NFJEX vs. ASHIX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

NFJEX (Virtus NFJ Dividend Value Fund) and ASHIX (Virtus Short Duration High Income Fund) are both mutual funds - NFJEX is a Large Cap Value Equities fund managed by Allianz, while ASHIX is a High Yield Bonds fund managed by Allianz. Over the past 10 years, NFJEX returned 9.82%/yr vs 4.98%/yr for ASHIX. At a 0.40 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. NFJEX charges 0.70%/yr vs 0.60%/yr for ASHIX.

Performance

NFJEX vs. ASHIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Virtus NFJ Dividend Value Fund (NFJEX) and Virtus Short Duration High Income Fund (ASHIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NFJEX achieves a 19.17% return, which is significantly higher than ASHIX's 1.68% return. Over the past 10 years, NFJEX has outperformed ASHIX with an annualized return of 9.82%, while ASHIX has yielded a comparatively lower 4.98% annualized return.

NFJEX

• 1D: 1.27%
• 1M: 5.92%
• YTD: 19.17%
• 6M: 19.26%
• 1Y: 32.75%
• 3Y*: 16.48%
• 5Y*: 9.55%
• 10Y*: 9.82%

ASHIX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.39%
• YTD: 1.68%
• 6M: 2.10%
• 1Y: 5.87%
• 3Y*: 7.89%
• 5Y*: 4.85%
• 10Y*: 4.98%

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

NFJEX vs. ASHIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NFJEX Virtus NFJ Dividend Value Fund	19.17%	8.46%	5.29%	19.79%	-13.63%	28.90%	-2.13%	25.12%	-10.15%	15.49%
ASHIX Virtus Short Duration High Income Fund	1.68%	6.61%	7.61%	12.55%	-5.21%	5.35%	6.00%	7.97%	-0.03%	4.27%

Correlation

The correlation between NFJEX and ASHIX is 0.45, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.45
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.47
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.51
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.44
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 4, 2011	0.40

The correlation between NFJEX and ASHIX shifts across timeframes, from 0.40 (all time) to 0.51 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

NFJEX vs. ASHIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

NFJEX

NFJEX Risk / Return Rank: 80
NFJEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
NFJEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 79
NFJEX Omega Ratio Rank: 68
NFJEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 89
NFJEX Martin Ratio Rank: 83

ASHIX

ASHIX Risk / Return Rank: 83
ASHIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
ASHIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 93
ASHIX Omega Ratio Rank: 88
ASHIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 75
ASHIX Martin Ratio Rank: 88

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.

NFJEX vs. ASHIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Virtus NFJ Dividend Value Fund (NFJEX) and Virtus Short Duration High Income Fund (ASHIX). 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.

	NFJEX	ASHIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.60	2.45	+0.15
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.75	4.75	-0.99
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.46	1.62	-0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.55	3.41	+1.13
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	15.62	17.28	-1.66
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NFJEX vs. ASHIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NFJEX Sharpe Ratio is 2.60, which is comparable to the ASHIX Sharpe Ratio of 2.45. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NFJEX and ASHIX, 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

	NFJEX	ASHIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.60	2.45	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.58	1.42	-0.84
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.54	1.20	-0.66
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.43	1.39	-0.96

Drawdowns

NFJEX vs. ASHIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NFJEX drawdown since its inception was -61.94%, which is greater than ASHIX's maximum drawdown of -19.54%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NFJEX and ASHIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NFJEX	ASHIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-61.94%	-19.54%	-42.40%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.38%	-1.77%	-5.61%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.69%	-3.20%	-16.49%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.29%	-9.33%	-13.96%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-39.25%	-19.54%	-19.71%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.61%	-0.98%	-8.63%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.14%	0.35%	+1.79%

Volatility

NFJEX vs. ASHIX - Volatility Comparison

Virtus NFJ Dividend Value Fund (NFJEX) has a higher volatility of 3.89% compared to Virtus Short Duration High Income Fund (ASHIX) at 0.73%. This indicates that NFJEX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ASHIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NFJEX	ASHIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.89%	0.73%	+3.16%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.50%	2.06%	+7.44%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.92%	2.47%	+10.45%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.50%	3.44%	+13.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.14%	4.16%	+13.98%

NFJEX vs. ASHIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

NFJEX has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is higher than ASHIX's 0.60% expense ratio.

Dividends

NFJEX vs. ASHIX - Dividend Comparison

NFJEX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.49%, more than ASHIX's 6.55% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ASHIX Virtus Short Duration High Income Fund	6.55%	6.68%	7.01%	6.45%	6.22%	5.53%	5.95%	5.41%	5.64%	5.02%	5.36%	6.44%
NFJEX Virtus NFJ Dividend Value Fund	10.49%	12.61%	3.51%	14.16%	19.01%	6.43%	1.96%	14.20%	27.33%	27.35%	6.05%	2.77%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NFJEX and ASHIX in my portfolio?

NFJEX and ASHIX have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NFJEX or ASHIX?

NFJEX has higher volatility (3.89%) compared to ASHIX (0.73%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NFJEX dropped -61.94% vs ASHIX's -19.54%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NFJEX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.60 vs 2.45), 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.