Description

First Trust Water ETF

Statistics (YTD)

What do these metrics mean? [Read More] [Hide]

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.'

Using this definition on our asset we see for example:
  • Looking at the total return, or increase in value of 94.9% in the last 5 years of First Trust Water ETF, we see it is relatively lower, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (106.2%)
  • Looking at total return, or performance in of 58.8% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively lower, thus worse in comparison to SPY (69.9%).

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.'

Which means for our asset as example:
  • The annual return (CAGR) over 5 years of First Trust Water ETF is 14.3%, which is smaller, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (15.6%) in the same period.
  • Looking at annual return (CAGR) in of 16.8% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively smaller, thus worse in comparison to SPY (19.5%).

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.'

Applying this definition to our asset in some examples:
  • The historical 30 days volatility over 5 years of First Trust Water ETF is 18.9%, which is greater, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (17.6%) in the same period.
  • During the last 3 years, the historical 30 days volatility is 18.8%, which is larger, thus worse than the value of 17.7% from the benchmark.

DownVol:

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

Using this definition on our asset we see for example:
  • Compared with the benchmark SPY (12.2%) in the period of the last 5 years, the downside deviation of 12.7% of First Trust Water ETF is greater, thus worse.
  • Looking at downside volatility in of 12.3% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively greater, thus worse in comparison to SPY (11.6%).

Sharpe:

'The Sharpe ratio is the measure of risk-adjusted return of a financial portfolio. Sharpe ratio is a measure of excess portfolio return over the risk-free rate relative to its standard deviation. Normally, the 90-day Treasury bill rate is taken as the proxy for risk-free rate. A portfolio with a higher Sharpe ratio is considered superior relative to its peers. The measure was named after William F Sharpe, a Nobel laureate and professor of finance, emeritus at Stanford University.'

Using this definition on our asset we see for example:
  • The risk / return profile (Sharpe) over 5 years of First Trust Water ETF is 0.63, which is smaller, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (0.74) in the same period.
  • During the last 3 years, the Sharpe Ratio is 0.76, which is lower, thus worse than the value of 0.96 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.'

Using this definition on our asset we see for example:
  • Looking at the downside risk / excess return profile of 0.93 in the last 5 years of First Trust Water ETF, we see it is relatively lower, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (1.08)
  • Compared with SPY (1.46) in the period of the last 3 years, the excess return divided by the downside deviation of 1.16 is smaller, thus worse.

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.'

Using this definition on our asset we see for example:
  • Looking at the Ulcer Ratio of 9.37 in the last 5 years of First Trust Water ETF, we see it is relatively greater, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (8.48 )
  • Compared with SPY (5.32 ) in the period of the last 3 years, the Ulcer Ratio of 5.66 is larger, thus worse.

MaxDD:

'Maximum drawdown measures the loss in any losing period during a fund’s investment record. It is defined as the percent retrenchment from a fund’s peak value to the fund’s valley value. The drawdown is in effect from the time the fund’s retrenchment begins until a new fund high is reached. The maximum drawdown encompasses both the period from the fund’s peak to the fund’s valley (length), and the time from the fund’s valley to a new fund high (recovery). It measures the largest percentage drawdown that has occurred in any fund’s data record.'

Which means for our asset as example:
  • The maximum drop from peak to valley over 5 years of First Trust Water ETF is -28.5 days, which is smaller, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (-24.5 days) in the same period.
  • Looking at maximum drop from peak to valley in of -18.3 days in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively larger, thus better in comparison to SPY (-18.8 days).

MaxDuration:

'The Drawdown Duration is the length of any peak to peak period, or the time between new equity highs. The Max Drawdown Duration is the worst (the maximum/longest) amount of time an investment has seen between peaks (equity highs) in days.'

Which means for our asset as example:
  • Looking at the maximum days below previous high of 518 days in the last 5 years of First Trust Water ETF, we see it is relatively higher, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (488 days)
  • Looking at maximum time in days below previous high water mark in of 151 days in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively smaller, thus better in comparison to SPY (199 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.'

Which means for our asset as example:
  • Looking at the average time in days below previous high water mark of 133 days in the last 5 years of First Trust Water ETF, we see it is relatively greater, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (120 days)
  • Looking at average time in days below previous high water mark in of 43 days in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively smaller, thus better in comparison to SPY (46 days).

Performance (YTD)

Historical returns have been extended using synthetic data.

Allocations ()

Allocations

Returns (%)

  • Note that yearly returns do not equal the sum of monthly returns due to compounding.
  • Performance results of First Trust Water ETF are hypothetical and do not account for slippage, fees or taxes.