CRF vs. GABEX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

CRF (Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.) and GABEX (Gabelli Equity Income Fund) are both mutual funds - CRF is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Cornerstone, while GABEX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund managed by Gabelli. Over the past 10 years, CRF returned 11.22%/yr vs 11.74%/yr for GABEX. At a 0.27 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. CRF charges 1.84%/yr vs 1.42%/yr for GABEX.

Performance

CRF vs. GABEX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) and Gabelli Equity Income Fund (GABEX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, CRF achieves a -3.18% return, which is significantly lower than GABEX's 7.33% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with CRF having a 11.22% annualized return and GABEX not far ahead at 11.74%.

CRF

• 1D: -1.10%
• 1M: 0.49%
• YTD: -3.18%
• 6M: -1.37%
• 1Y: 13.20%
• 3Y*: 17.13%
• 5Y*: 9.64%
• 10Y*: 11.22%

GABEX

• 1D: 0.98%
• 1M: 1.95%
• YTD: 7.33%
• 6M: 7.91%
• 1Y: 6.25%
• 3Y*: 8.70%
• 5Y*: 4.92%
• 10Y*: 11.74%

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

CRF vs. GABEX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
CRF Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.	-3.18%	12.46%	44.39%	19.49%	-36.70%	39.73%	28.13%	21.74%	-11.74%	21.35%
GABEX Gabelli Equity Income Fund	7.33%	4.33%	6.62%	8.25%	-5.22%	23.28%	7.54%	75.11%	-11.37%	15.16%

Correlation

The correlation between CRF and GABEX is 0.45, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.45
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.44
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.48
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.48
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 2, 1992	0.27

The correlation between CRF and GABEX shifts across timeframes, from 0.27 (all time) to 0.48 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

CRF vs. GABEX — Risk / Return Rank

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

CRF

CRF Risk / Return Rank: 10
CRF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
CRF Sortino Ratio Rank: 11
CRF Omega Ratio Rank: 12
CRF Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
CRF Martin Ratio Rank: 10

GABEX

GABEX Risk / Return Rank: 5
GABEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 6
GABEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
GABEX Omega Ratio Rank: 7
GABEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 5
GABEX Martin Ratio Rank: 5

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.

CRF vs. GABEX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) and Gabelli Equity Income Fund (GABEX). 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.

	CRF	GABEX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.86	0.44	+0.42
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.28	0.63	+0.65
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.17	1.11	+0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.89	0.51	+0.38
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.00	1.09	+1.91
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

CRF vs. GABEX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current CRF Sharpe Ratio is 0.86, which is higher than the GABEX Sharpe Ratio of 0.44. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of CRF and GABEX, 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

	CRF	GABEX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.86	0.44	+0.42
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.39	0.32	+0.06
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.44	0.55	-0.12
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.05	0.60	-0.55

Drawdowns

CRF vs. GABEX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum CRF drawdown since its inception was -80.70%, which is greater than GABEX's maximum drawdown of -52.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for CRF and GABEX.

Drawdown Indicators

	CRF	GABEX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-80.70%	-52.25%	-28.45%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.88%	-13.11%	-1.77%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-29.66%	-14.75%	-14.91%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-43.12%	-17.59%	-25.53%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-45.90%	-37.27%	-8.63%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.96%	-2.87%	-2.09%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-22.32%	-5.16%	-17.16%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.41%	6.07%	-1.66%

Volatility

CRF vs. GABEX - Volatility Comparison

Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc. (CRF) has a higher volatility of 4.10% compared to Gabelli Equity Income Fund (GABEX) at 3.32%. This indicates that CRF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GABEX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	CRF	GABEX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.10%	3.32%	+0.78%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.31%	9.05%	+4.26%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.35%	15.04%	+0.31%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	25.07%	15.24%	+9.83%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	25.86%	21.33%	+4.53%

CRF vs. GABEX - Expense Ratio Comparison

CRF has a 1.84% expense ratio, which is higher than GABEX's 1.42% expense ratio.

Dividends

CRF vs. GABEX - Dividend Comparison

CRF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 19.60%, less than GABEX's 21.32% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CRF Cornerstone Total Return Fund, Inc.	19.60%	17.38%	14.32%	19.94%	29.31%	13.41%	18.91%	21.67%	24.85%	17.96%	24.08%	23.58%
GABEX Gabelli Equity Income Fund	21.32%	20.83%	33.06%	23.48%	20.49%	19.96%	32.82%	65.43%	31.87%	17.83%	16.63%	7.78%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both CRF and GABEX in my portfolio?

CRF and GABEX have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, CRF or GABEX?

CRF has higher volatility (4.10%) compared to GABEX (3.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, CRF dropped -80.70% vs GABEX's -52.25%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

CRF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.86 vs 0.44), 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.