SCHD vs. FTLS
SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) and FTLS (First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SCHD is a Dividend fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, while FTLS is a Long-Short fund actively managed by First Trust. SCHD is passively managed, while FTLS is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, SCHD returned 12.76%/yr vs 9.59%/yr for FTLS. Their 0.66 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. SCHD charges 0.06%/yr vs 1.38%/yr for FTLS.
Performance
SCHD vs. FTLS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SCHD achieves a 24.03% return, which is significantly higher than FTLS's 6.03% return. Over the past 10 years, SCHD has outperformed FTLS with an annualized return of 12.76%, while FTLS has yielded a comparatively lower 9.59% annualized return.
SCHD
- 1D
- 0.18%
- 1M
- 5.09%
- 6M
- 14.09%
- YTD
- 24.03%
- 1Y
- 30.94%
- 3Y*
- 14.19%
- 5Y*
- 9.54%
- 10Y*
- 12.76%
- ALL TIME*
- 13.39%
FTLS
- 1D
- -0.31%
- 1M
- 1.85%
- 6M
- 4.95%
- YTD
- 6.03%
- 1Y
- 13.39%
- 3Y*
- 13.13%
- 5Y*
- 10.06%
- 10Y*
- 9.59%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.00%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $8.26M | $8.04M | $8.94M | |
| $786.88M | $715.86M | $685.58M |
SCHD vs. FTLS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | 24.03% | 4.34% | 11.66% | 4.54% | -3.26% | 29.87% | 15.03% | 27.29% | -5.56% | 20.85% |
FTLS First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF | 6.03% | 9.09% | 18.80% | 16.94% | -5.56% | 19.65% | 2.56% | 16.16% | -4.81% | 14.41% |
Correlation
The correlation between SCHD and FTLS is 0.27, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.27 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.41 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.56 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.64 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 10, 2014 | 0.66 |
Over the past year, the correlation between SCHD and FTLS has dropped to 0.27 - well below their long-term average of 0.66, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
SCHD vs. FTLS — Risk / Return Rank
SCHD
FTLS
SCHD vs. FTLS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) and First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS). 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.
| SCHD | FTLS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.24 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.09 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.51 | 1.28 | +0.22 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 6.74 | 3.55 | +3.19 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 17.01 | 10.80 | +6.21 |
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Drawdowns
SCHD vs. FTLS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SCHD drawdown since its inception was -33.37%, which is greater than FTLS's maximum drawdown of -20.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SCHD and FTLS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SCHD | FTLS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -33.37% | -20.54% | -12.83% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.61% | -3.79% | -0.82% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -16.13% | -11.69% | -4.44% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -16.85% | -11.69% | -5.16% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -33.37% | -20.54% | -12.83% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.24% | -0.42% | -0.82% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.30% | -2.67% | -0.63% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.82% | 1.24% | +0.58% |
Volatility
SCHD vs. FTLS - Volatility Comparison
Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) has a higher volatility of 4.11% compared to First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF (FTLS) at 2.15%. This indicates that SCHD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FTLS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SCHD | FTLS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.11% | 2.15% | +1.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 8.11% | 5.86% | +2.25% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.13% | 8.54% | +2.59% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.39% | 10.53% | +3.86% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.72% | 11.23% | +5.49% |
SCHD vs. FTLS - Expense Ratio Comparison
SCHD has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than FTLS's 1.38% expense ratio.
Dividends
SCHD vs. FTLS - Dividend Comparison
SCHD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.13%, more than FTLS's 0.88% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FTLS First Trust Long/Short Equity ETF | 0.88% | 1.07% | 1.50% | 1.49% | 0.81% | 0.01% | 0.44% | 0.83% | 0.87% | 0.43% | 1.04% | 0.49% |
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF | 3.13% | 3.82% | 3.64% | 3.49% | 3.39% | 2.78% | 3.16% | 2.98% | 3.06% | 2.63% | 2.89% | 2.97% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SCHD and FTLS have a correlation of 0.27, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SCHD has higher volatility (4.11%) compared to FTLS (2.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SCHD dropped -33.37% vs FTLS's -20.54%.
On 10-year performance, SCHD leads with 12.76% vs 9.59% for FTLS. On fees, SCHD is cheaper at 0.06% per year. On volatility, FTLS has been the lower-risk option at 2.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 10-year period, SCHD has performed better with a 12.76% return vs 9.59%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
SCHD is cheaper with a 0.06% expense ratio, compared with 1.38% for FTLS.
SCHD has the higher dividend yield at 3.13%, compared with 0.88% for FTLS.
SCHD is categorized as Dividend, while FTLS is Long-Short. They also come from different issuers: Charles Schwab and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.06% for SCHD and 1.38% for FTLS.
SCHD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.81 vs 1.57), 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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