JEPAX vs. PFF

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

JEPAX (JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A) and PFF (iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF) are both funds - JEPAX is a Derivative Income fund managed by JPMorgan, while PFF is a Preferred Stock/Convertible Bonds fund tracking the S&P U.S. Preferred Stock Index. Over the past 5 years, JEPAX returned 6.87%/yr vs 1.50%/yr for PFF. A 0.56 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. JEPAX charges 0.85%/yr vs 0.46%/yr for PFF.

Performance

JEPAX vs. PFF - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A (JEPAX) and iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, JEPAX achieves a -0.08% return, which is significantly lower than PFF's 2.93% return.

JEPAX

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: -1.67%
• YTD: -0.08%
• 6M: 0.19%
• 1Y: 7.24%
• 3Y*: 8.38%
• 5Y*: 6.87%
• 10Y*: —

PFF

• 1D: -0.67%
• 1M: 0.34%
• YTD: 2.93%
• 6M: 3.41%
• 1Y: 9.35%
• 3Y*: 6.70%
• 5Y*: 1.50%
• 10Y*: 3.30%

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

JEPAX vs. PFF - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
JEPAX JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A	-0.08%	7.55%	12.07%	9.42%	-4.05%	19.13%	5.75%	7.45%
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF	2.93%	4.87%	7.24%	9.22%	-18.19%	7.15%	7.89%	7.98%

Correlation

The correlation between JEPAX and PFF is 0.52, 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	0.52
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.50
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.56
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 29, 2019	0.56

The correlation between JEPAX and PFF has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.50 to 0.56 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

JEPAX vs. PFF — Risk / Return Rank

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

JEPAX

JEPAX Risk / Return Rank: 11
JEPAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
JEPAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
JEPAX Omega Ratio Rank: 11
JEPAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
JEPAX Martin Ratio Rank: 11

PFF

PFF Risk / Return Rank: 36
PFF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
PFF Sortino Ratio Rank: 38
PFF Omega Ratio Rank: 35
PFF Calmar Ratio Rank: 35
PFF Martin Ratio Rank: 35

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.

JEPAX vs. PFF - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A (JEPAX) and iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF). 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.

	JEPAX	PFF	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.86	1.39	-0.53
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.36	2.01	-0.65
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.16	1.24	-0.08
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.00	1.78	-0.78
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	3.29	5.51	-2.22
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

JEPAX vs. PFF - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current JEPAX Sharpe Ratio is 0.86, which is lower than the PFF Sharpe Ratio of 1.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of JEPAX and PFF, 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

	JEPAX	PFF	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.86	1.39	-0.53
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.60	0.15	+0.46
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.26	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.52	0.21	+0.31

Drawdowns

JEPAX vs. PFF - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum JEPAX drawdown since its inception was -32.69%, smaller than the maximum PFF drawdown of -65.55%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JEPAX and PFF.

Drawdown Indicators

	JEPAX	PFF	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-32.69%	-65.55%	+32.86%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.41%	-5.28%	-2.13%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.43%	-10.63%	-2.80%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-13.74%	-21.05%	+7.31%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-34.10%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.15%	-1.11%	-4.04%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.08%	-5.77%	+2.69%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.25%	1.70%	+0.55%

Volatility

JEPAX vs. PFF - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A (JEPAX) is 1.51%, while iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF) has a volatility of 2.09%. This indicates that JEPAX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PFF based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	JEPAX	PFF	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.51%	2.09%	-0.58%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	6.85%	5.09%	+1.76%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.60%	6.75%	+1.85%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	11.48%	10.30%	+1.18%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.93%	12.66%	+2.27%

JEPAX vs. PFF - Expense Ratio Comparison

JEPAX has a 0.85% expense ratio, which is higher than PFF's 0.46% expense ratio.

Dividends

JEPAX vs. PFF - Dividend Comparison

JEPAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.91%, more than PFF's 5.47% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
JEPAX JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A	7.91%	7.88%	6.95%	8.19%	11.98%	5.96%	11.35%	5.61%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PFF iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF	5.47%	6.30%	6.32%	6.63%	6.01%	4.45%	4.79%	5.31%	6.32%	5.59%	5.85%	5.76%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both JEPAX and PFF in my portfolio?

JEPAX and PFF have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, JEPAX or PFF?

PFF has higher volatility (2.09%) compared to JEPAX (1.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, JEPAX dropped -32.69% vs PFF's -65.55%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PFF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.39 vs 0.86), 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.