JESGX vs. EMCAX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

JESGX (John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust Small Cap Stock Trust) and EMCAX (Empiric 2500 Fund) are both Small Cap Growth Equities funds. Over the past 5 years, JESGX returned 2.35%/yr vs 4.28%/yr for EMCAX. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. JESGX charges 1.12%/yr vs 1.96%/yr for EMCAX.

Performance

JESGX vs. EMCAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust Small Cap Stock Trust (JESGX) and Empiric 2500 Fund (EMCAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, JESGX achieves a 9.54% return, which is significantly lower than EMCAX's 11.03% return.

JESGX

• 1D: -1.35%
• 1M: 3.47%
• YTD: 9.54%
• 6M: 10.14%
• 1Y: 29.77%
• 3Y*: 14.79%
• 5Y*: 2.35%
• 10Y*: —

EMCAX

• 1D: 0.50%
• 1M: 1.00%
• YTD: 11.03%
• 6M: 7.84%
• 1Y: 16.32%
• 3Y*: 12.56%
• 5Y*: 4.28%
• 10Y*: 10.73%

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

JESGX vs. EMCAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
JESGX John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust Small Cap Stock Trust	9.54%	12.66%	11.64%	16.10%	-30.38%	1.18%	51.23%	37.96%	-5.17%	22.94%
EMCAX Empiric 2500 Fund	11.03%	2.37%	13.89%	12.43%	-16.06%	16.07%	27.81%	19.10%	-4.64%	20.73%

Correlation

The correlation between JESGX and EMCAX is 0.65, 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	0.65
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.74
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2017	0.88

Over the past year, the correlation between JESGX and EMCAX has dropped to 0.65 - well below their long-term average of 0.88, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

JESGX vs. EMCAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

JESGX

JESGX Risk / Return Rank: 50
JESGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 42
JESGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 44
JESGX Omega Ratio Rank: 38
JESGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
JESGX Martin Ratio Rank: 62

EMCAX

EMCAX Risk / Return Rank: 23
EMCAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 18
EMCAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
EMCAX Omega Ratio Rank: 17
EMCAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 28
EMCAX Martin Ratio Rank: 33

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.

JESGX vs. EMCAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust Small Cap Stock Trust (JESGX) and Empiric 2500 Fund (EMCAX). 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.

	JESGX	EMCAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.89	1.20	+0.69
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.76	1.85	+0.92
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.21	+0.12
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.06	1.98	+1.08
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.25	7.46	+4.79
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

JESGX vs. EMCAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current JESGX Sharpe Ratio is 1.89, which is higher than the EMCAX Sharpe Ratio of 1.20. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of JESGX and EMCAX, 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

	JESGX	EMCAX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.89	1.20	+0.69
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.10	0.24	-0.14
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.53	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.48	0.46	+0.02

Drawdowns

JESGX vs. EMCAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum JESGX drawdown since its inception was -42.87%, smaller than the maximum EMCAX drawdown of -51.81%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JESGX and EMCAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	JESGX	EMCAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.87%	-51.81%	+8.94%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.84%	-8.60%	-5.24%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-26.97%	-19.19%	-7.78%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-41.18%	-30.60%	-10.58%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-42.79%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.35%	-2.58%	+1.23%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.87%	-13.27%	-1.60%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.46%	2.28%	+1.18%

Volatility

JESGX vs. EMCAX - Volatility Comparison

John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust Small Cap Stock Trust (JESGX) has a higher volatility of 5.16% compared to Empiric 2500 Fund (EMCAX) at 4.64%. This indicates that JESGX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EMCAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	JESGX	EMCAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.16%	4.64%	+0.52%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.64%	11.27%	+3.37%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.04%	14.15%	+4.89%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.91%	18.17%	+5.74%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.41%	20.24%	+4.17%

JESGX vs. EMCAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

JESGX has a 1.12% expense ratio, which is lower than EMCAX's 1.96% expense ratio.

Dividends

JESGX vs. EMCAX - Dividend Comparison

JESGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.06%, less than EMCAX's 0.12% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
EMCAX Empiric 2500 Fund	0.12%	0.13%	0.13%	0.00%	0.00%	0.51%	7.46%	0.00%	0.00%
JESGX John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust Small Cap Stock Trust	0.06%	0.07%	0.00%	0.00%	41.46%	17.95%	10.63%	37.80%	7.24%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both JESGX and EMCAX in my portfolio?

JESGX and EMCAX have a correlation of 0.65, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, JESGX or EMCAX?

JESGX has higher volatility (5.16%) compared to EMCAX (4.64%). In terms of maximum drawdown, JESGX dropped -42.87% vs EMCAX's -51.81%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

JESGX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.89 vs 1.20), 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.