WOOD vs. FXZ

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about iShares Global Timber & Forestry ETF (WOOD) and First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ).

WOOD and FXZ are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. WOOD is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the S&P Global Timber & Forestry Index. It was launched on Jun 24, 2008. FXZ is a passively managed fund by First Trust that tracks the performance of the StrataQuant Materials Index. It was launched on May 8, 2007. Both WOOD and FXZ are passive ETFs, meaning that they are not actively managed but aim to replicate the performance of the underlying index as closely as possible.

Performance

WOOD vs. FXZ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares Global Timber & Forestry ETF (WOOD) and First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

WOOD vs. FXZ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
WOOD iShares Global Timber & Forestry ETF	-1.14%	-3.27%	-4.21%	13.84%	-19.39%	17.03%	20.36%	19.75%	-17.73%	34.49%
FXZ First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund	19.87%	16.25%	-16.31%	16.27%	-0.92%	30.84%	22.52%	21.52%	-22.62%	23.72%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, WOOD achieves a -1.14% return, which is significantly lower than FXZ's 19.87% return. Over the past 10 years, WOOD has underperformed FXZ with an annualized return of 6.28%, while FXZ has yielded a comparatively higher 11.27% annualized return.

WOOD

• 1D: 0.33%
• 1M: -7.02%
• YTD: -1.14%
• 6M: -2.10%
• 1Y: -3.58%
• 3Y*: 1.95%
• 5Y*: -2.08%
• 10Y*: 6.28%

FXZ

• 1D: 1.63%
• 1M: -2.53%
• YTD: 19.87%
• 6M: 26.60%
• 1Y: 42.96%
• 3Y*: 7.80%
• 5Y*: 8.56%
• 10Y*: 11.27%

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

WOOD vs. FXZ - Expense Ratio Comparison

WOOD has a 0.46% expense ratio, which is lower than FXZ's 0.67% expense ratio.

FXZ

First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund

WOOD

iShares Global Timber & Forestry ETF

Return for Risk

WOOD vs. FXZ — Risk / Return Rank

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

WOOD

WOOD Risk / Return Rank: 8
WOOD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9
WOOD Sortino Ratio Rank: 8
WOOD Omega Ratio Rank: 8
WOOD Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
WOOD Martin Ratio Rank: 8

FXZ

FXZ Risk / Return Rank: 81
FXZ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 82
FXZ Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
FXZ Omega Ratio Rank: 77
FXZ Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
FXZ Martin Ratio Rank: 82

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.

WOOD vs. FXZ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Global Timber & Forestry ETF (WOOD) and First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ). 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.

	WOOD	FXZ	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-0.17	1.63	-1.80
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-0.10	2.25	-2.35
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.99	1.31	-0.32
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.17	2.58	-2.75
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-0.49	9.93	-10.42
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

WOOD vs. FXZ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current WOOD Sharpe Ratio is -0.17, which is lower than the FXZ Sharpe Ratio of 1.63. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of WOOD and FXZ, 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

	WOOD	FXZ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.17	1.63	-1.80
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.11	0.36	-0.46
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.29	0.46	-0.17
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.17	0.34	-0.17

Correlation

The correlation between WOOD and FXZ is 0.76, 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

WOOD vs. FXZ - Dividend Comparison

WOOD's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.53%, more than FXZ's 1.50% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
WOOD iShares Global Timber & Forestry ETF	2.53%	2.51%	2.09%	1.64%	2.26%	1.24%	0.98%	1.85%	2.82%	1.19%	1.65%	2.04%
FXZ First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund	1.50%	1.74%	1.81%	1.97%	1.56%	1.11%	1.51%	1.58%	1.38%	1.01%	1.19%	1.26%

Drawdowns

WOOD vs. FXZ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum WOOD drawdown since its inception was -63.25%, roughly equal to the maximum FXZ drawdown of -65.46%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WOOD and FXZ.

Drawdown Indicators

	WOOD	FXZ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-63.25%	-65.46%	+2.21%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-18.91%	-16.38%	-2.53%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.90%	-33.99%	+2.09%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-50.20%	-49.41%	-0.79%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-19.59%	-2.54%	-17.05%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.69%	-11.45%	-3.24%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.58%	4.25%	+2.33%

Volatility

WOOD vs. FXZ - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares Global Timber & Forestry ETF (WOOD) is 6.86%, while First Trust Materials AlphaDEX Fund (FXZ) has a volatility of 8.33%. This indicates that WOOD experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FXZ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	WOOD	FXZ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.86%	8.33%	-1.47%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.33%	17.35%	-4.02%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.92%	26.46%	-5.54%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.66%	24.10%	-4.44%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.84%	24.79%	-2.95%