PUTW vs. NIE

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PUTW (WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund) and NIE (Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund) are both Derivative Income funds. PUTW is passively managed, while NIE is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, PUTW returned 8.30%/yr vs 14.43%/yr for NIE. A 0.66 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. PUTW charges 0.44%/yr vs 1.12%/yr for NIE.

Performance

PUTW vs. NIE - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund (PUTW) and Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PUTW achieves a 4.26% return, which is significantly lower than NIE's 10.90% return. Over the past 10 years, PUTW has underperformed NIE with an annualized return of 8.30%, while NIE has yielded a comparatively higher 14.43% annualized return.

PUTW

• 1D: -0.18%
• 1M: 1.94%
• YTD: 4.26%
• 6M: 4.65%
• 1Y: 18.84%
• 3Y*: 13.62%
• 5Y*: 9.92%
• 10Y*: 8.30%

NIE

• 1D: 0.04%
• 1M: 3.96%
• YTD: 10.90%
• 6M: 12.85%
• 1Y: 28.61%
• 3Y*: 20.97%
• 5Y*: 11.05%
• 10Y*: 14.43%

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

PUTW vs. NIE - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PUTW WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund	4.26%	14.45%	17.18%	15.53%	-10.11%	20.94%	1.65%	13.55%	-7.16%	10.09%
NIE Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund	10.90%	12.15%	28.64%	26.71%	-26.73%	18.89%	33.78%	31.09%	-5.69%	23.68%

Correlation

The correlation between PUTW and NIE is 0.68, 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	0.68
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.70
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.69
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.66
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 25, 2016	0.66

The correlation between PUTW and NIE has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.66 to 0.70 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

PUTW vs. NIE — Risk / Return Rank

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

PUTW

PUTW Risk / Return Rank: 55
PUTW Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
PUTW Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
PUTW Omega Ratio Rank: 60
PUTW Calmar Ratio Rank: 48
PUTW Martin Ratio Rank: 65

NIE

NIE Risk / Return Rank: 70
NIE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
NIE Sortino Ratio Rank: 73
NIE Omega Ratio Rank: 66
NIE Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
NIE Martin Ratio Rank: 69

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.

PUTW vs. NIE - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund (PUTW) and Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE). 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.

	PUTW	NIE	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.14	2.51	-0.38
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.98	3.56	-0.58
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.43	1.45	-0.02
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.65	3.20	-0.55
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.69	13.43	-0.74
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PUTW vs. NIE - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PUTW Sharpe Ratio is 2.14, which is comparable to the NIE Sharpe Ratio of 2.51. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PUTW and NIE, 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

	PUTW	NIE	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.14	2.51	-0.38
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.82	0.63	+0.19
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.63	0.73	-0.10
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.65	0.44	+0.21

Drawdowns

PUTW vs. NIE - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PUTW drawdown since its inception was -28.40%, smaller than the maximum NIE drawdown of -57.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PUTW and NIE.

Drawdown Indicators

	PUTW	NIE	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-28.40%	-57.90%	+29.50%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.15%	-8.99%	+1.84%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.26%	-20.79%	+5.53%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-16.56%	-31.04%	+14.48%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-28.40%	-38.99%	+10.59%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.27%	0.00%	-0.27%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.44%	-8.01%	+4.57%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.49%	2.14%	-0.65%

Volatility

PUTW vs. NIE - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund (PUTW) is 0.90%, while Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund (NIE) has a volatility of 3.37%. This indicates that PUTW experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than NIE based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PUTW	NIE	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.90%	3.37%	-2.47%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.00%	9.03%	-2.03%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.86%	11.46%	-2.60%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	12.13%	17.54%	-5.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.22%	19.76%	-6.54%

PUTW vs. NIE - Expense Ratio Comparison

PUTW has a 0.44% expense ratio, which is lower than NIE's 1.12% expense ratio.

Dividends

PUTW vs. NIE - Dividend Comparison

PUTW's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 12.06%, more than NIE's 9.33% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NIE Virtus Equity & Convertible Income Fund	9.33%	10.14%	8.11%	9.56%	21.81%	10.86%	5.37%	6.71%	8.20%	7.19%	8.25%	8.46%
PUTW WisdomTree Equity Premium Income Fund	12.06%	13.18%	11.99%	8.94%	3.27%	0.00%	1.43%	1.47%	6.46%	3.52%	2.27%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PUTW and NIE in my portfolio?

PUTW and NIE have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PUTW or NIE?

NIE has higher volatility (3.37%) compared to PUTW (0.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PUTW dropped -28.40% vs NIE's -57.90%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NIE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.51 vs 2.14), 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.