GDV vs HELO

GDV vs HELO

Which is better, GDV or HELO?

GDV has been ahead.

HELO has a lower expense ratio. GDV led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window.

Lower Fees: HELOHigher Returns: GDV

MarketXLS is not an investment adviser. This comparison is generated automatically from market data and is for information only. A Best mark means the better reading on that one measure, not a recommendation to buy.

Side-by-Side Comparison

MetricGDVHELO
Expense Ratio1.30%0.50%Best
AUM$3.4B$4.9B
Dividend Yield5.50%0.57%
Holdings715156
YTD Return+7.55%Best+5.28%
1Y Return+12.09%Best+8.07%
3Y Return (annualized)+20.93%Best+12.00%
5Y Return (annualized)+7.82%-
Volatility (annualized)13.4%7.3%Best
Max Drawdown-18.2%-10.9%Best
$10,000 over 3 years$17,523Best$14,174
Fund FamilyGabelli FundsJ.P. Morgan Asset Management
CategoryEquityEquity
StyleLarge Cap BlendLarge Cap Blend
InceptionNov 28, 2003Sep 28, 2023

Not shown on this pair: Top 10 Weight.

Volatility and max drawdown, and the $10,000 over 3 years row, are measured over the window both funds cover: Sep 29, 2023 to Oct 15, 2026 (3 years).

GDV vs HELO growth

Month-end closes. Both lines start at 0% in the first month shown, so the gap between them is the difference in growth across that window. The full view covers the 3 years both funds cover.

Compare GDV against instead:GDV vs SPYGDV vs QQQGDV vs VOOGDV vs VTIHELO against:HELO vs VXUS

GDV vs HELO Performance

Gabelli Dividend & Income Trust (GDV) is an ETF from Gabelli Funds and JPMorgan Hedged Equity Laddered Overlay ETF (HELO) is an ETF from J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Over the past year GDV returned +12.09% while HELO returned +8.07%. Year to date, GDV is up 7.55% versus a gain of 5.28% for HELO.

Over three years, GDV compounded at +20.93% per year against +12.00% for HELO.

Past performance does not guarantee future results.

Risk: Volatility and Drawdowns

GDV has been the more volatile fund, with annualized monthly volatility of 13.4% compared with 7.3% for HELO. Lower volatility generally means a smoother ride, though it often comes with lower long-run returns.

The deepest peak-to-trough decline in our data was -18.2% for GDV and -10.9% for HELO. Drawdown depth is what each fund did in the worst stretch of the window measured above.

The two funds' monthly returns correlate at 0.84. They usually move together, but the gap leaves some room for diversification.

Fees and Cost Over Time

GDV charges 1.30% per year while HELO charges 0.50%. On a $10,000 position that is $130 vs $50 annually, a gap of $80 per year that compounds over a long holding period. On income, GDV currently yields 5.50% against 0.57% for HELO.

Holdings Overlap

HELO already in GDV78.5%

At least 78.5% of HELO's money is in holdings GDV also owns.

Only one direction is shown: for GDV, our book for it lists positions totalling 110.0% of the fund, which is what a leveraged book looks like and is not a denominator we can divide by.

Most of HELO is already inside GDV. Owning both mostly buys the same companies twice.

The two holdings books were reported 168 days apart, GDV as of Mar 31, 2026 and HELO as of Sep 15, 2026, so some of the difference between them is the time between the two reports rather than the funds.

85 positions in common, counted across the 678 positions we hold weights for in GDV and 146 in HELO, against full books of 715 and 156.

Top Shared Holdings

StockWeight in GDVWeight in HELODifference
NVDANvidia Corp1.32%8.17%6.85%
AAPLApple, Inc0.97%7.01%6.04%
MSFTMicrosoft Corp1.41%6.29%4.88%
AMZNAmazon.Com Inc0.87%4.26%3.39%
GOOGAlphabet Inc. C1.67%2.26%0.59%
MAMastercard Inc2.40%1.24%1.16%
GOOGLAlphabet Inc0.27%3.16%2.89%
AVGOBroadcom Inc0.59%2.64%2.05%
METAMeta Platforms Inc0.71%2.31%1.60%
LLYEli Lilly & Co.1.53%1.14%0.39%

78.5% of HELO is already inside GDV.

You probably hold more than these two. Add the rest and see how much of the whole book is the same companies twice.

GDVHELO

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is cheaper, GDV or HELO?

GDV has an expense ratio of 1.30% while HELO charges 0.50%. HELO is the cheaper option, by $80 a year on a $10,000 investment.

Which performed better, GDV or HELO?

Over the past year GDV returned +12.09% vs +8.07% for HELO, so GDV leads on 1-year performance. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This is information, not a recommendation.

Which is riskier, GDV or HELO?

GDV has been the more volatile fund at 13.4% annualized versus 7.3% for HELO. Worst drawdown: GDV -18.2% vs HELO -10.9%.

Should I hold both GDV and HELO?

GDV and HELO have a monthly-return correlation of 0.84, so their returns are far enough apart for the mix to behave differently from either one alone. This is information, not a recommendation.

What is the holdings overlap between GDV and HELO?

At least 78.5% of HELO's money is in holdings GDV also owns. Our book for GDV is partial, so the real figure is this or higher. They hold 85 positions in common, counted across the 678 positions we hold weights for in GDV and 146 in HELO.

Which pays a higher dividend, GDV or HELO?

GDV yields 5.50% while HELO yields 0.57%, so GDV currently pays the higher dividend yield.

Is HELO better than GDV?

HELO has a lower expense ratio. GDV led over 1Y, 3Y and the full window. Which one suits a particular account depends on what it is for. This is information, not a recommendation.