PEMX vs. DGS
PEMX (Putnam Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF) and DGS (WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund) are both Emerging Markets Diversified funds. PEMX is actively managed, while DGS is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, PEMX returned 34.73%/yr vs 16.17%/yr for DGS. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PEMX charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.58%/yr for DGS.
Performance
PEMX vs. DGS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PEMX achieves a 40.36% return, which is significantly higher than DGS's 14.53% return.
PEMX
- 1D
- -0.63%
- 1M
- 11.09%
- YTD
- 40.36%
- 6M
- 45.50%
- 1Y
- 75.31%
- 3Y*
- 34.73%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
DGS
- 1D
- -1.37%
- 1M
- 2.58%
- YTD
- 14.53%
- 6M
- 15.57%
- 1Y
- 27.26%
- 3Y*
- 16.17%
- 5Y*
- 7.85%
- 10Y*
- 9.93%
PEMX vs. DGS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
PEMX Putnam Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF | 40.36% | 34.01% | 17.21% | 15.13% |
DGS WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund | 14.53% | 21.18% | 1.13% | 13.99% |
Correlation
The correlation between PEMX and DGS is 0.84, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.80 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 19, 2023 | 0.80 |
The correlation between PEMX and DGS has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.80 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
PEMX vs. DGS — Risk / Return Rank
PEMX
DGS
PEMX vs. DGS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Putnam Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF (PEMX) and WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund (DGS). 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.
| PEMX | DGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.76 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.87 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.59 | 1.32 | +0.28 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.24 | 2.72 | +2.52 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 20.66 | 9.16 | +11.50 |
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
| PEMX | DGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.52 | 1.76 | +1.76 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.53 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.58 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 1.99 | 0.23 | +1.76 |
Drawdowns
PEMX vs. DGS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PEMX drawdown since its inception was -14.91%, smaller than the maximum DGS drawdown of -61.83%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PEMX and DGS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PEMX | DGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.91% | -61.83% | +46.92% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.45% | -10.06% | -4.39% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.91% | -19.31% | +4.40% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -24.86% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -44.08% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.63% | -1.40% | +0.77% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.84% | -12.59% | +9.75% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.66% | 2.98% | +0.68% |
Volatility
PEMX vs. DGS - Volatility Comparison
Putnam Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF (PEMX) has a higher volatility of 9.67% compared to WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund (DGS) at 5.24%. This indicates that PEMX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DGS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PEMX | DGS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.67% | 5.24% | +4.43% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.73% | 13.03% | +5.70% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 21.51% | 15.56% | +5.95% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.18% | 14.87% | +3.31% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.18% | 17.32% | +0.86% |
PEMX vs. DGS - Expense Ratio Comparison
PEMX has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than DGS's 0.58% expense ratio.
Dividends
PEMX vs. DGS - Dividend Comparison
PEMX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.99%, more than DGS's 3.21% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DGS WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund | 3.21% | 3.45% | 3.36% | 4.55% | 5.34% | 3.98% | 3.69% | 3.95% | 4.24% | 2.81% | 3.42% | 3.28% |
PEMX Putnam Emerging Markets Ex-China ETF | 4.99% | 7.00% | 5.00% | 0.72% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PEMX and DGS have a correlation of 0.84, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PEMX has higher volatility (9.67%) compared to DGS (5.24%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PEMX dropped -14.91% vs DGS's -61.83%.
On 3-year performance, PEMX leads with 34.73% vs 16.17% for DGS. On fees, DGS is cheaper at 0.58% per year. On volatility, DGS has been the lower-risk option at 5.24%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, PEMX has performed better with a 34.73% return vs 16.17%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
DGS is cheaper with a 0.58% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for PEMX.
PEMX has the higher dividend yield at 4.99%, compared with 3.21% for DGS.
They also come from different issuers: Putnam and WisdomTree. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for PEMX and 0.58% for DGS.
PEMX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.52 vs 1.76), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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