MORT vs. DESK

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

MORT (VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF) and DESK (Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF) are both REIT funds from VanEck - MORT tracks the MVIS US Mortgage REITs Index while DESK tracks the MarketVector US Listed Office And Commercial REITS Index - Benchmark TR Gross. Both are passively managed. Over the past year, MORT returned 7.47% vs 16.65% for DESK. Their 0.68 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. MORT charges 0.43%/yr vs 0.50%/yr for DESK.

Performance

MORT vs. DESK - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF (MORT) and Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF (DESK). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, MORT achieves a 0.24% return, which is significantly lower than DESK's 19.09% return.

MORT

• 1D: 0.83%
• 1M: -1.61%
• 6M: -1.81%
• YTD: 0.24%
• 1Y: 7.47%
• 3Y*: 5.65%
• 5Y*: -0.99%
• 10Y*: 1.76%
• ALL TIME*: 4.07%

DESK

• 1D: 0.54%
• 1M: -0.61%
• 6M: 21.00%
• YTD: 19.09%
• 1Y: 16.65%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 12.47%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
DESK Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF	$1.35M	$1.60M	$588.21K
MORT VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF	$11.29M	$14.10M	$10.03M

MORT vs. DESK - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
MORT VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF	0.24%	12.17%	0.14%	4.82%
DESK Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF	19.09%	-10.42%	16.01%	13.17%

Correlation

The correlation between MORT and DESK is 0.55, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.55
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 21, 2023	0.68

The correlation between MORT and DESK shifts across timeframes, from 0.55 (1 year) to 0.68 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

MORT vs. DESK — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

MORT

MORT Risk / Return Rank: 20
MORT Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
MORT Sortino Ratio Rank: 21
MORT Omega Ratio Rank: 20
MORT Calmar Ratio Rank: 20
MORT Martin Ratio Rank: 20

DESK

DESK Risk / Return Rank: 28
DESK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 32
DESK Sortino Ratio Rank: 32
DESK Omega Ratio Rank: 30
DESK Calmar Ratio Rank: 23
DESK Martin Ratio Rank: 21

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

MORT vs. DESK - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF (MORT) and Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF (DESK). 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.

	MORT	DESK	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.44	0.82	-0.38
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.72	1.25	-0.52
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.09	1.15	-0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.53	0.67	-0.14
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.27	1.42	-0.15

MORT vs. DESK - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current MORT Sharpe Ratio is 0.44, which is lower than the DESK Sharpe Ratio of 0.82. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of MORT and DESK, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

MORT vs. DESK - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum MORT drawdown since its inception was -70.13%, which is greater than DESK's maximum drawdown of -28.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MORT and DESK.

Drawdown Indicators

	MORT	DESK	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-70.13%	-28.65%	-41.48%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.27%	-25.09%	+10.82%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.93%	—	—
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-42.48%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-70.13%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-21.42%	-2.52%	-18.90%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-15.37%	-10.99%	-4.38%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.90%	11.78%	-5.88%

Volatility

MORT vs. DESK - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF (MORT) is 5.04%, while Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF (DESK) has a volatility of 5.75%. This indicates that MORT experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than DESK based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	MORT	DESK	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.04%	5.75%	-0.71%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.40%	15.87%	-3.47%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.98%	20.49%	-3.51%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.59%	25.66%	-2.07%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	28.89%	25.66%	+3.23%

MORT vs. DESK - Expense Ratio Comparison

MORT has a 0.43% expense ratio, which is lower than DESK's 0.50% expense ratio.

Dividends

MORT vs. DESK - Dividend Comparison

MORT's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 15.23%, more than DESK's 4.64% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
DESK Vaneck Office And Commercial REIT ETF	4.64%	5.15%	3.78%	1.73%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
MORT VanEck Mortgage REIT Income ETF	15.23%	12.76%	11.55%	12.18%	13.09%	8.21%	8.11%	7.36%	8.19%	7.82%	8.21%	9.91%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both MORT and DESK in my portfolio?

MORT and DESK have a correlation of 0.55, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, MORT or DESK?

DESK has higher volatility (5.75%) compared to MORT (5.04%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MORT dropped -70.13% vs DESK's -28.65%.

Which ETF is better, MORT or DESK?

On 1-year performance, DESK leads with 16.65% vs 7.47% for MORT. On fees, MORT is cheaper at 0.43% per year. On volatility, MORT has been the lower-risk option at 5.04%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, MORT or DESK?

Over the 1-year period, DESK has performed better with a 16.65% return vs 7.47%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, MORT or DESK?

MORT is cheaper with a 0.43% expense ratio, compared with 0.50% for DESK.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, MORT or DESK?

MORT has the higher dividend yield at 15.23%, compared with 4.64% for DESK.

What is the main difference between MORT and DESK?

MORT tracks MVIS US Mortgage REITs Index, while DESK tracks MarketVector US Listed Office And Commercial REITS Index - Benchmark TR Gross. Their fees differ too: 0.43% for MORT and 0.50% for DESK.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

DESK currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.82 vs 0.44), 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.