TUSA vs. PEXL

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

TUSA (First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF) and PEXL (Pacer US Export Leaders ETF) are both Mid Cap Blend Equities funds - TUSA tracks the NASDAQ AlphaDEX Total US Market Index while PEXL tracks the Pacer US Export Leaders Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, TUSA returned 6.32%/yr vs 13.25%/yr for PEXL. A 0.69 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. TUSA charges 0.70%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for PEXL.

Performance

TUSA vs. PEXL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF (TUSA) and Pacer US Export Leaders ETF (PEXL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, TUSA achieves a 6.54% return, which is significantly lower than PEXL's 23.12% return.

TUSA

• 1D: -0.21%
• 1M: -2.16%
• YTD: 6.54%
• 6M: 6.72%
• 1Y: 18.40%
• 3Y*: 16.04%
• 5Y*: 6.32%
• 10Y*: 10.75%

PEXL

• 1D: 0.57%
• 1M: 12.19%
• YTD: 23.12%
• 6M: 24.66%
• 1Y: 53.95%
• 3Y*: 22.51%
• 5Y*: 13.25%
• 10Y*: —

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

TUSA vs. PEXL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
TUSA First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF	6.54%	13.64%	11.12%	11.75%	-13.54%	24.79%	14.16%	24.29%	-15.12%
PEXL Pacer US Export Leaders ETF	23.12%	27.33%	5.79%	24.40%	-20.41%	30.12%	25.02%	39.86%	-17.19%

Correlation

The correlation between TUSA and PEXL is 0.49, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.49
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.66
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.73
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 25, 2018	0.69

Over the past year, the correlation between TUSA and PEXL has dropped to 0.49 - well below their long-term average of 0.69, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

TUSA vs. PEXL - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	TUSA	PEXL
Financial Services	31.9%	-
Industrials	19.8%	6.4%
Consumer Cyclical	16.0%	4.3%
Basic Materials	14.1%	4.2%
Utilities	7.5%	-
Technology	6.1%	55.1%
Consumer Defensive	4.1%	6.3%
Real Estate	2.1%	-
Healthcare	2.0%	7.5%
Communication Services	2.0%	15.1%
Energy	1.9%	1.1%

Return for Risk

TUSA vs. PEXL — Risk / Return Rank

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

TUSA

TUSA Risk / Return Rank: 45
TUSA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
TUSA Sortino Ratio Rank: 43
TUSA Omega Ratio Rank: 39
TUSA Calmar Ratio Rank: 57
TUSA Martin Ratio Rank: 46

PEXL

PEXL Risk / Return Rank: 87
PEXL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
PEXL Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
PEXL Omega Ratio Rank: 83
PEXL Calmar Ratio Rank: 85
PEXL Martin Ratio Rank: 89

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.

TUSA vs. PEXL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF (TUSA) and Pacer US Export Leaders ETF (PEXL). 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.

	TUSA	PEXL	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.44	3.05	-1.62
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.19	4.00	-1.81
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.51	-0.25
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.81	4.74	-1.93
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.56	20.42	-12.86
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TUSA vs. PEXL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TUSA Sharpe Ratio is 1.44, which is lower than the PEXL Sharpe Ratio of 3.05. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TUSA and PEXL, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	TUSA	PEXL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.44	3.05	-1.62
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.36	0.61	-0.25
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.54	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.32	0.65	-0.34

Drawdowns

TUSA vs. PEXL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TUSA drawdown since its inception was -56.53%, which is greater than PEXL's maximum drawdown of -36.76%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TUSA and PEXL.

Drawdown Indicators

	TUSA	PEXL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-56.53%	-36.76%	-19.77%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.57%	-11.43%	+4.86%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.04%	-24.72%	+6.68%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.35%	-30.44%	+7.09%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.47%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.46%	0.00%	-4.46%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.87%	-6.72%	-3.15%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.44%	2.65%	-0.21%

Volatility

TUSA vs. PEXL - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF (TUSA) is 3.48%, while Pacer US Export Leaders ETF (PEXL) has a volatility of 5.25%. This indicates that TUSA experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PEXL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	TUSA	PEXL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.48%	5.25%	-1.77%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.87%	13.10%	-4.23%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.92%	17.80%	-4.88%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.65%	21.86%	-4.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	20.14%	24.04%	-3.90%

TUSA vs. PEXL - Expense Ratio Comparison

TUSA has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is higher than PEXL's 0.60% expense ratio.

Dividends

TUSA vs. PEXL - Dividend Comparison

TUSA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.66%, more than PEXL's 0.34% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PEXL Pacer US Export Leaders ETF	0.34%	0.44%	0.48%	0.48%	0.60%	0.22%	0.48%	0.49%	0.29%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
TUSA First Trust Total US Market AlphaDEX ETF	1.66%	1.59%	2.05%	2.15%	2.31%	0.72%	0.99%	1.13%	1.14%	0.79%	1.24%	0.95%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TUSA and PEXL in my portfolio?

TUSA and PEXL have a correlation of 0.49, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TUSA or PEXL?

PEXL has higher volatility (5.25%) compared to TUSA (3.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TUSA dropped -56.53% vs PEXL's -36.76%.

Which ETF is better, TUSA or PEXL?

On 5-year performance, PEXL leads with 13.25% vs 6.32% for TUSA. On fees, PEXL is cheaper at 0.60% per year. On volatility, TUSA has been the lower-risk option at 3.48%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, TUSA or PEXL?

Over the 5-year period, PEXL has performed better with a 13.25% return vs 6.32%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, TUSA or PEXL?

PEXL is cheaper with a 0.60% expense ratio, compared with 0.70% for TUSA.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, TUSA or PEXL?

TUSA has the higher dividend yield at 1.66%, compared with 0.34% for PEXL.

What is the main difference between TUSA and PEXL?

TUSA tracks NASDAQ AlphaDEX Total US Market Index, while PEXL tracks Pacer US Export Leaders Index. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Pacer. Their fees differ too: 0.70% for TUSA and 0.60% for PEXL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PEXL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.05 vs 1.44), 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.