EFV vs. FBALX
EFV (iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF) and FBALX (Fidelity Balanced Fund) are both funds - EFV is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE Value Index, while FBALX is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by Fidelity. EFV is passively managed, while FBALX is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, EFV returned 10.55%/yr vs 11.70%/yr for FBALX. A 0.79 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. EFV charges 0.39%/yr vs 0.46%/yr for FBALX.
Performance
EFV vs. FBALX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, EFV achieves a 10.56% return, which is significantly higher than FBALX's 8.71% return. Over the past 10 years, EFV has underperformed FBALX with an annualized return of 10.55%, while FBALX has yielded a comparatively higher 11.70% annualized return.
EFV
- 1D
- 0.48%
- 1M
- 0.52%
- YTD
- 10.56%
- 6M
- 12.39%
- 1Y
- 27.62%
- 3Y*
- 21.79%
- 5Y*
- 12.36%
- 10Y*
- 10.55%
FBALX
- 1D
- 1.52%
- 1M
- -0.11%
- YTD
- 8.71%
- 6M
- 9.51%
- 1Y
- 21.68%
- 3Y*
- 15.96%
- 5Y*
- 8.88%
- 10Y*
- 11.70%
EFV vs. FBALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EFV iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF | 10.56% | 42.22% | 5.35% | 18.85% | -5.22% | 11.08% | -2.97% | 15.80% | -14.67% | 21.22% |
FBALX Fidelity Balanced Fund | 8.71% | 15.11% | 16.09% | 20.31% | -18.29% | 18.27% | 22.45% | 24.40% | -3.98% | 16.52% |
Correlation
The correlation between EFV and FBALX is 0.68, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.62 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.68 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 5, 2005 | 0.79 |
The correlation between EFV and FBALX shifts across timeframes, from 0.62 (3 years) to 0.79 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
EFV vs. FBALX — Risk / Return Rank
EFV
FBALX
EFV vs. FBALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (EFV) and Fidelity Balanced Fund (FBALX). 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.
| EFV | FBALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.55 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.74 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.47 | -0.13 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.55 | 3.44 | -0.89 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.40 | 16.08 | -6.68 |
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Drawdowns
EFV vs. FBALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum EFV drawdown since its inception was -63.94%, which is greater than FBALX's maximum drawdown of -43.57%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for EFV and FBALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| EFV | FBALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.94% | -43.57% | -20.37% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.90% | -6.47% | -4.43% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.72% | -12.88% | -0.84% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.84% | -22.89% | -2.95% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.16% | -26.68% | -16.48% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.24% | -1.44% | +0.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -14.81% | -4.37% | -10.44% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.96% | 1.38% | +1.58% |
Volatility
EFV vs. FBALX - Volatility Comparison
iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (EFV) has a higher volatility of 4.62% compared to Fidelity Balanced Fund (FBALX) at 3.69%. This indicates that EFV's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FBALX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| EFV | FBALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.62% | 3.69% | +0.93% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.98% | 7.41% | +4.57% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 14.58% | 9.06% | +5.52% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.02% | 12.24% | +3.78% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.85% | 12.81% | +5.04% |
EFV vs. FBALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
EFV has a 0.39% expense ratio, which is lower than FBALX's 0.46% expense ratio.
Dividends
EFV vs. FBALX - Dividend Comparison
EFV's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.76%, less than FBALX's 5.22% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EFV iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF | 3.76% | 4.16% | 4.66% | 4.36% | 4.17% | 4.07% | 2.42% | 4.62% | 4.56% | 3.56% | 3.28% | 3.59% |
FBALX Fidelity Balanced Fund | 5.22% | 5.69% | 5.67% | 2.28% | 8.06% | 9.66% | 5.90% | 4.24% | 10.99% | 7.90% | 3.07% | 7.70% |
Frequently Asked Questions
EFV and FBALX have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
EFV has higher volatility (4.62%) compared to FBALX (3.69%). In terms of maximum drawdown, EFV dropped -63.94% vs FBALX's -43.57%.
FBALX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.45 vs 1.90), 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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