FXZ vs. VAW
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ) and Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW).
FXZ and VAW are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. FXZ is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the StrataQuant Materials Index. It was launched on May 8, 2007. VAW is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Materials 25/50 Index. It was launched on Jan 26, 2004. Both FXZ and VAW 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
FXZ vs. VAW - Performance Comparison
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FXZ vs. VAW - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FXZ First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund | 17.95% | 16.25% | -16.31% | 16.27% | -0.92% | 30.84% | 22.52% | 21.52% | -22.62% | 23.72% |
VAW Vanguard Materials ETF | 8.97% | 12.30% | 0.48% | 13.67% | -11.80% | 27.43% | 19.44% | 23.53% | -17.49% | 23.76% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FXZ achieves a 17.95% return, which is significantly higher than VAW's 8.97% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with FXZ having a 11.09% annualized return and VAW not far behind at 10.55%.
FXZ
- 1D
- 3.07%
- 1M
- -3.11%
- YTD
- 17.95%
- 6M
- 24.85%
- 1Y
- 39.96%
- 3Y*
- 7.22%
- 5Y*
- 8.21%
- 10Y*
- 11.09%
VAW
- 1D
- 2.34%
- 1M
- -7.36%
- YTD
- 8.97%
- 6M
- 10.84%
- 1Y
- 21.22%
- 3Y*
- 10.04%
- 5Y*
- 7.09%
- 10Y*
- 10.55%
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FXZ vs. VAW - Expense Ratio Comparison
FXZ has a 0.67% expense ratio, which is higher than VAW's 0.10% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FXZ vs. VAW — Risk / Return Rank
FXZ
VAW
FXZ vs. VAW - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ) and Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW). 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.
| FXZ | VAW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.52 | 1.00 | +0.52 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.12 | 1.51 | +0.61 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.20 | +0.09 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.45 | 1.56 | +0.89 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.45 | 5.38 | +4.07 |
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
| FXZ | VAW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.52 | 1.00 | +0.52 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.34 | 0.36 | -0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.45 | 0.50 | -0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.33 | 0.39 | -0.06 |
Correlation
The correlation between FXZ and VAW is 0.91, 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
FXZ vs. VAW - Dividend Comparison
FXZ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.52%, more than VAW's 1.41% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FXZ First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund | 1.52% | 1.74% | 1.81% | 1.97% | 1.56% | 1.11% | 1.51% | 1.58% | 1.38% | 1.01% | 1.19% | 1.26% |
VAW Vanguard Materials ETF | 1.41% | 1.55% | 1.70% | 1.72% | 1.98% | 1.44% | 1.67% | 1.94% | 2.03% | 1.63% | 1.67% | 2.30% |
Drawdowns
FXZ vs. VAW - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FXZ drawdown since its inception was -65.46%, which is greater than VAW's maximum drawdown of -62.17%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FXZ and VAW.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FXZ | VAW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -65.46% | -62.17% | -3.29% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.38% | -14.33% | -2.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.99% | -25.50% | -8.49% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -49.41% | -41.13% | -8.28% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -4.10% | -7.36% | +3.26% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.45% | -9.67% | -1.78% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.25% | 4.15% | +0.10% |
Volatility
FXZ vs. VAW - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ) has a higher volatility of 8.64% compared to Vanguard Materials ETF (VAW) at 7.07%. This indicates that FXZ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VAW based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FXZ | VAW | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.64% | 7.07% | +1.57% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.29% | 13.34% | +3.95% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 26.42% | 21.39% | +5.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.10% | 19.56% | +4.54% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.79% | 21.14% | +3.65% |