# How Takeda Pharmaceutical (TAK) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

> Source: EasyCompare research, https://easycompare.io/research/tak
> Data as of October 20, 2026. Total returns include reinvested dividends. Past performance does not predict future results; nothing here is investment advice.

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on TAK alone. It places TAK (Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited) against 20+ popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where TAK stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: TAK's full trading record, from March 2008 through September 2026. The crash tests reach back to 2000 using older funds and the S&P 500. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.

## Key findings

- **Right now:** TAK has run far ahead of the market, rising 20.3% over the past 3 months against 3.9% for the S&P 500 and 3.2% for the Nasdaq 100. Its pharmaceutical peers were far apart over the past 3 months, from PFE (Pfizer, up 23.8%) to JNJ (Johnson & Johnson, up 4.8%).
- **Stock or market?:** More than an industry move: TAK rose 20.3% over the past 3 months, against 5.0% for the pharmaceuticals ETF IHE (iShares U.S. Pharmaceuticals ETF). The S&P 500 rose 3.9%. Last month cut against the tape: TAK rose 8.6% while the S&P 500 fell 0.6%.
- **Past 1 to 3 years:** Over the past year, TAK rose 48.2% against 15.8% for the S&P 500 and 17.9% for the Nasdaq 100.
- **Long term:** TAK turned $10,000 into $13,000 over the past decade, against $42,100 in the S&P 500. TAK's 10-year return of 30.4% puts it behind 76% of the stocks worth at least $300 million with that much history. The S&P 500 returned 321%.
- **In a crash:** The 2022 bear market took 14.8% off TAK, against 24.5% for the S&P 500. That was more than LLY (Eli Lilly and Company, 11.7%) but less than ABBV (AbbVie, 21.9%).
- **Diversification:** TAK is a real diversifier: a correlation of -0.07 with the S&P 500 over 5 years and -0.06 with the total US market, less closely than 99% of stocks worth at least $300 million. TAK moves far less with the S&P 500 than it used to, with a correlation of -0.07 over the past 5 years against 0.61 in the 5 years before.
- **Better options**
  - **Nearby categories and themes:** CAH (Cardinal Health, health care distribution) earned more for the risk it took than TAK over the past 5 years, and its worst fall in 10 years was 46.1%, against 54.4% for TAK.
  - **Whole market:** Few investments have done better on both counts: only 67 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than TAK with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them BRK-B (Berkshire Hathaway), BRK-A (Berkshire Hathaway) and KO (Coca-Cola).

## How much would $10,000 in TAK have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in TAK over the past 18 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of TAK over the same span and TAK's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period.

- $10,000 invested in TAK at the end of September 2008 would have grown to $15,022 by September 2026, less than the $91,104 it would have become in SPY, an S&P 500 fund.
- All eight other investments on the chart ended ahead of TAK, and LLY finished highest, at $431,739.

## TAK at a glance

This section summarizes the key facts about the stock, its returns over periods from one to ten years and the risk it has carried, with dividends reinvested throughout.

- TAK's deepest decline since it began trading in 2008 was 54.4%, from January 2018 to March 2020. It has not yet climbed back to that peak.
- Over 17 full calendar years, TAK's best was 2017, when it returned 41.3%, and its worst was 2018, when it lost 38.8%. It lost money in nine of those years.
- TAK is 4.4% below its all-time high.

- Type: Stock, Healthcare (Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic)
- Trading since: March 6, 2008
- Market value: $64B
- Volatility (5 years): 19.4%; Sharpe ratio: 0.68
- Worst decline ever: −54.4%, from January 26, 2018 to March 18, 2020; not yet back at its high

| Period | TAK total return |
| --- | --- |
| 1 month | +8.6% |
| 3 months | +20.3% |
| 6 months | +16.9% |
| year to date | +33.6% |
| 1 year | +48.2% |
| 3 years | +56.1% |
| 5 years | +75.1% |
| 10 years | +30.4% |

## TAK against the whole market

Where TAK ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.

### How does TAK rank among all stocks?

This section ranks TAK on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every stock worth at least $300 million with enough history.

