SYF vs. EWJ
SYF (Synchrony Financial) is a stock, while EWJ (iShares MSCI Japan ETF) is Japan Equities fund tracking the MSCI Japan Index. Over the past 10 years, SYF returned 14.62%/yr vs 9.56%/yr for EWJ. At a 0.44 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
SYF vs. EWJ - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SYF achieves a -7.78% return, which is significantly lower than EWJ's 15.32% return. Over the past 10 years, SYF has outperformed EWJ with an annualized return of 14.62%, while EWJ has yielded a comparatively lower 9.56% annualized return.
SYF
- 1D
- 1.71%
- 1M
- 6.25%
- YTD
- -7.78%
- 6M
- -10.60%
- 1Y
- 19.85%
- 3Y*
- 35.51%
- 5Y*
- 11.37%
- 10Y*
- 14.62%
EWJ
- 1D
- -0.15%
- 1M
- 1.64%
- YTD
- 15.32%
- 6M
- 14.95%
- 1Y
- 32.80%
- 3Y*
- 18.37%
- 5Y*
- 8.80%
- 10Y*
- 9.56%
SYF vs. EWJ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SYF Synchrony Financial | -7.78% | 30.64% | 74.01% | 19.76% | -27.43% | 36.40% | -0.08% | 57.48% | -37.84% | 8.35% |
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 15.32% | 25.84% | 7.03% | 20.29% | -17.72% | 1.16% | 15.40% | 19.34% | -14.10% | 24.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between SYF and EWJ is 0.32, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.32 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.44 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 31, 2014 | 0.44 |
The correlation between SYF and EWJ shifts across timeframes, from 0.32 (1 year) to 0.44 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
SYF vs. EWJ — Risk / Return Rank
SYF
EWJ
SYF vs. EWJ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Synchrony Financial (SYF) and iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ). 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.
| SYF | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.91 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.21 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.30 | -0.16 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.72 | 2.42 | -1.70 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.57 | 8.12 | -6.56 |
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Drawdowns
SYF vs. EWJ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SYF drawdown since its inception was -66.37%, which is greater than EWJ's maximum drawdown of -60.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SYF and EWJ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SYF | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.37% | -60.93% | -5.44% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -27.61% | -13.59% | -14.02% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -37.75% | -14.68% | -23.07% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -46.65% | -33.14% | -13.51% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -66.37% | -33.14% | -33.23% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -13.03% | -4.50% | -8.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.98% | -21.70% | +4.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 12.70% | 4.05% | +8.65% |
Volatility
SYF vs. EWJ - Volatility Comparison
Synchrony Financial (SYF) has a higher volatility of 8.60% compared to iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) at 8.05%. This indicates that SYF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EWJ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SYF | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.60% | 8.05% | +0.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.62% | 16.66% | +6.96% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 29.39% | 20.71% | +8.68% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.72% | 18.50% | +18.22% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 39.31% | 17.33% | +21.98% |
Dividends
SYF vs. EWJ - Dividend Comparison
SYF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.57%, less than EWJ's 3.85% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 3.85% | 4.52% | 2.34% | 2.03% | 1.23% | 2.08% | 1.04% | 2.03% | 1.71% | 1.25% | 1.95% | 1.27% |
SYF Synchrony Financial | 1.57% | 1.38% | 1.54% | 2.51% | 2.74% | 1.90% | 2.54% | 2.39% | 3.07% | 1.45% | 0.72% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
SYF and EWJ have a correlation of 0.32, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
SYF has higher volatility (8.60%) compared to EWJ (8.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SYF dropped -66.37% vs EWJ's -60.93%.
EWJ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.59 vs 0.68), 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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