Dividend Vision Academy
Investing Metrics
The numbers behind risk and return. These lessons break down the ratios and statistics that reveal how a fund actually behaves — volatility, Sharpe and Sortino ratios, drawdowns, and more — so you can compare funds on more than just their yield.
Investing Metrics
Beta
Beta measures how sharply a fund moves relative to the overall market. For income and ETF investors, it is a quick gauge of how much market turbulence a holding will pass through to your portfolio.
Investing Metrics
SEC Yield
The 30-day SEC yield is a standardized measure of a fund's income, net of expenses, that lets you compare ETFs on an apples-to-apples basis. It is often lower — and more honest — than the headline distribution rate.
Investing Metrics
Sharpe Ratio
The Sharpe ratio measures how much return an investment earns for each unit of risk it takes. For income and ETF investors, it separates funds that pay you well from funds that simply gamble.
Investing Metrics
Sortino Ratio
The Sortino ratio is a refinement of the Sharpe ratio that measures return per unit of downside risk only, ignoring the upside swings income investors are happy to keep.
Investing Metrics
Total Return
Total return is the complete measure of what an investment earned — both the income it paid you and the change in its price. It is the only number that tells you whether you actually came out ahead.
Ready to apply what you've learned?
Analyze a portfolio, compare funds, or screen for income — with the concepts from these guides built in.