FLGB vs. VFIAX

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

FLGB (Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF) and VFIAX (Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both funds - FLGB is a Europe Equities fund tracking the FTSE UK RIC Capped Index, while VFIAX is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, FLGB returned 12.08%/yr vs 13.10%/yr for VFIAX. Their 0.64 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. FLGB charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VFIAX.

Performance

FLGB vs. VFIAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF (FLGB) and Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX). 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 FLGB having a 11.65% return and VFIAX slightly higher at 11.74%.

FLGB

• 1D: 0.22%
• 1M: 2.96%
• 6M: 5.61%
• YTD: 11.65%
• 1Y: 24.09%
• 3Y*: 19.36%
• 5Y*: 12.08%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 8.49%

VFIAX

• 1D: 1.49%
• 1M: 1.63%
• 6M: 10.48%
• YTD: 11.74%
• 1Y: 21.46%
• 3Y*: 20.84%
• 5Y*: 13.10%
• 10Y*: 15.14%
• ALL TIME*: 8.90%

*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)
FLGB Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF	$8.66M	$4.82M	$3.34M
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

FLGB vs. VFIAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FLGB Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF	11.65%	33.73%	8.77%	14.33%	-6.00%	17.14%	-9.47%	23.23%	-11.60%	1.12%
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares	11.74%	17.83%	24.97%	26.24%	-18.16%	28.65%	18.32%	31.46%	-4.45%	3.68%

Correlation

The correlation between FLGB and VFIAX is 0.58, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.58
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.58
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.63
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 6, 2017	0.64

The correlation between FLGB and VFIAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.58 to 0.64 - a consistent structural relationship.

FLGB vs. VFIAX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	FLGB	VFIAX
Financial Services	25.5%	11.4%
Consumer Defensive	14.4%	4.5%
Industrials	14.4%	8.5%
Healthcare	13.8%	8.9%
Energy	10.0%	3.0%
Basic Materials	8.2%	1.7%
Utilities	5.0%	2.2%
Consumer Cyclical	4.9%	9.5%
Communication Services	2.5%	9.9%
Real Estate	0.9%	1.8%
Technology	0.6%	38.6%

Return for Risk

FLGB vs. VFIAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

FLGB

FLGB Risk / Return Rank: 60
FLGB Sharpe Ratio Rank: 61
FLGB Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
FLGB Omega Ratio Rank: 60
FLGB Calmar Ratio Rank: 59
FLGB Martin Ratio Rank: 59

VFIAX

VFIAX Risk / Return Rank: 75
VFIAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 75
VFIAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 70
VFIAX Omega Ratio Rank: 70
VFIAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
VFIAX Martin Ratio Rank: 85

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.

FLGB vs. VFIAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF (FLGB) and Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX). 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.

	FLGB	VFIAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.64	1.82	-0.18
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.36	2.51	-0.14
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	1.33	-0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.36	2.62	-0.27
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	7.91	11.27	-3.36

FLGB vs. VFIAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FLGB Sharpe Ratio is 1.64, which is comparable to the VFIAX Sharpe Ratio of 1.82. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FLGB and VFIAX, 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

FLGB vs. VFIAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FLGB drawdown since its inception was -42.61%, smaller than the maximum VFIAX drawdown of -55.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FLGB and VFIAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	FLGB	VFIAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.61%	-55.20%	+12.59%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.26%	-8.90%	-1.36%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.13%	-18.75%	+5.62%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.90%	-24.53%	-1.37%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.83%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.69%	0.00%	-0.69%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.61%	-9.35%	+2.74%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.05%	2.07%	+0.98%

Volatility

FLGB vs. VFIAX - Volatility Comparison

Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF (FLGB) and Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX) have volatilities of 3.96% and 3.81%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FLGB	VFIAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.96%	3.81%	+0.15%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.79%	10.20%	+2.59%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.77%	12.86%	+1.91%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.59%	17.03%	-0.44%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.90%	18.08%	+0.82%

FLGB vs. VFIAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

FLGB has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than VFIAX's 0.04% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

FLGB vs. VFIAX - Dividend Comparison

FLGB's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.84%, more than VFIAX's 1.05% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FLGB Franklin FTSE United Kingdom ETF	2.84%	3.50%	4.42%	3.95%	4.23%	2.93%	2.67%	4.30%	3.92%	0.43%	0.00%	0.00%
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares	1.05%	1.12%	1.24%	1.45%	1.68%	1.24%	1.53%	1.87%	2.05%	1.78%	2.02%	2.10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FLGB and VFIAX in my portfolio?

FLGB and VFIAX have a correlation of 0.58, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FLGB or VFIAX?

FLGB has higher volatility (3.96%) compared to VFIAX (3.81%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FLGB dropped -42.61% vs VFIAX's -55.20%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VFIAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.82 vs 1.64), 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.