- TAK is among the steadier stocks: its price swings rank in the top 3% of the 2,893 stocks worth at least $300 million, where the top is the calmest.
- TAK's 10-year return ranks in the bottom 24% of the 2,202 stocks worth at least $300 million with 10 years of history.

| Measure | TAK | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1-year return | +48.2% | 585 of 3,287 (top 18%) |
| 3-year return | +56.1% | 1,452 of 3,017 (top 49%) |
| 5-year return | +75.1% | 856 of 2,893 (top 30%) |
| 10-year return | +30.4% | 1,683 of 2,202 (top 77%) |
| Volatility, 5 years | 19.4% | 78 of 2,893 (top 3%) |
| Sharpe ratio, 5 years | 0.68 | 509 of 2,893 (top 18%) |
| Worst decline, past 10 years | −54.4% | 640 of 2,187 (top 30%) |

### What has beaten TAK on both return and risk?

Each dot is an investment, placed by how much it earned a year over the past 5 years (higher is better) and how much its price swung, its volatility (further left is calmer).

- Six stocks and 61 ETFs worth at least $500 million sit in the green region: each earned more than TAK over the past 5 years with smaller price swings. That is 2% of the 3,633 screened. Few investments beat it on both counts.
- Among those with at least half TAK's swings, LVHI has the best return for its risk: 17.0% a year at 11.1% volatility, 43% less than TAK's 19.4%, and a Sharpe ratio (return above cash per unit of volatility) of 1.48 against 0.68 for TAK. SDCI earned the most, 20.6% a year, while still swinging less than TAK (18.4% against 19.4%).

### Is there a better investment than TAK?

The table below lists investments that beat TAK over the past 5 years on at least one of these measures: a higher annual return with lower volatility, a higher annual return at similar volatility, a similar return with lower volatility, a higher Sharpe ratio with a smaller worst decline, a higher total return in most periods from 3 months to 10 years, or smaller losses in recent market crashes.

- Among TAK's popular alternatives, LLY earned more for the risk it took than TAK over the past 5 years, and its worst fall in 10 years was 34.5%, against 54.4% for TAK.
- Looking beyond its popular alternatives, CAH (health care distribution) earned more for the risk it took than TAK over the past 5 years, and its worst fall in 10 years was 46.1%, against 54.4% for TAK.
- Few investments have done better on both counts: only 67 of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than TAK with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them BRK-B, BRK-A and KO.

The 15 strongest of 67 investments that beat TAK over the past 5 years, out of 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million.

| Investment | Group | Annual return (5 years) | Volatility | Sharpe | Worst decline (10 years) | 10Y return | Correlation with TAK | Better on |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TAK: Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (this page) |  | +11.9% | 19.4% | 0.68 | −54.4% | +30.4% |  |  |
| VLUE: iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF | US Large-Cap Value | +15.9% | 18.4% | 0.90 | −39.5% | +286% | 0.05 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline; Higher return in most periods |
| [RY](https://easycompare.io/research/ry): Royal Bank of Canada | Banks | +17.3% | 18.2% | 0.97 | −40.0% | +352% | 0.19 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| [BRK-B](https://easycompare.io/research/brk-b): Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | Insurance | +13.4% | 17.1% | 0.82 | −29.6% | +274% | 0.37 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| LVHI: Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | International Equity | +17.0% | 11.1% | 1.48 | −32.4% | +194% | 0.40 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| [KO](https://easycompare.io/research/ko): The Coca-Cola Company | Food & Beverages | +14.7% | 16.8% | 0.91 | −37.0% | +204% | 0.37 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| [DYNF](https://easycompare.io/research/dynf): iShares U.S. Equity Factor Rotation Active ETF | US Multifactor Equity | +14.7% | 17.5% | 0.87 | −34.7% | — | -0.08 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| SDCI: USCF SummerHaven Dynamic Commodity Strategy No K-1 Fund | Bonds | +20.6% | 18.4% | 1.12 | −45.7% | — | 0.12 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| EFV: iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF | International Equity | +13.6% | 15.9% | 0.88 | −43.2% | +157% | 0.42 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| FNDX: Schwab Fundamental U.S. Large Company ETF | US Large-Cap Value | +13.5% | 14.9% | 0.93 | −37.7% | +291% | 0.12 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| ATO: Atmos Energy Corporation | Gas Utilities | +14.9% | 18.4% | 0.85 | −32.9% | +194% | 0.20 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| FNDF: Schwab Fundamental International Large Company Index ETF | International Equity | +13.6% | 16.3% | 0.87 | −40.2% | +194% | 0.36 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| HDV: iShares Core High Dividend ETF | US Dividend Equity | +12.9% | 13.0% | 1.00 | −37.0% | +172% | 0.38 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| AVDV: Avantis International Small Cap Value ETF | International Equity | +13.9% | 17.4% | 0.84 | −43.0% | — | 0.36 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| FDVV: Fidelity High Dividend ETF | US Dividend Equity | +13.2% | 14.6% | 0.92 | −40.2% | +253% | 0.10 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |
| DBEF: Xtrackers MSCI EAFE Hedged Equity ETF | International Equity | +13.1% | 13.8% | 0.96 | −32.5% | +206% | 0.15 | Higher return, lower volatility; Higher Sharpe, smaller worst decline |

