FXN vs. IXC
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Energy AlphaDEX Fund (FXN) and iShares Global Energy ETF (IXC).
FXN and IXC are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FXN is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the StrataQuant Energy Index. It was launched on May 8, 2007. IXC is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the S&P Global Energy Sector Index. It was launched on Nov 16, 2001. Both FXN and IXC 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
FXN vs. IXC - Performance Comparison
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FXN vs. IXC - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FXN First Trust Energy AlphaDEX Fund | 36.88% | 3.39% | 0.27% | 0.97% | 46.92% | 51.79% | -19.91% | -6.76% | -24.79% | -5.02% |
IXC iShares Global Energy ETF | 37.40% | 13.98% | 1.95% | 3.92% | 48.51% | 40.88% | -31.00% | 12.67% | -14.85% | 5.54% |
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with FXN having a 36.88% return and IXC slightly higher at 37.40%. Over the past 10 years, FXN has underperformed IXC with an annualized return of 7.49%, while IXC has yielded a comparatively higher 11.57% annualized return.
FXN
- 1D
- -1.36%
- 1M
- 12.16%
- YTD
- 36.88%
- 6M
- 39.23%
- 1Y
- 39.08%
- 3Y*
- 15.78%
- 5Y*
- 19.32%
- 10Y*
- 7.49%
IXC
- 1D
- -0.78%
- 1M
- 11.19%
- YTD
- 37.40%
- 6M
- 40.78%
- 1Y
- 42.12%
- 3Y*
- 19.66%
- 5Y*
- 22.95%
- 10Y*
- 11.57%
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FXN vs. IXC - Expense Ratio Comparison
FXN has a 0.64% expense ratio, which is higher than IXC's 0.46% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FXN vs. IXC — Risk / Return Rank
FXN
IXC
FXN vs. IXC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Energy AlphaDEX Fund (FXN) and iShares Global Energy ETF (IXC). 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.
| FXN | IXC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.24 | 1.90 | -0.66 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.67 | 2.35 | -0.68 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.36 | -0.11 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.76 | 2.39 | -0.63 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.59 | 7.98 | -2.39 |
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
| FXN | IXC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.24 | 1.90 | -0.66 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.67 | 0.98 | -0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.21 | 0.43 | -0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.06 | 0.33 | -0.27 |
Correlation
The correlation between FXN and IXC is 0.89, 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
FXN vs. IXC - Dividend Comparison
FXN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.75%, less than IXC's 2.68% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FXN First Trust Energy AlphaDEX Fund | 1.75% | 2.53% | 2.50% | 3.09% | 2.28% | 0.87% | 4.71% | 1.47% | 1.43% | 1.17% | 1.05% | 2.36% |
IXC iShares Global Energy ETF | 2.68% | 3.68% | 4.56% | 3.45% | 4.76% | 3.98% | 4.86% | 7.00% | 3.51% | 3.05% | 2.86% | 3.77% |
Drawdowns
FXN vs. IXC - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FXN drawdown since its inception was -87.39%, which is greater than IXC's maximum drawdown of -67.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FXN and IXC.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FXN | IXC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -87.39% | -67.88% | -19.51% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -23.10% | -18.03% | -5.07% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.69% | -24.93% | -6.76% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -80.63% | -64.16% | -16.47% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.11% | -1.12% | -1.99% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -38.28% | -17.57% | -20.71% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.28% | 5.41% | +1.87% |
Volatility
FXN vs. IXC - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Energy AlphaDEX Fund (FXN) has a higher volatility of 5.77% compared to iShares Global Energy ETF (IXC) at 4.41%. This indicates that FXN's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IXC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FXN | IXC | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.77% | 4.41% | +1.36% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.31% | 12.78% | +3.53% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 31.71% | 22.29% | +9.42% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.06% | 23.46% | +5.60% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 35.08% | 26.78% | +8.30% |