LFEQ vs. FTLS
Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Long/Flat Trend ETF (LFEQ) and First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS).
LFEQ and FTLS are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. LFEQ is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the Ned Davis Research CMG US Large Cap Long/Flat Index - USD. It was launched on Oct 4, 2017. FTLS is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on Sep 9, 2014.
Performance
LFEQ vs. FTLS - Performance Comparison
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LFEQ vs. FTLS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LFEQ VanEck Long/Flat Trend ETF | -4.60% | 10.49% | 24.30% | 19.66% | -22.05% | 27.97% | 17.56% | 24.07% | -5.55% | 5.27% |
FTLS First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF | -0.80% | 9.09% | 18.80% | 16.94% | -5.56% | 19.65% | 2.56% | 16.16% | -4.81% | 4.70% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, LFEQ achieves a -4.60% return, which is significantly lower than FTLS's -0.80% return.
LFEQ
- 1D
- 2.80%
- 1M
- -5.02%
- YTD
- -4.60%
- 6M
- -2.01%
- 1Y
- 10.23%
- 3Y*
- 13.86%
- 5Y*
- 7.84%
- 10Y*
- —
FTLS
- 1D
- 1.32%
- 1M
- -1.17%
- YTD
- -0.80%
- 6M
- 0.98%
- 1Y
- 10.88%
- 3Y*
- 12.98%
- 5Y*
- 9.94%
- 10Y*
- 9.10%
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LFEQ vs. FTLS - Expense Ratio Comparison
LFEQ has a 0.58% expense ratio, which is lower than FTLS's 1.60% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
LFEQ vs. FTLS — Risk / Return Rank
LFEQ
FTLS
LFEQ vs. FTLS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Long/Flat Trend ETF (LFEQ) and First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS). 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.
| LFEQ | FTLS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.59 | 1.04 | -0.46 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.96 | 1.56 | -0.59 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.15 | 1.21 | -0.06 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.88 | 1.90 | -1.03 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.08 | 8.02 | -3.94 |
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
| LFEQ | FTLS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.59 | 1.04 | -0.46 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.55 | 0.94 | -0.39 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.81 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.58 | 0.77 | -0.19 |
Correlation
The correlation between LFEQ and FTLS is 0.78, 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
LFEQ vs. FTLS - Dividend Comparison
LFEQ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.95%, which matches FTLS's 0.95% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LFEQ VanEck Long/Flat Trend ETF | 0.95% | 0.90% | 0.74% | 1.56% | 1.19% | 0.37% | 2.06% | 1.45% | 1.07% | 0.79% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
FTLS First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF | 0.95% | 1.07% | 1.50% | 1.49% | 0.81% | 0.01% | 0.44% | 0.83% | 0.87% | 0.43% | 1.04% | 0.49% |
Drawdowns
LFEQ vs. FTLS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum LFEQ drawdown since its inception was -35.19%, which is greater than FTLS's maximum drawdown of -20.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LFEQ and FTLS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| LFEQ | FTLS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.19% | -20.54% | -14.65% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.30% | -6.17% | -6.13% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.55% | -11.69% | -13.86% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -20.54% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.43% | -2.34% | -4.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.26% | -2.73% | -3.53% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.65% | 1.49% | +1.16% |
Volatility
LFEQ vs. FTLS - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Long/Flat Trend ETF (LFEQ) has a higher volatility of 5.28% compared to First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS) at 2.93%. This indicates that LFEQ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FTLS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| LFEQ | FTLS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.28% | 2.93% | +2.35% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.58% | 6.53% | +3.05% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.49% | 10.50% | +6.99% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.37% | 10.65% | +3.72% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.68% | 11.31% | +6.37% |