First Trust S&P 500 Economic Moat ETF (EMOT) Performance
EMOT total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +13.4% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +12.9% total return
- Since first price
- +36.6% since 2024
EMOT trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | EMOT total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | +3.1% | +2.9% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +3.1% | +3.0% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +8.8% | +8.4% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +13.4% | +12.6% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +12.9% | +11.7% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| Since inceptionJun 27, 2024 | +36.6% | +34.0% | — | — | — |
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: EMOT vs SPY
From Jun 27, 2024: EMOT grew to $13,661, SPY to $14,274.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
EMOT returns by calendar year
1 of 1 full years positive. Best 2025 (+14.2%), worst 2025 (+14.2%). 2026 is year to date.
EMOT annual returns table
| Year | EMOT | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +13.4% | −9.2% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +14.2% | −16.4% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
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.
EMOT largest drawdowns
Now 2.3% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 19, 2025 | −16.4% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jun 24, 2025 | 48 days | 4 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
EMOT risk statistics
| Statistic | Since 2024 |
|---|---|
| Annualized return | +12.9% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 11.8% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.74 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.11 |
| Best month | +6.9% |
| Worst month | −7.5% |
| Best 12 months | +19.7% |
| Worst 12 months | +8.2% |
| Positive months | 67% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | — |
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.
EMOT rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 17 | +8.2% | +14.2% | +19.7% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2024. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
EMOT performance overview
First Trust S&P 500 Economic Moat ETF (EMOT) returned +12.9% over the past year, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price on Jun 27, 2024 it has returned +36.6%. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −16.4%, from Feb 19, 2025 to Apr 8, 2025, and it took 3 months to get back to the old high. Volatility has been 11.8% a year.
Related: EMOT chart, EMOT holdings, EMOT dividends, EMOT valuation. See the EMOT overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
EMOT performance FAQ
What is the EMOT return over the past year?
EMOT returned +12.9% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 11.7%.
How much would $10,000 invested in EMOT be worth?
$10,000 invested in EMOT at its first recorded close on June 27, 2024 would be worth about $13,661 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What is the biggest drawdown of EMOT?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −16.4% between February 19, 2025 and April 8, 2025. It recovered to the old high on June 24, 2025, 3 months after the bottom.
How volatile is EMOT?
Over the past history EMOT had an annualized volatility of 11.8% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.74 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).