KSA vs. EZA
Compare and contrast key facts about iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) and iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA).
KSA and EZA are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. KSA is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Saudi Arabia Investable Market Index (IMI) 25/50 Index. It was launched on Sep 16, 2015. EZA is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI South Africa Index. It was launched on Feb 7, 2003. Both KSA and EZA 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
KSA vs. EZA - Performance Comparison
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KSA vs. EZA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KSA iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF | 9.17% | -8.20% | -0.19% | 15.05% | -6.06% | 33.62% | 2.65% | 9.30% | 13.07% | 6.14% |
EZA iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | -1.45% | 75.20% | 7.16% | 1.51% | -5.18% | 7.91% | -5.19% | 9.83% | -25.24% | 36.03% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, KSA achieves a 9.17% return, which is significantly higher than EZA's -1.45% return. Over the past 10 years, KSA has outperformed EZA with an annualized return of 8.88%, while EZA has yielded a comparatively lower 7.70% annualized return.
KSA
- 1D
- 2.47%
- 1M
- 6.94%
- YTD
- 9.17%
- 6M
- -0.86%
- 1Y
- -1.07%
- 3Y*
- 3.88%
- 5Y*
- 4.57%
- 10Y*
- 8.88%
EZA
- 1D
- 5.57%
- 1M
- -16.91%
- YTD
- -1.45%
- 6M
- 11.56%
- 1Y
- 50.34%
- 3Y*
- 23.56%
- 5Y*
- 10.86%
- 10Y*
- 7.70%
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KSA vs. EZA - Expense Ratio Comparison
KSA has a 0.74% expense ratio, which is higher than EZA's 0.59% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
KSA vs. EZA — Risk / Return Rank
KSA
EZA
KSA vs. EZA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) and iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA). 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.
| KSA | EZA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.06 | 1.61 | -1.67 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.05 | 2.07 | -2.02 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.29 | -0.29 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.03 | 2.23 | -2.26 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.05 | 8.78 | -8.83 |
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
| KSA | EZA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.06 | 1.61 | -1.67 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.29 | 0.39 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.44 | 0.25 | +0.19 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.33 | 0.29 | +0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between KSA and EZA is 0.37, 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
KSA vs. EZA - Dividend Comparison
KSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.70%, less than EZA's 6.25% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
KSA iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF | 2.70% | 2.95% | 3.44% | 2.44% | 1.93% | 1.58% | 1.76% | 2.15% | 2.51% | 2.30% | 3.05% | 0.04% |
EZA iShares MSCI South Africa ETF | 6.25% | 6.16% | 7.26% | 2.84% | 3.90% | 2.05% | 5.51% | 12.27% | 3.81% | 1.55% | 4.10% | 3.03% |
Drawdowns
KSA vs. EZA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum KSA drawdown since its inception was -40.56%, smaller than the maximum EZA drawdown of -64.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KSA and EZA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| KSA | EZA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.56% | -64.64% | +24.08% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.62% | -23.31% | +11.69% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.08% | -34.94% | +6.86% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.56% | -62.25% | +21.69% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.35% | -16.91% | +3.56% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.38% | -16.94% | +5.56% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.51% | 5.93% | +0.58% |
Volatility
KSA vs. EZA - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for iShares MSCI Saudi Arabia ETF (KSA) is 7.02%, while iShares MSCI South Africa ETF (EZA) has a volatility of 15.36%. This indicates that KSA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than EZA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| KSA | EZA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.02% | 15.36% | -8.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.13% | 25.09% | -12.96% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.17% | 31.39% | -13.22% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.94% | 28.33% | -12.39% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 20.17% | 31.31% | -11.14% |