If you want maximum headline income
→ ESS
ESS leads headline yield (~10.9%). Check the tape for total return and NAV path before sizing up.
Two income funds compared side-by-side using the available DivAgent snapshot. See which one fits your yield strategy.
8-second verdict · always free
If you want maximum headline income
→ ESS
ESS leads headline yield (~10.9%). Check the tape for total return and NAV path before sizing up.
If you want total return (paid + price)
→ AEP
AEP leads 1Y total return (~12.8%). Prefer this when you care about paid + price, not yield alone.
If you need sleep-at-night sizing
→ Either, sized right
Matched risk tiers (Tier 2). Differentiate on yield sustainability and total return, not safety rating.
Neither fund currently meets this page's high-yield and NAV-decline screen. That result does not establish distribution sustainability or composition; those require separate issuer evidence.
When the edge flips — yield, total return, or NAV path — we email the updated tape. Plus the free Yield Trap cheat sheet: what high-yield funds actually paid vs what their prices did.
Path A · Still deciding
Related battlesMore AEP and ESS matchups in the same decision space — different trade-offs.
Path B · Picked a side
Full ticker auditsDeep-dive AEP or ESS: distribution history, risk tier, peer set.
Audit ESS →Path C · Want a system
Leaderboard & portfoliosSee how income funds rank by risk tier and matrix cell — then track holdings free.
What this means: Both AEP and ESS fall intoTier 2: Yield Plus. This suggests they share a similar risk profile and volatility expectation.
| Metric | AEP | ESS |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 12.84% | 7.37% |
| NAV Change (1Y) | 3.70% | 7.37% |
| Max Drawdown | -20.34% | -21.78% |
| Beta | N/A | N/A |
* Returns include dividend reinvestment. Drawdown calculates peak-to-trough decline over trailing 12 months.
The comparison remains available, but DivAgent will not assign a winner until both funds have current yield, total return, risk tier, drawdown, and fee data. Missing values are shown as N/A in the tables below.
Every investor has a unique risk profile. Use our Portfolio Intelligence tool to see the impact of adding these ETFs to your holdings.