FRHIX vs. VWALX
FRHIX (Franklin High Yield Tax Free Income Fund) and VWALX (Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares) are both High Yield Muni funds. Over the past 10 years, FRHIX returned 2.60%/yr vs 3.01%/yr for VWALX. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. FRHIX charges 0.65%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for VWALX.
Performance
FRHIX vs. VWALX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, FRHIX achieves a 2.93% return, which is significantly higher than VWALX's 2.43% return. Over the past 10 years, FRHIX has underperformed VWALX with an annualized return of 2.60%, while VWALX has yielded a comparatively higher 3.01% annualized return.
FRHIX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 1.98%
- YTD
- 2.93%
- 6M
- 3.47%
- 1Y
- 8.91%
- 3Y*
- 6.05%
- 5Y*
- 1.44%
- 10Y*
- 2.60%
VWALX
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- 1.97%
- YTD
- 2.43%
- 6M
- 2.88%
- 1Y
- 8.44%
- 3Y*
- 5.38%
- 5Y*
- 1.62%
- 10Y*
- 3.01%
FRHIX vs. VWALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FRHIX Franklin High Yield Tax Free Income Fund | 2.93% | 5.33% | 7.28% | 6.01% | -13.96% | 4.89% | 5.87% | 8.35% | 1.96% | 3.40% |
VWALX Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares | 2.43% | 5.06% | 4.08% | 8.45% | -11.69% | 3.42% | 5.49% | 9.58% | 1.38% | 7.96% |
Correlation
The correlation between FRHIX and VWALX is 0.88, 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 | 0.88 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.91 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.92 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 12, 2001 | 0.80 |
The correlation between FRHIX and VWALX shifts across timeframes, from 0.80 (all time) to 0.92 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
FRHIX vs. VWALX — Risk / Return Rank
FRHIX
VWALX
FRHIX vs. VWALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Franklin High Yield Tax Free Income Fund (FRHIX) and Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VWALX). 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.
| FRHIX | VWALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.03 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.05 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.60 | 1.66 | -0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.71 | 2.71 | 0.00 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.88 | 9.87 | +0.01 |
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Drawdowns
FRHIX vs. VWALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum FRHIX drawdown since its inception was -21.54%, which is greater than VWALX's maximum drawdown of -17.24%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for FRHIX and VWALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| FRHIX | VWALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -21.54% | -17.24% | -4.30% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -3.21% | -3.05% | -0.16% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -7.36% | -7.10% | -0.26% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -19.01% | -17.24% | -1.77% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -19.01% | -17.24% | -1.77% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.11% | -0.09% | -0.02% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -2.26% | -2.16% | -0.10% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 0.88% | 0.84% | +0.04% |
Volatility
FRHIX vs. VWALX - Volatility Comparison
Franklin High Yield Tax Free Income Fund (FRHIX) and Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares (VWALX) have volatilities of 0.94% and 0.90%, 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.
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Volatility by Period
| FRHIX | VWALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 0.94% | 0.90% | +0.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 2.52% | 2.39% | +0.13% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 3.45% | 3.23% | +0.22% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 5.15% | 4.81% | +0.34% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 4.66% | 4.64% | +0.02% |
FRHIX vs. VWALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
FRHIX has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is higher than VWALX's 0.09% expense ratio.
Dividends
FRHIX vs. VWALX - Dividend Comparison
FRHIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.58%, more than VWALX's 4.12% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
FRHIX Franklin High Yield Tax Free Income Fund | 4.58% | 5.79% | 5.32% | 4.16% | 4.27% | 3.61% | 3.83% | 4.99% | 4.46% | 4.06% | 4.42% | 4.27% |
VWALX Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund Admiral Shares | 4.12% | 5.04% | 4.47% | 3.59% | 3.44% | 3.04% | 3.40% | 4.03% | 3.85% | 3.77% | 3.86% | 3.75% |
Frequently Asked Questions
FRHIX and VWALX have a correlation of 0.88, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
FRHIX has higher volatility (0.94%) compared to VWALX (0.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, FRHIX dropped -21.54% vs VWALX's -17.24%.
VWALX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.56 vs 2.52), 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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