First Trust Health Care AlphaDEX Fund (FXH) Performance

NYSE Arca: FXHTotal returns, calendar years, drawdowns and risk since 2007.

FXH total return

Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026
YTD
+19.3%
since Dec 31, 2025
1 year
+20.3%
total return
5 years
+2.9%
a year
10 years
+9.0%
a year
Since first price
+10.5%
a year since 2007

FXH trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG

FXH trailing returns
PeriodFXH total returnPrice onlyS&P 500 (SPY)Nasdaq-100 (QQQ)U.S. bonds (AGG)
1 month+3.4%+3.4%−1.0%−5.0%+0.9%
3 months+10.1%+9.9%+3.2%+1.9%−0.4%
6 months+20.6%+20.2%+7.8%+8.4%−1.5%
YTD+19.3%+18.8%+12.3%+15.1%−1.0%
1 year+20.3%+19.6%+14.4%+15.9%−1.1%
3 years+48.0%+14.0%/yr+45.4%+87.4%+23.3%/yr+101.4%+26.3%/yr+16.6%+5.2%/yr
5 years+15.4%+2.9%/yr+12.9%+79.3%+12.4%/yr+94.0%+14.2%/yr−0.8%−0.2%/yr
10 years+135.9%+9.0%/yr+131.0%+315.9%+15.3%/yr+538.9%+20.4%/yr+14.0%+1.3%/yr
15 years+421.6%+11.6%/yr+408.3%+696.0%+14.8%/yr+1,299.3%+19.2%/yr+32.2%+1.9%/yr
Since inceptionMay 10, 2007+596.0%+10.5%/yr+576.9%———

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: FXH vs SPY

FXHS&P 500 (SPY)

From May 10, 2007: FXH grew to $69,602, SPY to $72,541.

Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.

FXH returns by calendar year

FXHSPY

13 of 18 full years positive. Best 2009 (+51.2%), worst 2008 (−29.5%). 2026 is year to date.

FXH annual returns table

FXH calendar-year returns
YearFXHLargest dropSPYQQQAGG
2026YTD+19.3%−12.2%+12.3%+15.1%−1.0%
2025+10.2%−16.4%+17.7%+20.8%+7.2%
2024+1.0%−8.9%+24.9%+25.6%+1.3%
2023−4.5%−21.1%+26.2%+54.9%+5.7%
2022−12.2%−21.2%−18.2%−32.6%−13.0%
2021+15.2%−10.0%+28.7%+27.4%−1.8%
2020+28.0%−30.6%+18.3%+48.6%+7.5%
2019+22.3%−8.9%+31.2%+39.0%+8.5%
2018−1.3%−24.6%−4.6%−0.1%+0.1%
2017+21.8%−6.9%+21.7%+32.7%+3.6%
2016−5.2%−16.8%+12.0%+7.1%+2.4%
2015+0.3%−19.5%+1.2%+9.4%+0.5%
2014+25.4%−10.6%+13.5%+19.2%+6.0%
2013+47.6%−4.2%+32.3%+36.6%−2.0%
2012+20.6%−8.2%+16.0%+18.1%+3.8%
2011+5.7%−22.1%+1.9%+3.4%+7.7%
2010+19.0%−13.3%+15.1%+19.9%+6.4%
2009+51.2%−20.4%+26.4%+54.7%+3.0%
2008−29.5%−42.3%−36.8%−41.7%+7.9%

Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.

Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year

Calendar-year returnLargest drop within the year

Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.

FXH largest drawdowns

Now 1.0% below the high
FXH largest drawdowns
PeakDeclineBottomRecoveredFallUnderwater
Oct 10, 2007−43.7%Nov 20, 2008Dec 14, 20091.1 years2.2 years
Feb 19, 2020−30.6%Mar 23, 2020May 28, 202033 days3 months
Sep 3, 2021−29.5%Oct 27, 2023Jul 2, 20262.1 years4.8 years
Jul 17, 2015−29.4%Feb 8, 2016Jan 2, 20187 months2.5 years
Sep 28, 2018−24.6%Dec 24, 2018Dec 23, 20193 months1.2 years
Jul 7, 2011−22.1%Aug 8, 2011Mar 26, 201232 days9 months

Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.

FXH risk statistics

FXH risk statistics
Statistic3 years5 years10 yearsSince 2007
Annualized return+11.1%+2.3%+8.2%+10.3%
Volatility (annualized)14.8%16.0%16.2%16.3%
Sharpe ratio0.49-0.000.430.60
Sortino ratio0.76-0.000.640.89
Best month+8.6%+8.6%+14.1%+14.1%
Worst month−6.7%−11.0%−11.9%−19.0%
Best 12 months+29.8%+29.8%+46.8%+70.6%
Worst 12 months−9.2%−18.3%−18.7%−35.3%
Positive months61%57%61%63%
Beta vs S&P 5000.690.720.80—
Correlation with S&P 5000.580.710.76—

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.

FXH rolling returns

FXH rolling returns
Holding periodPeriodsWorstMedianBestPositive
1-year222−35.3%+11.1%+70.6%73%
3-year (a year)198−5.4%+11.8%+32.6%90%
5-year (a year)174+0.1%+11.1%+31.6%100%
10-year (a year)114+3.7%+13.0%+19.5%100%

Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2007. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.

FXH performance overview

First Trust Health Care AlphaDEX Fund (FXH) returned +20.3% over the past year and +9.0% a year over ten years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2007 it has returned +10.5% a year, turning $10,000 into about $69,602. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.

The deepest decline was −43.7%, from Oct 10, 2007 to Nov 20, 2008, and it took 1.1 years to get back to the old high. FXH finished 13 of its 18 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2009 (+51.2%) and the worst 2008 (−29.5%). Volatility has been 16.3% a year.

Related: FXH chart, FXH holdings, FXH dividends, FXH valuation. See the FXH overview for the latest quote and fund facts.

FXH performance FAQ

What is the FXH return over the past year?

FXH returned +20.3% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 19.6%.

What is the average annual return of FXH?

FXH has returned +2.9% a year over 5 years, +9.0% a year over 10 years, +10.5% a year since May 10, 2007 (total return, distributions reinvested).

How much would $10,000 invested in FXH be worth?

$10,000 invested in FXH at its first recorded close on May 10, 2007 would be worth about $69,602 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.

What was the worst year for FXH?

The worst calendar year was 2008, with a total return of −29.5%. The best was 2009 at +51.2%.

What is the biggest drawdown of FXH?

The largest peak-to-trough decline was −43.7% between October 10, 2007 and November 20, 2008. It recovered to the old high on December 14, 2009, 1.1 years after the bottom.

How volatile is FXH?

Over the past 3 years FXH had an annualized volatility of 14.8% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.49 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).