SDVD vs. FDL
SDVD (FT Vest SMID Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF) and FDL (First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund) are both exchange-traded funds - SDVD is a Derivative Income fund tracking the Nasdaq US Small-Mid Cap Rising Dividend Achievers Index, while FDL is a Large Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, SDVD returned 19.64% vs 23.67% for FDL. A 0.67 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SDVD charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.45%/yr for FDL.
Performance
SDVD vs. FDL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SDVD achieves a 7.75% return, which is significantly lower than FDL's 13.33% return.
SDVD
- 1D
- -0.22%
- 1M
- -1.53%
- YTD
- 7.75%
- 6M
- 8.14%
- 1Y
- 19.64%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
FDL
- 1D
- -0.26%
- 1M
- -0.26%
- YTD
- 13.33%
- 6M
- 14.76%
- 1Y
- 23.67%
- 3Y*
- 18.97%
- 5Y*
- 12.51%
- 10Y*
- 11.24%
SDVD vs. FDL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SDVD FT Vest SMID Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF | 7.75% | 8.66% | 11.82% | 10.25% |
FDL First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 13.33% | 14.79% | 17.98% | 4.75% |
Correlation
The correlation between SDVD and FDL is 0.54, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.54 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 11, 2023 | 0.67 |
The correlation between SDVD and FDL shifts across timeframes, from 0.54 (1 year) to 0.67 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SDVD vs. FDL — Risk / Return Rank
SDVD
FDL
SDVD vs. FDL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest SMID Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF (SDVD) and First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund (FDL). 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.
| SDVD | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.72 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.13 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.25 | 1.37 | -0.12 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.25 | 5.56 | -3.31 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.65 | 13.56 | -5.91 |
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
| SDVD | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.38 | 2.11 | -0.72 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | — | 0.88 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.66 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.77 | 0.45 | +0.32 |
Drawdowns
SDVD vs. FDL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SDVD drawdown since its inception was -24.17%, smaller than the maximum FDL drawdown of -65.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SDVD and FDL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SDVD | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -24.17% | -65.93% | +41.76% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.76% | -4.27% | -4.49% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -12.24% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -16.46% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -41.40% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.31% | -2.18% | -1.13% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.86% | -9.66% | +4.80% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.57% | 1.75% | +0.82% |
Volatility
SDVD vs. FDL - Volatility Comparison
FT Vest SMID Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF (SDVD) has a higher volatility of 3.78% compared to First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund (FDL) at 2.85%. This indicates that SDVD's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FDL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SDVD | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.78% | 2.85% | +0.93% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.33% | 7.87% | +2.46% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.31% | 11.28% | +3.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.19% | 14.31% | +3.88% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.19% | 17.11% | +1.08% |
SDVD vs. FDL - Expense Ratio Comparison
SDVD has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than FDL's 0.45% expense ratio.
Dividends
SDVD vs. FDL - Dividend Comparison
SDVD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.95%, more than FDL's 3.68% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FDL First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 3.68% | 4.04% | 4.96% | 4.58% | 3.58% | 4.59% | 4.48% | 3.75% | 3.97% | 3.18% | 2.93% | 3.65% |
SDVD FT Vest SMID Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF | 8.95% | 8.36% | 9.26% | 3.18% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SDVD and FDL have a correlation of 0.54, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SDVD has higher volatility (3.78%) compared to FDL (2.85%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SDVD dropped -24.17% vs FDL's -65.93%.
On 1-year performance, FDL leads with 23.67% vs 19.64% for SDVD. On fees, FDL is cheaper at 0.45% per year. On volatility, FDL has been the lower-risk option at 2.85%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 1-year period, FDL has performed better with a 23.67% return vs 19.64%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FDL is cheaper with a 0.45% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for SDVD.
SDVD has the higher dividend yield at 8.95%, compared with 3.68% for FDL.
SDVD is categorized as Derivative Income, while FDL is Large Cap Value Equities. SDVD tracks Nasdaq US Small-Mid Cap Rising Dividend Achievers Index, while FDL tracks Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for SDVD and 0.45% for FDL.
FDL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.11 vs 1.38), 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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