HDEF vs. VEA

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF (HDEF) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA).

HDEF and VEA are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. HDEF is a passively managed fund by Deutsche Bank that tracks the performance of the MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield US Dollar Hedged Index. It was launched on Aug 12, 2015. VEA is a passively managed fund by Vanguard that tracks the performance of the FTSE Developed All Cap ex US Index. It was launched on Jul 20, 2007. Both HDEF and VEA 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

HDEF vs. VEA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF (HDEF) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

HDEF vs. VEA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
HDEF Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF	5.22%	33.01%	2.85%	18.53%	-2.51%	6.95%	-1.90%	25.02%	-13.74%	9.89%
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF	4.45%	35.16%	3.15%	17.93%	-15.34%	11.66%	9.71%	22.62%	-14.75%	26.42%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, HDEF achieves a 5.22% return, which is significantly higher than VEA's 4.45% return. Over the past 10 years, HDEF has underperformed VEA with an annualized return of 8.88%, while VEA has yielded a comparatively higher 9.55% annualized return.

HDEF

• 1D: 0.15%
• 1M: -2.98%
• YTD: 5.22%
• 6M: 10.37%
• 1Y: 24.35%
• 3Y*: 16.78%
• 5Y*: 11.20%
• 10Y*: 8.88%

VEA

• 1D: 1.65%
• 1M: -5.45%
• YTD: 4.45%
• 6M: 9.91%
• 1Y: 31.74%
• 3Y*: 16.71%
• 5Y*: 8.93%
• 10Y*: 9.55%

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

HDEF vs. VEA - Expense Ratio Comparison

HDEF has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than VEA's 0.03% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

HDEF

Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF

VEA

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF

Return for Risk

HDEF vs. VEA — Risk / Return Rank

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

HDEF

HDEF Risk / Return Rank: 84
HDEF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
HDEF Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
HDEF Omega Ratio Rank: 85
HDEF Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
HDEF Martin Ratio Rank: 84

VEA

VEA Risk / Return Rank: 87
VEA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
VEA Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
VEA Omega Ratio Rank: 87
VEA Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
VEA Martin Ratio Rank: 87

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.

HDEF vs. VEA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF (HDEF) and Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA). 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.

	HDEF	VEA	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.69	1.81	-0.12
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.26	2.46	-0.20
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.35	1.36	-0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.62	2.77	-0.15
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	10.05	10.77	-0.72
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

HDEF vs. VEA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HDEF Sharpe Ratio is 1.69, which is comparable to the VEA Sharpe Ratio of 1.81. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HDEF and VEA, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	HDEF	VEA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.69	1.81	-0.12
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.80	0.55	+0.25
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.55	0.55	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.46	0.22	+0.24

Correlation

The correlation between HDEF and VEA is 0.77, 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

HDEF vs. VEA - Dividend Comparison

HDEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.60%, more than VEA's 2.88% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HDEF Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF	3.60%	3.88%	4.53%	4.38%	5.41%	4.76%	3.93%	4.20%	3.55%	3.38%	9.53%	1.87%
VEA Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF	2.88%	3.22%	3.35%	3.15%	2.91%	3.16%	2.04%	3.04%	3.35%	2.77%	3.05%	2.92%

Drawdowns

HDEF vs. VEA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HDEF drawdown since its inception was -36.43%, smaller than the maximum VEA drawdown of -60.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HDEF and VEA.

Drawdown Indicators

	HDEF	VEA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.43%	-60.68%	+24.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.28%	-11.63%	+2.35%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.63%	-29.71%	+6.08%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.43%	-35.73%	-0.70%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.57%	-7.20%	+2.63%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.07%	-13.39%	+8.32%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.43%	2.99%	-0.56%

Volatility

HDEF vs. VEA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Xtrackers MSCI EAFE High Dividend Yield Equity ETF (HDEF) is 4.91%, while Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (VEA) has a volatility of 7.92%. This indicates that HDEF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VEA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	HDEF	VEA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.91%	7.92%	-3.01%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.52%	11.68%	-3.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.52%	17.67%	-3.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.10%	16.30%	-2.20%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.21%	17.26%	-1.05%