## TAK against its popular alternatives

The investments people most often weigh against TAK, compared period by period and year by year.

### How do TAK's risk and return compare with its alternatives?

This map plots each investment's annual return over the past 5 years against its volatility, the size of its typical price swings.

- Only JNJ was both more rewarding and calmer than TAK over the past 5 years, earning a higher annual return with lower volatility.
- 12 of the 21 popular alternatives earned less than TAK over the past 5 years while swinging more, the weaker corner of the map.
- Over the past 5 years, TAK returned 11.8% a year, less than the S&P 500's 12.7%, with higher volatility (19.4% against 17.1%).

### Has TAK consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares TAK with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years.

- Three of the 21 popular alternatives, AMGN, LLY and MRK, outperformed TAK in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes.
- AMGN outperformed TAK in every long-term period and in all but one short-term period, the most consistent record in the group.
- LLY, ABBV and GILD earned more for the risk they took than TAK (a higher Sharpe ratio) and fell less in their worst decline of the past 10 years.

| Investment | 1Y return | 3Y return | 5Y return | 10Y return | Periods ahead of TAK | Verdict | Sharpe |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TAK: Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (this page) | +48.2% | +56.1% | +75.1% | +30.4% |  |  | 0.68 |
| [AMGN](https://easycompare.io/research/amgn): Amgen Inc. | +48.7% | +72.2% | +145% | +266% | 4/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | all-weather | 0.85 |
| [LLY](https://easycompare.io/research/lly): Eli Lilly and Company | +59.7% | +124% | +451% | +1,807% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 1.21 |
| [MRK](https://easycompare.io/research/mrk): Merck & Co., Inc. | +76.8% | +58.3% | +113% | +241% | 3/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term | consistent | 0.74 |
| [ABBV](https://easycompare.io/research/abbv): AbbVie Inc. | +28.3% | +118% | +218% | +603% | 2/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 1.11 |
| [NVS](https://easycompare.io/research/nvs): Novartis AG | +18.8% | +75.9% | +121% | +226% | 0/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.87 |
| [GILD](https://easycompare.io/research/gild): Gilead Sciences, Inc. | +30.3% | +121% | +180% | +200% | 0/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.95 |
| [JNJ](https://easycompare.io/research/jnj): Johnson & Johnson | +36.9% | +84.6% | +82.1% | +196% | 0/5 short-term, 3/3 long-term |  | 0.76 |
| [VRTX](https://easycompare.io/research/vrtx): Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | +22.8% | +42.2% | +177% | +521% | 0/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.85 |
| XBI: State Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETF | +39.7% | +130% | +25.1% | +159% | 0/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.30 |
| [GSK](https://easycompare.io/research/gsk): GSK plc | +18.9% | +60.0% | +57.2% | +95.1% | 0/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.49 |
| [ARGX](https://easycompare.io/research/argx): argenx SE | +2.4% | +83.1% | +194% | — | 0/5 short-term, 2/3 long-term |  | 0.74 |
| [IQV](https://easycompare.io/research/iqv): IQVIA Holdings Inc. | +26.3% | +45.3% | +6.5% | +260% | 2/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.21 |
| [PFE](https://easycompare.io/research/pfe): Pfizer Inc. | +30.5% | +19.2% | −8.3% | +55.0% | 1/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.06 |
| ALNY: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | −53.0% | +42.6% | +13.2% | +514% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.29 |
| [AZN](https://easycompare.io/research/azn): AstraZeneca PLC | +1.8% | +38.8% | +52.1% | +257% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.41 |
| [NVO](https://easycompare.io/research/nvo): Novo Nordisk A/S | −28.5% | −57.0% | −18.5% | +134% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.09 |
| [REGN](https://easycompare.io/research/regn): Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | +40.7% | +0.8% | +44.9% | +120% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.40 |
| [BMY](https://easycompare.io/research/bmy): Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | +47.8% | +25.8% | +30.6% | +74.8% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.34 |
| [SNY](https://easycompare.io/research/sny): Sanofi | −13.4% | −10.0% | +3.0% | +61.5% | 0/5 short-term, 1/3 long-term |  | 0.15 |
| BIIB: Biogen Inc. | +65.8% | −5.6% | −8.8% | −18.9% | 5/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | 0.11 |
| BMRN: BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. | +6.3% | −31.3% | −24.9% | −33.0% | 0/5 short-term, 0/3 long-term |  | -0.01 |

