SMAY vs. FDL
SMAY (FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - May) and FDL (First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund) are both exchange-traded funds - SMAY is a Defined Outcome fund actively managed by First Trust, while FDL is a Large Cap Value Equities fund tracking the Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index. SMAY is actively managed, while FDL is passively managed. Over the past 3 years, SMAY returned 10.83%/yr vs 18.05%/yr for FDL. A 0.54 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SMAY charges 0.90%/yr vs 0.43%/yr for FDL.
Performance
SMAY vs. FDL - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SMAY achieves a 9.11% return, which is significantly lower than FDL's 12.29% return.
SMAY
- 1D
- -0.17%
- 1M
- 2.13%
- 6M
- 9.11%
- YTD
- 9.11%
- 1Y
- 17.78%
- 3Y*
- 10.83%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
FDL
- 1D
- 0.53%
- 1M
- -0.76%
- 6M
- 12.29%
- YTD
- 12.29%
- 1Y
- 19.12%
- 3Y*
- 18.05%
- 5Y*
- 12.89%
- 10Y*
- 10.73%
SMAY vs. FDL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SMAY FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - May | 9.11% | 4.75% | 12.60% | 9.21% |
FDL First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 12.29% | 14.79% | 17.98% | 9.49% |
Correlation
The correlation between SMAY and FDL is 0.28, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.53 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 22, 2023 | 0.54 |
Over the past year, the correlation between SMAY and FDL has dropped to 0.28 - well below their long-term average of 0.54, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
SMAY vs. FDL — Risk / Return Rank
SMAY
FDL
SMAY vs. FDL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - May (SMAY) 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.
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.
| SMAY | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.71 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.04 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.47 | 1.29 | +0.18 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.94 | 4.49 | +1.45 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 23.79 | 10.24 | +13.55 |
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Drawdowns
SMAY vs. FDL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SMAY drawdown since its inception was -14.44%, smaller than the maximum FDL drawdown of -65.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMAY and FDL.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SMAY | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -14.44% | -65.93% | +51.49% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.00% | -4.27% | +1.27% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.44% | -12.24% | -2.20% |
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 | -0.17% | -3.42% | +3.25% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.50% | -9.63% | +7.13% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.75% | 1.87% | -1.12% |
Volatility
SMAY vs. FDL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - May (SMAY) is 3.27%, while First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund (FDL) has a volatility of 3.82%. This indicates that SMAY experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky 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
| SMAY | FDL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.27% | 3.82% | -0.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 5.26% | 8.29% | -3.03% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 7.50% | 11.64% | -4.14% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.19% | 14.33% | -4.14% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.19% | 17.10% | -6.91% |
SMAY vs. FDL - Expense Ratio Comparison
SMAY has a 0.90% expense ratio, which is higher than FDL's 0.43% expense ratio.
Dividends
SMAY vs. FDL - Dividend Comparison
SMAY has not paid dividends to shareholders, while FDL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.78%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FDL First Trust Morningstar Dividend Leaders Index Fund | 3.78% | 4.04% | 4.96% | 4.58% | 3.58% | 4.59% | 4.48% | 3.75% | 3.97% | 3.18% | 2.93% | 3.65% |
SMAY FT Vest U.S. Small Cap Moderate Buffer ETF - May | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SMAY and FDL have a correlation of 0.28, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FDL has higher volatility (3.82%) compared to SMAY (3.27%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMAY dropped -14.44% vs FDL's -65.93%.
On 3-year performance, FDL leads with 18.05% vs 10.83% for SMAY. On fees, FDL is cheaper at 0.43% per year. On volatility, SMAY has been the lower-risk option at 3.27%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, FDL has performed better with a 18.05% return vs 10.83%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
FDL is cheaper with a 0.43% expense ratio, compared with 0.90% for SMAY.
FDL has the higher dividend yield at 3.78%, compared with 0.00% for SMAY.
SMAY is categorized as Defined Outcome, while FDL is Large Cap Value Equities. Their fees differ too: 0.90% for SMAY and 0.43% for FDL.
SMAY currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.38 vs 1.67), 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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