BAFWX vs. ^GSPC

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth Fund Institutional Shares (BAFWX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC).

BAFWX is managed by Brown Advisory Funds. It was launched on Jun 29, 2012.

Performance

BAFWX vs. ^GSPC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth Fund Institutional Shares (BAFWX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

BAFWX vs. ^GSPC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
BAFWX Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth Fund Institutional Shares	-12.45%	3.35%	20.35%	39.07%	-30.90%	30.01%	39.09%	36.09%	4.51%	28.10%
^GSPC S&P 500 Index	-3.95%	16.39%	23.31%	24.23%	-19.44%	26.89%	16.26%	28.88%	-6.24%	19.42%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BAFWX achieves a -12.45% return, which is significantly lower than ^GSPC's -3.95% return. Over the past 10 years, BAFWX has outperformed ^GSPC with an annualized return of 13.77%, while ^GSPC has yielded a comparatively lower 12.24% annualized return.

BAFWX

• 1D: 3.28%
• 1M: -4.61%
• YTD: -12.45%
• 6M: -15.24%
• 1Y: -0.19%
• 3Y*: 9.80%
• 5Y*: 5.96%
• 10Y*: 13.77%

^GSPC

• 1D: 0.72%
• 1M: -4.45%
• YTD: -3.95%
• 6M: -2.02%
• 1Y: 16.73%
• 3Y*: 16.96%
• 5Y*: 10.34%
• 10Y*: 12.24%

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

Return for Risk

BAFWX vs. ^GSPC — Risk / Return Rank

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

BAFWX

BAFWX Risk / Return Rank: 6
BAFWX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 5
BAFWX Sortino Ratio Rank: 5
BAFWX Omega Ratio Rank: 5
BAFWX Calmar Ratio Rank: 6
BAFWX Martin Ratio Rank: 6

^GSPC

^GSPC Risk / Return Rank: 67
^GSPC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
^GSPC Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
^GSPC Omega Ratio Rank: 69
^GSPC Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
^GSPC Martin Ratio Rank: 77

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.

BAFWX vs. ^GSPC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth Fund Institutional Shares (BAFWX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). 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.

	BAFWX	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.02	0.92	-0.89
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.20	1.41	-1.22
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.03	1.21	-0.19
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.03	1.41	-1.38
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.09	6.61	-6.53
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BAFWX vs. ^GSPC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BAFWX Sharpe Ratio is 0.02, which is lower than the ^GSPC Sharpe Ratio of 0.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BAFWX and ^GSPC, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	BAFWX	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.02	0.92	-0.89
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.27	0.61	-0.35
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64	0.68	-0.04
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.72	0.46	+0.27

Correlation

The correlation between BAFWX and ^GSPC is 0.90, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Drawdowns

BAFWX vs. ^GSPC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BAFWX drawdown since its inception was -36.86%, smaller than the maximum ^GSPC drawdown of -56.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BAFWX and ^GSPC.

Drawdown Indicators

	BAFWX	^GSPC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.86%	-56.78%	+19.92%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-19.93%	-12.14%	-7.79%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.86%	-25.43%	-11.43%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.86%	-33.92%	-2.94%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-17.22%	-5.78%	-11.44%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.69%	-10.75%	+5.06%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.96%	2.60%	+4.36%

Volatility

BAFWX vs. ^GSPC - Volatility Comparison

Brown Advisory Sustainable Growth Fund Institutional Shares (BAFWX) has a higher volatility of 6.50% compared to S&P 500 Index (^GSPC) at 5.37%. This indicates that BAFWX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ^GSPC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BAFWX	^GSPC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.50%	5.37%	+1.13%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.97%	9.55%	+3.42%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.91%	18.33%	+4.58%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	22.60%	16.90%	+5.70%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.44%	18.05%	+3.39%