REAYX vs. RTHAX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

REAYX (Russell Investments Equity Income Fund) and RTHAX (Russell Investments Tax-Exempt High Yield Bond Fund) are both mutual funds - REAYX is a Large Cap Value Equities fund managed by Russell, while RTHAX is a High Yield Muni fund managed by Russell. Over the past 5 years, REAYX returned 9.59%/yr vs 0.62%/yr for RTHAX. At a 0.08 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. REAYX charges 0.66%/yr vs 0.89%/yr for RTHAX.

Performance

REAYX vs. RTHAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Russell Investments Equity Income Fund (REAYX) and Russell Investments Tax-Exempt High Yield Bond Fund (RTHAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, REAYX achieves a 11.30% return, which is significantly higher than RTHAX's 2.46% return.

REAYX

• 1D: 0.76%
• 1M: 3.32%
• YTD: 11.30%
• 6M: 12.30%
• 1Y: 23.50%
• 3Y*: 16.56%
• 5Y*: 9.59%
• 10Y*: —

RTHAX

• 1D: 0.35%
• 1M: 0.97%
• YTD: 2.46%
• 6M: 2.56%
• 1Y: 6.99%
• 3Y*: 4.42%
• 5Y*: 0.62%
• 10Y*: 2.91%

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

REAYX vs. RTHAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
REAYX Russell Investments Equity Income Fund	11.30%	14.66%	11.90%	12.50%	-8.86%	27.01%	9.06%	29.57%	-8.60%	13.19%
RTHAX Russell Investments Tax-Exempt High Yield Bond Fund	2.46%	2.11%	4.49%	7.78%	-13.62%	5.54%	3.84%	10.18%	3.20%	6.08%

Correlation

The correlation between REAYX and RTHAX is 0.22, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.22
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.18
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.13
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 2, 2017	0.08

The correlation between REAYX and RTHAX shifts across timeframes, from 0.08 (all time) to 0.22 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

REAYX vs. RTHAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

REAYX

REAYX Risk / Return Rank: 70
REAYX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
REAYX Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
REAYX Omega Ratio Rank: 59
REAYX Calmar Ratio Rank: 80
REAYX Martin Ratio Rank: 75

RTHAX

RTHAX Risk / Return Rank: 60
RTHAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 64
RTHAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
RTHAX Omega Ratio Rank: 87
RTHAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 42
RTHAX Martin Ratio Rank: 37

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.

REAYX vs. RTHAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Russell Investments Equity Income Fund (REAYX) and Russell Investments Tax-Exempt High Yield Bond Fund (RTHAX). 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.

	REAYX	RTHAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.41	2.34	+0.07
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.49	3.49	0.00
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.43	1.61	-0.18
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.68	2.46	+1.22
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	14.13	8.09	+6.04
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

REAYX vs. RTHAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current REAYX Sharpe Ratio is 2.41, which is comparable to the RTHAX Sharpe Ratio of 2.34. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of REAYX and RTHAX, 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

	REAYX	RTHAX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.41	2.34	+0.07
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.58	0.12	+0.45
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.59	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.62	0.67	-0.05

Drawdowns

REAYX vs. RTHAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum REAYX drawdown since its inception was -36.87%, which is greater than RTHAX's maximum drawdown of -18.89%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for REAYX and RTHAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	REAYX	RTHAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.87%	-18.89%	-17.98%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-6.66%	-2.74%	-3.92%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.66%	-7.56%	-13.10%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.66%	-18.89%	-1.77%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-18.89%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.93%	-3.73%	-1.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.73%	0.83%	+0.90%

Volatility

REAYX vs. RTHAX - Volatility Comparison

Russell Investments Equity Income Fund (REAYX) has a higher volatility of 2.70% compared to Russell Investments Tax-Exempt High Yield Bond Fund (RTHAX) at 1.10%. This indicates that REAYX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than RTHAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	REAYX	RTHAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.70%	1.10%	+1.60%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.50%	2.06%	+5.44%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.16%	2.89%	+7.27%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.75%	5.12%	+11.63%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.56%	4.98%	+13.58%

REAYX vs. RTHAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

REAYX has a 0.66% expense ratio, which is lower than RTHAX's 0.89% expense ratio.

Dividends

REAYX vs. RTHAX - Dividend Comparison

REAYX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 13.50%, more than RTHAX's 4.22% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
REAYX Russell Investments Equity Income Fund	13.50%	15.24%	15.38%	13.55%	19.72%	10.47%	3.61%	1.86%	45.26%	14.47%	0.00%
RTHAX Russell Investments Tax-Exempt High Yield Bond Fund	4.22%	3.60%	4.02%	3.97%	3.64%	2.80%	3.10%	3.83%	3.86%	3.44%	4.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both REAYX and RTHAX in my portfolio?

REAYX and RTHAX have a correlation of 0.22, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, REAYX or RTHAX?

REAYX has higher volatility (2.70%) compared to RTHAX (1.10%). In terms of maximum drawdown, REAYX dropped -36.87% vs RTHAX's -18.89%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

REAYX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.41 vs 2.34), 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.