RSF vs. FTHY

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

RSF (RiverNorth Capital and Income Fund) and FTHY (First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund) are both High Yield Bonds funds. Over the past 5 years, RSF returned 6.80%/yr vs 2.36%/yr for FTHY. At a 0.17 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. RSF charges 6.38%/yr vs 0.02%/yr for FTHY.

Performance

RSF vs. FTHY - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in RiverNorth Capital and Income Fund (RSF) and First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund (FTHY). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, RSF achieves a 6.49% return, which is significantly higher than FTHY's -0.35% return.

RSF

• 1D: -0.07%
• 1M: 1.12%
• YTD: 6.49%
• 6M: 6.23%
• 1Y: 11.00%
• 3Y*: 10.10%
• 5Y*: 6.80%
• 10Y*: —

FTHY

• 1D: -1.85%
• 1M: -0.73%
• YTD: -0.35%
• 6M: -0.35%
• 1Y: 2.84%
• 3Y*: 10.55%
• 5Y*: 2.36%
• 10Y*: —

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

RSF vs. FTHY - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
RSF RiverNorth Capital and Income Fund	6.49%	4.62%	9.26%	9.03%	-1.62%	27.59%	16.77%
FTHY First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund	-0.35%	7.80%	15.71%	14.65%	-26.09%	7.63%	4.66%

Correlation

The correlation between RSF and FTHY is 0.08, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.08
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.24
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.22
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 29, 2020	0.17

The correlation between RSF and FTHY shifts across timeframes, from 0.08 (1 year) to 0.24 (3 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

RSF vs. FTHY — Risk / Return Rank

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

RSF

RSF Risk / Return Rank: 35
RSF Sharpe Ratio Rank: 22
RSF Sortino Ratio Rank: 25
RSF Omega Ratio Rank: 34
RSF Calmar Ratio Rank: 54
RSF Martin Ratio Rank: 41

FTHY

FTHY Risk / Return Rank: 5
FTHY Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
FTHY Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
FTHY Omega Ratio Rank: 5
FTHY Calmar Ratio Rank: 6
FTHY Martin Ratio Rank: 6

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.

RSF vs. FTHY - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for RiverNorth Capital and Income Fund (RSF) and First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund (FTHY). 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.

	RSF	FTHY	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.35	0.39	+0.97
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.09	0.59	+1.50
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.07	+0.23
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.82	0.52	+2.30
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.77	1.44	+7.33
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

RSF vs. FTHY - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current RSF Sharpe Ratio is 1.35, which is higher than the FTHY Sharpe Ratio of 0.39. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of RSF and FTHY, 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

	RSF	FTHY	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.35	0.39	+0.97
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.65	0.18	+0.47
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.45	0.22	+0.22

Drawdowns

RSF vs. FTHY - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum RSF drawdown since its inception was -30.61%, roughly equal to the maximum FTHY drawdown of -31.17%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RSF and FTHY.

Drawdown Indicators

	RSF	FTHY	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-30.61%	-31.17%	+0.56%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-3.92%	-5.44%	+1.52%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-6.15%	-8.70%	+2.55%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-10.02%	-31.17%	+21.15%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.35%	-3.10%	+1.75%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.58%	-10.20%	+5.62%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.26%	1.98%	-0.72%

Volatility

RSF vs. FTHY - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for RiverNorth Capital and Income Fund (RSF) is 1.22%, while First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund (FTHY) has a volatility of 2.75%. This indicates that RSF experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FTHY based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	RSF	FTHY	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.22%	2.75%	-1.53%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	7.25%	5.67%	+1.58%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	8.19%	7.37%	+0.82%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	10.51%	12.84%	-2.33%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	11.25%	13.28%	-2.03%

RSF vs. FTHY - Expense Ratio Comparison

RSF has a 6.38% expense ratio, which is higher than FTHY's 0.02% expense ratio.

Dividends

RSF vs. FTHY - Dividend Comparison

RSF's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 11.21%, which matches FTHY's 11.30% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
FTHY First Trust High Yield Opportunities 2027 Term Fund	11.30%	10.66%	10.70%	10.22%	11.85%	7.83%	2.94%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
RSF RiverNorth Capital and Income Fund	11.21%	11.30%	10.87%	10.85%	11.78%	9.52%	11.76%	6.92%	8.21%	9.22%	1.41%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both RSF and FTHY in my portfolio?

RSF and FTHY have a correlation of 0.08, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, RSF or FTHY?

FTHY has higher volatility (2.75%) compared to RSF (1.22%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RSF dropped -30.61% vs FTHY's -31.17%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

RSF currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.35 vs 0.39), 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.