SAMBX vs. MERIX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

SAMBX (Virtus Seix Floating Rate High Income Fund) and MERIX (The Merger Fund Class I) are both mutual funds - SAMBX is a Bank Loan fund managed by Virtus, while MERIX is a Event Driven fund managed by Virtus. Over the past 10 years, SAMBX returned 4.54%/yr vs 4.25%/yr for MERIX. Their 0.17 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. SAMBX charges 0.64%/yr vs 1.32%/yr for MERIX.

Performance

SAMBX vs. MERIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Virtus Seix Floating Rate High Income Fund (SAMBX) and The Merger Fund Class I (MERIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SAMBX achieves a 2.76% return, which is significantly higher than MERIX's 1.71% return. Over the past 10 years, SAMBX has outperformed MERIX with an annualized return of 4.54%, while MERIX has yielded a comparatively lower 4.25% annualized return.

SAMBX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• 6M: 2.94%
• YTD: 2.76%
• 1Y: 5.74%
• 3Y*: 6.57%
• 5Y*: 5.48%
• 10Y*: 4.54%
• ALL TIME*: 4.30%

MERIX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.12%
• 6M: 1.59%
• YTD: 1.71%
• 1Y: 4.05%
• 3Y*: 6.23%
• 5Y*: 4.00%
• 10Y*: 4.25%
• ALL TIME*: 3.64%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
MERIX The Merger Fund Class I	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
SAMBX Virtus Seix Floating Rate High Income Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

SAMBX vs. MERIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SAMBX Virtus Seix Floating Rate High Income Fund	2.76%	5.88%	7.03%	11.21%	-0.86%	4.86%	0.41%	6.66%	0.24%	3.89%
MERIX The Merger Fund Class I	1.71%	8.41%	3.54%	4.51%	1.01%	0.10%	5.14%	6.32%	7.98%	2.74%

Correlation

The correlation between SAMBX and MERIX is -0.00, meaning there was essentially no consistent relationship between their historical price movements. Each responded to its own set of market drivers.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	-0.00
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.09
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.15
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.16
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 5, 2013	0.17

The correlation between SAMBX and MERIX shifts across timeframes, from -0.00 (1 year) to 0.17 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

SAMBX vs. MERIX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

SAMBX

SAMBX Risk / Return Rank: 98
SAMBX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
SAMBX Sortino Ratio Rank: 98
SAMBX Omega Ratio Rank: 98
SAMBX Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
SAMBX Martin Ratio Rank: 98

MERIX

MERIX Risk / Return Rank: 97
MERIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 96
MERIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
MERIX Omega Ratio Rank: 95
MERIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 99
MERIX Martin Ratio Rank: 99

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

SAMBX vs. MERIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Virtus Seix Floating Rate High Income Fund (SAMBX) and The Merger Fund Class I (MERIX). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	SAMBX	MERIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.58	2.74	-0.17
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	6.37	4.61	+1.77
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.93	1.60	+0.34
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	8.08	8.69	-0.61
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	24.51	32.50	-7.99

SAMBX vs. MERIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SAMBX Sharpe Ratio is 2.58, which is comparable to the MERIX Sharpe Ratio of 2.74. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SAMBX and MERIX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

SAMBX vs. MERIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SAMBX drawdown since its inception was -24.74%, which is greater than MERIX's maximum drawdown of -9.33%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SAMBX and MERIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	SAMBX	MERIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-24.74%	-9.33%	-15.41%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-0.78%	-0.47%	-0.31%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-2.95%	-3.85%	+0.90%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-5.66%	-3.85%	-1.81%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-20.91%	-9.33%	-11.58%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.26%	-0.23%	-0.03%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-1.57%	-1.01%	-0.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	0.26%	0.12%	+0.14%

Volatility

SAMBX vs. MERIX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Virtus Seix Floating Rate High Income Fund (SAMBX) is 0.27%, while The Merger Fund Class I (MERIX) has a volatility of 0.54%. This indicates that SAMBX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than MERIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SAMBX	MERIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	0.27%	0.54%	-0.27%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	1.69%	1.19%	+0.50%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.45%	1.48%	+0.97%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	2.96%	3.56%	-0.60%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	3.93%	3.84%	+0.09%

SAMBX vs. MERIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

SAMBX has a 0.64% expense ratio, which is lower than MERIX's 1.32% expense ratio.

Dividends

SAMBX vs. MERIX - Dividend Comparison

SAMBX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.76%, less than MERIX's 7.82% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MERIX The Merger Fund Class I	7.82%	7.95%	3.75%	2.91%	4.75%	0.27%	3.64%	1.34%	4.85%	0.98%	0.89%	1.63%
SAMBX Virtus Seix Floating Rate High Income Fund	6.76%	7.78%	8.21%	8.21%	5.34%	3.03%	4.03%	5.28%	5.15%	4.28%	4.79%	4.91%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SAMBX and MERIX in my portfolio?

SAMBX and MERIX have a correlation of -0.00, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SAMBX or MERIX?

MERIX has higher volatility (0.54%) compared to SAMBX (0.27%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SAMBX dropped -24.74% vs MERIX's -9.33%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

MERIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.74 vs 2.58), 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.