ROBT vs. XT
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robotics ETF (ROBT) and iShares Exponential Technologies ETF (XT).
ROBT and XT are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. ROBT is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the Nasdaq CTA Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Index. It was launched on Feb 21, 2018. XT is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the Morningstar Exponential Technologies Index. It was launched on Mar 19, 2015. Both ROBT and XT are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.
Performance
ROBT vs. XT - Performance Comparison
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ROBT vs. XT - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ROBT First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robotics ETF | -11.00% | 15.16% | -0.41% | 27.77% | -34.94% | 9.91% | 46.18% | 34.28% | -13.98% |
XT iShares Exponential Technologies ETF | -2.28% | 26.28% | 0.29% | 27.02% | -27.83% | 16.43% | 35.10% | 30.74% | -8.22% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ROBT achieves a -11.00% return, which is significantly lower than XT's -2.28% return.
ROBT
- 1D
- 4.15%
- 1M
- -9.19%
- YTD
- -11.00%
- 6M
- -12.72%
- 1Y
- 13.50%
- 3Y*
- 2.99%
- 5Y*
- -2.47%
- 10Y*
- —
XT
- 1D
- 3.61%
- 1M
- -6.01%
- YTD
- -2.28%
- 6M
- 2.00%
- 1Y
- 27.90%
- 3Y*
- 12.19%
- 5Y*
- 4.63%
- 10Y*
- 12.76%
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ROBT vs. XT - Expense Ratio Comparison
ROBT has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than XT's 0.47% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ROBT vs. XT — Risk / Return Rank
ROBT
XT
ROBT vs. XT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robotics ETF (ROBT) and iShares Exponential Technologies ETF (XT). 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.
| ROBT | XT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.49 | 1.34 | -0.85 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.89 | 1.97 | -1.08 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.11 | 1.27 | -0.16 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.55 | 1.92 | -1.37 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.78 | 9.06 | -7.28 |
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
| ROBT | XT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.49 | 1.34 | -0.85 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | -0.10 | 0.23 | -0.32 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.64 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.23 | 0.56 | -0.33 |
Correlation
The correlation between ROBT and XT is 0.93, 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
ROBT vs. XT - Dividend Comparison
ROBT has not paid dividends to shareholders, while XT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.13%.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ROBT First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robotics ETF | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.68% | 0.23% | 0.35% | 0.06% | 0.17% | 0.42% | 0.44% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XT iShares Exponential Technologies ETF | 8.13% | 7.95% | 0.66% | 0.41% | 0.78% | 0.84% | 0.77% | 1.55% | 1.40% | 0.97% | 1.37% | 1.34% |
Drawdowns
ROBT vs. XT - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ROBT drawdown since its inception was -44.47%, which is greater than XT's maximum drawdown of -34.41%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ROBT and XT.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ROBT | XT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -44.47% | -34.41% | -10.06% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -21.66% | -14.11% | -7.55% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -43.26% | -34.41% | -8.85% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -34.41% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -21.09% | -7.22% | -13.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.09% | -7.50% | -8.59% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 6.73% | 2.99% | +3.74% |
Volatility
ROBT vs. XT - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Nasdaq Artificial Intelligence & Robotics ETF (ROBT) has a higher volatility of 8.78% compared to iShares Exponential Technologies ETF (XT) at 7.04%. This indicates that ROBT's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than XT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ROBT | XT | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.78% | 7.04% | +1.74% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.22% | 12.38% | +5.84% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.73% | 20.87% | +6.86% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.00% | 20.68% | +4.32% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.50% | 20.02% | +5.48% |