GKOS vs. FPE

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

GKOS (Glaukos Corporation) is a stock, while FPE (First Trust Preferred Securities & Income ETF) is Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund actively managed by First Trust. Over the past 10 years, GKOS returned 16.44%/yr vs 5.04%/yr for FPE. At a 0.25 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

GKOS vs. FPE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Glaukos Corporation (GKOS) and First Trust Preferred Securities & Income ETF (FPE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GKOS achieves a 0.65% return, which is significantly lower than FPE's 0.97% return. Over the past 10 years, GKOS has outperformed FPE with an annualized return of 16.44%, while FPE has yielded a comparatively lower 5.04% annualized return.

GKOS

• 1D: 2.58%
• 1M: -16.35%
• YTD: 0.65%
• 6M: 5.75%
• 1Y: 20.27%
• 3Y*: 22.30%
• 5Y*: 9.06%
• 10Y*: 16.44%

FPE

• 1D: -0.11%
• 1M: 0.16%
• YTD: 0.97%
• 6M: 1.26%
• 1Y: 8.50%
• 3Y*: 10.04%
• 5Y*: 3.08%
• 10Y*: 5.04%

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

GKOS vs. FPE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
GKOS Glaukos Corporation	0.65%	-24.70%	88.63%	81.98%	-1.71%	-40.95%	38.17%	-3.03%	118.99%	-25.22%
FPE First Trust Preferred Securities & Income ETF	0.97%	9.21%	11.17%	6.84%	-12.77%	5.24%	6.00%	18.15%	-4.98%	11.26%

Correlation

The correlation between GKOS and FPE is 0.29, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.29
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.27
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.31
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.26
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 26, 2015	0.25

Return for Risk

GKOS vs. FPE — Risk / Return Rank

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

GKOS

GKOS Risk / Return Rank: 55
GKOS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
GKOS Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
GKOS Omega Ratio Rank: 52
GKOS Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
GKOS Martin Ratio Rank: 57

FPE

FPE Risk / Return Rank: 61
FPE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
FPE Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
FPE Omega Ratio Rank: 77
FPE Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
FPE Martin Ratio Rank: 54

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.

GKOS vs. FPE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Glaukos Corporation (GKOS) and First Trust Preferred Securities & Income ETF (FPE). 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.

	GKOS	FPE	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.39	2.22	-1.83
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.01	3.15	-2.15
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.12	1.47	-0.34
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.68	2.09	-1.41
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.53	9.47	-7.94
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GKOS vs. FPE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GKOS Sharpe Ratio is 0.39, which is lower than the FPE Sharpe Ratio of 2.22. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GKOS and FPE, 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

	GKOS	FPE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.39	2.22	-1.83
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.18	0.47	-0.29
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.32	0.50	-0.18
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.23	0.53	-0.29

Drawdowns

GKOS vs. FPE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GKOS drawdown since its inception was -69.57%, which is greater than FPE's maximum drawdown of -33.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GKOS and FPE.

Drawdown Indicators

	GKOS	FPE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-69.57%	-33.35%	-36.22%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-29.92%	-4.08%	-25.84%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-53.68%	-4.66%	-49.02%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-59.64%	-19.65%	-39.99%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-69.57%	-33.35%	-36.22%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-29.51%	-0.84%	-28.67%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-27.79%	-3.33%	-24.46%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	13.29%	0.90%	+12.39%

Volatility

GKOS vs. FPE - Volatility Comparison

Glaukos Corporation (GKOS) has a higher volatility of 19.42% compared to First Trust Preferred Securities & Income ETF (FPE) at 1.10%. This indicates that GKOS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FPE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GKOS	FPE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	19.42%	1.10%	+18.32%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	39.88%	3.09%	+36.79%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	52.11%	3.85%	+48.26%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	50.30%	6.61%	+43.69%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	52.33%	10.17%	+42.16%

Dividends

GKOS vs. FPE - Dividend Comparison

GKOS has not paid dividends to shareholders, while FPE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.84%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FPE First Trust Preferred Securities & Income ETF	5.84%	5.81%	5.68%	6.03%	5.67%	4.48%	4.88%	5.32%	6.14%	5.39%	5.97%	5.49%
GKOS Glaukos Corporation	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	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 GKOS and FPE in my portfolio?

GKOS and FPE 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, GKOS or FPE?

GKOS has higher volatility (19.42%) compared to FPE (1.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GKOS dropped -69.57% vs FPE's -33.35%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FPE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.22 vs 0.39), 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.