VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN (ZIV)

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 of 72.9% in the last 5 years of VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN, we see it is relatively larger, thus better in comparison to the benchmark SPY (68.7%)
• During the last 3 years, the total return is 89%, which is larger, thus better than the value of 47.9% from the benchmark.

CAGR:

'The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is a useful measure of growth over multiple time periods. It can be thought of as the growth rate that gets you from the initial investment value to the ending investment value if you assume that the investment has been compounding over the time period.'

• Looking at the annual performance (CAGR) of 11.6% in the last 5 years of VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN, we see it is relatively higher, thus better in comparison to the benchmark SPY (11%)
• Compared with SPY (14%) in the period of the last 3 years, the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.7% is larger, thus better.

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 (13.3%) in the period of the last 5 years, the 30 days standard deviation of 30.6% of VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN is greater, thus worse.
• Compared with SPY (12.5%) in the period of the last 3 years, the 30 days standard deviation of 27.6% is larger, thus worse.

DownVol:

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

• The downside risk over 5 years of VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN is 34.8%, which is greater, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (14.6%) in the same period.
• During the last 3 years, the downside risk is 32.8%, which is greater, thus worse than the value of 14.2% from the benchmark.

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.'

• Looking at the risk / return profile (Sharpe) of 0.3 in the last 5 years of VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN, we see it is relatively lower, thus worse in comparison to the benchmark SPY (0.64)
• During the last 3 years, the risk / return profile (Sharpe) is 0.77, which is lower, thus worse than the value of 0.91 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 (0.58) in the period of the last 5 years, the excess return divided by the downside deviation of 0.26 of VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN is smaller, thus worse.
• During the last 3 years, the ratio of annual return and downside deviation is 0.65, which is lower, thus worse than the value of 0.81 from the benchmark.

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 (3.96 ) in the period of the last 5 years, the Downside risk index of 17 of VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN is higher, thus better.
• During the last 3 years, the Ulcer Ratio is 16 , which is larger, thus better than the value of 4.01 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 (-19.3 days) in the period of the last 5 years, the maximum drop from peak to valley of -37 days of VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN is smaller, thus worse.
• During the last 3 years, the maximum reduction from previous high is -37 days, which is lower, thus worse than the value of -19.3 days from the benchmark.

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). Many assume Max DD Duration is the length of time between new highs during which the Max DD (magnitude) occurred. But that isn’t always the case. The Max DD duration is the longest time between peaks, period. So it could be the time when the program also had its biggest peak to valley loss (and usually is, because the program needs a long time to recover from the largest loss), but it doesn’t have to be'

• The maximum days under water over 5 years of VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN is 358 days, which is higher, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (187 days) in the same period.
• During the last 3 years, the maximum days below previous high is 339 days, which is higher, thus worse than the value of 139 days from the benchmark.

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 time in days below previous high water mark over 5 years of VelocityShares Inverse VIX Medium Term ETN is 131 days, which is larger, thus worse compared to the benchmark SPY (41 days) in the same period.
• Looking at average days under water in of 94 days in the period of the last 3 years, we see it is relatively larger, thus worse in comparison to SPY (36 days).