BCV vs ECF: Correlation
How closely do Bancroft Fund, Ltd. (BCV) and Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd. (ECF) trade together? Their weekly returns over three years give a correlation of 0.87, which is very strong.
Data as of 2026-08-27 · refreshed every trading day · weekly returns · methodology
How correlated are BCV and ECF?
Over the past 3 years, BCV and ECF moved with a correlation of 0.87, which is very strong, meaning they move nearly in lockstep. Little has changed lately, as the 1-year reading of 0.88 lands near the 3-year figure. Over 5 years the correlation is 0.90, and the annualized covariance of weekly returns is 252.6 %².
In BCV's tracked universe of 20 assets, ECF sits right near the top at #1. On 12-month performance BCV holds a 5.4-point edge, +28.3% against +22.9%.
How is this computed?
Pearson correlation on weekly returns: ρ(A,B) = cov(rA, rB) / (σA · σB), over windows of 52, 156 and 260 weeks. Covariance is annualized (×52) and expressed in %². Full definitions on the methodology page.
BCV vs ECF: side by side
| BCV (Bancroft Fund, Ltd.) | ECF (Ellsworth Growth and Income Fund Ltd.) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year return | +28.3% | +22.9% |
| 5-year return | +22.7% | +25.8% |
| Volatility (ann.) | 17.6% | 16.5% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.68 | 0.71 |
| Max drawdown (3Y) | -14.6% | -16.8% |
| Market cap | $0.1B | $0.2B |
| P/E (trailing) | 3.7 | 3.9 |
| Dividend yield | 5.42% | 7.38% |
| Sector / category | US Listed | US Listed |
Year-by-year returns
| Year | BCV | ECF |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -33.7% | -31.6% |
| 2023 | +5.6% | +8.0% |
| 2024 | +19.8% | +27.5% |
| 2025 | +33.4% | +30.0% |
| 2026 | +16.1% | +10.6% |
Calendar-year price returns; the current year is year-to-date as of the data date above.
Are BCV and ECF good diversifiers for each other?
No. With a correlation of 0.87, BCV and ECF move nearly in lockstep, so holding both adds very little diversification.
FAQ
What is the correlation between BCV and ECF?
Using weekly returns as of 2026-08-27: 0.87 over 3 years, with 0.88 over the last year and 0.90 over 5 years.
Is ECF a good diversifier for BCV?
No. With a correlation of 0.87, BCV and ECF move nearly in lockstep, so holding both adds very little diversification.
What does a correlation of 0.87 mean?
A reading of 0.87 sits on a scale from −1 (opposite moves) through 0 (unrelated) to +1 (identical moves). Correlation captures direction, not magnitude or performance.
Use this data
$ curl https://www.pairbook.io/api/v1/pairs/bcv-vs-ecf.json
Embed this badge (it refreshes with the data), with attribution:
[](https://www.pairbook.io/pair/bcv-vs-ecf/)
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Related comparisons
Hubs: BCV correlations · ECF correlations
