FFA vs. NIE
Compare and contrast key facts about First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund (FFA) and Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE).
FFA is an actively managed fund by First Trust. It was launched on Aug 26, 2004. NIE is an actively managed fund by Virtus. It was launched on Feb 27, 2007.
Performance
FFA vs. NIE - Performance Comparison
Loading graphics...
FFA vs. NIE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FFA First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund | -5.60% | 14.23% | 21.46% | 24.73% | -20.26% | 28.69% | 10.82% | 43.35% | -13.93% | 28.97% |
NIE Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund | -4.30% | 12.15% | 28.64% | 26.71% | -26.73% | 18.89% | 33.78% | 31.09% | -5.69% | 23.68% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FFA achieves a -5.60% return, which is significantly lower than NIE's -4.30% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with FFA having a 12.66% annualized return and NIE not far ahead at 12.87%.
FFA
- 1D
- 3.98%
- 1M
- -5.00%
- YTD
- -5.60%
- 6M
- -1.66%
- 1Y
- 13.54%
- 3Y*
- 15.20%
- 5Y*
- 9.19%
- 10Y*
- 12.66%
NIE
- 1D
- 1.88%
- 1M
- -6.11%
- YTD
- -4.30%
- 6M
- -1.10%
- 1Y
- 16.95%
- 3Y*
- 16.50%
- 5Y*
- 8.54%
- 10Y*
- 12.87%
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
FFA vs. NIE - Expense Ratio Comparison
FFA has a 1.22% expense ratio, which is higher than NIE's 1.12% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
FFA vs. NIE — Risk / Return Rank
FFA
NIE
FFA vs. NIE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund (FFA) and Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE). 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.
| FFA | NIE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.74 | 0.97 | -0.22 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.13 | 1.45 | -0.32 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.23 | -0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.89 | 1.33 | -0.43 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.50 | 6.09 | -1.59 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading graphics...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| FFA | NIE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.74 | 0.97 | -0.22 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.53 | 0.49 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.65 | 0.65 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.41 | 0.41 | 0.00 |
Correlation
The correlation between FFA and NIE is 0.69, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.
Dividends
FFA vs. NIE - Dividend Comparison
FFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.41%, less than NIE's 10.81% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FFA First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund | 7.41% | 6.70% | 6.59% | 6.90% | 7.99% | 5.92% | 6.47% | 6.61% | 8.82% | 6.83% | 7.07% | 7.12% |
NIE Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund | 10.81% | 10.14% | 8.11% | 9.56% | 21.81% | 10.86% | 5.37% | 6.71% | 8.20% | 7.19% | 8.25% | 8.46% |
Drawdowns
FFA vs. NIE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FFA drawdown since its inception was -57.51%, roughly equal to the maximum NIE drawdown of -57.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FFA and NIE.
Loading graphics...
Drawdown Indicators
| FFA | NIE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -57.51% | -57.90% | +0.39% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.81% | -12.51% | -2.30% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.96% | -31.04% | +1.08% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.35% | -38.99% | -5.36% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.58% | -7.16% | +0.58% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.48% | -8.07% | -0.41% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.94% | 2.73% | +0.21% |
Volatility
FFA vs. NIE - Volatility Comparison
First Trust Enhanced Equity Income Fund (FFA) has a higher volatility of 6.36% compared to Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE) at 5.04%. This indicates that FFA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NIE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading graphics...
Volatility by Period
| FFA | NIE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.36% | 5.04% | +1.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.75% | 8.48% | +1.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 18.29% | 17.63% | +0.66% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.34% | 17.53% | -0.19% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.69% | 19.71% | -0.02% |