FIDU vs FSZ Fund Comparison

A comparison between FIDU and FSZ based on their expense ratio, growth, holdings and how well they match their benchmark performance.

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Minafi's Take on FIDU vs FSZ

Here's an in depth look at the differences between Fidelity MSCI Industrials Index ETF ($FIDU) and First Trust Switzerland AlphaDEX Fund ($FSZ).

To start off, here's a look at the basics of each fund. Keep an eye on the FI Score. That's a custom score from 0 to 100 that we generate based on how good this fund is for the casual investor. Most investors only need a handful of total funds in their portfolio. The higher the score, the more likely this is one of those few. Score alone isn't enough! Keep reading on to see how different (or perhaps similar) these two funds are.

75% FI Score
  • fidu
  • ETF
  • Sector Equity
  • Industrials

Fidelity MSCI Industrials Index ETF

Expenses: 0.08% (Better than 1% of similar funds)

This is an OK choice for a Industrials Sector Equity fund. See why »

34% FI Score
  • fsz
  • ETF
  • International Stocks
  • Other Region

First Trust Switzerland AlphaDEX Fund

Expenses: 0.80% (Better than 0% of similar funds)

This is a bad choice for a Other Region International Stocks fund. See why »

Both $FIDU and $FSZ are categorized as ETFs. ETFs have an added bonus over mutual funds of being more widely available. Mutual funds are often limited to only the issuing investment brokerage. Since these are both ETFs, you may be able to find these at a wider number of investment apps and websites.

The biggest disadvantage of ETFs is that some platforms only allow you to purchase ETFs in whole shares. So if an ETF is going for $75, you may need to invest in increments of $75. Most 401(k)'s allow for investing down to the penny, but you'll want to verify your platform allows for "fractional ETF Shares".

To learn more about the difference between these two, you can read about the difference between ETFs and Mutual Funds.

When evaluating a fund, the first things I look at are:

  • What it invests in
  • How much it charges in fees
  • How large the fund is

Let's look into these criteria one by one and see if either of these funds stands out.

Fund Holdings Comparison

Minafi's FI Score algorithm takes into account the category and market. The more niche a fund is, the lower the score. This doesn't mean it's a worse fund, but it does mean you should stop and make sure this a fund you need to diversify your portfolio.

FIDU FSZ
Market Score 6.3 /10 6.5 /10
Category Score 0.0 /10 5.0 /10
Total 6.3 11.5

A score of 10 means this is a solid market and category that almost every investor will want to have investments in. The lower the score, the more specific the investment. These scores are based on when most investors would add these funds to their portfolio. A score of 10 means that this fund (or one like it) belongs in a three-fund portfolio. The lower the score, the farther down in your portfolio a fund would go.

For each fund we've created a "diversification score" – a metric to indicate how closely each funds asset allocation matches it's benchmark. For example, an S&P 500 fund would have a diversification score of 10 if it's fully in line with the actual S&P 500.

The diversification score for FIDU is 9.2/10, while FSZ has a diversification score of 1.0/10.

In other words, FIDU more closely matches it's benchmark.

Winner: $FSZ

Fee Comparison

Fees are one of the biggest killers of portfolio growth. The difference between a 2% fee and a 0.04% fee over 30 years can result in your portfolio having half the total value!

If you're just getting started investing and learning how fees impact your portfolio, I'd encourage you to read through my free investment course (specifically '2.2 - All About Fees') where I go over all the different types of fees you can be charged and how to lower them.

For these two funds, FIDU has an expense ratio of 0.08% while FSZ has an expense ratio of 0.80%.

Winner: $FIDU

Fund Size Comparison

Both FIDU and FSZ have a similar number of assets under management. FIDU has 309 Million in assets under management, while FSZ has 82.5 Million.

Minafi categorizes both of these funds as medium funds. Fund size is a good indication of how many other investors trust this fund. A large fund by itself doesn't mean it's a good fund, but it is one thing to consider when figuring out how to choose the right fund.

Winner: tie

Which Should You Choose? FIDU or FSZ?

Comparing these two funds isn't an apples to apples comparison. FIDU is a Sector Equity Industrials fund, while FSZ is a International Stocks Other Region fund.

If you're aiming to build a diversified, low-fee, tax-optimized portfolio you likely won't be choosing between these two funds since they're different enough.

Running both of these funds through Minafi's FI Score algorithm, gives FIDU a score of 75 and FSZ a score of 34.

Winner: Neither, I'd research more funds if you're looking to invest for retirement.

$FIDU

Fidelity MSCI Industrials Index ETF

75

Read More
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Diversification Score 9 /10
Expense Ratio Score 10 /10
Expense Rating 9 /10
Market Score 6 /10
Category Score 0 /10
Overview
Overview Details
Fund Type ETF
Inception Date Oct-21-2013
Exchange NYSE ARCA
Expense Ratio 0.084%
Net Assets 309 Million
Yield 1.99%
Holdings
Description Info
Market Sector Equity
Category Industrials
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 0.21%
  • Communication Services 0.09%
  • Consumer Cyclicals 1.07%
  • Consumer Defensive 0.00%
  • Energy 0.05%
  • Financial Services 0.00%
  • Healthcare 0.07%
  • Industrials 94.55%
  • Real Estate 0.99%
  • Technology 2.97%
  • Utilities 0.00%
Regions
  • North America 99.87%
  • United Kingdom 0.13%

$FSZ

First Trust Switzerland AlphaDEX Fund

34

Read More
Ratings
Rating Type Rating
Diversification Score 1 /10
Expense Ratio Score 2 /10
Expense Rating 2 /10
Market Score 7 /10
Category Score 5 /10
Overview
Overview Details
Fund Type ETF
Inception Date Feb-14-2012
Exchange NASDAQ
Expense Ratio 0.800%
Net Assets 82.5 Million
Yield 2.27%
Holdings
Description Info
Market International Stocks
Category Other Region
Sectors
  • Basic Materials 11.48%
  • Communication Services 5.92%
  • Consumer Cyclicals 5.96%
  • Consumer Defensive 2.74%
  • Energy 0.00%
  • Financial Services 25.72%
  • Healthcare 12.38%
  • Industrials 21.50%
  • Real Estate 3.97%
  • Technology 4.76%
  • Utilities 5.59%
Regions
  • Europe Developed 100.00%

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