BDAFX vs. VRGWX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

BDAFX (Baron Durable Advantage Fund Retail Shares) and VRGWX (Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares) are both Large Cap Growth Equities funds. BDAFX is actively managed, while VRGWX is passively managed. Over the past 5 years, BDAFX returned 12.25%/yr vs 12.46%/yr for VRGWX. Their correlation of 0.94 means they have usually moved in the same direction. BDAFX charges 0.95%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for VRGWX.

Performance

BDAFX vs. VRGWX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Baron Durable Advantage Fund Retail Shares (BDAFX) and Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VRGWX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, BDAFX achieves a 2.59% return, which is significantly higher than VRGWX's -0.51% return.

BDAFX

• 1D: 2.59%
• 1M: -0.50%
• 6M: 0.87%
• YTD: 2.59%
• 1Y: 7.88%
• 3Y*: 17.91%
• 5Y*: 12.25%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 17.47%

VRGWX

• 1D: 2.96%
• 1M: -3.22%
• 6M: 1.02%
• YTD: -0.51%
• 1Y: 9.23%
• 3Y*: 18.85%
• 5Y*: 12.46%
• 10Y*: 17.69%
• ALL TIME*: 16.56%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
BDAFX Baron Durable Advantage Fund Retail Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VRGWX Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

BDAFX vs. VRGWX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
BDAFX Baron Durable Advantage Fund Retail Shares	2.59%	16.25%	26.87%	45.11%	-24.99%	31.79%	20.11%	27.13%
VRGWX Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares	-0.51%	18.32%	33.25%	42.65%	-29.18%	32.42%	38.38%	21.37%

Correlation

The correlation between BDAFX and VRGWX is 0.90, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.90
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.92
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 19, 2019	0.94

The correlation between BDAFX and VRGWX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.90 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

BDAFX vs. VRGWX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

BDAFX

BDAFX Risk / Return Rank: 10
BDAFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 10
BDAFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 10
BDAFX Omega Ratio Rank: 10
BDAFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
BDAFX Martin Ratio Rank: 12

VRGWX

VRGWX Risk / Return Rank: 11
VRGWX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 12
VRGWX Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
VRGWX Omega Ratio Rank: 11
VRGWX Calmar Ratio Rank: 11
VRGWX Martin Ratio Rank: 11

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

BDAFX vs. VRGWX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Baron Durable Advantage Fund Retail Shares (BDAFX) and Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VRGWX). 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.

	BDAFX	VRGWX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.37	0.41	-0.04
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	0.63	0.69	-0.06
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	1.08	-0.01
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.43	0.45	-0.02
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	1.52	1.34	+0.18

BDAFX vs. VRGWX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BDAFX Sharpe Ratio is 0.37, which is comparable to the VRGWX Sharpe Ratio of 0.41. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BDAFX and VRGWX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

BDAFX vs. VRGWX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BDAFX drawdown since its inception was -33.59%, roughly equal to the maximum VRGWX drawdown of -32.70%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BDAFX and VRGWX.

Drawdown Indicators

	BDAFX	VRGWX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.59%	-32.70%	-0.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.85%	-16.19%	+1.34%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.82%	-23.44%	+1.62%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-30.44%	-32.70%	+2.26%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-32.70%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.10%	-8.72%	+4.62%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.81%	-4.88%	-0.93%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.19%	5.38%	-1.19%

Volatility

BDAFX vs. VRGWX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Baron Durable Advantage Fund Retail Shares (BDAFX) is 4.84%, while Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares (VRGWX) has a volatility of 6.40%. This indicates that BDAFX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VRGWX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BDAFX	VRGWX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.84%	6.40%	-1.56%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.64%	14.06%	-0.42%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.35%	17.50%	-0.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.49%	21.94%	-1.45%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.92%	21.29%	+0.63%

BDAFX vs. VRGWX - Expense Ratio Comparison

BDAFX has a 0.95% expense ratio, which is higher than VRGWX's 0.05% expense ratio.

Dividends

BDAFX vs. VRGWX - Dividend Comparison

BDAFX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while VRGWX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.49%.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BDAFX Baron Durable Advantage Fund Retail Shares	0.00%	0.00%	0.01%	0.00%	0.00%	0.33%	0.12%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VRGWX Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund Institutional Shares	0.49%	0.35%	0.56%	0.71%	0.99%	4.18%	0.77%	1.03%	1.22%	1.22%	1.52%	1.51%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BDAFX and VRGWX in my portfolio?

BDAFX and VRGWX have a correlation of 0.90, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, BDAFX or VRGWX?

VRGWX has higher volatility (6.40%) compared to BDAFX (4.84%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BDAFX dropped -33.59% vs VRGWX's -32.70%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VRGWX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.41 vs 0.37), 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.