GDO vs. SPYT

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

GDO (Western Asset Global Corporate Defined Opportunity Fund Inc) and SPYT (Defiance S&P 500 Income Target ETF) are both funds - GDO is a Corporate Bonds fund managed by Franklin Templeton, while SPYT is a Derivative Income fund actively managed by Defiance. Over the past year, GDO returned -0.15% vs 19.79% for SPYT. Their 0.38 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. GDO charges 0.01%/yr vs 0.87%/yr for SPYT.

Performance

GDO vs. SPYT - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Western Asset Global Corporate Defined Opportunity Fund Inc (GDO) and Defiance S&P 500 Income Target ETF (SPYT). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GDO achieves a -5.79% return, which is significantly lower than SPYT's 10.78% return.

GDO

• 1D: 0.29%
• 1M: -3.05%
• 6M: -4.94%
• YTD: -5.79%
• 1Y: -0.15%
• 3Y*: 5.90%
• 5Y*: -1.17%
• 10Y*: 3.67%
• ALL TIME*: 4.67%

SPYT

• 1D: 1.33%
• 1M: 1.74%
• 6M: 8.87%
• YTD: 10.78%
• 1Y: 19.79%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 15.38%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
GDO Western Asset Global Corporate Defined Opportunity Fund Inc	$426.35K	$402.60K	$326.75K
SPYT Defiance S&P 500 Income Target ETF	$1.79M	$1.76M	$2.31M

GDO vs. SPYT - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024
GDO Western Asset Global Corporate Defined Opportunity Fund Inc	-5.79%	18.25%	0.27%
SPYT Defiance S&P 500 Income Target ETF	10.78%	12.41%	13.30%

Correlation

The correlation between GDO and SPYT is 0.39, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.39
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 7, 2024	0.38

Return for Risk

GDO vs. SPYT — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

GDO

GDO Risk / Return Rank: 4
GDO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4
GDO Sortino Ratio Rank: 3
GDO Omega Ratio Rank: 4
GDO Calmar Ratio Rank: 4
GDO Martin Ratio Rank: 4

SPYT

SPYT Risk / Return Rank: 74
SPYT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
SPYT Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
SPYT Omega Ratio Rank: 76
SPYT Calmar Ratio Rank: 69
SPYT Martin Ratio Rank: 79

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

GDO vs. SPYT - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Western Asset Global Corporate Defined Opportunity Fund Inc (GDO) and Defiance S&P 500 Income Target ETF (SPYT). 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.

	GDO	SPYT	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.02	1.70	-1.71
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.03	2.35	-2.32
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.00	1.33	-0.32
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.02	2.48	-2.50
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.04	10.61	-10.65

GDO vs. SPYT - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GDO Sharpe Ratio is -0.02, which is lower than the SPYT Sharpe Ratio of 1.70. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GDO and SPYT, 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

GDO vs. SPYT - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GDO drawdown since its inception was -34.61%, which is greater than SPYT's maximum drawdown of -18.25%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GDO and SPYT.

Drawdown Indicators

	GDO	SPYT	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-34.61%	-18.25%	-16.36%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.28%	-8.00%	-0.28%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.18%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-34.61%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.61%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-6.36%	0.00%	-6.36%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.65%	-1.97%	-4.68%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.41%	1.87%	+1.54%

Volatility

GDO vs. SPYT - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Western Asset Global Corporate Defined Opportunity Fund Inc (GDO) is 1.90%, while Defiance S&P 500 Income Target ETF (SPYT) has a volatility of 3.43%. This indicates that GDO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SPYT based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GDO	SPYT	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.90%	3.43%	-1.53%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.05%	9.48%	-3.43%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.25%	11.74%	-3.49%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.24%	14.74%	-2.50%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.28%	14.74%	-1.46%

GDO vs. SPYT - Expense Ratio Comparison

GDO has a 0.02% expense ratio, which is lower than SPYT's 0.87% expense ratio.

Dividends

GDO vs. SPYT - Dividend Comparison

GDO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 14.23%, less than SPYT's 20.92% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GDO Western Asset Global Corporate Defined Opportunity Fund Inc	14.23%	12.40%	12.04%	9.52%	9.49%	6.93%	6.70%	6.65%	8.41%	7.57%	7.96%	8.62%
SPYT Defiance S&P 500 Income Target ETF	20.92%	21.40%	17.37%	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 GDO and SPYT in my portfolio?

GDO and SPYT have a correlation of 0.39, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GDO or SPYT?

SPYT has higher volatility (3.43%) compared to GDO (1.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GDO dropped -34.61% vs SPYT's -18.25%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SPYT currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.70 vs -0.02), 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.