ARBFX vs. MERFX
Compare and contrast key facts about The Arbitrage Fund (ARBFX) and The Merger Fund (MERFX).
ARBFX is managed by Arbitrage Fund. It was launched on Sep 17, 2000. MERFX is managed by Virtus. It was launched on Jan 30, 1989.
Performance
ARBFX vs. MERFX - Performance Comparison
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ARBFX vs. MERFX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARBFX The Arbitrage Fund | 0.45% | 8.01% | 2.61% | 5.94% | -1.02% | 0.85% | 5.42% | 3.57% | 2.12% | 2.59% |
MERFX The Merger Fund | 0.46% | 8.11% | 3.27% | 4.17% | 0.71% | -0.19% | 4.87% | 5.96% | 7.68% | 2.39% |
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with ARBFX having a 0.45% return and MERFX slightly higher at 0.46%. Over the past 10 years, ARBFX has underperformed MERFX with an annualized return of 3.20%, while MERFX has yielded a comparatively higher 3.88% annualized return.
ARBFX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -0.37%
- YTD
- 0.45%
- 6M
- 2.38%
- 1Y
- 5.95%
- 3Y*
- 5.57%
- 5Y*
- 3.01%
- 10Y*
- 3.20%
MERFX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 0.00%
- YTD
- 0.46%
- 6M
- 1.84%
- 1Y
- 6.26%
- 3Y*
- 5.30%
- 5Y*
- 3.09%
- 10Y*
- 3.88%
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ARBFX vs. MERFX - Expense Ratio Comparison
ARBFX has a 1.43% expense ratio, which is lower than MERFX's 1.50% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ARBFX vs. MERFX — Risk / Return Rank
ARBFX
MERFX
ARBFX vs. MERFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for The Arbitrage Fund (ARBFX) and The Merger Fund (MERFX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| ARBFX | MERFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.45 | 4.24 | -1.79 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 3.79 | 8.05 | -4.26 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.59 | 2.09 | -0.50 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.28 | 12.42 | -9.14 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 16.11 | 58.81 | -42.69 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ARBFX | MERFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.45 | 4.24 | -1.79 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.83 | 0.90 | -0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.73 | 1.03 | -0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.34 | 0.68 | -0.34 |
Correlation
The correlation between ARBFX and MERFX is 0.57, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
ARBFX vs. MERFX - Dividend Comparison
ARBFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.57%, less than MERFX's 7.38% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ARBFX The Arbitrage Fund | 3.57% | 3.59% | 0.94% | 1.92% | 3.67% | 0.53% | 6.94% | 2.12% | 1.71% | 3.55% | 0.96% | 2.36% |
MERFX The Merger Fund | 7.38% | 7.42% | 3.24% | 2.59% | 3.50% | 0.27% | 3.31% | 1.34% | 4.52% | 0.59% | 0.32% | 1.25% |
Drawdowns
ARBFX vs. MERFX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ARBFX drawdown since its inception was -38.01%, which is greater than MERFX's maximum drawdown of -20.82%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ARBFX and MERFX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ARBFX | MERFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.01% | -20.82% | -17.19% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -1.82% | -0.52% | -1.30% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -7.64% | -5.95% | -1.69% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -11.90% | -9.35% | -2.55% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.44% | -0.17% | -0.27% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.38% | -2.68% | +0.30% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.37% | 0.11% | +0.26% |
Volatility
ARBFX vs. MERFX - Volatility Comparison
The Arbitrage Fund (ARBFX) has a higher volatility of 0.61% compared to The Merger Fund (MERFX) at 0.47%. This indicates that ARBFX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MERFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ARBFX | MERFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.61% | 0.47% | +0.14% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 1.47% | 1.00% | +0.47% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.47% | 1.53% | +0.94% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.66% | 3.45% | +0.21% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.42% | 3.76% | +0.66% |