NFJ vs. VHYAX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

NFJ (Virtus Dividend, Interest and Premium Strategy Fund) and VHYAX (Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - NFJ is a Dividend fund managed by Virtus, while VHYAX is a Large Cap Value Equities fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 5 years, NFJ returned 9.17%/yr vs 11.62%/yr for VHYAX. A 0.69 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. NFJ charges 0.02%/yr vs 0.08%/yr for VHYAX.

Performance

NFJ vs. VHYAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Virtus Dividend, Interest and Premium Strategy Fund (NFJ) and Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHYAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NFJ achieves a 19.07% return, which is significantly higher than VHYAX's 12.92% return.

NFJ

• 1D: -0.53%
• 1M: 5.12%
• YTD: 19.07%
• 6M: 20.29%
• 1Y: 35.91%
• 3Y*: 18.50%
• 5Y*: 9.17%
• 10Y*: 10.39%

VHYAX

• 1D: 1.21%
• 1M: 3.83%
• YTD: 12.92%
• 6M: 12.47%
• 1Y: 26.66%
• 3Y*: 19.01%
• 5Y*: 11.62%
• 10Y*: —

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

NFJ vs. VHYAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
NFJ Virtus Dividend, Interest and Premium Strategy Fund	19.07%	12.40%	9.96%	21.30%	-23.90%	26.75%	12.42%	17.36%
VHYAX Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares	12.92%	15.39%	17.39%	6.68%	-0.45%	26.08%	1.06%	16.67%

Correlation

The correlation between NFJ and VHYAX 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	0.66
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.69
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 8, 2019	0.69

The correlation between NFJ and VHYAX shifts across timeframes, from 0.57 (1 year) to 0.69 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

NFJ vs. VHYAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

NFJ

NFJ Risk / Return Rank: 81
NFJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
NFJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
NFJ Omega Ratio Rank: 74
NFJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
NFJ Martin Ratio Rank: 76

VHYAX

VHYAX Risk / Return Rank: 81
VHYAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 84
VHYAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 81
VHYAX Omega Ratio Rank: 74
VHYAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
VHYAX Martin Ratio Rank: 83

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.

NFJ vs. VHYAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Virtus Dividend, Interest and Premium Strategy Fund (NFJ) and Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHYAX). 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.

	NFJ	VHYAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.78	2.69	+0.08
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.97	3.82	+0.15
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.49	1.49	0.00
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.21	4.11	+0.10
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	14.38	15.57	-1.19
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NFJ vs. VHYAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NFJ Sharpe Ratio is 2.78, which is comparable to the VHYAX Sharpe Ratio of 2.69. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NFJ and VHYAX, 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

	NFJ	VHYAX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.78	2.69	+0.08
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.54	0.83	-0.30
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.56	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.31	0.72	-0.41

Drawdowns

NFJ vs. VHYAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NFJ drawdown since its inception was -57.92%, which is greater than VHYAX's maximum drawdown of -35.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NFJ and VHYAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NFJ	VHYAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-57.92%	-35.14%	-22.78%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.57%	-6.75%	-1.82%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-17.04%	-14.42%	-2.62%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-30.57%	-15.87%	-14.70%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-40.96%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.53%	0.00%	-0.53%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.79%	-3.77%	-7.02%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.50%	1.78%	+0.72%

Volatility

NFJ vs. VHYAX - Volatility Comparison

Virtus Dividend, Interest and Premium Strategy Fund (NFJ) has a higher volatility of 3.96% compared to Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHYAX) at 2.93%. This indicates that NFJ's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VHYAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NFJ	VHYAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.96%	2.93%	+1.03%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.01%	7.76%	+2.25%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.00%	10.31%	+2.69%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.13%	14.00%	+3.13%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.65%	17.97%	+0.68%

NFJ vs. VHYAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

NFJ has a 0.02% expense ratio, which is lower than VHYAX's 0.08% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

NFJ vs. VHYAX - Dividend Comparison

NFJ's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.14%, more than VHYAX's 2.16% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NFJ Virtus Dividend, Interest and Premium Strategy Fund	8.14%	9.46%	9.26%	7.78%	8.83%	5.60%	6.69%	6.92%	8.43%	8.62%	9.52%	13.32%
VHYAX Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund Admiral Shares	2.16%	2.42%	2.72%	3.09%	2.98%	2.74%	3.16%	3.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NFJ and VHYAX in my portfolio?

NFJ and VHYAX 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, NFJ or VHYAX?

NFJ has higher volatility (3.96%) compared to VHYAX (2.93%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NFJ dropped -57.92% vs VHYAX's -35.14%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NFJ currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.78 vs 2.69), 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.