HSTIX vs. ECF

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Homestead Stock Index Fund (HSTIX) and Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (ECF).

HSTIX is managed by Homestead. It was launched on Oct 28, 1999.

Performance

HSTIX vs. ECF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Homestead Stock Index Fund (HSTIX) and Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (ECF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

HSTIX vs. ECF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
HSTIX Homestead Stock Index Fund	-7.17%	17.36%	24.40%	27.24%	-18.53%	28.07%	17.81%	30.77%	-4.98%	21.17%
ECF Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd.	-2.53%	30.03%	27.48%	8.01%	-31.63%	-0.79%	31.72%	47.17%	-3.70%	19.51%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, HSTIX achieves a -7.17% return, which is significantly lower than ECF's -2.53% return. Over the past 10 years, HSTIX has outperformed ECF with an annualized return of 13.31%, while ECF has yielded a comparatively lower 11.60% annualized return.

HSTIX

• 1D: -0.39%
• 1M: -7.71%
• YTD: -7.17%
• 6M: -4.84%
• 1Y: 13.93%
• 3Y*: 17.11%
• 5Y*: 11.15%
• 10Y*: 13.31%

ECF

• 1D: 3.43%
• 1M: -3.36%
• YTD: -2.53%
• 6M: 1.33%
• 1Y: 33.40%
• 3Y*: 19.10%
• 5Y*: 3.62%
• 10Y*: 11.60%

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

Return for Risk

HSTIX vs. ECF — Risk / Return Rank

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

HSTIX

HSTIX Risk / Return Rank: 43
HSTIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
HSTIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 41
HSTIX Omega Ratio Rank: 45
HSTIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 39
HSTIX Martin Ratio Rank: 50

ECF

ECF Risk / Return Rank: 84
ECF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 88
ECF Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
ECF Omega Ratio Rank: 82
ECF Calmar Ratio Rank: 82
ECF Martin Ratio Rank: 86

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.

HSTIX vs. ECF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Homestead Stock Index Fund (HSTIX) and Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (ECF). 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.

	HSTIX	ECF	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.81	1.74	-0.93
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.26	2.21	-0.95
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.19	1.30	-0.11
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.01	2.52	-1.50
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	4.91	8.46	-3.55
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

HSTIX vs. ECF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current HSTIX Sharpe Ratio is 0.81, which is lower than the ECF Sharpe Ratio of 1.74. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of HSTIX and ECF, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	HSTIX	ECF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.81	1.74	-0.93
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66	0.21	+0.46
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.74	0.54	+0.20
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.36	0.34	+0.02

Correlation

The correlation between HSTIX and ECF is 0.46, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

HSTIX vs. ECF - Dividend Comparison

HSTIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.96%, less than ECF's 8.25% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
HSTIX Homestead Stock Index Fund	1.96%	1.82%	1.08%	2.49%	1.91%	2.13%	1.40%	1.98%	1.98%	0.89%	1.51%	1.66%
ECF Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd.	8.25%	7.39%	5.47%	6.44%	6.52%	12.14%	9.59%	6.63%	5.82%	4.68%	5.32%	10.22%

Drawdowns

HSTIX vs. ECF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum HSTIX drawdown since its inception was -55.64%, which is greater than ECF's maximum drawdown of -49.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for HSTIX and ECF.

Drawdown Indicators

	HSTIX	ECF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-55.64%	-49.86%	-5.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.13%	-13.16%	+1.03%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.78%	-42.58%	+17.80%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.82%	-47.28%	+13.46%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.97%	-10.18%	+1.21%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.65%	-10.19%	-1.46%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.51%	3.91%	-1.40%

Volatility

HSTIX vs. ECF - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Homestead Stock Index Fund (HSTIX) is 4.23%, while Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (ECF) has a volatility of 8.38%. This indicates that HSTIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ECF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	HSTIX	ECF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.23%	8.38%	-4.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.07%	14.89%	-5.82%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.08%	19.26%	-1.18%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.89%	17.59%	-0.70%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.02%	21.63%	-3.61%