XTL vs. EMDM
XTL (SPDR S&P Telecom ETF) and EMDM (First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - XTL is a Communications Equities fund tracking the S&P Telecom Select Industry Index, while EMDM is a Emerging Markets Diversified fund tracking the Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies Index - Benchmark TR Net. Both are passively managed. Over the past 3 years, XTL returned 46.01%/yr vs 30.34%/yr for EMDM. A 0.54 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. XTL charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.75%/yr for EMDM.
Performance
XTL vs. EMDM - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, XTL achieves a 51.28% return, which is significantly higher than EMDM's 36.28% return.
XTL
- 1D
- 0.16%
- 1M
- 2.24%
- YTD
- 51.28%
- 6M
- 51.62%
- 1Y
- 120.42%
- 3Y*
- 46.01%
- 5Y*
- 18.76%
- 10Y*
- 16.27%
EMDM
- 1D
- 0.70%
- 1M
- 6.11%
- YTD
- 36.28%
- 6M
- 42.03%
- 1Y
- 83.08%
- 3Y*
- 30.34%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
XTL vs. EMDM - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
XTL SPDR S&P Telecom ETF | 51.28% | 44.95% | 34.89% | -0.18% |
EMDM First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF | 36.28% | 59.68% | -4.93% | 14.75% |
Correlation
The correlation between XTL and EMDM is 0.55, 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 | 0.55 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.54 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 3, 2023 | 0.54 |
The correlation between XTL and EMDM has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.54 to 0.55 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
XTL vs. EMDM — Risk / Return Rank
XTL
EMDM
XTL vs. EMDM - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SPDR S&P Telecom ETF (XTL) and First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM). 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.
| XTL | EMDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.67 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.48 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.56 | 1.55 | +0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 7.95 | 5.18 | +2.77 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 33.56 | 20.59 | +12.97 |
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Drawdowns
XTL vs. EMDM - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum XTL drawdown since its inception was -37.01%, which is greater than EMDM's maximum drawdown of -18.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for XTL and EMDM.
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Drawdown Indicators
| XTL | EMDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -37.01% | -18.81% | -18.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.70% | -15.65% | +0.95% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -22.79% | -18.81% | -3.98% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -37.01% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -37.01% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.72% | -3.27% | -3.45% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.76% | -4.08% | -5.68% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.48% | 3.93% | -0.45% |
Volatility
XTL vs. EMDM - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for SPDR S&P Telecom ETF (XTL) is 11.43%, while First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM) has a volatility of 12.16%. This indicates that XTL experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than EMDM based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| XTL | EMDM | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 11.43% | 12.16% | -0.73% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 24.28% | 22.86% | +1.42% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 30.13% | 25.23% | +4.90% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 25.34% | 20.36% | +4.98% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.66% | 20.36% | +3.30% |
XTL vs. EMDM - Expense Ratio Comparison
XTL has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than EMDM's 0.75% expense ratio.
Dividends
XTL vs. EMDM - Dividend Comparison
XTL's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.86%, less than EMDM's 2.62% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EMDM First Trust Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies ETF | 2.62% | 3.57% | 5.87% | 2.16% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
XTL SPDR S&P Telecom ETF | 0.86% | 1.05% | 0.62% | 0.80% | 0.74% | 1.25% | 0.88% | 0.92% | 1.90% | 2.08% | 1.11% | 1.38% |
Frequently Asked Questions
XTL and EMDM have a correlation of 0.55, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
EMDM has higher volatility (12.16%) compared to XTL (11.43%). In terms of maximum drawdown, XTL dropped -37.01% vs EMDM's -18.81%.
On 3-year performance, XTL leads with 46.01% vs 30.34% for EMDM. On fees, XTL is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, XTL has been the lower-risk option at 11.43%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, XTL has performed better with a 46.01% return vs 30.34%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
XTL is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.75% for EMDM.
EMDM has the higher dividend yield at 2.62%, compared with 0.86% for XTL.
XTL is categorized as Communications Equities, while EMDM is Emerging Markets Diversified. XTL tracks S&P Telecom Select Industry Index, while EMDM tracks Bloomberg Emerging Market Democracies Index - Benchmark TR Net. They also come from different issuers: State Street and First Trust. Their fees differ too: 0.35% for XTL and 0.75% for EMDM.
XTL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.88 vs 3.21), 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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