AHSAX vs. ALAFX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

AHSAX (Alger Health Sciences Fund) and ALAFX (Alger Focus Equity A Fund) are both mutual funds - AHSAX is a Health & Biotech Equities fund managed by Alger, while ALAFX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Alger. Over the past 10 years, AHSAX returned 8.16%/yr vs 21.77%/yr for ALAFX. A 0.68 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. AHSAX charges 1.05%/yr vs 0.95%/yr for ALAFX.

Performance

AHSAX vs. ALAFX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Alger Health Sciences Fund (AHSAX) and Alger Focus Equity A Fund (ALAFX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AHSAX achieves a -2.06% return, which is significantly lower than ALAFX's 17.12% return. Over the past 10 years, AHSAX has underperformed ALAFX with an annualized return of 8.16%, while ALAFX has yielded a comparatively higher 21.77% annualized return.

AHSAX

• 1D: -2.70%
• 1M: -2.28%
• YTD: -2.06%
• 6M: -1.19%
• 1Y: 21.16%
• 3Y*: 2.76%
• 5Y*: -1.74%
• 10Y*: 8.16%

ALAFX

• 1D: -0.55%
• 1M: 8.94%
• YTD: 17.12%
• 6M: 16.71%
• 1Y: 50.29%
• 3Y*: 41.58%
• 5Y*: 20.81%
• 10Y*: 21.77%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AHSAX vs. ALAFX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
AHSAX Alger Health Sciences Fund	-2.06%	10.14%	1.17%	-4.26%	-17.04%	3.26%	30.99%	22.02%	5.71%	33.06%
ALAFX Alger Focus Equity A Fund	17.12%	39.65%	51.72%	44.15%	-35.95%	20.00%	45.73%	33.84%	1.33%	28.70%

Correlation

The correlation between AHSAX and ALAFX is 0.41, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.41
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.47
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.59
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.66
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2013	0.68

Over the past year, the correlation between AHSAX and ALAFX has dropped to 0.41 - well below their long-term average of 0.68, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

AHSAX vs. ALAFX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AHSAX

AHSAX Risk / Return Rank: 26
AHSAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 24
AHSAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 24
AHSAX Omega Ratio Rank: 21
AHSAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
AHSAX Martin Ratio Rank: 29

ALAFX

ALAFX Risk / Return Rank: 57
ALAFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 71
ALAFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
ALAFX Omega Ratio Rank: 51
ALAFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
ALAFX Martin Ratio Rank: 49

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AHSAX vs. ALAFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Alger Health Sciences Fund (AHSAX) and Alger Focus Equity A Fund (ALAFX). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	AHSAX	ALAFX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.40	2.45	-1.06
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.04	3.09	-1.05
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.39	-0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.20	2.98	-0.78
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.85	10.12	-3.27
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AHSAX vs. ALAFX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AHSAX Sharpe Ratio is 1.40, which is lower than the ALAFX Sharpe Ratio of 2.45. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AHSAX and ALAFX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AHSAX	ALAFX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.40	2.45	-1.06
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.07	0.80	-0.87
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.35	0.91	-0.56
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.32	0.90	-0.59

Drawdowns

AHSAX vs. ALAFX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AHSAX drawdown since its inception was -46.23%, which is greater than ALAFX's maximum drawdown of -43.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AHSAX and ALAFX.

Drawdown Indicators

	AHSAX	ALAFX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-46.23%	-43.65%	-2.58%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.67%	-17.58%	+7.91%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.11%	-26.96%	+3.85%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-45.04%	-43.65%	-1.39%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-45.04%	-43.65%	-1.39%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-28.77%	-0.55%	-28.22%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-14.71%	-7.68%	-7.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.10%	5.16%	-2.06%

Volatility

AHSAX vs. ALAFX - Volatility Comparison

Alger Health Sciences Fund (AHSAX) has a higher volatility of 5.42% compared to Alger Focus Equity A Fund (ALAFX) at 5.00%. This indicates that AHSAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ALAFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AHSAX	ALAFX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.42%	5.00%	+0.42%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.88%	16.02%	-4.14%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.23%	21.37%	-6.14%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.15%	26.17%	-2.02%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.33%	23.99%	-0.66%

AHSAX vs. ALAFX - Expense Ratio Comparison

AHSAX has a 1.05% expense ratio, which is higher than ALAFX's 0.95% expense ratio.

Dividends

AHSAX vs. ALAFX - Dividend Comparison

AHSAX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while ALAFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.75%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
AHSAX Alger Health Sciences Fund	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	27.18%	11.68%	6.98%	7.82%
ALAFX Alger Focus Equity A Fund	6.75%	7.91%	0.00%	0.10%	0.06%	14.09%	6.28%	1.98%	5.41%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AHSAX and ALAFX in my portfolio?

AHSAX and ALAFX have a correlation of 0.41, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AHSAX or ALAFX?

AHSAX has higher volatility (5.42%) compared to ALAFX (5.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AHSAX dropped -46.23% vs ALAFX's -43.65%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ALAFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.45 vs 1.40), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.