PHO vs FIW Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
PHO and FIW both target water infrastructure theme exposure but take different paths to get there — PHO via the NASDAQ OMX US Water Index, and FIW via the ISE Clean Edge Water Index. The practical differences come down to issuer, cost structure, and the specific index rules each fund follows, since both are pursuing a similar investment outcome.
PHO vs FIW is largely a question of which issuer and index methodology you trust more for water infrastructure theme exposure — the underlying investment case is similar, so cost, liquidity, and tracking precision tend to be the deciding factors.
PHO holds the edge across 3 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. PHO has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-3.25% vs -4.61% for FIW).
- want pure-play exposure to water treatment and infrastructure companies
- prefer Invesco's approach and fund lineup
- value one of the longest track records among water-themed ETFs
- are comfortable with niche theme with a limited pure-play company universe
- want equal-weighted exposure to the water infrastructure theme
- prefer First Trust's approach and fund lineup
- value equal weighting spreads risk more evenly than cap-weighted PHO
- are comfortable with same niche, limited-universe constraint as any water theme fund
| Metric | PHO | FIW |
|---|---|---|
| ETF scorei | 26.6 | 26.5 |
| Latest closei | $70.06 | $107.14 |
| 1M returni | +2.56% | +1.68% |
| 3M returni | +1.58% | -0.91% |
| 6M returni | +1.08% | -0.26% |
| 1Y returni | -3.25% | -4.61% |
The ETF score weights long-term returns and risk-adjusted performance most heavily, but still rewards low expense ratios, larger fund size, and broader diversification — so it can favor low-cost, broad, mega-cap funds over smaller thematic or actively-managed funds even when the latter have delivered stronger returns.
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | PHO | FIW |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $9.73K (-2.7%) started 2025-10-16 | $9.61K (-3.9%) started 2025-10-16 |
| 5Y ago | $13.14K (+31.4%) started 2021-10-18 | $13.09K (+30.9%) started 2021-10-18 |
| 10Y ago | $32.61K (+226.1%) started 2016-10-17 | $34.11K (+241.1%) started 2016-10-17 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | PHO | FIW |
|---|---|---|
| Expense ratioi | 0.59% | 0.50% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $1.89B | $1.71B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.55% | 0.77% |
| Trailing P/Ei | 24.64 | 23.99 |
| Betai | 0.96 | 1.00 |
| 52-week change | -3.25% | -4.61% |
| Metric | PHO | FIW |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y returni | -3.25% | -4.61% |
| 6M returni | +1.08% | -0.26% |
| 3M returni | +1.58% | -0.91% |
| 1M returni | +2.56% | +1.68% |
| 1Y Sharpe ratio | -0.42 | -0.50 |
| Betai | 0.96 | 1.00 |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.55% | 0.77% |
| 5Y CAGR | +5.05% | +4.81% |
Over the past year, PHO and FIW have moved strongly in the same direction (correlation of 0.97), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | PHO | FIW |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | -3.25% | -4.61% |
| CAGRi | -3.25% | -4.61% | |
| Volatilityi | 15.68% | 15.97% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -0.42 | -0.50 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -0.60 | -0.70 | |
| Max drawdowni | 13.78% | 13.81% | |
| Current drawdowni | 5.58% | 7.01% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 5.89% | 5.94% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 6.76% | 6.78% | |
| Max daily dropi | 2.53% | 2.57% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 5.15% | 5.51% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +27.91% | +26.41% |
| CAGRi | +5.05% | +4.81% | |
| Volatilityi | 18.53% | 18.50% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.12 | 0.10 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.17 | 0.15 | |
| Max drawdowni | 28.60% | 28.54% | |
| Current drawdowni | 5.58% | 7.01% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 7.91% | 7.62% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 10.13% | 9.79% | |
| Max daily dropi | 4.28% | 4.18% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 11.02% | 11.14% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +210.25% | +216.83% |
| CAGRi | +11.99% | +12.23% | |
| Volatilityi | 19.49% | 19.89% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.45 | 0.46 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.64 | 0.64 | |
| Max drawdowni | 34.92% | 36.60% | |
| Current drawdowni | 5.58% | 7.01% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 5.57% | 5.63% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 8.25% | 8.30% | |
| Max daily dropi | 11.17% | 10.51% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 17.54% | 19.57% |
| Category | PHO | FIW |
|---|---|---|
| Fund name | Invesco Water Resources ETF | First Trust Water ETF |
| Type | ETF | ETF |
| Expense ratioi | 0.59% | 0.50% |
| Total assets (AUM)i | $1.89B | $1.71B |
| Dividend yieldi | 0.55% | 0.77% |
- One of the longest track records among water-themed ETFs
- Diversified across utilities, industrials, and equipment makers
- Structural tailwind from aging infrastructure and scarcity trends
- Equal weighting spreads risk more evenly than cap-weighted PHO
- Diversified across water utilities, equipment, and treatment firms
- Long-running, established thematic fund
- Niche theme with a limited pure-play company universe
- Higher expense ratio than broad-market index funds
- Overlaps with industrial and utility sector funds
- Same niche, limited-universe constraint as any water theme fund
- Higher expense ratio than broad index funds
- Thematic funds can underperform for years between catalysts
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