IAE vs. AEF

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IAE (Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund) is Asia Pacific Equities fund managed by Voya, while AEF (Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc.) is a stock. Over the past 10 years, IAE returned 11.82%/yr vs 13.13%/yr for AEF. A 0.51 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined.

Performance

IAE vs. AEF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund (IAE) and Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc. (AEF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IAE achieves a 30.87% return, which is significantly lower than AEF's 44.40% return. Over the past 10 years, IAE has underperformed AEF with an annualized return of 11.82%, while AEF has yielded a comparatively higher 13.13% annualized return.

IAE

• 1D: 3.16%
• 1M: 14.39%
• YTD: 30.87%
• 6M: 31.14%
• 1Y: 52.74%
• 3Y*: 29.70%
• 5Y*: 11.69%
• 10Y*: 11.82%

AEF

• 1D: -2.38%
• 1M: 6.04%
• YTD: 44.40%
• 6M: 52.45%
• 1Y: 100.60%
• 3Y*: 34.80%
• 5Y*: 10.32%
• 10Y*: 13.13%

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

IAE vs. AEF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
IAE Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund	30.87%	35.90%	14.60%	9.06%	-13.97%	3.60%	13.77%	9.62%	-11.31%	30.19%
AEF Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc.	44.40%	50.22%	9.43%	7.13%	-29.63%	3.31%	11.62%	22.83%	-16.06%	57.92%

Correlation

The correlation between IAE and AEF is 0.57, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.57
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.64
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.58
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 29, 2007	0.51

The correlation between IAE and AEF shifts across timeframes, from 0.51 (all time) to 0.66 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

IAE vs. AEF — Risk / Return Rank

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

IAE

IAE Risk / Return Rank: 75
IAE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
IAE Sortino Ratio Rank: 68
IAE Omega Ratio Rank: 73
IAE Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
IAE Martin Ratio Rank: 70

AEF

AEF Risk / Return Rank: 96
AEF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
AEF Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
AEF Omega Ratio Rank: 97
AEF Calmar Ratio Rank: 91
AEF Martin Ratio Rank: 95

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.

IAE vs. AEF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund (IAE) and Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc. (AEF). 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.

	IAE	AEF	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.61	4.13	-1.52
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.44	4.93	-1.49
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.48	1.68	-0.20
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.12	5.07	-0.95
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	13.41	20.05	-6.64
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IAE vs. AEF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IAE Sharpe Ratio is 2.61, which is lower than the AEF Sharpe Ratio of 4.13. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IAE and AEF, 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

	IAE	AEF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.61	4.13	-1.52
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.66	0.46	+0.20
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.61	0.61	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.23	0.40	-0.18

Drawdowns

IAE vs. AEF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IAE drawdown since its inception was -60.72%, roughly equal to the maximum AEF drawdown of -63.87%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IAE and AEF.

Drawdown Indicators

	IAE	AEF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-60.72%	-63.87%	+3.15%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.86%	-19.96%	+7.10%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.19%	-19.96%	+3.77%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.87%	-47.20%	+14.33%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.44%	-47.20%	+4.76%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-2.38%	+2.38%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.75%	-24.05%	+10.30%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.94%	5.04%	-1.10%

Volatility

IAE vs. AEF - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund (IAE) is 6.57%, while Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc. (AEF) has a volatility of 9.07%. This indicates that IAE experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AEF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IAE	AEF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.57%	9.07%	-2.50%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	16.11%	21.29%	-5.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.33%	24.49%	-4.16%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.80%	22.38%	-4.58%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.41%	21.68%	-2.27%

Dividends

IAE vs. AEF - Dividend Comparison

IAE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 9.23%, more than AEF's 7.22% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AEF Aberdeen Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc.	7.22%	9.29%	7.51%	7.63%	8.54%	6.73%	3.37%	2.23%	20.97%	5.19%	7.05%	12.19%
IAE Voya Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund	9.23%	11.61%	13.37%	10.65%	14.03%	10.60%	9.97%	9.88%	9.61%	7.82%	11.14%	12.74%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IAE and AEF in my portfolio?

IAE and AEF have a correlation of 0.57, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IAE or AEF?

AEF has higher volatility (9.07%) compared to IAE (6.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IAE dropped -60.72% vs AEF's -63.87%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

AEF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (4.13 vs 2.61), 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.