CET vs. DIA

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

CET (Central Securities Corp.) is a stock, while DIA (State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust) is Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Over the past 10 years, CET returned 16.30%/yr vs 13.33%/yr for DIA. A 0.63 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

CET vs. DIA - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Central Securities Corp. (CET) and State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CET achieves a 4.71% return, which is significantly lower than DIA's 8.03% return. Over the past 10 years, CET has outperformed DIA with an annualized return of 16.30%, while DIA has yielded a comparatively lower 13.33% annualized return.

CET

• 1D: 0.76%
• 1M: -0.90%
• YTD: 4.71%
• 6M: 5.22%
• 1Y: 20.02%
• 3Y*: 20.54%
• 5Y*: 11.43%
• 10Y*: 16.30%

DIA

• 1D: 1.66%
• 1M: 4.87%
• YTD: 8.03%
• 6M: 8.60%
• 1Y: 23.46%
• 3Y*: 17.31%
• 5Y*: 10.12%
• 10Y*: 13.33%

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

CET vs. DIA - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CET Central Securities Corp.	4.71%	17.20%	26.82%	19.17%	-19.68%	49.00%	4.99%	38.61%	-4.49%	30.61%
DIA State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust	8.03%	14.71%	14.82%	16.02%	-7.02%	20.83%	9.59%	24.70%	-3.74%	28.08%

Correlation

The correlation between CET and DIA is 0.68, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.68
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.67
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.73
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.71
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 21, 1998	0.63

The correlation between CET and DIA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.63 to 0.73 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

CET vs. DIA — Risk / Return Rank

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

CET

CET Risk / Return Rank: 83
CET Sharpe Ratio Rank: 86
CET Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
CET Omega Ratio Rank: 82
CET Calmar Ratio Rank: 79
CET Martin Ratio Rank: 88

DIA

DIA Risk / Return Rank: 56
DIA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
DIA Sortino Ratio Rank: 61
DIA Omega Ratio Rank: 57
DIA Calmar Ratio Rank: 50
DIA Martin Ratio Rank: 55

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.

CET vs. DIA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Central Securities Corp. (CET) and State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA). 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.

	CET	DIA	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.77	1.93	-0.16
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.52	2.81	-0.29
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.32	1.34	-0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.49	2.41	+0.07
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.28	9.34	+0.94
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CET vs. DIA - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CET Sharpe Ratio is 1.77, which is comparable to the DIA Sharpe Ratio of 1.93. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CET and DIA, 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

	CET	DIA	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.77	1.93	-0.16
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.79	0.69	+0.10
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.98	0.76	+0.22
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.60	0.49	+0.11

Drawdowns

CET vs. DIA - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CET drawdown since its inception was -56.69%, which is greater than DIA's maximum drawdown of -51.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CET and DIA.

Drawdown Indicators

	CET	DIA	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-56.69%	-51.87%	-4.82%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.08%	-9.76%	+1.68%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.42%	-15.95%	+0.53%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.89%	-20.76%	-4.13%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-39.91%	-36.70%	-3.21%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.79%	0.00%	-1.79%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.16%	-7.14%	-3.02%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.95%	2.52%	-0.57%

Volatility

CET vs. DIA - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Central Securities Corp. (CET) is 3.08%, while State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (DIA) has a volatility of 3.28%. This indicates that CET experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DIA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CET	DIA	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.08%	3.28%	-0.20%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.63%	9.41%	-0.78%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.33%	12.20%	-0.87%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.51%	14.80%	-0.29%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.62%	17.54%	-0.92%

Dividends

CET vs. DIA - Dividend Comparison

CET's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.08%, more than DIA's 1.36% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CET Central Securities Corp.	5.08%	5.32%	4.92%	4.90%	7.34%	8.41%	5.68%	3.78%	5.84%	3.65%	4.50%	10.41%
DIA State Street SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust	1.36%	1.43%	1.61%	1.81%	1.91%	1.58%	1.87%	1.85%	2.24%	1.97%	2.26%	2.33%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CET and DIA in my portfolio?

CET and DIA have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CET or DIA?

DIA has higher volatility (3.28%) compared to CET (3.08%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CET dropped -56.69% vs DIA's -51.87%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DIA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.93 vs 1.77), 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.