DEA vs. JEPQ

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

DEA (Easterly Government Properties, Inc.) is a stock, while JEPQ (JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF) is Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the Nasdaq-100 Index. Over the past 3 years, DEA returned -4.33%/yr vs 20.81%/yr for JEPQ. At a 0.23 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

DEA vs. JEPQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (DEA) and JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, DEA achieves a 16.41% return, which is significantly higher than JEPQ's 9.42% return.

DEA

• 1D: 0.89%
• 1M: 4.03%
• YTD: 16.41%
• 6M: 12.84%
• 1Y: 18.00%
• 3Y*: -4.33%
• 5Y*: -8.24%
• 10Y*: -0.84%

JEPQ

• 1D: -0.12%
• 1M: 3.79%
• YTD: 9.42%
• 6M: 9.57%
• 1Y: 28.59%
• 3Y*: 20.81%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

DEA vs. JEPQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
DEA Easterly Government Properties, Inc.	16.41%	-18.63%	-7.95%	1.82%	-22.07%
JEPQ JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF	9.42%	15.18%	24.85%	36.28%	-12.89%

Correlation

The correlation between DEA and JEPQ is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.08
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.17
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 5, 2022	0.23

The correlation between DEA and JEPQ shifts across timeframes, from 0.08 (1 year) to 0.23 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

DEA vs. JEPQ — Risk / Return Rank

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

DEA

DEA Risk / Return Rank: 65
DEA Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
DEA Sortino Ratio Rank: 62
DEA Omega Ratio Rank: 58
DEA Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
DEA Martin Ratio Rank: 69

JEPQ

JEPQ Risk / Return Rank: 76
JEPQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
JEPQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
JEPQ Omega Ratio Rank: 81
JEPQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
JEPQ Martin Ratio Rank: 82

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.

DEA vs. JEPQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (DEA) and JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ). 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.

	DEA	JEPQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.85	2.45	-1.60
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.33	3.25	-1.92
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.48	-0.33
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.61	3.26	-1.64
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.58	15.99	-12.41
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

DEA vs. JEPQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current DEA Sharpe Ratio is 0.85, which is lower than the JEPQ Sharpe Ratio of 2.45. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of DEA and JEPQ, 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

	DEA	JEPQ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.85	2.45	-1.60
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.33	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	-0.03	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.07	1.00	-0.93

Drawdowns

DEA vs. JEPQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum DEA drawdown since its inception was -62.19%, which is greater than JEPQ's maximum drawdown of -20.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for DEA and JEPQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	DEA	JEPQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-62.19%	-20.07%	-42.12%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.20%	-8.82%	-2.38%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-42.24%	-20.07%	-22.17%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-56.38%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-62.19%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-50.28%	-0.21%	-50.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-22.91%	-3.42%	-19.49%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.04%	1.79%	+3.25%

Volatility

DEA vs. JEPQ - Volatility Comparison

Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (DEA) has a higher volatility of 5.45% compared to JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ) at 1.28%. This indicates that DEA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than JEPQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	DEA	JEPQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.45%	1.28%	+4.17%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.42%	9.06%	+5.36%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.25%	11.72%	+9.53%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.71%	16.60%	+8.11%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.29%	16.60%	+7.69%

Dividends

DEA vs. JEPQ - Dividend Comparison

DEA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.59%, less than JEPQ's 10.08% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DEA Easterly Government Properties, Inc.	7.59%	9.50%	9.33%	7.89%	7.43%	4.58%	4.59%	4.38%	6.63%	4.69%	4.60%	3.14%
JEPQ JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF	10.08%	10.53%	9.65%	10.03%	9.44%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both DEA and JEPQ in my portfolio?

DEA and JEPQ have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, DEA or JEPQ?

DEA has higher volatility (5.45%) compared to JEPQ (1.28%). In terms of maximum drawdown, DEA dropped -62.19% vs JEPQ's -20.07%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

JEPQ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.45 vs 0.85), 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.