RFEU vs. DFE
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF (RFEU) and WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund (DFE).
RFEU and DFE are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. RFEU is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on Apr 14, 2016. DFE is a passively managed fund by WisdomTree that tracks the performance of the WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Index. It was launched on Jun 16, 2006.
Performance
RFEU vs. DFE - Performance Comparison
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RFEU vs. DFE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RFEU First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF | 1.50% | 30.78% | -1.78% | 16.19% | -24.17% | 22.83% | 6.25% | 23.21% | -17.57% | 26.58% |
DFE WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund | -0.10% | 32.85% | -0.61% | 14.94% | -22.15% | 18.44% | 2.15% | 27.15% | -21.23% | 32.71% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RFEU achieves a 1.50% return, which is significantly higher than DFE's -0.10% return.
RFEU
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.00%
- YTD
- 1.50%
- 6M
- 8.37%
- 1Y
- 22.55%
- 3Y*
- 12.42%
- 5Y*
- 6.12%
- 10Y*
- —
DFE
- 1D
- 3.45%
- 1M
- -7.61%
- YTD
- -0.10%
- 6M
- 3.19%
- 1Y
- 22.70%
- 3Y*
- 12.12%
- 5Y*
- 4.86%
- 10Y*
- 6.62%
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RFEU vs. DFE - Expense Ratio Comparison
RFEU has a 0.83% expense ratio, which is higher than DFE's 0.58% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
RFEU vs. DFE — Risk / Return Rank
RFEU
DFE
RFEU vs. DFE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF (RFEU) and WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund (DFE). 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.
| RFEU | DFE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.68 | 1.34 | +0.33 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.28 | 1.87 | +0.42 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.27 | +0.13 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.88 | 1.85 | +0.03 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 11.36 | 6.48 | +4.88 |
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
| RFEU | DFE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.68 | 1.34 | +0.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 | 0.26 | +0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.34 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.42 | 0.28 | +0.14 |
Correlation
The correlation between RFEU and DFE 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
RFEU vs. DFE - Dividend Comparison
RFEU's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.83%, less than DFE's 4.10% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RFEU First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF | 2.83% | 2.87% | 5.45% | 3.37% | 4.98% | 1.82% | 2.32% | 3.08% | 2.84% | 1.35% | 3.16% | 0.00% |
DFE WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund | 4.10% | 4.38% | 4.93% | 4.97% | 5.84% | 2.56% | 2.43% | 3.39% | 4.97% | 2.53% | 4.05% | 2.78% |
Drawdowns
RFEU vs. DFE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RFEU drawdown since its inception was -39.74%, smaller than the maximum DFE drawdown of -69.38%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RFEU and DFE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| RFEU | DFE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.74% | -69.38% | +29.64% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.26% | -11.41% | +0.15% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.92% | -40.34% | +4.42% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -49.66% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.11% | -7.99% | +7.88% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.79% | -17.87% | +8.08% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.21% | 3.25% | -1.04% |
Volatility
RFEU vs. DFE - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust RiverFront Dynamic Europe ETF (RFEU) is 0.00%, while WisdomTree Europe SmallCap Dividend Fund (DFE) has a volatility of 7.34%. This indicates that RFEU experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DFE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| RFEU | DFE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.00% | 7.34% | -7.34% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.97% | 10.80% | -4.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.96% | 17.03% | -2.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.01% | 18.95% | -1.94% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.97% | 19.70% | -1.73% |