STXK vs. HSMV

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Strive Small-Cap ETF (STXK) and First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF (HSMV).

STXK and HSMV are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. STXK is a passively managed fund by Strive that tracks the performance of the Bloomberg US 600 Index - Benchmark TR Gross. It was launched on Nov 9, 2022. HSMV is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on Apr 6, 2020.

Performance

STXK vs. HSMV - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Strive Small-Cap ETF (STXK) and First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF (HSMV). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

STXK vs. HSMV - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
STXK Strive Small-Cap ETF	0.52%	7.82%	9.47%	20.15%	-4.99%
HSMV First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF	1.79%	1.57%	13.17%	5.01%	-2.13%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, STXK achieves a 0.52% return, which is significantly lower than HSMV's 1.79% return.

STXK

• 1D: 2.92%
• 1M: -5.55%
• YTD: 0.52%
• 6M: 1.39%
• 1Y: 18.03%
• 3Y*: 11.21%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

HSMV

• 1D: 0.83%
• 1M: -5.20%
• YTD: 1.79%
• 6M: 0.63%
• 1Y: 2.50%
• 3Y*: 7.20%
• 5Y*: 4.19%
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

STXK vs. HSMV - Expense Ratio Comparison

STXK has a 0.18% expense ratio, which is lower than HSMV's 0.80% expense ratio.

HSMV

First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF

STXK

Strive Small-Cap ETF

Return for Risk

STXK vs. HSMV — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

STXK

STXK Risk / Return Rank: 46
STXK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 43
STXK Sortino Ratio Rank: 46
STXK Omega Ratio Rank: 43
STXK Calmar Ratio Rank: 46
STXK Martin Ratio Rank: 50

HSMV

HSMV Risk / Return Rank: 17
HSMV Sharpe Ratio Rank: 16
HSMV Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
HSMV Omega Ratio Rank: 15
HSMV Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
HSMV Martin Ratio Rank: 20

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

STXK vs. HSMV - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Strive Small-Cap ETF (STXK) and First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF (HSMV). 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.

	STXK	HSMV	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.81	0.18	+0.63
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.29	0.36	+0.93
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.17	1.05	+0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.21	0.30	+0.91
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.91	1.11	+3.79
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

STXK vs. HSMV - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current STXK Sharpe Ratio is 0.81, which is higher than the HSMV Sharpe Ratio of 0.18. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of STXK and HSMV, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	STXK	HSMV	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.81	0.18	+0.63
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.28	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.46	0.67	-0.21

Correlation

The correlation between STXK and HSMV is 0.85, 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

STXK vs. HSMV - Dividend Comparison

STXK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.52%, less than HSMV's 2.03% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
STXK Strive Small-Cap ETF	1.52%	1.29%	1.64%	1.14%	0.31%	0.00%	0.00%
HSMV First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF	2.03%	2.01%	1.43%	1.43%	1.26%	0.76%	0.80%

Drawdowns

STXK vs. HSMV - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum STXK drawdown since its inception was -27.12%, which is greater than HSMV's maximum drawdown of -19.16%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for STXK and HSMV.

Drawdown Indicators

	STXK	HSMV	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-27.12%	-19.16%	-7.96%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.89%	-10.57%	-4.32%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-19.16%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.18%	-5.59%	-1.59%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.81%	-5.71%	-0.10%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.68%	2.89%	+0.79%

Volatility

STXK vs. HSMV - Volatility Comparison

Strive Small-Cap ETF (STXK) has a higher volatility of 6.39% compared to First Trust Horizon Managed Volatility Small/Mid ETF (HSMV) at 3.53%. This indicates that STXK's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than HSMV based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	STXK	HSMV	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.39%	3.53%	+2.86%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.67%	7.15%	+5.52%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.32%	13.63%	+8.69%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.37%	15.02%	+5.35%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.37%	16.19%	+4.18%