ETF comparison
Verified factor-similar pair

AFMC vs FXR

These US-listed equity ETFs share verified FF6 US factor exposure. The modeled volatility of their factor-return difference is at or below 3% annualized on both the same 36-month window and a longer factor-history check.

SMB
Current similarity score
82
Factor-similar

The score is 100 for identical fitted exposures and 80 at the 3% modeled tracking-error limit. It includes market and non-market factors; it does not indicate which fund earned or is expected to earn more. How to read this score.

Quick Read

  • AFMC has the higher backtested relative Sharpe (0.779 vs 0.668).
  • FXR has the lower published fee (0.60% vs 0.68%).
  • FXR is cheaper on dividend valuation (91 vs 123, where 100 is each fund's historical median).
  • AFMC has the stronger regression fit (adjusted R-squared 0.932 vs 0.855).

These are screening signals, not a complete review of portfolio construction, turnover, taxes, or trading quality.

AFMC

First Trust Active Factor Mid Cap ETF
SMB
Adj. R2
0.932
Rel. Sharpe
0.779
Mkt beta
0.98
AUM
US$147M
MER
0.68%
Valuation
123

FXR

First Trust Industrials/Producer Durables AlphaDEX Fund
SMB RMW
Adj. R2
0.855
Rel. Sharpe
0.668
Mkt beta
1.04
AUM
US$685M
MER
0.60%
Valuation
91

Market beta uses the common 36-month window through 2026-08. Adjusted R² and relative Sharpe describe each fund's separately published full-history model.

Factor Exposure Match

Blue bars compare factor beta magnitude from the same 36 months shown above. Green bars compare absolute t-stat strength; dim bars indicate |t| below 1.96. Every factor enters the distance calculation regardless of its t-statistic.

SMB
AFMC
+0.49
|t|
+4.2
FXR
+0.65
|t|
+3.4
diff -0.16
HML
AFMC
+0.43
|t|
+3.1
FXR
+0.20
|t|
+0.9
diff +0.23
RMW
AFMC
+0.11
|t|
+1.2
FXR
+0.13
|t|
+0.8
diff -0.02
CMA
AFMC
+0.10
|t|
+0.7
FXR
+0.42
|t|
+1.7
diff -0.32
UMD
AFMC
+0.20
|t|
+2.6
FXR
+0.26
|t|
+2.1
diff -0.06

What Happened Over the Same 36 Months

AFMC adjusted total-return CAGR
18.47%
FXR adjusted total-return CAGR
13.54%

AFMC ahead by 4.93 percentage points/year over 2023-09 through 2026-08. This is the observed difference between annualized compounded returns from adjusted prices, not an expected return or a factor-model estimate.

Historical factor attribution

Signed contribution to AFMC minus FXR, percentage points/year, using fitted 36-month exposures and average factor returns over those same months:

Market factor
-0.85
Other factors, combined
+2.58
Total factor-implied difference
+1.73

This arithmetic-average factor attribution excludes the regression intercept and fund-specific return. It therefore need not equal the observed CAGR difference and is not a forecast.

Why This Pair Matches

Modeled factor tracking error · 36m
2.54%/yr
Modeled tracking error · 120m factor history
2.67%/yr
Mkt beta diff
0.06
Rel. Sharpe diff
0.111

Fitted exposures and factor covariance estimate the volatility, not the average or direction, of the funds' modeled return difference. The common regression window is 2023-09 through 2026-08. A short-window estimate and a longer factor-history check must both be at or below 3.000%; this is a screening limit, not a forecast. Holdings, turnover, taxes and trading costs require a separate review. The Sharpe figures elsewhere on this page come from each fund's published full-history model and do not enter similarity ranking. See the full methodology.

AFMC fund page FXR fund page US ETF Leaders US Universe
Important context

VerifiedBeta publishes educational ETF research, not personalized investment advice, portfolio management, or security recommendations. Funds that screen well here can still be unsuitable for your objectives, taxes, liquidity needs, or constraints. Review fund documents, methodology assumptions, and your own circumstances before acting. See the full disclaimer.