FDMvsDESETF Comparison
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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 Finance, Consumer Cyclicals and Industrials. In contrast, DES's top sector exposures are Finance, Energy and Non-Energy Materials. FDM is more expensive with a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of 0.65%, versus 0.38% for DES. FDM is up 16.14% year-to-date (YTD) with +$13M in YTD flows. DES performs better with 22.94% YTD performance, and -$30M 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.
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FDM vs DES performance and flow charts
Performance
Cumulative Flows
Historic performance and flows
Data as of 07/30/2026
| 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perf. | FDM DES | -1.29%+0.30% | +4.47%+5.78% | +16.14%+22.94% | +30.57%+30.90% | +59.64%+44.30% | +67.29%+50.08% |
| Flows | FDM DES | --$2M | +$4M-$12M | +$13M-$30M | +$18M-$109M | +$9M-$297M | +$13M-$163M |
Volatility and drawdown
| 3M | 1Y | 3Y | 5Y | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volatility | FDM DES | +14.90%+13.34% | +18.12%+15.39% | +20.56%+18.68% | +21.30%+19.27% |
| Max drawdown | FDM DES | -5.03%-3.19% | -8.71%-7.50% | -23.13%-25.25% | -23.71%-25.25% |
| Max drawdown duration | FDM DES | 38d16d | 59d45d | 208d435d | 974d435d |
Trading data
FDM | DES | |
Last sale 8/3/2026 at 4:04 PM | $92.86 | $41.15 |
| Previous close 07/31/2026 | $91.44 | $40.62 |
| Consolidated volume 07/31/2026 | ||
| Average volume 30 days | ||
| Average discount or premium 30 days | ||
| Average Bid/Ask spread 30 days |
Replication quality
Data as of July 31, 2026
1-year trailing difference
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FDM | DES | |
|---|---|---|
| Tracking error | ||
| Tracking difference | ||
| 1 year cumulative return difference | ||
| Best | ||
| Worst | ||
| Daily return difference | ||
| Average | ||
| Worst | ||
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Main metrics
Last update 8/3/2026 at 4:04 PM
Live
Closed
FDM | DES | |
|---|---|---|
| Last price | $92.86 | $41.15 |
| 1D performance | +1.55% | +1.30% |
| AuM | $261.91 M | $2.19 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 | 146 | 1115 |
| Asset class | Equities | Equities |
| Trailing 12m distribution yield | Join | Join |
| Inception date | September 27, 2005 | June 16, 2006 |
| ESG | No | No |
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Exposure
Countries
FDM
USA
97.54%
Other
2.46%
DES
USA
98.52%
Other
1.48%
Sectors
FDM
Finance
45.72%
Consumer Cyclical.
8.22%
Industrials
7.03%
Other
39.03%
DES
Finance
35.42%
Energy
9.7%
Non-Energy Materi.
9.54%
Consumer Cyclical.
9.35%
Industrials
9.12%
Other
26.87%
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Diversification
FDM
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
21.97%
DES
Total weight of top 15 holdings out of 15
12.96%
Top 15 holdings
Data as of June 30, 2026
FDM
Stoke Therapeutics, Inc.
2.27%
NWPX Infrastructure, Inc.
1.72%
TETRA Technologies, Inc.
1.72%
Dauch Corp.
1.55%
Douglas Dynamics, Inc.
1.50%
United Fire Group, Inc.
1.46%
Deluxe Corp.
1.40%
USA TODAY Co., Inc.
1.39%
Universal Insurance Holdings, Inc.
1.32%
Horizon Bancorp, Inc. (Indiana)
1.30%
Oil-Dri Corp. of America
1.29%
Business First Bancshares, Inc.
1.27%
American Public Education, Inc.
1.27%
Central Pacific Financial Corp.
1.26%
CNB Financial Corp. (Pennsylvania)
1.25%
DES
TFS Financial Corp.
1.18%
Kodiak Gas Services, Inc.
1.17%
EPR Properties
1.05%
Sonoco Products Co.
0.96%
Archrock, Inc.
0.91%
NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc.
0.90%
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc.
0.87%
Travel + Leisure Co.
0.84%
OUTFRONT Media, Inc.
0.83%
Avnet, Inc.
0.79%
HA Sustainable Infrastructure Capital, Inc.
0.72%
Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc.
0.72%
Bath & Body Works, Inc.
0.68%
Scotts Miracle-Gro Co.
0.68%
Iridium Communications, Inc.
0.67%
Frequently asked questions about FDM and DES
How have the FDM and DES ETFs performed in 2026?
As of July 30, 2026, FDM is up 16.14% year-to-date (YTD), while DES has returned 22.94%. 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 -$30M for DES.
Which ETF is more volatile: FDM or DES?
Over the past year, FDM had a volatility of 18.12%, while DES experienced 15.39%.
Which ETF is bigger: FDM or DES?
As of July 30, 2026, FDM holds $261.91 M in assets under management (AUM), while DES manages $2.19 B.
What sectors do the FDM and DES ETFs invest in?
FDM leans toward sectors like Finance, Consumer Cyclicals and Industrials. Meanwhile, DES focuses on Finance, Energy and Non-Energy Materials.
What are the top holdings of the FDM ETF and DES ETF?
FDM top holdings include Stoke Therapeutics, Inc., NWPX Infrastructure, Inc. and TETRA Technologies, Inc.. DES holds in its top three: TFS Financial Corp., Kodiak Gas Services, Inc. and EPR Properties.
Which ETF is more diversified: FDM or DES?
FDM holds 146 securities with 21.97% of its assets in the top 15. DES has 1121 securities and a top 15 weight of 12.96%.
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