FDMvsDESETF Comparison
VS
First Trust Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index Fund ETF (FDM) belongs to the US Small Cap segment. WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Fund (DES) is part of the US High Dividend segment. FDM's top 3 sector exposures are Financials, Industrials and Consumer Discretionary. In contrast, DES's top sector exposures are Financials, Consumer Discretionary and Industrials. FDM is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.65%, versus 0.38% for DES. FDM is up 11.17% year-to-date (YTD) with +$13M in YTD flows. DES performs better with 16.22% YTD performance, and -$18M in YTD flows. Run a side-by-side ETF comparison of FDM and DES below, and assess how they stack up in performance, liquidity, risk, exposure, holdings, and more, helping you select the best ETF for your investments.
Find out how industry players manage ETF portfolios. Discover our library of Model portfolios
FDM vs DES performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 04/30/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | FDM DES | +8.91%+7.29% | +5.45%+7.28% | +11.17%+16.22% | +46.14%+31.39% | +80.21%+51.59% | +60.53%+37.31% |
| Flows | FDM DES | +$9M+$7K | +$13M-$7M | +$13M-$18M | +$18M-$148M | +$6M-$327M | +$10M-$158M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | FDM DES | +19.00%+14.50% | +19.10%+16.52% | +21.17%+19.22% | +21.64%+19.51% |
| Max drawdown | FDM DES | -8.71%-7.50% | -8.71%-7.50% | -23.13%-25.25% | -23.71%-25.25% |
| Max drawdown duration | FDM DES | 59d45d | 59d45d | 208d435d | 974d435d |
Trading data
FDM | DES | |
Last sale 5/1/2026 at 1:30 PM | $89.18 | $38.64 |
| Previous close 04/29/2026 | $88.18 | $38.64 |
| Consolidated volume 04/29/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of April 30, 2026
1-year trailing difference
Create an account to view replication metrics
Join for free
FDM | DES | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
Advertisement
Main metrics
Last update 5/1/2026 at 1:30 PM
Live
Closed
FDM | DES | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $89.18 | $38.64 |
| 1D performance | +1.13% | +0.00% |
| AuM | $251.74 M | $2.09 B |
| E/R | 0.65% | 0.38% |
Characteristics
FDM | DES | |
|---|---|---|
| Management strategy | Passive | Passive |
| Provider | First Trust | WisdomTree |
| Benchmark | Dow Jones Select MicroCap Index | WisdomTree U.S. SmallCap Dividend Index |
| N° of holdings | 136 | 772 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | September 27, 2005 | June 16, 2006 |
| ESG | No | No |
Advertisement
Exposure
Countries
FDM
USA
93.35%
Other
6.65%
DES
USA
98.49%
Other
1.51%
Sectors
FDM
Financials
39.46%
Industrials
13.88%
Consumer Discreti.
11.16%
Other
35.5%
DES
Financials
22.73%
Consumer Discreti.
13.84%
Industrials
13.26%
Energy
9.54%
Real Estate
8.66%
Materials
8.15%
Other
23.81%
Advertisement
Diversification
FDM
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
21.78%
DES
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
13.32%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of March 31, 2026
FDM
STOKE THERAPEUTICS INC
2.30%
AMERICAN AXLE AND MANUFACTURING
1.96%
DELUXE
1.75%
KYG386441037
1.65%
TETRA TECHNOLOGIES
1.56%
AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION
1.45%
DOUGLAS DYNMCS
1.38%
SUN COUNTRY AIRLINES HOLDINGS
1.26%
BUSINESS FIRST BANCSHARES INC
1.25%
GENCO SHIPPING & TRADING
1.23%
GANNETT CO INC
1.23%
CNB FINANCIAL
1.20%
CENTRAL PACIFIC FINANCIAL
1.19%
HORIZON BANCORP
1.19%
AMARK PRECIOUS/D
1.18%
DES
SONOCO PRODUCTS
1.06%
TFS FINANCIAL
1.04%
US50012A1088
1.03%
EPR PROPERTIES
0.98%
CAL MAINE FOODS
0.98%
NORTHWESTERN
0.93%
PATTERSON UTI
0.92%
CALIFORNIA RESOURCES
0.91%
ARCHROCK
0.85%
TRAVEL PLUS LEISURE CO
0.84%
PBF ENERGY INC (ORDINARY)
0.79%
US69007J3041
0.76%
NORTHERN OIL&GAS
0.75%
HNN ARMSTRNG S/D
0.74%
CRESCENT ENERGY COMPANY
0.72%
Frequently asked questions about FDM and DES
How have the FDM and DES ETFs performed in 2026?
As of April 30, 2026, FDM is up 11.17% year-to-date (YTD), while DES has returned 16.22%. That puts DES better performer ahead so far this year.
Which ETF is attracting more investor money: FDM or DES?
Year-to-date, the FDM ETF saw +$13M in flows, compared to -$18M for DES.
Which ETF is more volatile: FDM or DES?
Over the past year, FDM had a volatility of 19.1%, while DES experienced 16.52%.
Which ETF is bigger: FDM or DES?
As of April 30, 2026, FDM holds $251.74 M in assets under management (AUM), while DES manages $2.09 B.
What sectors do the FDM and DES ETFs invest in?
FDM leans toward sectors like Financials, Industrials and Consumer Discretionary. Meanwhile, DES focuses on Financials, Consumer Discretionary and Industrials.
What are the top holdings of the FDM ETF and DES ETF?
FDM top holdings include STOKE THERAPEUTICS INC, AMERICAN AXLE AND MANUFACTURING and DELUXE. DES holds in its top three: SONOCO PRODUCTS, TFS FINANCIAL and US50012A1088.
Which ETF is more diversified: FDM or DES?
FDM holds 149 securities with 21.78% of its assets in the top 15. DES has 823 securities and a top 15 weight of 13.32%.
Advertisement
Latest news about FDM & DES
Will 2024 be the Year of Small Caps and Value Stocks?
July 29, 2024
DES
Value ETFs Shine Amid Lower-Than-Expected Inflation
July 15, 2024
DES
Dividend Growth, High Yield, & Dividend Quality ETFs: What's the Difference?
October 20, 2023
DES
An ETF for penny stocks? 3 micro-cap ETFs available to investors
November 4, 2022
FDM
Advertisement
Advertisement
