SMTSX vs. JEPAX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

SMTSX (JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2040 Fund) and JEPAX (JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A) are both mutual funds - SMTSX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by JPMorgan, while JEPAX is a Derivative Income fund managed by JPMorgan. Over the past 5 years, SMTSX returned 7.83%/yr vs 6.87%/yr for JEPAX. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SMTSX charges 0.25%/yr vs 0.85%/yr for JEPAX.

Performance

SMTSX vs. JEPAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2040 Fund (SMTSX) and JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A (JEPAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SMTSX achieves a 8.48% return, which is significantly higher than JEPAX's -0.08% return.

SMTSX

• 1D: 0.31%
• 1M: 3.75%
• YTD: 8.48%
• 6M: 8.96%
• 1Y: 20.61%
• 3Y*: 15.93%
• 5Y*: 7.83%
• 10Y*: 10.21%

JEPAX

• 1D: 0.07%
• 1M: -1.67%
• YTD: -0.08%
• 6M: 0.19%
• 1Y: 7.24%
• 3Y*: 8.38%
• 5Y*: 6.87%
• 10Y*: —

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

SMTSX vs. JEPAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
SMTSX JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2040 Fund	8.48%	16.50%	10.60%	21.23%	-17.97%	15.76%	14.94%	12.02%
JEPAX JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A	-0.08%	7.55%	12.07%	9.42%	-4.05%	19.13%	5.75%	7.45%

Correlation

The correlation between SMTSX and JEPAX 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	0.73
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.75
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 29, 2019	0.74

The correlation between SMTSX and JEPAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.66 to 0.75 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

SMTSX vs. JEPAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

SMTSX

SMTSX Risk / Return Rank: 50
SMTSX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
SMTSX Sortino Ratio Rank: 48
SMTSX Omega Ratio Rank: 49
SMTSX Calmar Ratio Rank: 46
SMTSX Martin Ratio Rank: 56

JEPAX

JEPAX Risk / Return Rank: 11
JEPAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
JEPAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
JEPAX Omega Ratio Rank: 11
JEPAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
JEPAX Martin Ratio Rank: 11

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.

SMTSX vs. JEPAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2040 Fund (SMTSX) and JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A (JEPAX). 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.

	SMTSX	JEPAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.07	0.86	+1.20
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.93	1.36	+1.57
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.16	+0.22
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.60	1.00	+1.60
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.29	3.29	+8.00
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SMTSX vs. JEPAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SMTSX Sharpe Ratio is 2.07, which is higher than the JEPAX Sharpe Ratio of 0.86. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SMTSX and JEPAX, 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

	SMTSX	JEPAX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.07	0.86	+1.20
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.59	0.60	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.71	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.45	0.52	-0.07

Drawdowns

SMTSX vs. JEPAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SMTSX drawdown since its inception was -51.41%, which is greater than JEPAX's maximum drawdown of -32.69%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SMTSX and JEPAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	SMTSX	JEPAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.41%	-32.69%	-18.72%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.04%	-7.41%	-0.63%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.23%	-13.43%	+0.20%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.82%	-13.74%	-11.08%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-31.43%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-5.15%	+5.15%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.14%	-3.08%	-4.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.85%	2.25%	-0.40%

Volatility

SMTSX vs. JEPAX - Volatility Comparison

JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2040 Fund (SMTSX) has a higher volatility of 3.12% compared to JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A (JEPAX) at 1.51%. This indicates that SMTSX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than JEPAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SMTSX	JEPAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.12%	1.51%	+1.61%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.11%	6.85%	+1.26%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.13%	8.60%	+1.53%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.36%	11.48%	+1.88%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	14.43%	14.93%	-0.50%

SMTSX vs. JEPAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

SMTSX has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is lower than JEPAX's 0.85% expense ratio.

Dividends

SMTSX vs. JEPAX - Dividend Comparison

SMTSX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.33%, less than JEPAX's 7.91% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
JEPAX JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund Class A	7.91%	7.88%	6.95%	8.19%	11.98%	5.96%	11.35%	5.61%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
SMTSX JPMorgan SmartRetirement 2040 Fund	5.33%	5.78%	4.87%	1.87%	10.16%	17.65%	4.83%	11.47%	6.11%	4.10%	2.89%	3.20%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SMTSX and JEPAX in my portfolio?

SMTSX and JEPAX 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, SMTSX or JEPAX?

SMTSX has higher volatility (3.12%) compared to JEPAX (1.51%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SMTSX dropped -51.41% vs JEPAX's -32.69%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SMTSX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.07 vs 0.86), 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.