FPXI vs. VWIGX

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

FPXI (First Trust International Equity Opportunities ETF) and VWIGX (Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares) are both Foreign Large Cap Equities funds. FPXI is passively managed, while VWIGX is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, FPXI returned 11.04%/yr vs 9.72%/yr for VWIGX. Their correlation of 0.80 means they have usually moved in the same direction. FPXI charges 0.70%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for VWIGX.

Performance

FPXI vs. VWIGX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in First Trust International Equity Opportunities ETF (FPXI) and Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares (VWIGX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, FPXI achieves a 16.79% return, which is significantly higher than VWIGX's 6.27% return. Over the past 10 years, FPXI has outperformed VWIGX with an annualized return of 11.04%, while VWIGX has yielded a comparatively lower 9.72% annualized return.

FPXI

• 1D: 0.39%
• 1M: -11.07%
• 6M: 7.83%
• YTD: 16.79%
• 1Y: 28.02%
• 3Y*: 19.49%
• 5Y*: 1.10%
• 10Y*: 11.04%
• ALL TIME*: 8.39%

VWIGX

• 1D: -0.10%
• 1M: 0.82%
• 6M: 2.56%
• YTD: 6.27%
• 1Y: 14.48%
• 3Y*: 10.66%
• 5Y*: -1.32%
• 10Y*: 9.72%
• ALL TIME*: 9.29%

*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)
FPXI First Trust International Equity Opportunities ETF	$2.73M	$3.76M	$4.60M
VWIGX Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

FPXI vs. VWIGX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
FPXI First Trust International Equity Opportunities ETF	16.79%	26.37%	12.62%	9.56%	-31.83%	-15.73%	71.50%	33.69%	-13.07%	39.32%
VWIGX Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares	6.27%	19.96%	9.07%	14.65%	-30.86%	-11.18%	59.57%	31.36%	-12.68%	42.98%

Correlation

The correlation between FPXI and VWIGX is 0.81, 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.	0.81
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.81
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.85
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.83
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 7, 2014	0.80

The correlation between FPXI and VWIGX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.80 to 0.85 - a consistent structural relationship.

FPXI vs. VWIGX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	FPXI	VWIGX
Technology	42.9%	27.5%
Industrials	21.0%	13.5%
Healthcare	9.1%	11.7%
Basic Materials	6.6%	2.6%
Consumer Cyclical	6.3%	17.5%
Financial Services	6.2%	12.2%
Energy	3.7%	1.9%
Consumer Defensive	2.2%	4.1%
Communication Services	1.3%	6.2%
Utilities	0.7%	0.5%
Real Estate	0.5%	-

Return for Risk

FPXI vs. VWIGX — Risk / Return Rank

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

FPXI

FPXI Risk / Return Rank: 36
FPXI Sharpe Ratio Rank: 36
FPXI Sortino Ratio Rank: 37
FPXI Omega Ratio Rank: 36
FPXI Calmar Ratio Rank: 34
FPXI Martin Ratio Rank: 39

VWIGX

VWIGX Risk / Return Rank: 18
VWIGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 17
VWIGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 17
VWIGX Omega Ratio Rank: 17
VWIGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 18
VWIGX Martin Ratio Rank: 21

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.

FPXI vs. VWIGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for First Trust International Equity Opportunities ETF (FPXI) and Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares (VWIGX). 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.

	FPXI	VWIGX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.93	0.71	+0.22
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.42	1.10	+0.32
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.18	1.14	+0.04
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.17	0.97	+0.20
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	4.19	3.10	+1.09

FPXI vs. VWIGX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current FPXI Sharpe Ratio is 0.93, which is higher than the VWIGX Sharpe Ratio of 0.71. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of FPXI and VWIGX, 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

FPXI vs. VWIGX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum FPXI drawdown since its inception was -55.78%, smaller than the maximum VWIGX drawdown of -59.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FPXI and VWIGX.

Drawdown Indicators

	FPXI	VWIGX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-55.78%	-59.58%	+3.80%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-24.12%	-14.06%	-10.06%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-24.12%	-20.04%	-4.08%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-50.75%	-52.69%	+1.94%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-55.78%	-53.25%	-2.53%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-20.17%	-13.41%	-6.76%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-20.12%	-13.80%	-6.32%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.70%	4.39%	+2.31%

Volatility

FPXI vs. VWIGX - Volatility Comparison

First Trust International Equity Opportunities ETF (FPXI) has a higher volatility of 12.57% compared to Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares (VWIGX) at 4.99%. This indicates that FPXI's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VWIGX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	FPXI	VWIGX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	12.57%	4.99%	+7.58%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	27.10%	15.95%	+11.15%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	30.35%	19.22%	+11.13%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.12%	23.42%	-0.30%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.91%	21.54%	+0.37%

FPXI vs. VWIGX - Expense Ratio Comparison

FPXI has a 0.70% expense ratio, which is higher than VWIGX's 0.38% expense ratio.

Dividends

FPXI vs. VWIGX - Dividend Comparison

FPXI's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.68%, less than VWIGX's 6.34% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FPXI First Trust International Equity Opportunities ETF	0.68%	0.70%	0.93%	0.71%	1.13%	0.71%	0.18%	0.67%	1.75%	0.75%	2.09%	1.34%
VWIGX Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares	6.34%	6.74%	9.68%	1.82%	6.90%	2.36%	2.28%	1.20%	5.34%	0.84%	1.26%	1.39%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both FPXI and VWIGX in my portfolio?

FPXI and VWIGX have a correlation of 0.81, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, FPXI or VWIGX?

FPXI has higher volatility (12.57%) compared to VWIGX (4.99%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FPXI dropped -55.78% vs VWIGX's -59.58%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

FPXI currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.93 vs 0.71), 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.