HYLS vs. HYEM
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF (HYLS) and VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF (HYEM).
HYLS and HYEM are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. HYLS is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on Feb 27, 2013. HYEM is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the BofA Merrill Lynch Diversified High Yield US Emerging Markets Corporate Plus Index. It was launched on May 8, 2012.
Performance
HYLS vs. HYEM - Performance Comparison
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HYLS vs. HYEM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HYLS First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF | -1.29% | 8.00% | 5.85% | 13.66% | -12.83% | 3.69% | 5.32% | 14.66% | -2.46% | 6.39% |
HYEM VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF | 0.36% | 9.24% | 12.14% | 8.35% | -13.39% | -1.31% | 6.87% | 12.85% | -3.38% | 7.94% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, HYLS achieves a -1.29% return, which is significantly lower than HYEM's 0.36% return. Over the past 10 years, HYLS has underperformed HYEM with an annualized return of 4.39%, while HYEM has yielded a comparatively higher 4.66% annualized return.
HYLS
- 1D
- 0.17%
- 1M
- -0.42%
- YTD
- -1.29%
- 6M
- -0.27%
- 1Y
- 5.37%
- 3Y*
- 7.33%
- 5Y*
- 2.70%
- 10Y*
- 4.39%
HYEM
- 1D
- 0.10%
- 1M
- -1.79%
- YTD
- 0.36%
- 6M
- 1.52%
- 1Y
- 7.53%
- 3Y*
- 9.25%
- 5Y*
- 2.64%
- 10Y*
- 4.66%
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HYLS vs. HYEM - Expense Ratio Comparison
HYLS has a 1.01% expense ratio, which is higher than HYEM's 0.40% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
HYLS vs. HYEM — Risk / Return Rank
HYLS
HYEM
HYLS vs. HYEM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF (HYLS) and VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF (HYEM). 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.
| HYLS | HYEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.14 | 1.14 | 0.00 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.69 | 1.61 | +0.08 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.26 | -0.01 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.72 | 1.54 | +0.17 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.06 | 7.62 | -0.56 |
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
| HYLS | HYEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.14 | 1.14 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.41 | 0.35 | +0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.66 | 0.50 | +0.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.67 | 0.52 | +0.15 |
Correlation
The correlation between HYLS and HYEM is 0.38, which is considered to be low. This implies their price changes are not closely related. A low correlation is generally favorable for portfolio diversification, as it helps to reduce overall risk by spreading it across multiple assets with different performance patterns.
Dividends
HYLS vs. HYEM - Dividend Comparison
HYLS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.67%, less than HYEM's 6.77% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HYLS First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF | 6.67% | 6.38% | 6.25% | 5.98% | 7.38% | 5.48% | 5.09% | 5.17% | 5.81% | 5.53% | 5.37% | 6.11% |
HYEM VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF | 6.77% | 6.67% | 6.34% | 6.27% | 6.47% | 5.33% | 5.56% | 6.14% | 5.71% | 5.86% | 6.25% | 7.64% |
Drawdowns
HYLS vs. HYEM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum HYLS drawdown since its inception was -22.99%, smaller than the maximum HYEM drawdown of -30.96%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HYLS and HYEM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| HYLS | HYEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -22.99% | -30.96% | +7.97% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.33% | -4.85% | +1.52% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -15.75% | -26.30% | +10.55% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.99% | -30.96% | +7.97% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.76% | -2.13% | +0.37% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.17% | -4.45% | +2.28% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.81% | 0.98% | -0.17% |
Volatility
HYLS vs. HYEM - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Tactical High Yield ETF (HYLS) and VanEck Vectors Emerging Markets High Yield Bond ETF (HYEM) have volatilities of 2.10% and 2.06%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| HYLS | HYEM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 2.10% | 2.06% | +0.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.68% | 3.41% | -0.73% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 4.76% | 6.64% | -1.88% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 6.59% | 7.47% | -0.88% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 6.70% | 9.27% | -2.57% |