Democratic Large Cap Core ETF (DEMZ) Performance
DEMZ total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +12.1% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +12.3% total return
- 5 years
- +11.8% a year
- Since first price
- +16.2% a year since 2020
DEMZ trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | DEMZ total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −0.9% | −0.9% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +3.7% | +3.7% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +9.1% | +9.1% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +12.1% | +12.1% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +12.3% | +11.3% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +87.5%+23.3%/yr | +83.1% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +74.8%+11.8%/yr | +65.0% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| Since inceptionNov 3, 2020 | +145.2%+16.2%/yr | +130.8% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: DEMZ vs SPY
From Nov 3, 2020: DEMZ grew to $24,522, SPY to $24,521.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
DEMZ returns by calendar year
4 of 5 full years positive. Best 2021 (+32.7%), worst 2022 (−19.0%). 2026 is year to date.
DEMZ annual returns table
| Year | DEMZ | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +12.1% | −12.3% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +19.8% | −18.1% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +22.9% | −8.3% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +24.4% | −9.7% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −19.0% | −26.7% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +32.7% | −5.4% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
DEMZ largest drawdowns
Now 3.4% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 29, 2021 | −27.2% | Oct 12, 2022 | Dec 26, 2023 | 9 months | 2.0 years |
| Dec 4, 2024 | −18.7% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jun 10, 2025 | 4 months | 6 months |
| Jan 27, 2026 | −12.3% | Mar 30, 2026 | May 6, 2026 | 2 months | 3 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
DEMZ risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | Since 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +23.5% | +13.1% | +15.8% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 13.6% | 16.6% | 16.1% |
| Sharpe ratio | 1.31 | 0.61 | 0.81 |
| Sortino ratio | 2.49 | 0.96 | 1.29 |
| Best month | +9.9% | +9.9% | +9.9% |
| Worst month | −6.0% | −10.2% | −10.2% |
| Best 12 months | +37.4% | +37.4% | +37.4% |
| Worst 12 months | +3.7% | −19.1% | −19.1% |
| Positive months | 72% | 63% | 66% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 1.04 | 1.03 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.95 | 0.96 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
DEMZ rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 60 | −19.1% | +17.0% | +37.4% | 80% |
| 3-year (a year) | 36 | +7.4% | +13.7% | +24.9% | 100% |
| 5-year (a year) | 12 | +11.6% | +12.9% | +15.6% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2020. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
DEMZ performance overview
Democratic Large Cap Core ETF (DEMZ) returned +12.3% over the past year and +11.8% a year over five years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2020 it has returned +16.2% a year, turning $10,000 into about $24,522. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −27.2%, from Dec 29, 2021 to Oct 12, 2022, and it took 1.2 years to get back to the old high. DEMZ finished 4 of its 5 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2021 (+32.7%) and the worst 2022 (−19.0%). Volatility has been 16.1% a year.
Related: DEMZ chart, DEMZ holdings, DEMZ dividends, DEMZ valuation. See the DEMZ overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
DEMZ performance FAQ
What is the DEMZ return over the past year?
DEMZ returned +12.3% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 11.3%.
What is the average annual return of DEMZ?
DEMZ has returned +11.8% a year over 5 years, +16.2% a year since November 3, 2020 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in DEMZ be worth?
$10,000 invested in DEMZ at its first recorded close on November 3, 2020 would be worth about $24,522 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for DEMZ?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −19.0%. The best was 2021 at +32.7%.
What is the biggest drawdown of DEMZ?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −27.2% between December 29, 2021 and October 12, 2022. It recovered to the old high on December 26, 2023, 1.2 years after the bottom.
How volatile is DEMZ?
Over the past 3 years DEMZ had an annualized volatility of 13.6% and a Sharpe ratio of 1.31 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).