HISF vs. NVO
HISF (First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF) is Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by First Trust, while NVO (Novo Nordisk A/S) is a stock. Over the past year, HISF returned 4.27% vs -25.17% for NVO. At a 0.16 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
HISF vs. NVO - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, HISF achieves a -0.06% return, which is significantly lower than NVO's 0.24% return.
HISF
- 1D
- -0.24%
- 1M
- -0.31%
- 6M
- -0.18%
- YTD
- -0.06%
- 1Y
- 4.27%
- 3Y*
- —
- 5Y*
- —
- 10Y*
- —
NVO
- 1D
- -0.40%
- 1M
- 12.31%
- 6M
- -14.80%
- YTD
- 0.24%
- 1Y
- -25.17%
- 3Y*
- -12.72%
- 5Y*
- 4.73%
- 10Y*
- 8.21%
HISF vs. NVO - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|
HISF First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF | -0.06% | 8.39% | 3.41% |
NVO Novo Nordisk A/S | 0.24% | -39.22% | -28.85% |
Correlation
The correlation between HISF and NVO is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.22 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 28, 2024 | 0.16 |
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Return for Risk
HISF vs. NVO — Risk / Return Rank
HISF
NVO
HISF vs. NVO - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF (HISF) and Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO). 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.
| HISF | NVO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.78 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.26 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 0.94 | +0.29 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.48 | -0.51 | +1.99 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.04 | -0.80 | +5.84 |
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Drawdowns
HISF vs. NVO - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum HISF drawdown since its inception was -3.86%, smaller than the maximum NVO drawdown of -74.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HISF and NVO.
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Drawdown Indicators
| HISF | NVO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -3.86% | -74.70% | +70.84% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -2.90% | -49.17% | +46.27% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | — | -74.70% | — |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | — | -74.70% | — |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -74.70% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.29% | -64.19% | +62.90% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -0.89% | -17.87% | +16.98% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.85% | 31.54% | -30.69% |
Volatility
HISF vs. NVO - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF (HISF) is 1.04%, while Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) has a volatility of 8.73%. This indicates that HISF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NVO based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| HISF | NVO | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.04% | 8.73% | -7.69% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.76% | 37.44% | -34.68% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.32% | 51.74% | -48.42% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 3.93% | 38.53% | -34.60% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 3.93% | 32.60% | -28.67% |
Dividends
HISF vs. NVO - Dividend Comparison
HISF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.06%, more than NVO's 3.66% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HISF First Trust High Income Strategic Focus ETF | 5.06% | 4.69% | 3.92% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
NVO Novo Nordisk A/S | 3.66% | 3.31% | 1.68% | 1.00% | 1.20% | 1.35% | 1.87% | 2.14% | 1.45% | 1.52% | 2.87% | 0.92% |
Frequently Asked Questions
HISF and NVO have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NVO has higher volatility (8.73%) compared to HISF (1.04%). In terms of maximum drawdown, HISF dropped -3.86% vs NVO's -74.70%.
HISF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.29 vs -0.49), 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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