MSMLX vs. EEMS
Compare and contrast key facts about Matthews Emerging Markets Small Companies Fund (MSMLX) and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF (EEMS).
MSMLX is managed by Matthews. It was launched on Sep 14, 2008. EEMS is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Emerging Markets Small Cap Index. It was launched on Aug 16, 2011.
Performance
MSMLX vs. EEMS - Performance Comparison
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MSMLX vs. EEMS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSMLX Matthews Emerging Markets Small Companies Fund | 2.09% | 13.50% | -6.10% | 20.04% | -16.78% | 26.40% | 43.69% | 17.38% | -17.80% | 30.43% |
EEMS iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF | 3.38% | 19.78% | 3.13% | 23.09% | -19.12% | 18.12% | 19.47% | 11.25% | -18.98% | 34.80% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MSMLX achieves a 2.09% return, which is significantly lower than EEMS's 3.38% return. Over the past 10 years, MSMLX has outperformed EEMS with an annualized return of 9.52%, while EEMS has yielded a comparatively lower 8.19% annualized return.
MSMLX
- 1D
- 2.53%
- 1M
- -7.81%
- YTD
- 2.09%
- 6M
- -0.24%
- 1Y
- 17.97%
- 3Y*
- 7.38%
- 5Y*
- 6.07%
- 10Y*
- 9.52%
EEMS
- 1D
- 0.84%
- 1M
- -5.33%
- YTD
- 3.38%
- 6M
- 4.76%
- 1Y
- 27.44%
- 3Y*
- 14.64%
- 5Y*
- 6.60%
- 10Y*
- 8.19%
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MSMLX vs. EEMS - Expense Ratio Comparison
MSMLX has a 1.37% expense ratio, which is higher than EEMS's 0.73% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
MSMLX vs. EEMS — Risk / Return Rank
MSMLX
EEMS
MSMLX vs. EEMS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Matthews Emerging Markets Small Companies Fund (MSMLX) and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF (EEMS). 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.
| MSMLX | EEMS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.07 | 1.56 | -0.49 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.50 | 2.09 | -0.60 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.30 | -0.10 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.16 | 2.68 | -1.52 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.76 | 9.64 | -5.88 |
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
| MSMLX | EEMS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.07 | 1.56 | -0.49 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.36 | 0.42 | -0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 | 0.46 | +0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.59 | 0.28 | +0.31 |
Correlation
The correlation between MSMLX and EEMS is 0.70, 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
MSMLX vs. EEMS - Dividend Comparison
MSMLX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.47%, less than EEMS's 2.99% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSMLX Matthews Emerging Markets Small Companies Fund | 1.47% | 1.50% | 3.95% | 8.36% | 8.04% | 9.18% | 0.28% | 0.51% | 21.31% | 8.12% | 0.43% | 0.13% |
EEMS iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF | 2.99% | 3.09% | 2.60% | 2.69% | 0.89% | 3.56% | 2.14% | 2.64% | 3.06% | 2.47% | 2.51% | 2.33% |
Drawdowns
MSMLX vs. EEMS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MSMLX drawdown since its inception was -36.40%, smaller than the maximum EEMS drawdown of -48.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MSMLX and EEMS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MSMLX | EEMS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -36.40% | -48.89% | +12.49% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.89% | -10.99% | -1.90% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.00% | -27.07% | -0.93% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.33% | -48.89% | +14.56% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.68% | -7.86% | -2.82% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.31% | -10.60% | +1.29% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.98% | 3.06% | +0.92% |
Volatility
MSMLX vs. EEMS - Volatility Comparison
Matthews Emerging Markets Small Companies Fund (MSMLX) has a higher volatility of 8.75% compared to iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF (EEMS) at 8.24%. This indicates that MSMLX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EEMS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MSMLX | EEMS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.75% | 8.24% | +0.51% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.12% | 12.39% | +0.73% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.75% | 17.74% | +0.01% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.28% | 15.69% | +1.59% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.85% | 17.79% | -0.94% |