SLX vs. FXZ
Compare and contrast key facts about VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (SLX) and First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ).
SLX and FXZ are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. SLX is a passively managed fund by VanEck that tracks the performance of the NYSE Arca Steel Index. It was launched on Oct 16, 2006. FXZ is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the StrataQuant Materials Index. It was launched on May 8, 2007. Both SLX and FXZ 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
SLX vs. FXZ - Performance Comparison
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SLX vs. FXZ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLX VanEck Vectors Steel ETF | 8.19% | 47.45% | -17.94% | 31.25% | 14.28% | 27.69% | 20.57% | 12.01% | -19.27% | 24.59% |
FXZ First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund | 17.95% | 16.25% | -16.31% | 16.27% | -0.92% | 30.84% | 22.52% | 21.52% | -22.62% | 23.72% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SLX achieves a 8.19% return, which is significantly lower than FXZ's 17.95% return. Over the past 10 years, SLX has outperformed FXZ with an annualized return of 17.78%, while FXZ has yielded a comparatively lower 11.09% annualized return.
SLX
- 1D
- 3.72%
- 1M
- -9.17%
- YTD
- 8.19%
- 6M
- 28.67%
- 1Y
- 51.64%
- 3Y*
- 15.96%
- 5Y*
- 15.05%
- 10Y*
- 17.78%
FXZ
- 1D
- 3.07%
- 1M
- -3.11%
- YTD
- 17.95%
- 6M
- 24.85%
- 1Y
- 39.96%
- 3Y*
- 7.22%
- 5Y*
- 8.21%
- 10Y*
- 11.09%
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SLX vs. FXZ - Expense Ratio Comparison
SLX has a 0.56% expense ratio, which is lower than FXZ's 0.67% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
SLX vs. FXZ — Risk / Return Rank
SLX
FXZ
SLX vs. FXZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (SLX) and First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ). 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.
| SLX | FXZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.90 | 1.52 | +0.39 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.55 | 2.12 | +0.42 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.29 | +0.05 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.10 | 2.45 | +0.65 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.15 | 9.45 | +0.70 |
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
| SLX | FXZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.90 | 1.52 | +0.39 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.54 | 0.34 | +0.20 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 | 0.45 | +0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.19 | 0.33 | -0.14 |
Correlation
The correlation between SLX and FXZ is 0.82, 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
SLX vs. FXZ - Dividend Comparison
SLX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.43%, less than FXZ's 1.52% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SLX VanEck Vectors Steel ETF | 1.43% | 1.55% | 3.56% | 2.80% | 4.97% | 7.07% | 1.87% | 3.44% | 6.26% | 2.50% | 1.06% | 5.35% |
FXZ First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund | 1.52% | 1.74% | 1.81% | 1.97% | 1.56% | 1.11% | 1.51% | 1.58% | 1.38% | 1.01% | 1.19% | 1.26% |
Drawdowns
SLX vs. FXZ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SLX drawdown since its inception was -82.14%, which is greater than FXZ's maximum drawdown of -65.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SLX and FXZ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SLX | FXZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -82.14% | -65.46% | -16.68% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -16.35% | -16.38% | +0.03% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -33.62% | -33.99% | +0.37% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -61.64% | -49.41% | -12.23% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.39% | -4.10% | -6.29% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -39.05% | -11.45% | -27.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.00% | 4.25% | +0.75% |
Volatility
SLX vs. FXZ - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Vectors Steel ETF (SLX) has a higher volatility of 9.70% compared to First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ) at 8.64%. This indicates that SLX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FXZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SLX | FXZ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 9.70% | 8.64% | +1.06% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.90% | 17.29% | +0.61% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 27.26% | 26.42% | +0.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 27.86% | 24.10% | +3.76% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 31.36% | 24.79% | +6.57% |