iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF (HEWJ)

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.'

• Looking at the total return, or performance of 50.2% in the last 5 years of iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF, we see it is relatively smaller, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (67.9%)
• During the last 3 years, the total return, or increase in value is 52.1%, which is greater, thus better than the value of 44.5% from the benchmark.

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 (10.9%) in the period of the last 5 years, the annual return (CAGR) of 8.5% of iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF is lower, thus worse.
• During the last 3 years, the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) is 15%, which is higher, thus better than the value of 13.1% 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.'

• Looking at the historical 30 days volatility of 20.2% in the last 5 years of iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF, we see it is relatively smaller, thus better in comparison to the benchmark SPY (21.4%)
• Looking at 30 days standard deviation in of 16.6% in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively lower, thus better in comparison to SPY (18.7%).

DownVol:

'Downside risk is the financial risk associated with losses. That is, it is the risk of the actual return being below the expected return, or the uncertainty about the magnitude of that difference. Risk measures typically quantify the downside risk, whereas the standard deviation (an example of a deviation risk measure) measures both the upside and downside risk. Specifically, downside risk in our definition is the semi-deviation, that is the standard deviation of all negative returns.'

• The downside volatility over 5 years of iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF is 14.5%, which is lower, thus better compared to the benchmark SPY (15.4%) in the same period.
• Compared with SPY (13.3%) in the period of the last 3 years, the downside deviation of 11.4% is lower, thus better.

Sharpe:

'The Sharpe ratio (also known as the Sharpe index, the Sharpe measure, and the reward-to-variability ratio) is a way to examine the performance of an investment by adjusting for its risk. The ratio measures the excess return (or risk premium) per unit of deviation in an investment asset or a trading strategy, typically referred to as risk, named after William F. Sharpe.'

• Looking at the risk / return profile (Sharpe) of 0.3 in the last 5 years of iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF, we see it is relatively lower, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (0.39)
• During the last 3 years, the ratio of return and volatility (Sharpe) is 0.75, which is higher, thus better than the value of 0.56 from the benchmark.

Sortino:

'The Sortino ratio, a variation of the Sharpe ratio only factors in the downside, or negative volatility, rather than the total volatility used in calculating the Sharpe ratio. The theory behind the Sortino variation is that upside volatility is a plus for the investment, and it, therefore, should not be included in the risk calculation. Therefore, the Sortino ratio takes upside volatility out of the equation and uses only the downside standard deviation in its calculation instead of the total standard deviation that is used in calculating the Sharpe ratio.'

• Compared with the benchmark SPY (0.55) in the period of the last 5 years, the ratio of annual return and downside deviation of 0.41 of iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF is lower, thus worse.
• Compared with SPY (0.79) in the period of the last 3 years, the excess return divided by the downside deviation of 1.09 is greater, thus better.

Ulcer:

'Ulcer Index is a method for measuring investment risk that addresses the real concerns of investors, unlike the widely used standard deviation of return. UI is a measure of the depth and duration of drawdowns in prices from earlier highs. Using Ulcer Index instead of standard deviation can lead to very different conclusions about investment risk and risk-adjusted return, especially when evaluating strategies that seek to avoid major declines in portfolio value (market timing, dynamic asset allocation, hedge funds, etc.). The Ulcer Index was originally developed in 1987. Since then, it has been widely recognized and adopted by the investment community. According to Nelson Freeburg, editor of Formula Research, Ulcer Index is “perhaps the most fully realized statistical portrait of risk there is.'

• Compared with the benchmark SPY (9.47 ) in the period of the last 5 years, the Ulcer Index of 8.06 of iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF is lower, thus better.
• During the last 3 years, the Ulcer Index is 4.76 , which is lower, thus better than the value of 10 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.'

• Compared with the benchmark SPY (-33.7 days) in the period of the last 5 years, the maximum reduction from previous high of -31.5 days of iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF is larger, thus better.
• Looking at maximum drop from peak to valley in of -16 days in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively greater, thus better in comparison to SPY (-24.5 days).

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.'

• Looking at the maximum days under water of 303 days in the last 5 years of iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF, we see it is relatively smaller, thus better in comparison to the benchmark SPY (354 days)
• Compared with SPY (354 days) in the period of the last 3 years, the maximum days under water of 303 days is lower, thus better.

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.'

• The average days below previous high over 5 years of iShares Currency Hedged MSCI Japan ETF is 102 days, which is higher, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (79 days) in the same period.
• Looking at average time in days below previous high water mark in of 82 days in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively lower, thus better in comparison to SPY (102 days).