- 10Y*
- —
FTGC vs. DBMF - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund | 21.85% | 14.61% | 9.96% | -5.36% | 17.36% | 27.95% | 2.17% | 4.42% |
DBMF iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF | 10.27% | 13.85% | 7.24% | -8.94% | 21.61% | 11.49% | 1.80% | 10.51% |
Correlation
The correlation between FTGC and DBMF is 0.44, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.24 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 8, 2019 | 0.23 |
Over the past year, FTGC and DBMF have become more correlated (0.44) than their long-term average of 0.23, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
FTGC vs. DBMF — Risk / Return Rank
FTGC
DBMF
FTGC vs. DBMF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) and iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF (DBMF). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| FTGC | DBMF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.14 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.16 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.37 | 1.47 | -0.10 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.82 | 4.50 | -0.68 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.11 | 16.30 | -4.20 |
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Drawdowns
FTGC vs. DBMF - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FTGC drawdown since its inception was -59.47%, which is greater than DBMF's maximum drawdown of -20.39%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FTGC and DBMF.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FTGC | DBMF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.47% | -20.39% | -39.08% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.63% | -6.10% | -2.53% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -10.39% | -15.60% | +5.21% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -22.64% | -20.39% | -2.25% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -35.91% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.63% | -1.91% | -6.72% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -27.37% | -6.56% | -20.81% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.71% | 1.68% | +1.03% |
Volatility
FTGC vs. DBMF - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund (FTGC) has a higher volatility of 3.63% compared to iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF (DBMF) at 2.71%. This indicates that FTGC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DBMF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FTGC | DBMF | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.63% | 2.71% | +0.92% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.30% | 10.00% | +3.30% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.78% | 12.35% | +3.43% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.97% | 12.55% | +3.42% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.72% | 12.41% | +2.31% |
FTGC vs. DBMF - Expense Ratio Comparison
FTGC has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than DBMF's 0.85% expense ratio.
Dividends
FTGC vs. DBMF - Dividend Comparison
FTGC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 15.73%, more than DBMF's 5.19% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DBMF iMGP DBi Managed Futures Strategy ETF | 5.19% | 5.91% | 5.75% | 2.91% | 7.72% | 10.38% | 0.86% | 9.35% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
FTGC First Trust Global Tactical Commodity Strategy Fund | 15.73% | 17.74% | 3.05% | 3.34% | 10.35% | 7.21% | 0.00% | 0.81% | 0.80% | 1.21% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FTGC and DBMF have a correlation of 0.44, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FTGC has higher volatility (3.63%) compared to DBMF (2.71%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FTGC dropped -59.47% vs DBMF's -20.39%.
On 5-year performance, FTGC leads with 12.04% vs 8.01% for DBMF. On fees, DBMF is cheaper at 0.85% per year. On volatility, DBMF has been the lower-risk option at 2.71%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 5-year period, FTGC has performed better with a 12.04% return vs 8.01%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
DBMF is cheaper with a 0.85% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for FTGC.
FTGC has the higher dividend yield at 15.73%, compared with 5.19% for DBMF.
FTGC is categorized as Commodities, while DBMF is Systematic Trend. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and iM Global Partners. Their fees differ too: 0.95% for FTGC and 0.85% for DBMF.
DBMF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.22 vs 2.09), 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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