CIHEX vs. IPSAX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

CIHEX (Calamos Hedged Equity Fund) and IPSAX (IPS Strategic Capital Absolute Return Fund) are both Options Trading funds. Over the past 10 years, CIHEX returned 8.60%/yr vs 6.92%/yr for IPSAX. A 0.77 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. CIHEX charges 0.91%/yr vs 1.50%/yr for IPSAX.

Performance

CIHEX vs. IPSAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Calamos Hedged Equity Fund (CIHEX) and IPS Strategic Capital Absolute Return Fund (IPSAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CIHEX achieves a 6.67% return, which is significantly higher than IPSAX's 3.77% return. Over the past 10 years, CIHEX has outperformed IPSAX with an annualized return of 8.60%, while IPSAX has yielded a comparatively lower 6.92% annualized return.

CIHEX

• 1D: 0.15%
• 1M: 3.17%
• YTD: 6.67%
• 6M: 6.87%
• 1Y: 17.15%
• 3Y*: 13.73%
• 5Y*: 8.42%
• 10Y*: 8.60%

IPSAX

• 1D: 0.38%
• 1M: 3.77%
• YTD: 3.77%
• 6M: 3.31%
• 1Y: 12.50%
• 3Y*: 13.39%
• 5Y*: 7.09%
• 10Y*: 6.92%

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

CIHEX vs. IPSAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CIHEX Calamos Hedged Equity Fund	6.67%	11.36%	14.96%	15.88%	-11.11%	13.31%	9.66%	14.47%	0.87%	8.37%
IPSAX IPS Strategic Capital Absolute Return Fund	3.77%	9.13%	16.99%	16.10%	-16.02%	18.27%	3.11%	14.20%	-5.36%	13.56%

Correlation

The correlation between CIHEX and IPSAX is 0.83, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.83
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.87
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.84
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.78
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 19, 2016	0.77

The correlation between CIHEX and IPSAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.77 to 0.87 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

CIHEX vs. IPSAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

CIHEX

CIHEX Risk / Return Rank: 82
CIHEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 83
CIHEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
CIHEX Omega Ratio Rank: 77
CIHEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
CIHEX Martin Ratio Rank: 86

IPSAX

IPSAX Risk / Return Rank: 15
IPSAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 17
IPSAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
IPSAX Omega Ratio Rank: 20
IPSAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
IPSAX Martin Ratio Rank: 10

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.

CIHEX vs. IPSAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Calamos Hedged Equity Fund (CIHEX) and IPS Strategic Capital Absolute Return Fund (IPSAX). 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.

	CIHEX	IPSAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.69	1.20	+1.49
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.86	1.70	+2.15
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.50	1.24	+0.27
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.71	1.06	+2.65
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	16.50	3.15	+13.35
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CIHEX vs. IPSAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CIHEX Sharpe Ratio is 2.69, which is higher than the IPSAX Sharpe Ratio of 1.20. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CIHEX and IPSAX, 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

	CIHEX	IPSAX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.69	1.20	+1.49
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.93	0.04	+0.89
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.92	0.06	+0.86
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.82	0.06	+0.76

Drawdowns

CIHEX vs. IPSAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CIHEX drawdown since its inception was -17.80%, smaller than the maximum IPSAX drawdown of -81.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CIHEX and IPSAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	CIHEX	IPSAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-17.80%	-81.31%	+63.51%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.68%	-12.09%	+7.41%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-9.80%	-81.31%	+71.51%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-15.77%	-81.31%	+65.54%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-17.80%	-81.31%	+63.51%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-76.89%	+76.89%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-2.32%	-14.52%	+12.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.05%	4.07%	-3.02%

Volatility

CIHEX vs. IPSAX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Calamos Hedged Equity Fund (CIHEX) is 1.62%, while IPS Strategic Capital Absolute Return Fund (IPSAX) has a volatility of 2.65%. This indicates that CIHEX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than IPSAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CIHEX	IPSAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.62%	2.65%	-1.03%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.77%	7.98%	-3.21%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.48%	10.95%	-4.47%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	9.14%	175.34%	-166.20%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	9.39%	124.17%	-114.78%

CIHEX vs. IPSAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

CIHEX has a 0.91% expense ratio, which is lower than IPSAX's 1.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

CIHEX vs. IPSAX - Dividend Comparison

CIHEX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.31%, less than IPSAX's 14.27% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CIHEX Calamos Hedged Equity Fund	0.31%	0.33%	0.46%	0.69%	0.73%	0.44%	1.03%	0.99%	3.16%	0.85%	1.29%	1.69%
IPSAX IPS Strategic Capital Absolute Return Fund	14.27%	14.81%	13.88%	0.00%	12.04%	5.18%	0.46%	9.23%	0.00%	9.16%	0.69%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CIHEX and IPSAX in my portfolio?

CIHEX and IPSAX have a correlation of 0.83, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CIHEX or IPSAX?

IPSAX has higher volatility (2.65%) compared to CIHEX (1.62%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CIHEX dropped -17.80% vs IPSAX's -81.31%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CIHEX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.69 vs 1.20), 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.