FCEF vs. RBIL

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

FCEF (First Trust CEF Income Opportunity ETF) and RBIL (F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - FCEF is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by First Trust, while RBIL is a Inflation-Protected Bonds fund tracking the Bloomberg US Ultrashort TIPS 1-13 Months Index. FCEF is actively managed, while RBIL is passively managed. Over the past year, FCEF returned 17.14% vs 4.50% for RBIL. At a correlation of -0.26, they often move in opposite directions. FCEF charges 2.91%/yr vs 0.17%/yr for RBIL.

Performance

FCEF vs. RBIL - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust CEF Income Opportunity ETF (FCEF) and F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF (RBIL). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FCEF achieves a 7.01% return, which is significantly higher than RBIL's 2.64% return.

FCEF

• 1D: 0.08%
• 1M: 0.77%
• YTD: 7.01%
• 6M: 8.03%
• 1Y: 17.14%
• 3Y*: 15.92%
• 5Y*: 6.02%
• 10Y*: —

RBIL

• 1D: 0.02%
• 1M: 0.40%
• YTD: 2.64%
• 6M: 2.73%
• 1Y: 4.50%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

FCEF vs. RBIL - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
FCEF First Trust CEF Income Opportunity ETF	7.01%	10.53%
RBIL F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF	2.64%	2.91%

Correlation

The correlation between FCEF and RBIL is -0.29, meaning they tend to move in opposite directions. This is especially valuable for risk management - when one declines, the other has historically tended to hold steady or rise.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.29
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 26, 2025	-0.26

Return for Risk

FCEF vs. RBIL — Risk / Return Rank

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

FCEF

FCEF Risk / Return Rank: 63
FCEF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 66
FCEF Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
FCEF Omega Ratio Rank: 70
FCEF Calmar Ratio Rank: 50
FCEF Martin Ratio Rank: 62

RBIL

RBIL Risk / Return Rank: 98
RBIL Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
RBIL Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
RBIL Omega Ratio Rank: 98
RBIL Calmar Ratio Rank: 98
RBIL Martin Ratio Rank: 98

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.

FCEF vs. RBIL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust CEF Income Opportunity ETF (FCEF) and F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF (RBIL). 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.

	FCEF	RBIL	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.23	4.93	-2.70
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.09	7.79	-4.71
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.42	2.36	-0.94
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.51	17.08	-14.57
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.41	70.71	-59.30
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

FCEF vs. RBIL - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FCEF Sharpe Ratio is 2.23, which is lower than the RBIL Sharpe Ratio of 4.93. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FCEF and RBIL, 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

	FCEF	RBIL	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.23	4.93	-2.70
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.50	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.54	4.24	-3.70

Drawdowns

FCEF vs. RBIL - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FCEF drawdown since its inception was -44.81%, which is greater than RBIL's maximum drawdown of -0.50%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FCEF and RBIL.

Drawdown Indicators

	FCEF	RBIL	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-44.81%	-0.50%	-44.31%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.03%	-0.27%	-6.76%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-12.39%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.32%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.56%	0.00%	-0.56%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.28%	-0.06%	-6.22%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.55%	0.07%	+1.48%

Volatility

FCEF vs. RBIL - Volatility Comparison

First Trust CEF Income Opportunity ETF (FCEF) has a higher volatility of 2.13% compared to F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF (RBIL) at 0.30%. This indicates that FCEF's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than RBIL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FCEF	RBIL	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.13%	0.30%	+1.83%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.19%	0.79%	+5.40%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	7.73%	0.92%	+6.81%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.19%	1.05%	+11.14%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.42%	1.05%	+14.37%

FCEF vs. RBIL - Expense Ratio Comparison

FCEF has a 2.91% expense ratio, which is higher than RBIL's 0.17% expense ratio.

Dividends

FCEF vs. RBIL - Dividend Comparison

FCEF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.82%, more than RBIL's 4.60% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
FCEF First Trust CEF Income Opportunity ETF	6.82%	7.05%	7.13%	7.17%	7.26%	4.74%	5.03%	5.07%	5.96%	4.90%	1.51%
RBIL F/m Ultrashort Treasury Inflation-Protected Security (TIPS) ETF	4.60%	3.65%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FCEF and RBIL in my portfolio?

FCEF and RBIL have a correlation of -0.29, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FCEF or RBIL?

FCEF has higher volatility (2.13%) compared to RBIL (0.30%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FCEF dropped -44.81% vs RBIL's -0.50%.

Which ETF is better, FCEF or RBIL?

On 1-year performance, FCEF leads with 17.14% vs 4.50% for RBIL. On fees, RBIL is cheaper at 0.17% per year. On volatility, RBIL has been the lower-risk option at 0.30%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, FCEF or RBIL?

Over the 1-year period, FCEF has performed better with a 17.14% return vs 4.50%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, FCEF or RBIL?

RBIL is cheaper with a 0.17% expense ratio, compared with 2.91% for FCEF.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, FCEF or RBIL?

FCEF has the higher dividend yield at 6.82%, compared with 4.60% for RBIL.

What is the main difference between FCEF and RBIL?

FCEF is categorized as Diversified Portfolio, while RBIL is Inflation-Protected Bonds. They also come from different issuers: First Trust and F/m. Their fees differ too: 2.91% for FCEF and 0.17% for RBIL.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

RBIL currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.93 vs 2.23), 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.