AXS Knowledge Leaders ETF (KNO) Performance
KNO total return
Distributions reinvested · as of Oct 23, 2026- YTD
- +22.2% since Dec 31, 2025
- 1 year
- +23.8% total return
- 5 years
- +6.8% a year
- 10 years
- +9.9% a year
- Since first price
- +9.6% a year since 2015
KNO trailing returns vs SPY, QQQ, AGG
| Period | KNO total return | Price only | S&P 500 (SPY) | Nasdaq-100 (QQQ) | U.S. bonds (AGG) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 month | −0.6% | −0.6% | −1.0% | −5.0% | +0.9% |
| 3 months | +1.8% | +1.8% | +3.2% | +1.9% | −0.4% |
| 6 months | +12.9% | +12.9% | +7.8% | +8.4% | −1.5% |
| YTD | +22.2% | +22.2% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 1 year | +23.8% | +22.5% | +14.4% | +15.9% | −1.1% |
| 3 years | +78.3%+21.3%/yr | +71.3% | +87.4%+23.3%/yr | +101.4%+26.3%/yr | +16.6%+5.2%/yr |
| 5 years | +38.6%+6.8%/yr | +30.2% | +79.3%+12.4%/yr | +94.0%+14.2%/yr | −0.8%−0.2%/yr |
| 10 years | +157.3%+9.9%/yr | +132.3% | +315.9%+15.3%/yr | +538.9%+20.4%/yr | +14.0%+1.3%/yr |
| Since inceptionJul 9, 2015 | +180.2%+9.6%/yr | +152.3% | — | — | — |
Total return from adjusted closes (distributions reinvested, before tax). Periods of 3 years or more are also shown annualized. Price only excludes distributions.
Growth of $10,000: KNO vs SPY
From Jul 9, 2015: KNO grew to $28,016, SPY to $44,597.
Year-end values with distributions reinvested, no taxes or trading costs. Start: first common trading day of both funds.
KNO returns by calendar year
8 of 10 full years positive. Best 2017 (+27.8%), worst 2022 (−23.2%). 2026 is year to date.
KNO annual returns table
| Year | KNO | Largest drop | SPY | QQQ | AGG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | +22.2% | −11.7% | +12.3% | +15.1% | −1.0% |
| 2025 | +19.8% | −13.4% | +17.7% | +20.8% | +7.2% |
| 2024 | +5.1% | −10.1% | +24.9% | +25.6% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | +17.4% | −13.8% | +26.2% | +54.9% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | −23.2% | −31.5% | −18.2% | −32.6% | −13.0% |
| 2021 | +13.5% | −7.4% | +28.7% | +27.4% | −1.8% |
| 2020 | +16.8% | −31.6% | +18.3% | +48.6% | +7.5% |
| 2019 | +26.7% | −7.5% | +31.2% | +39.0% | +8.5% |
| 2018 | −12.3% | −21.2% | −4.6% | −0.1% | +0.1% |
| 2017 | +27.8% | −2.5% | +21.7% | +32.7% | +3.6% |
| 2016 | +6.9% | −9.3% | +12.0% | +7.1% | +2.4% |
Largest drop = deepest fall from a high within that calendar year.
Calendar-year return vs largest drop within the year
Most years include a sizable fall at some point even when the year ends higher.
KNO largest drawdowns
Now 4.0% below the high| Peak | Decline | Bottom | Recovered | Fall | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 15, 2021 | −34.1% | Oct 14, 2022 | Sep 19, 2024 | 1.1 years | 3.0 years |
| Jan 17, 2020 | −31.6% | Mar 23, 2020 | Aug 12, 2020 | 2 months | 7 months |
| Jan 26, 2018 | −21.2% | Dec 24, 2018 | Nov 4, 2019 | 11 months | 1.8 years |
| Sep 26, 2024 | −16.8% | Apr 8, 2025 | Jun 10, 2025 | 6 months | 8 months |
| Aug 10, 2015 | −14.2% | Feb 11, 2016 | Apr 18, 2016 | 6 months | 8 months |
| Feb 25, 2026 | −11.7% | Mar 30, 2026 | May 6, 2026 | 33 days | 2 months |
Declines from a closing high (distributions reinvested) of 10% or more. Underwater = time from the peak until the old high was regained.
KNO risk statistics
| Statistic | 3 years | 5 years | 10 years | Since 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annualized return | +19.2% | +7.3% | +9.7% | +9.4% |
| Volatility (annualized) | 14.9% | 17.1% | 15.8% | 15.6% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.96 | 0.29 | 0.52 | 0.52 |
| Sortino ratio | 1.67 | 0.43 | 0.79 | 0.79 |
| Best month | +12.4% | +12.4% | +12.4% | +12.4% |
| Worst month | −8.9% | −8.9% | −11.1% | −11.1% |
| Best 12 months | +34.3% | +34.3% | +53.0% | +53.0% |
| Worst 12 months | +0.9% | −29.4% | −29.4% | −29.4% |
| Positive months | 67% | 58% | 65% | 63% |
| Beta vs S&P 500 | 0.86 | 0.91 | 0.90 | — |
| Correlation with S&P 500 | 0.71 | 0.84 | 0.87 | — |
From monthly total returns. Sharpe and Sortino use 1–3 month T-bills (BIL) as the risk-free rate, so they need history from 2007 on.
KNO rolling returns
| Holding period | Periods | Worst | Median | Best | Positive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-year | 124 | −29.4% | +12.3% | +53.0% | 77% |
| 3-year (a year) | 100 | −1.8% | +8.1% | +21.0% | 94% |
| 5-year (a year) | 76 | +1.4% | +7.3% | +13.5% | 100% |
| 10-year (a year) | 16 | +7.6% | +9.5% | +10.8% | 100% |
Every holding period starting at a month-end since 2015. Returns for 3 years and longer are annualized.
KNO performance overview
AXS Knowledge Leaders ETF (KNO) returned +23.8% over the past year and +9.9% a year over ten years, with distributions reinvested. Since its first recorded price in 2015 it has returned +9.6% a year, turning $10,000 into about $28,016. Over the same year S&P 500 (SPY) returned +14.4%.
The deepest decline was −34.1%, from Sep 15, 2021 to Oct 14, 2022, and it took 1.9 years to get back to the old high. KNO finished 8 of its 10 full calendar years with a gain; the best year was 2017 (+27.8%) and the worst 2022 (−23.2%). Volatility has been 15.6% a year.
Related: KNO chart, KNO dividends. See the KNO overview for the latest quote and fund facts.
KNO performance FAQ
What is the KNO return over the past year?
KNO returned +23.8% over the 12 months to October 23, 2026, including reinvested distributions. On price alone it rose 22.5%.
What is the average annual return of KNO?
KNO has returned +6.8% a year over 5 years, +9.9% a year over 10 years, +9.6% a year since July 9, 2015 (total return, distributions reinvested).
How much would $10,000 invested in KNO be worth?
$10,000 invested in KNO at its first recorded close on July 9, 2015 would be worth about $28,016 on October 23, 2026 with distributions reinvested.
What was the worst year for KNO?
The worst calendar year was 2022, with a total return of −23.2%. The best was 2017 at +27.8%.
What is the biggest drawdown of KNO?
The largest peak-to-trough decline was −34.1% between September 15, 2021 and October 14, 2022. It recovered to the old high on September 19, 2024, 1.9 years after the bottom.
How volatile is KNO?
Over the past 3 years KNO had an annualized volatility of 14.9% and a Sharpe ratio of 0.96 (excess return over 1–3 month T-bills per unit of risk).