GOF vs. ARCC

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

GOF (Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund) is Derivative Income fund actively managed by Guggenheim, while ARCC (Ares Capital Corporation) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, GOF returned 7.98%/yr vs 12.83%/yr for ARCC. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

GOF vs. ARCC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund (GOF) and Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GOF achieves a -7.77% return, which is significantly lower than ARCC's -4.69% return. Over the past 10 years, GOF has underperformed ARCC with an annualized return of 7.98%, while ARCC has yielded a comparatively higher 12.83% annualized return.

GOF

• 1D: -0.09%
• 1M: -2.98%
• YTD: -7.77%
• 6M: -0.42%
• 1Y: -12.41%
• 3Y*: 3.22%
• 5Y*: 0.65%
• 10Y*: 7.98%

ARCC

• 1D: -0.11%
• 1M: -1.26%
• YTD: -4.69%
• 6M: -6.11%
• 1Y: -7.10%
• 3Y*: 9.21%
• 5Y*: 8.47%
• 10Y*: 12.83%

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

GOF vs. ARCC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
GOF Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund	-7.77%	-1.92%	38.04%	-3.04%	-5.78%	4.90%	21.51%	10.51%	-5.95%	22.01%
ARCC Ares Capital Corporation	-4.69%	1.07%	19.78%	20.03%	-3.84%	36.14%	0.86%	31.30%	8.81%	4.50%

Correlation

The correlation between GOF and ARCC is 0.24, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.24
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.26
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.32
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.30
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 30, 2007	0.30

Return for Risk

GOF vs. ARCC — Risk / Return Rank

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

GOF

GOF Risk / Return Rank: 1
GOF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 1
GOF Sortino Ratio Rank: 1
GOF Omega Ratio Rank: 1
GOF Calmar Ratio Rank: 1
GOF Martin Ratio Rank: 1

ARCC

ARCC Risk / Return Rank: 26
ARCC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 25
ARCC Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
ARCC Omega Ratio Rank: 23
ARCC Calmar Ratio Rank: 30
ARCC Martin Ratio Rank: 30

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.

GOF vs. ARCC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund (GOF) and Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC). 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.

	GOF	ARCC	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.69	-0.39	-0.31
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.79	-0.42	-0.37
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.87	0.95	-0.08
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.54	-0.37	-0.17
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-1.01	-0.67	-0.34
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GOF vs. ARCC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GOF Sharpe Ratio is -0.69, which is lower than the ARCC Sharpe Ratio of -0.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GOF and ARCC, 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

	GOF	ARCC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.69	-0.39	-0.31
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.04	0.43	-0.39
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.41	0.50	-0.09
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	0.37	+0.04

Drawdowns

GOF vs. ARCC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GOF drawdown since its inception was -54.66%, smaller than the maximum ARCC drawdown of -79.36%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GOF and ARCC.

Drawdown Indicators

	GOF	ARCC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-54.66%	-79.36%	+24.70%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-23.24%	-19.35%	-3.89%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-28.56%	-19.35%	-9.21%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.41%	-21.76%	-10.65%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-38.50%	-56.77%	+18.27%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-17.84%	-13.24%	-4.60%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.06%	-9.10%	+2.04%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	12.33%	10.58%	+1.75%

Volatility

GOF vs. ARCC - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund (GOF) is 3.31%, while Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC) has a volatility of 3.82%. This indicates that GOF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ARCC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GOF	ARCC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.31%	3.82%	-0.51%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.88%	14.73%	-3.85%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.97%	18.45%	-0.48%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.19%	19.97%	-1.78%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.52%	25.59%	-6.07%

Dividends

GOF vs. ARCC - Dividend Comparison

GOF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 19.87%, more than ARCC's 10.23% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ARCC Ares Capital Corporation	10.23%	9.49%	8.77%	9.59%	10.12%	7.65%	9.47%	9.01%	9.88%	9.67%	9.22%	11.02%
GOF Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities Fund	19.87%	16.97%	14.32%	17.07%	14.36%	11.93%	11.26%	12.08%	11.96%	10.13%	11.13%	12.98%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GOF and ARCC in my portfolio?

GOF and ARCC have a correlation of 0.24, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GOF or ARCC?

ARCC has higher volatility (3.82%) compared to GOF (3.31%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GOF dropped -54.66% vs ARCC's -79.36%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ARCC currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.39 vs -0.69), 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.