RDVI vs. CSQ

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

RDVI (FT Cboe Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF) and CSQ (Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund) are both funds - RDVI is a Derivative Income fund tracking the NASDAQ US Rising Dividend Achievers, while CSQ is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by Calamos. RDVI is passively managed, while CSQ is actively managed. Over the past 3 years, RDVI returned 18.62%/yr vs 22.32%/yr for CSQ. A 0.66 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. RDVI charges 0.75%/yr vs 2.46%/yr for CSQ.

Performance

RDVI vs. CSQ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in FT Cboe Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF (RDVI) and Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund (CSQ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with RDVI having a 9.43% return and CSQ slightly higher at 9.63%.

RDVI

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: 2.77%
• YTD: 9.43%
• 6M: 10.61%
• 1Y: 24.98%
• 3Y*: 18.62%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

CSQ

• 1D: -0.97%
• 1M: 5.33%
• YTD: 9.63%
• 6M: 11.37%
• 1Y: 26.44%
• 3Y*: 22.32%
• 5Y*: 11.13%
• 10Y*: 16.35%

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

RDVI vs. CSQ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
RDVI FT Cboe Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF	9.43%	17.93%	14.56%	18.63%	9.91%
CSQ Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund	9.63%	16.25%	28.11%	20.80%	7.70%

Correlation

The correlation between RDVI and CSQ is 0.66, 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	0.66
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.62
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 21, 2022	0.66

The correlation between RDVI and CSQ has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.62 to 0.66 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

RDVI vs. CSQ — Risk / Return Rank

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

RDVI

RDVI Risk / Return Rank: 58
RDVI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
RDVI Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
RDVI Omega Ratio Rank: 54
RDVI Calmar Ratio Rank: 59
RDVI Martin Ratio Rank: 67

CSQ

CSQ Risk / Return Rank: 34
CSQ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
CSQ Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
CSQ Omega Ratio Rank: 39
CSQ Calmar Ratio Rank: 22
CSQ 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.

RDVI vs. CSQ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for FT Cboe Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF (RDVI) and Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund (CSQ). 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.

	RDVI	CSQ	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.89	1.85	+0.04
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.74	2.49	+0.25
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.33	+0.01
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.96	1.74	+1.22
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	12.48	7.53	+4.95
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RDVI vs. CSQ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RDVI Sharpe Ratio is 1.89, which is comparable to the CSQ Sharpe Ratio of 1.85. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RDVI and CSQ, 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

	RDVI	CSQ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.89	1.85	+0.04
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.56	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.71	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.19	0.43	+0.76

Drawdowns

RDVI vs. CSQ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RDVI drawdown since its inception was -18.35%, smaller than the maximum CSQ drawdown of -67.17%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RDVI and CSQ.

Drawdown Indicators

	RDVI	CSQ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-18.35%	-67.17%	+48.82%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.48%	-15.25%	+6.77%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.35%	-24.18%	+5.83%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-33.09%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-48.21%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.43%	-0.97%	+0.54%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.17%	-9.34%	+6.17%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.01%	3.52%	-1.51%

Volatility

RDVI vs. CSQ - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for FT Cboe Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF (RDVI) is 3.66%, while Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund (CSQ) has a volatility of 4.02%. This indicates that RDVI experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CSQ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RDVI	CSQ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.66%	4.02%	-0.36%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.50%	11.62%	-1.12%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	13.27%	14.37%	-1.10%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.91%	19.97%	-3.06%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.91%	22.98%	-6.07%

RDVI vs. CSQ - Expense Ratio Comparison

RDVI has a 0.75% expense ratio, which is lower than CSQ's 2.46% expense ratio.

Dividends

RDVI vs. CSQ - Dividend Comparison

RDVI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.94%, more than CSQ's 6.48% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CSQ Calamos Strategic Total Return Fund	6.48%	6.51%	6.95%	8.27%	9.17%	6.38%	7.03%	7.14%	9.35%	8.20%	9.64%	10.00%
RDVI FT Cboe Vest Rising Dividend Achievers Target Income ETF	7.94%	8.10%	8.62%	8.45%	1.53%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RDVI and CSQ in my portfolio?

RDVI and CSQ have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RDVI or CSQ?

CSQ has higher volatility (4.02%) compared to RDVI (3.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RDVI dropped -18.35% vs CSQ's -67.17%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

RDVI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.89 vs 1.85), 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.