iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (EWY)

TotalReturn:

'Total return is the amount of value an investor earns from a security over a specific period, typically one year, when all distributions are reinvested. Total return is expressed as a percentage of the amount invested. For example, a total return of 20% means the security increased by 20% of its original value due to a price increase, distribution of dividends (if a stock), coupons (if a bond) or capital gains (if a fund). Total return is a strong measure of an investment’s overall performance.'

• The total return, or performance over 5 years of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is 6.9%, which is lower, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (55.3%) in the same period.
• Looking at total return, or performance in of -0.8% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively lower, thus worse in comparison to SPY (33%).

CAGR:

'The compound annual growth rate isn't a true return rate, but rather a representational figure. It is essentially a number that describes the rate at which an investment would have grown if it had grown the same rate every year and the profits were reinvested at the end of each year. In reality, this sort of performance is unlikely. However, CAGR can be used to smooth returns so that they may be more easily understood when compared to alternative investments.'

• Compared with the benchmark SPY (9.2%) in the period of the last 5 years, the annual performance (CAGR) of 1.3% of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is lower, thus worse.
• During the last 3 years, the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) is -0.3%, which is lower, thus worse than the value of 10% from the benchmark.

Volatility:

'Volatility is a statistical measure of the dispersion of returns for a given security or market index. Volatility can either be measured by using the standard deviation or variance between returns from that same security or market index. Commonly, the higher the volatility, the riskier the security. In the securities markets, volatility is often associated with big swings in either direction. For example, when the stock market rises and falls more than one percent over a sustained period of time, it is called a 'volatile' market.'

• Compared with the benchmark SPY (13.6%) in the period of the last 5 years, the volatility of 20.4% of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is higher, thus worse.
• Looking at volatility in of 20.2% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively larger, thus worse in comparison to SPY (13.5%).

DownVol:

'The downside volatility is similar to the volatility, or standard deviation, but only takes losing/negative periods into account.'

• The downside volatility over 5 years of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is 14.8%, which is larger, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (10%) in the same period.
• Compared with SPY (10.1%) in the period of the last 3 years, the downside risk of 14.7% is higher, thus worse.

Sharpe:

'The Sharpe ratio was developed by Nobel laureate William F. Sharpe, and is used to help investors understand the return of an investment compared to its risk. The ratio is the average return earned in excess of the risk-free rate per unit of volatility or total risk. Subtracting the risk-free rate from the mean return allows an investor to better isolate the profits associated with risk-taking activities. One intuition of this calculation is that a portfolio engaging in 'zero risk' investments, such as the purchase of U.S. Treasury bills (for which the expected return is the risk-free rate), has a Sharpe ratio of exactly zero. Generally, the greater the value of the Sharpe ratio, the more attractive the risk-adjusted return.'

• Compared with the benchmark SPY (0.49) in the period of the last 5 years, the Sharpe Ratio of -0.06 of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is lower, thus worse.
• During the last 3 years, the risk / return profile (Sharpe) is -0.14, which is lower, thus worse than the value of 0.55 from the benchmark.

Sortino:

'The Sortino ratio improves upon the Sharpe ratio by isolating downside volatility from total volatility by dividing excess return by the downside deviation. The Sortino ratio is a variation of the Sharpe ratio that differentiates harmful volatility from total overall volatility by using the asset's standard deviation of negative asset returns, called downside deviation. The Sortino ratio takes the asset's return and subtracts the risk-free rate, and then divides that amount by the asset's downside deviation. The ratio was named after Frank A. Sortino.'

• The ratio of annual return and downside deviation over 5 years of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is -0.08, which is lower, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (0.67) in the same period.
• During the last 3 years, the ratio of annual return and downside deviation is -0.19, which is lower, thus worse than the value of 0.74 from the benchmark.

Ulcer:

'The ulcer index is a stock market risk measure or technical analysis indicator devised by Peter Martin in 1987, and published by him and Byron McCann in their 1989 book The Investors Guide to Fidelity Funds. It's designed as a measure of volatility, but only volatility in the downward direction, i.e. the amount of drawdown or retracement occurring over a period. Other volatility measures like standard deviation treat up and down movement equally, but a trader doesn't mind upward movement, it's the downside that causes stress and stomach ulcers that the index's name suggests.'

• Compared with the benchmark SPY (4 ) in the period of the last 5 years, the Ulcer Index of 16 of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is larger, thus worse.
• During the last 3 years, the Ulcer Ratio is 17 , which is higher, thus worse than the value of 4.14 from the benchmark.

MaxDD:

'Maximum drawdown is defined as the peak-to-trough decline of an investment during a specific period. It is usually quoted as a percentage of the peak value. The maximum drawdown can be calculated based on absolute returns, in order to identify strategies that suffer less during market downturns, such as low-volatility strategies. However, the maximum drawdown can also be calculated based on returns relative to a benchmark index, for identifying strategies that show steady outperformance over time.'

• Looking at the maximum reduction from previous high of -34.4 days in the last 5 years of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF, we see it is relatively smaller, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (-19.3 days)
• Compared with SPY (-19.3 days) in the period of the last 3 years, the maximum drop from peak to valley of -34.4 days is smaller, thus worse.

MaxDuration:

'The Maximum Drawdown Duration is an extension of the Maximum Drawdown. However, this metric does not explain the drawdown in dollars or percentages, rather in days, weeks, or months. It is the length of time the account was in the Max Drawdown. A Max Drawdown measures a retrenchment from when an equity curve reaches a new high. It’s the maximum an account lost during that retrenchment. This method is applied because a valley can’t be measured until a new high occurs. Once the new high is reached, the percentage change from the old high to the bottom of the largest trough is recorded.'

• Compared with the benchmark SPY (187 days) in the period of the last 5 years, the maximum days below previous high of 524 days of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is greater, thus worse.
• Looking at maximum days below previous high in of 524 days in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively higher, thus worse in comparison to SPY (139 days).

AveDuration:

'The Drawdown Duration is the length of any peak to peak period, or the time between new equity highs. The Avg Drawdown Duration is the average amount of time an investment has seen between peaks (equity highs), or in other terms the average of time under water of all drawdowns. So in contrast to the Maximum duration it does not measure only one drawdown event but calculates the average of all.'

• Compared with the benchmark SPY (42 days) in the period of the last 5 years, the average days below previous high of 211 days of iShares MSCI South Korea ETF is larger, thus worse.
• During the last 3 years, the average days below previous high is 198 days, which is greater, thus worse than the value of 36 days from the benchmark.