### How did TAK do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 2009, along with where TAK ranked among its popular alternatives each year.

- Among its popular alternatives, ARGX came out ahead of TAK most often, in seven of the eight years both traded.
- Ranked against its popular alternatives each year, TAK finished in the top quarter in three of 17 years and in the bottom quarter in eight. In 2025, it ranked 12 of 22.
- TAK finished ahead of the S&P 500 in five of its 17 full calendar years.

| Year | TAK | SPY |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2025 | +22.7% | +17.7% |
| 2024 | −3.2% | +24.9% |
| 2023 | −4.8% | +26.2% |
| 2022 | +20.1% | −18.2% |
| 2021 | −21.6% | +28.7% |
| 2020 | −3.0% | +18.3% |
| 2019 | +22.1% | +31.2% |
| 2018 | −38.8% | −4.6% |
| 2017 | +41.3% | +21.7% |
| 2016 | −14.0% | +12.0% |

## Risk and diversification

How TAK has fallen, how it held up in crashes beside the S&P 500 and its popular alternatives, and what moves independently of it.

### What were TAK's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high.

- In four of TAK's five worst declines, the S&P 500 held up better over the same dates.
- Not every decline was the market's doing: TAK fell 22.0% from March 2015 to December 2016, while the S&P 500 rose 12.5%.
- The slowest recovery came after TAK fell 46.7% from May 2008 to March 2009; it did not regain that peak until January 2013, four years later.

| Decline | Peak | Low | Back at the high | SPY over the same dates | Market event |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| −54.4% | January 26, 2018 | March 18, 2020 | not yet | −13.1% | late-2018 sell-off |
| −46.7% | May 30, 2008 | March 9, 2009 | January 15, 2013 | −50.5% | 2008 financial crisis |
| −22.0% | March 6, 2015 | December 8, 2016 | May 17, 2017 | +12.5% | 2015 China and oil sell-off |
| −21.7% | April 25, 2013 | December 16, 2014 | March 3, 2015 | +28.6% |  |
| −8.9% | March 27, 2013 | April 2, 2013 | April 24, 2013 | +0.4% |  |

### How did TAK do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far TAK, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000.

- Among its popular alternatives, JNJ held up best, falling less than TAK in five of the eight crashes they both traded through.
- TAK began trading after the 2008 financial crisis, but 18 of its popular alternatives lived through it. The mildest fall among them was AMGN's 31.3%, against 55.2% for the S&P 500.
- TAK fell less than the S&P 500 in four of the eight crashes it has traded through. The clearest case was the 2011 euro debt crisis, when TAK fell 5.6% and the S&P 500 fell 17.9%.

