FDEGX vs. IEFA
FDEGX (Fidelity Growth Strategies Fund) and IEFA (iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF) are both funds - FDEGX is a Mid Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Fidelity, while IEFA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE IMI Index (Net). Over the past 10 years, FDEGX returned 11.34%/yr vs 9.33%/yr for IEFA. A 0.72 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. FDEGX charges 0.63%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for IEFA.
Performance
FDEGX vs. IEFA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FDEGX achieves a 5.33% return, which is significantly lower than IEFA's 8.58% return. Over the past 10 years, FDEGX has outperformed IEFA with an annualized return of 11.34%, while IEFA has yielded a comparatively lower 9.33% annualized return.
FDEGX
- 1D
- -0.69%
- 1M
- -7.51%
- 6M
- -0.12%
- YTD
- 5.33%
- 1Y
- -5.12%
- 3Y*
- 11.99%
- 5Y*
- 6.04%
- 10Y*
- 11.34%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.48%
IEFA
- 1D
- -0.71%
- 1M
- -1.77%
- 6M
- 4.73%
- YTD
- 8.58%
- 1Y
- 19.92%
- 3Y*
- 15.19%
- 5Y*
- 8.55%
- 10Y*
- 9.33%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.32%
FDEGX vs. IEFA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FDEGX Fidelity Growth Strategies Fund | 5.33% | 2.88% | 26.57% | 20.93% | -26.50% | 21.30% | 29.34% | 36.59% | -6.92% | 21.03% |
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 8.58% | 32.08% | 3.26% | 17.95% | -15.24% | 11.63% | 8.18% | 22.64% | -14.14% | 26.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between FDEGX and IEFA is 0.66, 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 | 0.66 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.65 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.70 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.70 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 24, 2012 | 0.72 |
The correlation between FDEGX and IEFA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.65 to 0.72 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
FDEGX vs. IEFA — Risk / Return Rank
FDEGX
IEFA
FDEGX vs. IEFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Fidelity Growth Strategies Fund (FDEGX) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA). 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.
| FDEGX | IEFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.48 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.99 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.99 | 1.23 | -0.25 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.23 | 1.74 | -1.97 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.57 | 6.57 | -7.14 |
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Drawdowns
FDEGX vs. IEFA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FDEGX drawdown since its inception was -85.96%, which is greater than IEFA's maximum drawdown of -34.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FDEGX and IEFA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FDEGX | IEFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -85.96% | -34.78% | -51.18% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -20.45% | -11.50% | -8.95% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -26.04% | -13.76% | -12.28% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.62% | -30.41% | -6.21% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.62% | -34.78% | -1.84% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.66% | -2.79% | -6.87% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -36.71% | -6.64% | -30.07% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 8.20% | 3.04% | +5.16% |
Volatility
FDEGX vs. IEFA - Volatility Comparison
Fidelity Growth Strategies Fund (FDEGX) has a higher volatility of 6.72% compared to iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) at 3.99%. This indicates that FDEGX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| FDEGX | IEFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.72% | 3.99% | +2.73% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 17.71% | 13.45% | +4.26% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.41% | 15.64% | +7.77% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.62% | 16.59% | +7.03% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.16% | 17.01% | +5.15% |
FDEGX vs. IEFA - Expense Ratio Comparison
FDEGX has a 0.63% expense ratio, which is higher than IEFA's 0.07% expense ratio.
Dividends
FDEGX vs. IEFA - Dividend Comparison
FDEGX has not paid dividends to shareholders, while IEFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.44%.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FDEGX Fidelity Growth Strategies Fund | 0.00% | 0.00% | 7.89% | 0.05% | 0.00% | 14.15% | 8.37% | 3.65% | 0.75% | 0.05% | 0.59% | 0.13% |
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 3.44% | 3.55% | 3.47% | 3.20% | 2.70% | 3.32% | 1.90% | 3.18% | 3.46% | 2.57% | 2.96% | 2.63% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FDEGX and IEFA have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FDEGX has higher volatility (6.72%) compared to IEFA (3.99%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FDEGX dropped -85.96% vs IEFA's -34.78%.
IEFA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.28 vs -0.20), 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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