Vivaldi Merger Arbitrage Fund Class I (VARBX) 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 VARBX. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to VARBX
VARBX charges 1.81% annually. There are 13 mutual funds in the Event Driven category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.79%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabelli ABC Fund | 0.79% | — | May 1993 | VARBX vs GABCX | |
| Gabelli Enterprise Mergers and Acquisitions Fund | 1.01% | — | Feb 2001 | VARBX vs EMAYX | |
| BlackRock Event Driven Equity Fund | 1.16% | — | Dec 2007 | VARBX vs BILPX | |
| The Merger Fund Class I | 1.32% | — | Aug 2013 | VARBX vs MERIX | |
| The Arbitrage Fund | 1.43% | — | Sep 2000 | VARBX vs ARBFX |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to VARBX
VARBX has a PortfoliosLab risk / return rank of 98. There is 1 mutual fund in the Event Driven category with a higher risk-adjusted rank, going as high as 99.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NexPoint Merger Arbitrage Fund | 99 | — | Aug 2016 | VARBX vs HMEZX | |
| The Merger Fund Class I | 98 | — | Aug 2013 | VARBX vs MERIX | |
| The Arbitrage Fund Class Institutional | 97 | — | Oct 2003 | VARBX vs ARBNX | |
| Dunham Monthly Distribution Fund | 97 | — | Jul 2008 | VARBX vs DAMDX | |
| The Merger Fund | 97 | — | Jan 1989 | VARBX vs MERFX |
Top Performing VARBX Alternatives (YTD)
VARBX is at 1.90% YTD. There are 8 mutual funds in the Event Driven category with higher YTD returns, going as high as 6.55%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabelli Enterprise Mergers and Acquisitions Fund | 6.55% | — | Feb 2001 | VARBX vs EMAYX | |
| Gabelli ABC Fund | 3.50% | — | May 1993 | VARBX vs GABCX | |
| Water Island Event-Driven Fund | 3.13% | — | Sep 2010 | VARBX vs AEDNX | |
| Camelot Event-Driven Fund Institutional Class | 2.27% | — | Jun 2010 | VARBX vs EVDIX | |
| BlackRock Event Driven Equity Fund | 2.21% | — | Dec 2007 | VARBX vs BILPX |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to VARBX
VARBX has 1.08% 1-year volatility. No mutual funds in the Event Driven category have lower 1-year volatility; the lowest-volatility alternatives shown here go as low as 1.28%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NexPoint Merger Arbitrage Fund | 1.28% | — | Aug 2016 | VARBX vs HMEZX | |
| The Merger Fund Class I | 1.52% | — | Aug 2013 | VARBX vs MERIX | |
| The Merger Fund | 1.55% | — | Jan 1989 | VARBX vs MERFX | |
| Virtus Westchester Credit Event Fund | 1.71% | — | Dec 2017 | VARBX vs WCFRX | |
| The Arbitrage Fund | 1.87% | — | Sep 2000 | VARBX vs ARBFX |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to VARBX
VARBX has a 1-year max drawdown of -0.37%. No mutual funds in the Event Driven category have shallower 1-year drawdowns; the lowest-drawdown alternatives shown here go as shallow as -0.47%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Merger Fund Class I | -0.47% | — | Aug 2013 | VARBX vs MERIX | |
| The Merger Fund | -0.52% | — | Jan 1989 | VARBX vs MERFX | |
| NexPoint Merger Arbitrage Fund | -0.55% | — | Aug 2016 | VARBX vs HMEZX | |
| The Arbitrage Fund | -0.88% | — | Sep 2000 | VARBX vs ARBFX | |
| The Arbitrage Fund Class Institutional | -0.92% | — | Oct 2003 | VARBX vs ARBNX |
Other Mutual Funds from First Trust
The 3 most viewed First Trust mutual funds shown here include FPEIX, FFA, FDHIX and span 3 categories.
| Symbol | Name | Category | Risk / Return Rank | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Trust Preferred Securities and Income Fund | Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds | 65 | -0.04% | — | Jan 2011 | VARBX vs FPEIX | |
| First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund | Derivative Income | 34 | 3.15% | — | Aug 2004 | VARBX vs FFA | |
| First Trust Short Duration High Income Fund | Bank Loan | 36 | -0.37% | — | Oct 2012 | VARBX vs FDHIX |
Often Compared With VARBX
Investors most often compare VARBX with ICMUX, DODLX, DBSCX. These 18 comparison targets span 12 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare VARBX with Any Fund or Stock
Compare VARBX with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair VARBX with funds that move differently
Vivaldi Merger Arbitrage Fund Class I alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to VARBX.
Explore VARBX Diversifiers