ELFTX vs. SSCNX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

ELFTX (Elfun Tax Exempt Income Fund) and SSCNX (State Street Target Retirement 2040 Fund) are both mutual funds - ELFTX is a Municipal Bonds fund managed by State Street, while SSCNX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by State Street. Over the past 10 years, ELFTX returned 1.47%/yr vs 10.21%/yr for SSCNX. At a 0.05 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. ELFTX charges 0.21%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for SSCNX.

Performance

ELFTX vs. SSCNX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Elfun Tax Exempt Income Fund (ELFTX) and State Street Target Retirement 2040 Fund (SSCNX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ELFTX achieves a 1.31% return, which is significantly lower than SSCNX's 9.64% return. Over the past 10 years, ELFTX has underperformed SSCNX with an annualized return of 1.47%, while SSCNX has yielded a comparatively higher 10.21% annualized return.

ELFTX

• 1D: -0.10%
• 1M: 0.32%
• YTD: 1.31%
• 6M: 1.76%
• 1Y: 6.98%
• 3Y*: 2.25%
• 5Y*: -0.10%
• 10Y*: 1.47%

SSCNX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 3.49%
• YTD: 9.64%
• 6M: 10.64%
• 1Y: 23.80%
• 3Y*: 16.37%
• 5Y*: 7.51%
• 10Y*: 10.21%

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

ELFTX vs. SSCNX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
ELFTX Elfun Tax Exempt Income Fund	1.31%	3.29%	-0.14%	4.27%	-8.97%	0.87%	4.50%	7.13%	0.91%	4.72%
SSCNX State Street Target Retirement 2040 Fund	9.64%	19.00%	11.21%	17.68%	-18.55%	11.75%	18.72%	24.61%	-7.45%	18.32%

Correlation

The correlation between ELFTX and SSCNX is 0.35, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.35
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.29
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.22
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.10
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 2, 2014	0.05

Over the past year, ELFTX and SSCNX have become more correlated (0.35) than their long-term average of 0.05, meaning their price movements have been converging.

Return for Risk

ELFTX vs. SSCNX — Risk / Return Rank

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

ELFTX

ELFTX Risk / Return Rank: 64
ELFTX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 67
ELFTX Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
ELFTX Omega Ratio Rank: 85
ELFTX Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
ELFTX Martin Ratio Rank: 41

SSCNX

SSCNX Risk / Return Rank: 71
SSCNX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 76
SSCNX Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
SSCNX Omega Ratio Rank: 74
SSCNX Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
SSCNX Martin Ratio Rank: 68

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.

ELFTX vs. SSCNX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Elfun Tax Exempt Income Fund (ELFTX) and State Street Target Retirement 2040 Fund (SSCNX). 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.

	ELFTX	SSCNX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.41	2.53	-0.12
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.83	3.58	+0.24
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.58	1.49	+0.09
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.51	3.05	-0.54
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	8.92	13.16	-4.23
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ELFTX vs. SSCNX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ELFTX Sharpe Ratio is 2.41, which is comparable to the SSCNX Sharpe Ratio of 2.53. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ELFTX and SSCNX, 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

	ELFTX	SSCNX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.41	2.53	-0.12
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.02	0.59	-0.62
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.38	0.76	-0.38
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.71	0.69	+0.02

Drawdowns

ELFTX vs. SSCNX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ELFTX drawdown since its inception was -19.15%, smaller than the maximum SSCNX drawdown of -27.49%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ELFTX and SSCNX.

Drawdown Indicators

	ELFTX	SSCNX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-19.15%	-27.49%	+8.34%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-2.79%	-7.96%	+5.17%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-6.54%	-12.72%	+6.18%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-13.59%	-26.14%	+12.55%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-13.59%	-27.49%	+13.90%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.41%	0.00%	-1.41%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.42%	-4.77%	+1.35%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.79%	1.85%	-1.06%

Volatility

ELFTX vs. SSCNX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Elfun Tax Exempt Income Fund (ELFTX) is 1.06%, while State Street Target Retirement 2040 Fund (SSCNX) has a volatility of 3.07%. This indicates that ELFTX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SSCNX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ELFTX	SSCNX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.06%	3.07%	-2.01%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	2.07%	7.75%	-5.68%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.78%	9.64%	-6.86%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	3.90%	12.73%	-8.83%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.86%	13.46%	-9.60%

ELFTX vs. SSCNX - Expense Ratio Comparison

ELFTX has a 0.21% expense ratio, which is higher than SSCNX's 0.20% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

ELFTX vs. SSCNX - Dividend Comparison

ELFTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.94%, less than SSCNX's 6.57% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ELFTX Elfun Tax Exempt Income Fund	3.94%	3.99%	2.66%	2.88%	3.09%	2.61%	3.24%	3.78%	4.09%	4.00%	4.00%	3.82%
SSCNX State Street Target Retirement 2040 Fund	6.57%	7.21%	4.97%	3.78%	5.39%	5.58%	4.63%	6.31%	5.11%	0.38%	1.77%	1.96%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ELFTX and SSCNX in my portfolio?

ELFTX and SSCNX have a correlation of 0.35, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ELFTX or SSCNX?

SSCNX has higher volatility (3.07%) compared to ELFTX (1.06%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ELFTX dropped -19.15% vs SSCNX's -27.49%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SSCNX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.53 vs 2.41), 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.