AOA vs. VSMGX
AOA (iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF) and VSMGX (Vanguard LifeStrategy 60/40 Fund) are both funds - AOA is a Diversified Portfolio fund tracking the S&P Target Risk Aggressive Index, while VSMGX is a Allocation--50% to 70% Equity fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, AOA returned 10.91%/yr vs 8.91%/yr for VSMGX. Their correlation of 0.95 suggests significant overlap in exposure. AOA charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for VSMGX.
Performance
AOA vs. VSMGX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AOA achieves a 9.88% return, which is significantly higher than VSMGX's 7.95% return. Over the past 10 years, AOA has outperformed VSMGX with an annualized return of 10.91%, while VSMGX has yielded a comparatively lower 8.91% annualized return.
AOA
- 1D
- -0.12%
- 1M
- 1.38%
- YTD
- 9.88%
- 6M
- 9.74%
- 1Y
- 24.31%
- 3Y*
- 17.27%
- 5Y*
- 9.26%
- 10Y*
- 10.91%
VSMGX
- 1D
- 0.81%
- 1M
- 1.44%
- YTD
- 7.95%
- 6M
- 7.93%
- 1Y
- 19.41%
- 3Y*
- 15.25%
- 5Y*
- 7.92%
- 10Y*
- 8.91%
AOA vs. VSMGX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AOA iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF | 9.88% | 19.59% | 13.55% | 18.27% | -16.23% | 15.42% | 12.82% | 22.60% | -7.86% | 20.05% |
VSMGX Vanguard LifeStrategy 60/40 Fund | 7.95% | 16.26% | 15.03% | 15.70% | -16.01% | 10.08% | 13.59% | 19.37% | -4.91% | 13.66% |
Correlation
The correlation between AOA and VSMGX is 0.98 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.98 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.96 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 11, 2008 | 0.95 |
The correlation between AOA and VSMGX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.95 to 0.98 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
AOA vs. VSMGX — Risk / Return Rank
AOA
VSMGX
AOA vs. VSMGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF (AOA) and Vanguard LifeStrategy 60/40 Fund (VSMGX). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AOA | VSMGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.01 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.06 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.41 | 1.42 | -0.01 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.98 | 2.89 | +0.08 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.96 | 12.39 | +0.57 |
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Drawdowns
AOA vs. VSMGX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AOA drawdown since its inception was -28.38%, smaller than the maximum VSMGX drawdown of -41.13%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AOA and VSMGX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AOA | VSMGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -28.38% | -41.13% | +12.75% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.20% | -6.64% | -1.56% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -12.94% | -9.62% | -3.32% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -23.62% | -22.29% | -1.33% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.38% | -22.43% | -5.95% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.55% | -0.27% | -0.28% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -4.04% | -4.83% | +0.79% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.88% | 1.55% | +0.33% |
Volatility
AOA vs. VSMGX - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF (AOA) has a higher volatility of 4.13% compared to Vanguard LifeStrategy 60/40 Fund (VSMGX) at 3.57%. This indicates that AOA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VSMGX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AOA | VSMGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.13% | 3.57% | +0.56% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.22% | 7.32% | +1.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.15% | 8.71% | +2.44% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.07% | 10.27% | +2.80% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 13.58% | 10.40% | +3.18% |
AOA vs. VSMGX - Expense Ratio Comparison
AOA has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is higher than VSMGX's 0.10% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
AOA vs. VSMGX - Dividend Comparison
AOA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.05%, less than VSMGX's 4.86% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AOA iShares Core 80/20 Aggressive Allocation ETF | 2.05% | 2.18% | 2.30% | 2.22% | 2.10% | 1.67% | 1.71% | 2.50% | 2.37% | 5.09% | 2.26% | 2.15% |
VSMGX Vanguard LifeStrategy 60/40 Fund | 4.86% | 5.25% | 11.49% | 4.01% | 2.66% | 3.86% | 3.46% | 2.52% | 4.11% | 1.09% | 2.26% | 3.89% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.98, AOA and VSMGX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
AOA has higher volatility (4.13%) compared to VSMGX (3.57%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AOA dropped -28.38% vs VSMGX's -41.13%.
VSMGX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.20 vs 2.19), 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.
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