| Crash | Dates | TAK fall | SPY fall |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Dot-com bust | March 10, 2000 to October 9, 2002 | not trading | −47.5% |
| Global financial crisis | October 9, 2007 to March 9, 2009 | not trading | −55.2% |
| Flash crash | May 6, 2010 to May 7, 2010 | −3.7% | −1.5% |
| Euro debt crisis | July 22, 2011 to October 3, 2011 | −5.6% | −17.9% |
| China devaluation & oil rout | August 10, 2015 to February 11, 2016 | −17.0% | −12.8% |
| Volmageddon | February 2, 2018 to February 9, 2018 | −6.5% | −6.5% |
| Q4 2018 selloff | September 21, 2018 to December 24, 2018 | −27.9% | −19.3% |
| COVID crash | February 19, 2020 to March 23, 2020 | −31.5% | −33.7% |
| 2022 bear market | January 4, 2022 to October 12, 2022 | −14.8% | −24.5% |
| SVB / regional bank stress | March 8, 2023 to March 13, 2023 | −0.6% | −3.4% |

### How closely does TAK move with the S&P 500?

Upside capture measures how much of the S&P 500's gains an investment kept in the months the market rose, and downside capture how much of its losses it took in the months the market fell.

- Over the past 10 years, TAK captured 34% of the S&P 500's gains in rising months and 58% of its losses in falling months, with a beta of 0.44. Its share of the market's losses was larger than its share of the gains.
- 18 of the 20 popular alternatives had a higher capture ratio (upside capture divided by downside capture) than TAK's 0.58, led by LLY, VRTX and ABBV.
- LLY took just 6% of the S&P 500's losses, against 58% for TAK, while still keeping 101% of its gains.

Measured over the past 10 years of monthly returns against SPY.

| Investment | Upside capture | Downside capture | Beta |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| TAK: Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (this page) | 34.0% | 58.0% | 0.44 |
| [AMGN](https://easycompare.io/research/amgn): Amgen Inc. | 74.0% | 64.0% | 0.54 |
| [LLY](https://easycompare.io/research/lly): Eli Lilly and Company | 101% | 6.0% | 0.37 |
| [MRK](https://easycompare.io/research/mrk): Merck & Co., Inc. | 64.0% | 46.0% | 0.30 |
| [ABBV](https://easycompare.io/research/abbv): AbbVie Inc. | 92.0% | 57.0% | 0.54 |
| [NVS](https://easycompare.io/research/nvs): Novartis AG | 69.0% | 64.0% | 0.49 |
| [GILD](https://easycompare.io/research/gild): Gilead Sciences, Inc. | 52.0% | 36.0% | 0.35 |
| [JNJ](https://easycompare.io/research/jnj): Johnson & Johnson | 64.0% | 53.0% | 0.46 |
| [VRTX](https://easycompare.io/research/vrtx): Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | 87.0% | 50.0% | 0.46 |
| XBI: State Street SPDR S&P Biotech ETF | 93.0% | 122% | 1.01 |
| [GSK](https://easycompare.io/research/gsk): GSK plc | 51.0% | 61.0% | 0.52 |
| [IQV](https://easycompare.io/research/iqv): IQVIA Holdings Inc. | 128% | 167% | 1.31 |
| [PFE](https://easycompare.io/research/pfe): Pfizer Inc. | 52.0% | 81.0% | 0.54 |
| ALNY: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 92.0% | 93.0% | 0.73 |
| [AZN](https://easycompare.io/research/azn): AstraZeneca PLC | 60.0% | 39.0% | 0.39 |
| [NVO](https://easycompare.io/research/nvo): Novo Nordisk A/S | 75.0% | 94.0% | 0.60 |
| [REGN](https://easycompare.io/research/regn): Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | 55.0% | 66.0% | 0.19 |
| [BMY](https://easycompare.io/research/bmy): Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | 55.0% | 75.0% | 0.41 |
| [SNY](https://easycompare.io/research/sny): Sanofi | 53.0% | 74.0% | 0.46 |
| BIIB: Biogen Inc. | 35.0% | 91.0% | 0.28 |
| BMRN: BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. | 20.0% | 70.0% | 0.38 |

