GSEP vs. DIVN

Last updated Aug 2, 2026

GSEP (FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September) and DIVN (Horizon Dividend Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - GSEP is a Options Trading fund actively managed by FT Vest, while DIVN is a Large Cap Value Equities fund actively managed by Horizon. Both are actively managed. Over the past year, GSEP returned 11.93% vs 22.54% for DIVN. Their 0.42 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. GSEP charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.70%/yr for DIVN.

Performance

GSEP vs. DIVN - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September (GSEP) and Horizon Dividend Income ETF (DIVN). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GSEP achieves a 6.61% return, which is significantly lower than DIVN's 14.80% return.

GSEP

• 1D: 0.38%
• 1M: 0.84%
• 6M: 5.77%
• YTD: 6.61%
• 1Y: 11.93%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 11.55%

DIVN

• 1D: 0.20%
• 1M: 1.14%
• 6M: 8.07%
• YTD: 14.80%
• 1Y: 22.54%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 21.81%

*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)
DIVN Horizon Dividend Income ETF	$10.90M	$5.41M	$2.61M
GSEP FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September	$768.49K	$1.16M	$3.28M

GSEP vs. DIVN - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025
GSEP FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September	6.61%	6.72%
DIVN Horizon Dividend Income ETF	14.80%	8.11%

Correlation

The correlation between GSEP and DIVN is 0.41, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.41
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 26, 2025	0.42

Return for Risk

GSEP vs. DIVN — Risk / Return Rank

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

GSEP

GSEP Risk / Return Rank: 81
GSEP Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
GSEP Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
GSEP Omega Ratio Rank: 84
GSEP Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
GSEP Martin Ratio Rank: 86

DIVN

DIVN Risk / Return Rank: 88
DIVN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 89
DIVN Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
DIVN Omega Ratio Rank: 87
DIVN Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
DIVN Martin Ratio Rank: 84

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.

GSEP vs. DIVN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September (GSEP) and Horizon Dividend Income ETF (DIVN). 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.

	GSEP	DIVN	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.84	2.19	-0.36
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.64	3.36	-0.72
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.39	-0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.53	4.08	-1.56
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	12.62	11.49	+1.13

GSEP vs. DIVN - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GSEP Sharpe Ratio is 1.84, which is comparable to the DIVN Sharpe Ratio of 2.19. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GSEP and DIVN, 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

GSEP vs. DIVN - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GSEP drawdown since its inception was -10.09%, which is greater than DIVN's maximum drawdown of -5.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GSEP and DIVN.

Drawdown Indicators

	GSEP	DIVN	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-10.09%	-5.55%	-4.54%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.44%	-5.55%	+1.11%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.39%	+1.39%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-0.71%	-1.35%	+0.64%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.89%	1.97%	-1.08%

Volatility

GSEP vs. DIVN - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September (GSEP) is 1.40%, while Horizon Dividend Income ETF (DIVN) has a volatility of 3.15%. This indicates that GSEP experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DIVN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GSEP	DIVN	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.40%	3.15%	-1.75%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.80%	7.55%	-2.75%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.11%	10.52%	-4.41%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.49%	10.53%	-3.04%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.49%	10.53%	-3.04%

GSEP vs. DIVN - Expense Ratio Comparison

GSEP has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than DIVN's 0.70% expense ratio.

Dividends

GSEP vs. DIVN - Dividend Comparison

GSEP has not paid dividends to shareholders, while DIVN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.70%.

Position	TTM	2025
DIVN Horizon Dividend Income ETF	3.70%	1.47%
GSEP FT Cboe Vest U.S. Equity Moderate Buffer ETF – September	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GSEP and DIVN in my portfolio?

GSEP and DIVN have a correlation of 0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GSEP or DIVN?

DIVN has higher volatility (3.15%) compared to GSEP (1.40%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GSEP dropped -10.09% vs DIVN's -5.55%.

Which ETF is better, GSEP or DIVN?

On 1-year performance, DIVN leads with 22.54% vs 11.93% for GSEP. On fees, DIVN is cheaper at 0.70% per year. On volatility, GSEP has been the lower-risk option at 1.40%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, GSEP or DIVN?

Over the 1-year period, DIVN has performed better with a 22.54% return vs 11.93%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, GSEP or DIVN?

DIVN is cheaper with a 0.70% expense ratio, compared with 0.85% for GSEP.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, GSEP or DIVN?

DIVN has the higher dividend yield at 3.70%, compared with 0.00% for GSEP.

What is the main difference between GSEP and DIVN?

GSEP is categorized as Options Trading, while DIVN is Large Cap Value Equities. They also come from different issuers: FT Vest and Horizon. Their fees differ too: 0.85% for GSEP and 0.70% for DIVN.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DIVN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.19 vs 1.84), 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.