BSPPX vs. PARFX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

BSPPX (iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Investor P Shares) and PARFX (T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund) are both mutual funds - BSPPX is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index, while PARFX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by T. Rowe Price. Over the past 5 years, BSPPX returned 13.88%/yr vs 9.06%/yr for PARFX. Their correlation of 0.94 suggests significant overlap in exposure. BSPPX charges 0.35%/yr vs 0.89%/yr for PARFX.

Performance

BSPPX vs. PARFX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Investor P Shares (BSPPX) and T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund (PARFX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with BSPPX having a 11.54% return and PARFX slightly higher at 11.60%.

BSPPX

• 1D: 0.13%
• 1M: 5.77%
• YTD: 11.54%
• 6M: 11.54%
• 1Y: 28.51%
• 3Y*: 22.32%
• 5Y*: 13.88%
• 10Y*: —

PARFX

• 1D: 0.46%
• 1M: 4.62%
• YTD: 11.60%
• 6M: 12.22%
• 1Y: 25.77%
• 3Y*: 18.43%
• 5Y*: 9.06%
• 10Y*: 11.38%

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

BSPPX vs. PARFX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
BSPPX iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Investor P Shares	11.54%	17.46%	24.54%	25.85%	-18.40%	28.23%	18.05%	31.02%	-13.57%
PARFX T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund	11.60%	18.56%	13.90%	20.55%	-19.31%	17.22%	18.32%	25.12%	-11.38%

Correlation

The correlation between BSPPX and PARFX is 0.93, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.93
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.92
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 1, 2018	0.94

The correlation between BSPPX and PARFX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.92 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

BSPPX vs. PARFX — Risk / Return Rank

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

BSPPX

BSPPX Risk / Return Rank: 71
BSPPX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
BSPPX Sortino Ratio Rank: 65
BSPPX Omega Ratio Rank: 65
BSPPX Calmar Ratio Rank: 71
BSPPX Martin Ratio Rank: 81

PARFX

PARFX Risk / Return Rank: 55
PARFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
PARFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 53
PARFX Omega Ratio Rank: 56
PARFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
PARFX Martin Ratio Rank: 59

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.

BSPPX vs. PARFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Investor P Shares (BSPPX) and T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund (PARFX). 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.

	BSPPX	PARFX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.48	2.21	+0.27
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.37	3.07	+0.31
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.45	1.41	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.28	2.68	+0.61
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	15.31	11.85	+3.45
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

BSPPX vs. PARFX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current BSPPX Sharpe Ratio is 2.48, which is comparable to the PARFX Sharpe Ratio of 2.21. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of BSPPX and PARFX, 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

	BSPPX	PARFX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.48	2.21	+0.27
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.83	0.60	+0.22
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.74	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.75	0.47	+0.28

Drawdowns

BSPPX vs. PARFX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum BSPPX drawdown since its inception was -33.76%, smaller than the maximum PARFX drawdown of -53.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for BSPPX and PARFX.

Drawdown Indicators

	BSPPX	PARFX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-33.76%	-53.67%	+19.91%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.95%	-9.77%	+0.82%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.77%	-15.48%	-3.29%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-24.70%	-28.08%	+3.38%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-32.52%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.22%	-7.65%	+2.43%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.92%	2.20%	-0.28%

Volatility

BSPPX vs. PARFX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Investor P Shares (BSPPX) is 2.82%, while T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund (PARFX) has a volatility of 3.52%. This indicates that BSPPX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PARFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	BSPPX	PARFX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.82%	3.52%	-0.70%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.97%	9.57%	-0.60%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.85%	11.85%	0.00%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.88%	15.06%	+1.82%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.73%	15.42%	+4.31%

BSPPX vs. PARFX - Expense Ratio Comparison

BSPPX has a 0.35% expense ratio, which is lower than PARFX's 0.89% expense ratio.

Dividends

BSPPX vs. PARFX - Dividend Comparison

BSPPX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.29%, less than PARFX's 3.42% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BSPPX iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Investor P Shares	1.29%	1.43%	1.12%	1.22%	1.67%	1.53%	1.38%	1.70%	1.35%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
PARFX T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund	3.42%	3.82%	1.69%	4.32%	7.60%	6.77%	4.27%	5.55%	8.33%	2.34%	3.11%	4.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both BSPPX and PARFX in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.93, BSPPX and PARFX 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.

Which is riskier, BSPPX or PARFX?

PARFX has higher volatility (3.52%) compared to BSPPX (2.82%). In terms of maximum drawdown, BSPPX dropped -33.76% vs PARFX's -53.67%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BSPPX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.48 vs 2.21), 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.