UNCU.L vs. FRGD.L

Last updated Jul 18, 2026

UNCU.L (First Trust US Equity Income UCITS ETF USD (Acc)) and FRGD.L (Franklin Global Quality Dividend UCITS ETF USD (Dist)) are both Dividend funds - UNCU.L tracks the Nasdaq US High Equity Income NTR Index while FRGD.L tracks the LibertyQ Global Dividend Index-NR. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, UNCU.L returned 10.32%/yr vs 9.62%/yr for FRGD.L. A 0.60 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. UNCU.L charges 0.55%/yr vs 0.30%/yr for FRGD.L.

Performance

UNCU.L vs. FRGD.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust US Equity Income UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (UNCU.L) and Franklin Global Quality Dividend UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (FRGD.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, UNCU.L achieves a 19.69% return, which is significantly higher than FRGD.L's 12.51% return.

UNCU.L

• 1D: 0.06%
• 1M: 5.64%
• 6M: 16.43%
• YTD: 19.69%
• 1Y: 26.45%
• 3Y*: 15.54%
• 5Y*: 10.32%
• 10Y*: —

FRGD.L

• 1D: 0.48%
• 1M: 0.30%
• 6M: 9.18%
• YTD: 12.51%
• 1Y: 19.27%
• 3Y*: 15.84%
• 5Y*: 9.62%
• 10Y*: —

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

UNCU.L vs. FRGD.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
UNCU.L First Trust US Equity Income UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	19.69%	7.54%	6.63%	17.16%	-6.91%	32.03%	1.33%	17.33%	-8.34%	15.58%
FRGD.L Franklin Global Quality Dividend UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	12.51%	14.23%	15.42%	10.52%	-9.39%	19.24%	5.56%	23.88%	-8.99%	5.36%

Correlation

The correlation between UNCU.L and FRGD.L is 0.60, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.60
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.60
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.69
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 6, 2017	0.60

The correlation between UNCU.L and FRGD.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.60 to 0.69 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

UNCU.L vs. FRGD.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

UNCU.L

UNCU.L Risk / Return Rank: 83
UNCU.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
UNCU.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
UNCU.L Omega Ratio Rank: 79
UNCU.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
UNCU.L Martin Ratio Rank: 76

FRGD.L

FRGD.L Risk / Return Rank: 76
FRGD.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
FRGD.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
FRGD.L Omega Ratio Rank: 75
FRGD.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 74
FRGD.L Martin Ratio Rank: 73

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.

UNCU.L vs. FRGD.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust US Equity Income UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (UNCU.L) and Franklin Global Quality Dividend UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (FRGD.L). 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.

	UNCU.L	FRGD.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.07	1.90	+0.17
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.15	2.76	+0.38
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.35	1.33	+0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.93	2.76	+1.17
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.37	9.67	+0.71

UNCU.L vs. FRGD.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current UNCU.L Sharpe Ratio is 2.07, which is comparable to the FRGD.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.90. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of UNCU.L and FRGD.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

UNCU.L vs. FRGD.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum UNCU.L drawdown since its inception was -45.45%, which is greater than FRGD.L's maximum drawdown of -35.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for UNCU.L and FRGD.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	UNCU.L	FRGD.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-45.45%	-35.03%	-10.42%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.71%	-6.95%	+0.24%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.42%	-12.61%	-8.81%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.42%	-22.51%	+1.09%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.07%	+0.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.93%	-5.16%	-1.77%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.54%	1.99%	+0.55%

Volatility

UNCU.L vs. FRGD.L - Volatility Comparison

First Trust US Equity Income UCITS ETF USD (Acc) (UNCU.L) has a higher volatility of 3.90% compared to Franklin Global Quality Dividend UCITS ETF USD (Dist) (FRGD.L) at 2.49%. This indicates that UNCU.L's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FRGD.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	UNCU.L	FRGD.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.90%	2.49%	+1.41%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.96%	7.98%	+0.98%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.76%	10.11%	+2.65%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.83%	13.01%	+4.82%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.16%	14.57%	+7.59%

UNCU.L vs. FRGD.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

UNCU.L has a 0.55% expense ratio, which is higher than FRGD.L's 0.30% expense ratio.

Dividends

UNCU.L vs. FRGD.L - Dividend Comparison

UNCU.L has not paid dividends to shareholders, while FRGD.L's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.48%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FRGD.L Franklin Global Quality Dividend UCITS ETF USD (Dist)	2.48%	2.69%	2.46%	2.73%	3.03%	2.36%	2.41%	3.21%	3.38%	0.44%
UNCU.L First Trust US Equity Income UCITS ETF USD (Acc)	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both UNCU.L and FRGD.L in my portfolio?

UNCU.L and FRGD.L have a correlation of 0.60, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which ETF is better, UNCU.L or FRGD.L?

On fees, FRGD.L is cheaper at 0.30% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, UNCU.L or FRGD.L?

FRGD.L is cheaper with a 0.30% expense ratio, compared with 0.55% for UNCU.L.

What is the main difference between UNCU.L and FRGD.L?

UNCU.L tracks Nasdaq US High Equity Income NTR Index, while FRGD.L tracks LibertyQ Global Dividend Index-NR. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and Franklin. Their fees differ too: 0.55% for UNCU.L and 0.30% for FRGD.L.