GDXJ vs. GDE
GDXJ (VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF) and GDE (WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Equity Strategy Fund) are both Gold funds. GDXJ is passively managed, while GDE is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, GDXJ returned 40.69%/yr vs 43.91%/yr for GDE. A 0.71 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. GDXJ charges 0.52%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for GDE.
Performance
GDXJ vs. GDE - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, GDXJ achieves a -11.59% return, which is significantly lower than GDE's 4.75% return.
GDXJ
- 1D
- -10.11%
- 1M
- -18.05%
- YTD
- -11.59%
- 6M
- -3.54%
- 1Y
- 45.51%
- 3Y*
- 40.69%
- 5Y*
- 15.20%
- 10Y*
- 11.93%
GDE
- 1D
- -5.84%
- 1M
- -7.30%
- YTD
- 4.75%
- 6M
- 6.10%
- 1Y
- 46.80%
- 3Y*
- 43.91%
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
GDXJ vs. GDE - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GDXJ VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF | -11.59% | 172.28% | 15.67% | 7.12% | -24.54% |
GDE WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Equity Strategy Fund | 4.75% | 73.76% | 44.79% | 33.85% | -18.67% |
Correlation
The correlation between GDXJ and GDE is 0.77, 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 | 0.77 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.71 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 18, 2022 | 0.71 |
The correlation between GDXJ and GDE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.71 to 0.77 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
GDXJ vs. GDE — Risk / Return Rank
GDXJ
GDE
GDXJ vs. GDE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) and WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Equity Strategy Fund (GDE). 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.
| GDXJ | GDE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.72 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.68 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.30 | -0.11 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.28 | 2.07 | -0.79 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.38 | 6.39 | -3.00 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| GDXJ | GDE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.90 | 1.62 | -0.72 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.27 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.04 | 1.09 | -1.04 |
Drawdowns
GDXJ vs. GDE - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum GDXJ drawdown since its inception was -88.66%, which is greater than GDE's maximum drawdown of -32.01%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GDXJ and GDE.
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Drawdown Indicators
| GDXJ | GDE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -88.66% | -32.01% | -56.65% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -35.60% | -22.66% | -12.94% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -35.60% | -22.66% | -12.94% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -50.99% | — | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -57.77% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -35.60% | -15.24% | -20.36% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -60.49% | -7.89% | -52.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.49% | 7.35% | +6.14% |
Volatility
GDXJ vs. GDE - Volatility Comparison
VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF (GDXJ) has a higher volatility of 17.56% compared to WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Equity Strategy Fund (GDE) at 8.15%. This indicates that GDXJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than GDE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| GDXJ | GDE | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 17.56% | 8.15% | +9.41% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 42.70% | 25.02% | +17.68% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 50.84% | 29.04% | +21.80% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 41.33% | 26.27% | +15.06% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 44.16% | 26.27% | +17.89% |
GDXJ vs. GDE - Expense Ratio Comparison
GDXJ has a 0.52% expense ratio, which is higher than GDE's 0.20% expense ratio.
Dividends
GDXJ vs. GDE - Dividend Comparison
GDXJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.63%, less than GDE's 4.12% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GDE WisdomTree Efficient Gold Plus Equity Strategy Fund | 4.12% | 4.32% | 7.14% | 2.22% | 0.81% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
GDXJ VanEck Junior Gold Miners ETF | 2.63% | 2.33% | 2.61% | 0.72% | 0.51% | 1.78% | 1.58% | 0.39% | 0.45% | 0.03% | 4.78% | 0.72% |
Frequently Asked Questions
GDXJ and GDE have a correlation of 0.77, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
GDXJ has higher volatility (17.56%) compared to GDE (8.15%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GDXJ dropped -88.66% vs GDE's -32.01%.
On 3-year performance, GDE leads with 43.91% vs 40.69% for GDXJ. On fees, GDE is cheaper at 0.20% per year. On volatility, GDE has been the lower-risk option at 8.15%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.
Over the 3-year period, GDE has performed better with a 43.91% return vs 40.69%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.
GDE is cheaper with a 0.20% expense ratio, compared with 0.52% for GDXJ.
GDE has the higher dividend yield at 4.12%, compared with 2.63% for GDXJ.
They also come from different issuers: VanEck and WisdomTree. Their fees differ too: 0.52% for GDXJ and 0.20% for GDE.
GDE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.62 vs 0.90), 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.
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