CCEF vs. DFND

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

CCEF (Calamos CEF Income & Arbitrage ETF) and DFND (Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - CCEF is a Dividend fund actively managed by Calamos, while DFND is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender Index. CCEF is actively managed, while DFND is passively managed. Over the past year, CCEF returned 16.03% vs 1.01% for DFND. At a 0.16 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. CCEF charges 2.74%/yr vs 1.50%/yr for DFND.

Performance

CCEF vs. DFND - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Calamos CEF Income & Arbitrage ETF (CCEF) and Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF (DFND). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

CCEF

• 1D: 0.36%
• 1M: 1.30%
• YTD: 6.10%
• 6M: 7.04%
• 1Y: 16.03%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

DFND

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• YTD: 0.00%
• 6M: 0.06%
• 1Y: 1.01%
• 3Y*: 8.09%
• 5Y*: 4.54%
• 10Y*: 7.15%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

CCEF vs. DFND - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
CCEF Calamos CEF Income & Arbitrage ETF	6.10%	13.47%	18.80%
DFND Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF	0.00%	10.37%	5.46%

Correlation

The correlation between CCEF and DFND is 0.11, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.11
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 17, 2024	0.16

CCEF vs. DFND - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	CCEF	DFND
Financial Services	30.7%	18.2%
Energy	18.9%	1.7%
Technology	14.1%	24.8%
Healthcare	7.4%	10.7%
Industrials	5.9%	17.1%
Consumer Cyclical	4.7%	3.5%
Real Estate	4.3%	2.0%
Communication Services	4.2%	0.8%
Basic Materials	3.9%	4.3%
Utilities	3.7%	-
Consumer Defensive	2.3%	4.2%

Return for Risk

CCEF vs. DFND — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

CCEF

CCEF Risk / Return Rank: 57
CCEF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
CCEF Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
CCEF Omega Ratio Rank: 65
CCEF Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
CCEF Martin Ratio Rank: 53

DFND

DFND Risk / Return Rank: 11
DFND Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
DFND Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
DFND Omega Ratio Rank: 11
DFND Calmar Ratio Rank: 13
DFND Martin Ratio Rank: 12

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

CCEF vs. DFND - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Calamos CEF Income & Arbitrage ETF (CCEF) and Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF (DFND). 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.

	CCEF	DFND	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.03	0.11	+1.91
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.83	0.24	+2.59
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.04	+0.35
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.08	0.35	+1.72
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.04	0.64	+8.40
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CCEF vs. DFND - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CCEF Sharpe Ratio is 2.03, which is higher than the DFND Sharpe Ratio of 0.11. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CCEF and DFND, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	CCEF	DFND	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.03	0.11	+1.91
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.21	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.38	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.51	0.36	+1.16

Drawdowns

CCEF vs. DFND - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CCEF drawdown since its inception was -13.25%, smaller than the maximum DFND drawdown of -22.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CCEF and DFND.

Drawdown Indicators

	CCEF	DFND	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.25%	-22.65%	+9.40%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.75%	-3.44%	-4.31%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-12.56%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-22.65%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-22.65%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.29%	-3.69%	+3.40%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.35%	-5.70%	+4.35%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.78%	3.71%	-1.93%

Volatility

CCEF vs. DFND - Volatility Comparison

Calamos CEF Income & Arbitrage ETF (CCEF) has a higher volatility of 2.28% compared to Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF (DFND) at 0.00%. This indicates that CCEF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than DFND based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CCEF	DFND	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.28%	0.00%	+2.28%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.66%	6.13%	+0.53%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.95%	10.92%	-2.97%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.77%	22.45%	-11.68%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	10.77%	19.08%	-8.31%

CCEF vs. DFND - Expense Ratio Comparison

CCEF has a 2.74% expense ratio, which is higher than DFND's 1.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

CCEF vs. DFND - Dividend Comparison

CCEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.96%, more than DFND's 0.62% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CCEF Calamos CEF Income & Arbitrage ETF	7.96%	8.08%	6.55%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
DFND Siren DIVCON Dividend Defender ETF	0.62%	1.10%	1.64%	1.84%	0.29%	0.00%	0.00%	0.77%	0.53%	0.02%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CCEF and DFND in my portfolio?

CCEF and DFND have a correlation of 0.11, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CCEF or DFND?

CCEF has higher volatility (2.28%) compared to DFND (0.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CCEF dropped -13.25% vs DFND's -22.65%.

Which ETF is better, CCEF or DFND?

On 1-year performance, CCEF leads with 16.03% vs 1.01% for DFND. On fees, DFND is cheaper at 1.50% per year. On volatility, DFND has been the lower-risk option at 0.00%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, CCEF or DFND?

Over the 1-year period, CCEF has performed better with a 16.03% return vs 1.01%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, CCEF or DFND?

DFND is cheaper with a 1.50% expense ratio, compared with 2.74% for CCEF.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, CCEF or DFND?

CCEF has the higher dividend yield at 7.96%, compared with 0.62% for DFND.

What is the main difference between CCEF and DFND?

CCEF is categorized as Dividend, while DFND is Large Cap Blend Equities. They also come from different issuers: Calamos and SRN Advisors. Their fees differ too: 2.74% for CCEF and 1.50% for DFND.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CCEF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.03 vs 0.11), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.