VFEM.DE vs. SEMA.L
VFEM.DE (Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing) and SEMA.L (iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc)) are both Emerging Markets Equities funds tracking the MSCI EM NR USD, from Vanguard and iShares respectively. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, VFEM.DE returned 6.01%/yr vs 8.43%/yr for SEMA.L. Their correlation of 0.93 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VFEM.DE charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for SEMA.L.
Performance
VFEM.DE vs. SEMA.L - Performance Comparison
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Different Trading Currencies
VFEM.DE is traded in EUR, while SEMA.L is traded in GBp. To make them comparable, the SEMA.L values have been converted to EUR using the latest available exchange rates.
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFEM.DE achieves a 12.66% return, which is significantly lower than SEMA.L's 27.16% return.
VFEM.DE
- 1D
- -0.53%
- 1M
- 2.23%
- YTD
- 12.66%
- 6M
- 13.06%
- 1Y
- 26.52%
- 3Y*
- 15.05%
- 5Y*
- 6.01%
- 10Y*
- —
SEMA.L
- 1D
- -1.50%
- 1M
- 6.17%
- YTD
- 27.16%
- 6M
- 29.47%
- 1Y
- 49.93%
- 3Y*
- 20.74%
- 5Y*
- 8.43%
- 10Y*
- 9.85%
VFEM.DE vs. SEMA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFEM.DE Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing | 12.66% | 11.40% | 19.82% | 3.29% | -11.02% | 6.34% | 3.56% | 23.57% | -9.32% | 1.86% |
SEMA.L iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc) | 27.16% | 18.56% | 14.66% | 5.66% | -15.34% | 4.80% | 8.46% | 19.79% | -10.36% | 1.82% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFEM.DE and SEMA.L is 0.92, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.92 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 27, 2017 | 0.93 |
The correlation between VFEM.DE and SEMA.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.92 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VFEM.DE vs. SEMA.L — Risk / Return Rank
VFEM.DE
SEMA.L
VFEM.DE vs. SEMA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing (VFEM.DE) and iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc) (SEMA.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.
| VFEM.DE | SEMA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.99 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.17 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.51 | -0.19 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.11 | 4.57 | -1.46 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 10.36 | 16.81 | -6.45 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| VFEM.DE | SEMA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.80 | 2.79 | -0.99 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 | 0.50 | -0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.54 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.36 | 0.41 | -0.04 |
Drawdowns
VFEM.DE vs. SEMA.L - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFEM.DE drawdown since its inception was -31.59%, smaller than the maximum SEMA.L drawdown of -35.61%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFEM.DE and SEMA.L.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFEM.DE | SEMA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -31.59% | -35.61% | +4.02% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.49% | -10.88% | +2.39% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -18.56% | -17.83% | -0.73% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.11% | -23.66% | +3.55% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -32.33% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.73% | -2.54% | +0.81% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.24% | -10.60% | +2.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.55% | 2.96% | -0.41% |
Volatility
VFEM.DE vs. SEMA.L - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing (VFEM.DE) is 5.44%, while iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc) (SEMA.L) has a volatility of 7.40%. This indicates that VFEM.DE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SEMA.L based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFEM.DE | SEMA.L | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.44% | 7.40% | -1.96% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.70% | 14.96% | -3.26% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.69% | 17.79% | -3.10% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.93% | 16.78% | -0.85% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.20% | 18.46% | -0.26% |
VFEM.DE vs. SEMA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFEM.DE has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than SEMA.L's 0.18% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VFEM.DE vs. SEMA.L - Dividend Comparison
VFEM.DE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.04%, while SEMA.L has not paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SEMA.L iShares MSCI EM UCITS ETF (Acc) | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
VFEM.DE Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets UCITS ETF Distributing | 2.04% | 2.39% | 2.28% | 2.66% | 3.38% | 2.26% | 1.93% | 2.32% | 2.79% | 0.20% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.92, VFEM.DE and SEMA.L move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
On fees, SEMA.L is cheaper at 0.18% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
SEMA.L is cheaper with a 0.18% expense ratio, compared with 0.22% for VFEM.DE.
Both ETFs track MSCI EM NR USD. They also come from different issuers: Vanguard and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.22% for VFEM.DE and 0.18% for SEMA.L.
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