HELO vs. JEPQ

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

HELO (JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF) and JEPQ (JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - HELO is a Options Trading fund actively managed by JPMorgan, while JEPQ is a Nasdaq-100 fund tracking the Nasdaq-100 Index. HELO is actively managed, while JEPQ is passively managed. Over the past year, HELO returned 10.94% vs 28.59% for JEPQ. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. HELO charges 0.50%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for JEPQ.

Performance

HELO vs. JEPQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF (HELO) and JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, HELO achieves a 2.26% return, which is significantly lower than JEPQ's 9.42% return.

HELO

• 1D: -0.04%
• 1M: 0.46%
• YTD: 2.26%
• 6M: 2.72%
• 1Y: 10.94%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

JEPQ

• 1D: -0.12%
• 1M: 3.79%
• YTD: 9.42%
• 6M: 9.57%
• 1Y: 28.59%
• 3Y*: 20.81%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

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

HELO vs. JEPQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
HELO JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF	2.26%	7.82%	18.05%	6.30%
JEPQ JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF	9.42%	15.18%	24.85%	10.12%

Correlation

The correlation between HELO and JEPQ is 0.87, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 2, 2023	0.88

The correlation between HELO and JEPQ has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.87 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.

HELO vs. JEPQ - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	HELO	JEPQ
Technology	39.8%	54.0%
Consumer Cyclical	11.6%	12.8%
Communication Services	10.9%	15.4%
Financial Services	10.0%	0.4%
Healthcare	8.2%	4.4%
Industrials	6.0%	3.1%
Consumer Defensive	3.5%	7.1%
Energy	3.3%	0.4%
Utilities	2.5%	1.3%
Real Estate	1.8%	0.2%
Basic Materials	1.5%	1.0%

Return for Risk

HELO vs. JEPQ — Risk / Return Rank

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

HELO

HELO Risk / Return Rank: 51
HELO Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
HELO Sortino Ratio Rank: 52
HELO Omega Ratio Rank: 59
HELO Calmar Ratio Rank: 39
HELO Martin Ratio Rank: 51

JEPQ

JEPQ Risk / Return Rank: 76
JEPQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 77
JEPQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
JEPQ Omega Ratio Rank: 81
JEPQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 66
JEPQ Martin Ratio Rank: 82

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.

HELO vs. JEPQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF (HELO) and JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ). 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.

	HELO	JEPQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.77	2.45	-0.68
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.50	3.25	-0.75
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.48	-0.13
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.91	3.26	-1.35
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.44	15.99	-7.55
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

HELO vs. JEPQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HELO Sharpe Ratio is 1.77, which is comparable to the JEPQ Sharpe Ratio of 2.45. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HELO and JEPQ, 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

	HELO	JEPQ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.77	2.45	-0.68
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.63	1.00	+0.63

Drawdowns

HELO vs. JEPQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HELO drawdown since its inception was -10.89%, smaller than the maximum JEPQ drawdown of -20.07%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HELO and JEPQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	HELO	JEPQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-10.89%	-20.07%	+9.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.76%	-8.82%	+3.06%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	—	-20.07%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.32%	-0.21%	-0.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.18%	-3.42%	+2.24%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.30%	1.79%	-0.49%

Volatility

HELO vs. JEPQ - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF (HELO) is 0.70%, while JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF (JEPQ) has a volatility of 1.28%. This indicates that HELO experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than JEPQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	HELO	JEPQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.70%	1.28%	-0.58%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	4.99%	9.06%	-4.07%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	6.20%	11.72%	-5.52%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	7.95%	16.60%	-8.65%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	7.95%	16.60%	-8.65%

HELO vs. JEPQ - Expense Ratio Comparison

HELO has a 0.50% expense ratio, which is higher than JEPQ's 0.35% expense ratio.

Dividends

HELO vs. JEPQ - Dividend Comparison

HELO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.62%, less than JEPQ's 10.08% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022
HELO JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF	0.62%	0.67%	0.60%	0.19%	0.00%
JEPQ JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF	10.08%	10.53%	9.65%	10.03%	9.44%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both HELO and JEPQ in my portfolio?

HELO and JEPQ have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, HELO or JEPQ?

JEPQ has higher volatility (1.28%) compared to HELO (0.70%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HELO dropped -10.89% vs JEPQ's -20.07%.

Which ETF is better, HELO or JEPQ?

On 1-year performance, JEPQ leads with 28.59% vs 10.94% for HELO. On fees, JEPQ is cheaper at 0.35% per year. On volatility, HELO has been the lower-risk option at 0.70%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, HELO or JEPQ?

Over the 1-year period, JEPQ has performed better with a 28.59% return vs 10.94%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, HELO or JEPQ?

JEPQ is cheaper with a 0.35% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for HELO.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, HELO or JEPQ?

JEPQ has the higher dividend yield at 10.08%, compared with 0.62% for HELO.

What is the main difference between HELO and JEPQ?

HELO is categorized as Options Trading, while JEPQ is Nasdaq-100. Their fees differ too: 0.50% for HELO and 0.35% for JEPQ.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

JEPQ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.45 vs 1.77), 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.