MSSM vs. HSMV

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Morgan Stanley Pathway Small-Mid Cap Equity ETF (MSSM) and First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF (HSMV).

MSSM and HSMV are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. MSSM is an actively managed fund by Morgan Stanley. It was launched on Dec 9, 2024. HSMV is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on Apr 6, 2020.

Performance

MSSM vs. HSMV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Morgan Stanley Pathway Small-Mid Cap Equity ETF (MSSM) and First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF (HSMV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

MSSM vs. HSMV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
MSSM Morgan Stanley Pathway Small-Mid Cap Equity ETF	2.02%	11.33%	-5.83%
HSMV First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF	1.79%	1.57%	-4.46%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MSSM achieves a 2.02% return, which is significantly higher than HSMV's 1.79% return.

MSSM

• 1D: 3.41%
• 1M: -5.48%
• YTD: 2.02%
• 6M: 4.73%
• 1Y: 23.35%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

HSMV

• 1D: 0.83%
• 1M: -5.20%
• YTD: 1.79%
• 6M: 0.63%
• 1Y: 2.50%
• 3Y*: 7.20%
• 5Y*: 4.19%
• 10Y*: —

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

MSSM vs. HSMV - Expense Ratio Comparison

MSSM has a 0.62% expense ratio, which is lower than HSMV's 0.80% expense ratio.

HSMV

First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF

MSSM

Morgan Stanley Pathway Small-Mid Cap Equity ETF

Return for Risk

MSSM vs. HSMV — Risk / Return Rank

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

MSSM

MSSM Risk / Return Rank: 60
MSSM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
MSSM Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
MSSM Omega Ratio Rank: 55
MSSM Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
MSSM Martin Ratio Rank: 66

HSMV

HSMV Risk / Return Rank: 17
HSMV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 16
HSMV Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
HSMV Omega Ratio Rank: 15
HSMV Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
HSMV Martin Ratio Rank: 20

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.

MSSM vs. HSMV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Morgan Stanley Pathway Small-Mid Cap Equity ETF (MSSM) and First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF (HSMV). 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.

	MSSM	HSMV	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.07	0.18	+0.88
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.58	0.36	+1.22
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.21	1.05	+0.17
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.63	0.30	+1.33
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	6.89	1.11	+5.78
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

MSSM vs. HSMV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MSSM Sharpe Ratio is 1.07, which is higher than the HSMV Sharpe Ratio of 0.18. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MSSM and HSMV, 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

	MSSM	HSMV	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.07	0.18	+0.88
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.28	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.25	0.67	-0.42

Correlation

The correlation between MSSM and HSMV is 0.68, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

MSSM vs. HSMV - Dividend Comparison

MSSM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.09%, more than HSMV's 2.03% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
MSSM Morgan Stanley Pathway Small-Mid Cap Equity ETF	3.09%	3.15%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
HSMV First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF	2.03%	2.01%	1.43%	1.43%	1.26%	0.76%	0.80%

Drawdowns

MSSM vs. HSMV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MSSM drawdown since its inception was -24.18%, which is greater than HSMV's maximum drawdown of -19.16%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MSSM and HSMV.

Drawdown Indicators

	MSSM	HSMV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-24.18%	-19.16%	-5.02%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.13%	-10.57%	-3.56%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-19.16%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.42%	-5.59%	-0.83%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.12%	-5.71%	+0.59%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.34%	2.89%	+0.45%

Volatility

MSSM vs. HSMV - Volatility Comparison

Morgan Stanley Pathway Small-Mid Cap Equity ETF (MSSM) has a higher volatility of 7.40% compared to First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF (HSMV) at 3.53%. This indicates that MSSM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HSMV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MSSM	HSMV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.40%	3.53%	+3.87%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.24%	7.15%	+6.09%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.97%	13.63%	+8.34%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.36%	15.02%	+6.34%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.36%	16.19%	+5.17%