SURE vs. CWS

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

SURE (AdvisorShares Insider Advantage ETF) and CWS (AdvisorShares Focused Equity ETF) are both exchange-traded funds - SURE is a Large Cap Value Equities fund actively managed by AdvisorShares, while CWS is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by AdvisorShares. Both are actively managed. Over the past 5 years, SURE returned 9.02%/yr vs 8.16%/yr for CWS. A 0.74 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. SURE charges 0.90%/yr vs 0.77%/yr for CWS.

Performance

SURE vs. CWS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in AdvisorShares Insider Advantage ETF (SURE) and AdvisorShares Focused Equity ETF (CWS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SURE achieves a 11.70% return, which is significantly higher than CWS's -1.80% return.

SURE

• 1D: -0.69%
• 1M: 4.65%
• YTD: 11.70%
• 6M: 13.14%
• 1Y: 25.30%
• 3Y*: 17.72%
• 5Y*: 9.02%
• 10Y*: 10.94%

CWS

• 1D: -0.02%
• 1M: -0.37%
• YTD: -1.80%
• 6M: -1.31%
• 1Y: -0.99%
• 3Y*: 10.25%
• 5Y*: 8.16%
• 10Y*: —

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

SURE vs. CWS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SURE AdvisorShares Insider Advantage ETF	11.70%	10.58%	12.17%	23.30%	-11.24%	23.87%	8.76%	28.89%	-17.03%	13.16%
CWS AdvisorShares Focused Equity ETF	-1.80%	6.43%	9.82%	25.06%	-10.42%	22.20%	17.12%	30.97%	-6.46%	20.92%

Correlation

The correlation between SURE and CWS is 0.75, 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	0.75
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.80
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.79
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 22, 2016	0.74

The correlation between SURE and CWS has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.74 to 0.80 - a consistent structural relationship.

SURE vs. CWS - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	SURE	CWS
Technology	26.3%	18.5%
Consumer Cyclical	19.1%	15.1%
Industrials	13.6%	22.4%
Financial Services	13.0%	10.8%
Energy	9.2%	-
Communication Services	8.6%	-
Healthcare	5.2%	25.1%
Utilities	2.0%	4.0%
Basic Materials	1.0%	-
Consumer Defensive	0.8%	4.2%
Real Estate	0.8%	-

Return for Risk

SURE vs. CWS — Risk / Return Rank

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

SURE

SURE Risk / Return Rank: 64
SURE Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
SURE Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
SURE Omega Ratio Rank: 56
SURE Calmar Ratio Rank: 72
SURE Martin Ratio Rank: 71

CWS

CWS Risk / Return Rank: 8
CWS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 8
CWS Sortino Ratio Rank: 7
CWS Omega Ratio Rank: 7
CWS Calmar Ratio Rank: 8
CWS Martin Ratio Rank: 8

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.

SURE vs. CWS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for AdvisorShares Insider Advantage ETF (SURE) and AdvisorShares Focused Equity ETF (CWS). 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.

	SURE	CWS	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.98	-0.08	+2.05
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.92	-0.01	+2.93
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.00	+0.35
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.58	-0.08	+3.66
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	13.28	-0.22	+13.50
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SURE vs. CWS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SURE Sharpe Ratio is 1.98, which is higher than the CWS Sharpe Ratio of -0.08. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SURE and CWS, 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

	SURE	CWS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.98	-0.08	+2.05
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.53	0.52	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.62	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.78	0.67	+0.12

Drawdowns

SURE vs. CWS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SURE drawdown since its inception was -35.68%, which is greater than CWS's maximum drawdown of -33.82%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SURE and CWS.

Drawdown Indicators

	SURE	CWS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.68%	-33.82%	-1.86%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.10%	-11.92%	+4.82%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.54%	-16.56%	-4.98%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-23.75%	-24.87%	+1.12%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.68%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.69%	-6.21%	+5.52%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.84%	-4.54%	-0.30%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.91%	4.61%	-2.70%

Volatility

SURE vs. CWS - Volatility Comparison

AdvisorShares Insider Advantage ETF (SURE) has a higher volatility of 3.79% compared to AdvisorShares Focused Equity ETF (CWS) at 3.27%. This indicates that SURE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CWS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SURE	CWS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.79%	3.27%	+0.52%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.40%	10.29%	-0.89%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.85%	13.28%	-0.43%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.14%	15.66%	+1.48%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.58%	16.91%	+0.67%

SURE vs. CWS - Expense Ratio Comparison

SURE has a 0.90% expense ratio, which is higher than CWS's 0.77% expense ratio.

Dividends

SURE vs. CWS - Dividend Comparison

SURE's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.91%, more than CWS's 0.31% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
CWS AdvisorShares Focused Equity ETF	0.31%	0.31%	0.59%	0.25%	0.50%	0.16%	0.27%	0.39%	2.07%	0.29%	0.03%	0.00%
SURE AdvisorShares Insider Advantage ETF	0.91%	1.01%	0.68%	1.11%	1.72%	1.08%	1.28%	1.09%	1.26%	0.65%	1.14%	0.77%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SURE and CWS in my portfolio?

SURE and CWS have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SURE or CWS?

SURE has higher volatility (3.79%) compared to CWS (3.27%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SURE dropped -35.68% vs CWS's -33.82%.

Which ETF is better, SURE or CWS?

On 5-year performance, SURE leads with 9.02% vs 8.16% for CWS. On fees, CWS is cheaper at 0.77% per year. On volatility, CWS has been the lower-risk option at 3.27%. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF has performed better, SURE or CWS?

Over the 5-year period, SURE has performed better with a 9.02% return vs 8.16%. Past performance does not guarantee future results, so compare this with risk, fees, and fund exposure.

Which ETF is cheaper, SURE or CWS?

CWS is cheaper with a 0.77% expense ratio, compared with 0.90% for SURE.

Which ETF pays a higher dividend yield, SURE or CWS?

SURE has the higher dividend yield at 0.91%, compared with 0.31% for CWS.

What is the main difference between SURE and CWS?

SURE is categorized as Large Cap Value Equities, while CWS is Large Cap Growth Equities. Their fees differ too: 0.90% for SURE and 0.77% for CWS.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SURE currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.98 vs -0.07), 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.