### What diversifies TAK?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions).

- Moving a fifth of the money in TAK into SPMO would have cut the portfolio's volatility by 21% over the past 5 years and raised its annual return (+6.5% for TAK alone, +10.2% for the mix).
- SMH made money in eight of the nine calendar years in which TAK lost money.
- Among large ETFs, LVHI, DXJ and EMLP have moved largely independently of TAK over the past 5 years, with correlations of 0.40 or lower, and each still earned a positive 5-year return.

| Investment | Correlation with TAK | 5Y return | Volatility | Sharpe | Rose in TAK's 9 down years |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| LVHI: Franklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF | 0.40 | +119% | 11.1% | 1.48 | 3 of 9 |
| DXJ: WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund | 0.09 | +225% | 19.1% | 1.34 | 7 of 9 |
| EMLP: First Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund | 0.15 | +101% | 14.5% | 1.04 | 5 of 9 |
| HDV: iShares Core High Dividend ETF | 0.38 | +83.3% | 13.0% | 1.00 | 5 of 9 |
| [SMH](https://easycompare.io/research/smh): VanEck Semiconductor ETF | -0.13 | +323% | 36.9% | 0.97 | 8 of 9 |
| DBEF: Xtrackers MSCI EAFE Hedged Equity ETF | 0.15 | +85.0% | 13.8% | 0.96 | 6 of 9 |
| [GLD](https://easycompare.io/research/gld): SPDR Gold Shares | 0.30 | +126% | 18.9% | 0.96 | 6 of 9 |
| SPMO: Invesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF | -0.16 | +136% | 20.8% | 0.93 | 5 of 9 |

## Common questions

### What was TAK's worst drawdown?

TAK's deepest decline since it began trading in 2008 was 54.4%, from January 2018 to March 2020. It has not yet climbed back to that peak. Because TAK launched in March 2008, that record does not include the dot-com bust.

### What were TAK's best and worst years?

Over 17 full calendar years, TAK's best year was 2017, when it returned 41.3%. Its worst was 2018, with a return of -38.8%.

### Is there a better investment than TAK?

Among TAK's popular alternatives, LLY earned more for the risk it took than TAK over the past 5 years, and its worst fall in 10 years was 34.5%, against 54.4% for TAK. Looking beyond its popular alternatives, CAH (health care distribution) earned more for the risk it took than TAK over the past 5 years, and its worst fall in 10 years was 46.1%, against 54.4% for TAK.

### Is TAK more volatile than the S&P 500?

Yes. TAK's volatility over the past 5 years was 19.4%, 1.1 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, TAK's return lands within 19.4% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

### What is TAK's Sharpe ratio?

TAK's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.68, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so TAK earned less for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings.

### How correlated is TAK with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, TAK's monthly returns had a correlation of -0.07 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They are close to unrelated, or move in opposite directions, so it can steady a stock portfolio. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against TAK instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a TAK holding.

### What are the best alternatives to TAK?

Of the 21 popular alternatives we compared, three outperformed TAK in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: AMGN, LLY and MRK.

### Did TAK outperform the S&P 500?

TAK finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in five of 17 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +22.7%, against +17.7% for the index.

### How did TAK do in stock market crashes?

TAK fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in four of the eight major crashes it has traded through, and further in three. The clearest case was the 2011 euro debt crisis, when TAK fell 5.6% and the S&P 500 fell 17.9%.

### What diversifies TAK?

These had a low correlation with TAK over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.40), DXJ (correlation 0.09) and EMLP (correlation 0.15); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.14), CLS (correlation -0.33) and FIX (correlation -0.28). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

## More research

- [Amgen (AMGN) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/amgn)
- [Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/lly)
- [Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/mrk)
- [AbbVie (ABBV) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/abbv)
- [Novartis (NVS) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/nvs)
- [Gilead Sciences (GILD) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/gild)
- [Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/jnj)
- [Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/vrtx)
- [GSK Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/gsk)
- [argenx (ARGX) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/argx)
- [IQVIA (IQV) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/iqv)
- [Pfizer (PFE) Performance, Alternatives and Market Rank](https://easycompare.io/research/pfe)

## Explore further

- Full page with charts: https://easycompare.io/research/tak
- All research pages: https://easycompare.io/llms.txt
- Compare the entire market against TAK live: https://betterthanspy.com/?b=TAK&utm_source=easycompare&utm_medium=research