ESN vs. JEPI

Last updated Jun 23, 2026

ESN (Essential 40 Stock ETF) and JEPI (JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - ESN is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the Essential 40 Stock Index, while JEPI is a Dividend fund actively managed by JPMorgan. ESN is passively managed, while JEPI is actively managed. Over the past year, ESN returned 26.37% vs 8.97% for JEPI. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. ESN charges 0.70%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for JEPI.

Performance

ESN vs. JEPI - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Essential 40 Stock ETF (ESN) and JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPI). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ESN achieves a 14.03% return, which is significantly higher than JEPI's 1.34% return.

ESN

• 1D: -0.05%
• 1M: -0.37%
• YTD: 14.03%
• 6M: 13.86%
• 1Y: 26.37%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

JEPI

• 1D: -0.05%
• 1M: 0.23%
• YTD: 1.34%
• 6M: 1.18%
• 1Y: 8.97%
• 3Y*: 9.13%
• 5Y*: 7.51%
• 10Y*: —

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

ESN vs. JEPI - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
ESN Essential 40 Stock ETF	14.03%	16.52%	-3.53%
JEPI JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF	1.34%	8.09%	-2.03%

Correlation

The correlation between ESN and JEPI is 0.70, 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	0.70
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 21, 2024	0.80

The correlation between ESN and JEPI has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.70 to 0.80 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

ESN vs. JEPI — Risk / Return Rank

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

ESN

ESN Risk / Return Rank: 83
ESN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
ESN Sortino Ratio Rank: 85
ESN Omega Ratio Rank: 80
ESN Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
ESN Martin Ratio Rank: 83

JEPI

JEPI Risk / Return Rank: 30
JEPI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
JEPI Sortino Ratio Rank: 32
JEPI Omega Ratio Rank: 31
JEPI Calmar Ratio Rank: 28
JEPI Martin Ratio Rank: 30

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.

ESN vs. JEPI - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Essential 40 Stock ETF (ESN) and JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPI). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	ESN	JEPI	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.64	1.12	+1.52
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.65	1.66	+1.98
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	1.21	+0.25
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.12	1.35	+2.78
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	16.22	4.00	+12.22

ESN vs. JEPI - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ESN Sharpe Ratio is 2.64, which is higher than the JEPI Sharpe Ratio of 1.12. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ESN and JEPI, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

ESN vs. JEPI - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ESN drawdown since its inception was -13.60%, roughly equal to the maximum JEPI drawdown of -13.71%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ESN and JEPI.

Drawdown Indicators

	ESN	JEPI	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-13.60%	-13.71%	+0.11%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.42%	-6.68%	+0.26%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-13.26%	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-13.71%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.61%	-3.69%	+2.08%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.86%	-2.13%	+0.27%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.63%	2.24%	-0.61%

Volatility

ESN vs. JEPI - Volatility Comparison

Essential 40 Stock ETF (ESN) has a higher volatility of 3.29% compared to JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPI) at 2.35%. This indicates that ESN's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than JEPI based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ESN	JEPI	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.29%	2.35%	+0.94%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.45%	6.28%	+1.17%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.04%	8.04%	+2.00%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.29%	11.08%	+2.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.29%	10.79%	+2.50%

ESN vs. JEPI - Expense Ratio Comparison

ESN has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is higher than JEPI's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

ESN vs. JEPI - Dividend Comparison

ESN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.80%, less than JEPI's 8.17% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
ESN Essential 40 Stock ETF	0.80%	0.91%	0.76%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
JEPI JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF	8.17%	8.25%	7.33%	8.40%	11.68%	6.59%	5.79%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ESN and JEPI in my portfolio?

ESN and JEPI have a correlation of 0.70, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ESN or JEPI?

ESN has higher volatility (3.29%) compared to JEPI (2.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ESN dropped -13.60% vs JEPI's -13.71%.

Which ETF is better, ESN or JEPI?

On 1-year performance, ESN leads with 26.37% vs 8.97% for JEPI. On fees, JEPI is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, JEPI has been the lower-risk option at 2.35%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, ESN or JEPI?

Over the 1-year period, ESN has performed better with a 26.37% return vs 8.97%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, ESN or JEPI?

JEPI is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.70% for ESN.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, ESN or JEPI?

JEPI has the higher dividend yield at 8.17%, compared with 0.80% for ESN.

What is the main difference between ESN and JEPI?

ESN is categorized as Large Cap Blend Equities, while JEPI is Dividend. They also come from different issuers: KKM Financial and JPMorgan. Their fees differ too: 0.70% for ESN and 0.35% for JEPI.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ESN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.64 vs 1.12), 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.