PPH vs. FAAR
PPH (VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF) and FAAR (First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - PPH is a Health & Biotech Equities fund tracking the MVIS US Listed Pharmaceutical 25 Index, while FAAR is a Commodities fund actively managed by First Trust. PPH is passively managed, while FAAR is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, PPH returned 8.33%/yr vs 4.79%/yr for FAAR. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. PPH charges 0.36%/yr vs 0.95%/yr for FAAR.
Performance
PPH vs. FAAR - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PPH achieves a 1.11% return, which is significantly lower than FAAR's 20.23% return. Over the past 10 years, PPH has outperformed FAAR with an annualized return of 8.33%, while FAAR has yielded a comparatively lower 4.79% annualized return.
PPH
- 1D
- 0.92%
- 1M
- -1.45%
- YTD
- 1.11%
- 6M
- 1.61%
- 1Y
- 21.33%
- 3Y*
- 11.87%
- 5Y*
- 9.48%
- 10Y*
- 8.33%
FAAR
- 1D
- -0.05%
- 1M
- -4.34%
- YTD
- 20.23%
- 6M
- 19.92%
- 1Y
- 26.86%
- 3Y*
- 10.91%
- 5Y*
- 7.89%
- 10Y*
- 4.79%
PPH vs. FAAR - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PPH VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF | 1.11% | 22.00% | 8.05% | 6.95% | 2.64% | 17.79% | 5.49% | 19.39% | -5.89% | 15.23% |
FAAR First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF | 20.23% | 8.07% | 5.97% | -5.63% | 10.15% | 12.34% | 8.60% | -1.28% | -9.17% | 5.00% |
Correlation
The correlation between PPH and FAAR is -0.16, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.16 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | -0.07 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.03 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.02 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 23, 2016 | 0.02 |
The correlation between PPH and FAAR shifts across timeframes, from -0.16 (1 year) to 0.02 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
PPH vs. FAAR — Risk / Return Rank
PPH
FAAR
PPH vs. FAAR - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH) and First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF (FAAR). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| PPH | FAAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.80 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.97 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.35 | -0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.99 | 4.75 | -2.76 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.86 | 14.70 | -9.84 |
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Drawdowns
PPH vs. FAAR - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PPH drawdown since its inception was -51.45%, which is greater than FAAR's maximum drawdown of -18.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PPH and FAAR.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PPH | FAAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.45% | -18.03% | -33.42% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.76% | -5.68% | -5.08% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.06% | -11.54% | -6.52% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.26% | -18.03% | -2.23% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -29.70% | -18.03% | -11.67% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.61% | -5.43% | -1.18% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.29% | -7.82% | -9.47% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.40% | 1.89% | +2.51% |
Volatility
PPH vs. FAAR - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF (PPH) has a higher volatility of 6.13% compared to First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF (FAAR) at 2.47%. This indicates that PPH's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FAAR based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PPH | FAAR | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.13% | 2.47% | +3.66% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.15% | 9.68% | +2.47% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.61% | 13.37% | +4.24% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.15% | 12.95% | +2.20% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.01% | 11.53% | +5.48% |
PPH vs. FAAR - Expense Ratio Comparison
PPH has a 0.36% expense ratio, which is lower than FAAR's 0.95% expense ratio.
Dividends
PPH vs. FAAR - Dividend Comparison
PPH's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.08%, less than FAAR's 9.57% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FAAR First Trust Alternative Absolute Return Strategy ETF | 9.57% | 11.63% | 3.45% | 3.20% | 5.82% | 6.49% | 3.05% | 1.02% | 0.58% | 2.83% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
PPH VanEck Pharmaceutical ETF | 2.08% | 1.78% | 1.98% | 2.09% | 1.55% | 1.62% | 1.66% | 1.77% | 1.97% | 1.92% | 2.43% | 1.93% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PPH and FAAR have a correlation of -0.16, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
PPH has higher volatility (6.13%) compared to FAAR (2.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PPH dropped -51.45% vs FAAR's -18.03%.
On 10-year performance, PPH leads with 8.33% vs 4.79% for FAAR. On fees, PPH is cheaper at 0.36% per year. On volatility, FAAR has been the lower-risk option at 2.47%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, PPH has performed better with a 8.33% return vs 4.79%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
PPH is cheaper with a 0.36% expense ratio, compared with 0.95% for FAAR.
FAAR has the higher dividend yield at 9.57%, compared with 2.08% for PPH.
PPH is categorized as Health & Biotech Equities, while FAAR is Commodities. They also come from different issuers: VanEck and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.36% for PPH and 0.95% for FAAR.
FAAR currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.02 vs 1.22), 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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