The GDL Fund (GDL) Alternatives
The GDL Fund (GDL) belongs to the Event Driven category. Below you'll find alternative mutual funds from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with GDL. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or funds that fit a different role in your portfolio.
Cheapest Alternatives to GDL
GDL charges 0.03% annually. Among mutual funds in the Event Driven category, these options have the lowest expense ratios among GDL alternatives.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabelli ABC Fund | 0.79% | May 13, 1993 | GDL vs GABCX | |
| Gabelli Enterprise Mergers and Acquisitions Fund | 1.01% | Feb 27, 2001 | GDL vs EMAYX | |
| BlackRock Event Driven Equity Fund | 1.16% | Dec 18, 2007 | GDL vs BILPX | |
| The Merger Fund Class I | 1.32% | Aug 1, 2013 | GDL vs MERIX | |
| The Arbitrage Fund | 1.43% | Sep 17, 2000 | GDL vs ARBFX |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to GDL
Among mutual funds in the Event Driven category, these options rank highest on PortfoliosLab's risk-adjusted score, which accounts for volatility, drawdown, and return consistency over a 1-year period.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Merger Fund Class I | 99 | Aug 1, 2013 | GDL vs MERIX | |
| The Merger Fund | 99 | Jan 30, 1989 | GDL vs MERFX | |
| Vivaldi Merger Arbitrage Fund Class I | 99 | Oct 1, 2015 | GDL vs VARBX | |
| NexPoint Merger Arbitrage Fund | 99 | Aug 18, 2016 | GDL vs HMEZX | |
| Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | 98 | Jul 31, 2008 | GDL vs DAMDX |
Top Performing GDL Alternatives (YTD)
GDL alternatives from the Event Driven category, sorted by year-to-date return.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabelli Enterprise Mergers and Acquisitions Fund | 2.42% | Feb 27, 2001 | GDL vs EMAYX | |
| Camelot Event-Driven Fund Institutional Class | 1.36% | Jun 7, 2010 | GDL vs EVDIX | |
| Camelot Event Driven Fund Class A | 1.30% | Nov 21, 2003 | GDL vs EVDAX | |
| Gabelli ABC Fund | 1.20% | May 13, 1993 | GDL vs GABCX | |
| Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | 1.02% | Jul 31, 2008 | GDL vs DAMDX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to GDL
GDL alternatives from the Event Driven category, sorted by annualized volatility over the past year.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vivaldi Merger Arbitrage Fund Class I | 1.35% | Oct 1, 2015 | GDL vs VARBX | |
| The Merger Fund Class I | 1.51% | Aug 1, 2013 | GDL vs MERIX | |
| The Merger Fund | 1.53% | Jan 30, 1989 | GDL vs MERFX | |
| NexPoint Merger Arbitrage Fund | 1.61% | Aug 18, 2016 | GDL vs HMEZX | |
| Virtus Westchester Credit Event Fund | 2.21% | Dec 28, 2017 | GDL vs WCFRX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to GDL
GDL alternatives from the Event Driven category, sorted by maximum drawdown over the past year.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Merger Fund Class I | -0.47% | Aug 1, 2013 | GDL vs MERIX | |
| The Merger Fund | -0.52% | Jan 30, 1989 | GDL vs MERFX | |
| Vivaldi Merger Arbitrage Fund Class I | -0.64% | Oct 1, 2015 | GDL vs VARBX | |
| NexPoint Merger Arbitrage Fund | -1.06% | Aug 18, 2016 | GDL vs HMEZX | |
| Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | -1.56% | Jul 31, 2008 | GDL vs DAMDX |
Other Mutual Funds from Gabelli
Most popular Gabelli mutual funds on PortfoliosLab, across asset classes.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabelli Gold Fund | Precious Metals | 93 | -0.94% | Jul 10, 1994 | GDL vs GOLDX | |
| Gabelli Equity Income Fund | Large Cap Blend Equities | 6 | -1.84% | Jan 2, 1992 | GDL vs GABEX | |
| Gabelli Asset Fund | Large Cap Blend Equities | 46 | -1.23% | Mar 3, 1986 | GDL vs GABAX | |
| Gabelli Small Cap Growth Fund | Small Cap Blend Equities | 32 | -0.38% | Oct 22, 1991 | GDL vs GABSX | |
| Gabelli Growth Fund | Large Cap Growth Equities | 22 | -13.39% | Apr 10, 1987 | GDL vs GABGX | |
| Gabelli Dividend Growth Fund | Large Cap Value Equities | 58 | 0.00% | Aug 26, 1999 | GDL vs GABBX | |
| Gabelli Utilities Fund | Utilities Equities | 76 | 8.05% | Aug 30, 1999 | GDL vs GABUX | |
| Gabelli Global Content & Connectivity Fund | Communications Equities | 67 | -3.02% | Oct 31, 1993 | GDL vs GABTX | |
| Gabelli Focused Growth and Income Fund | Mid Cap Blend Equities | 12 | 5.16% | Dec 31, 2002 | GDL vs GWSAX | |
| Gabelli Global Growth Fund | Global Equities | 15 | -10.61% | Feb 6, 1994 | GDL vs GICPX |
Often Compared With GDL
What investors most often compare with GDL, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VanEck Gold Miners ETF | Gold, Precious Metals | 92 | 7.00% | May 16, 2006 | GDL vs GDX | |
| WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Equity Strategy Fun... | Gold | 89 | 2.08% | Mar 15, 2022 | GDL vs GDE | |
| iShares Gold Trust | Gold, Precious Metals | 87 | 8.61% | Jan 21, 2005 | GDL vs IAU |
Compare GDL with Any Fund or Stock
Compare GDL with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.