GAM vs. VWENX

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

GAM (General American Investors Company, Inc.) is a stock, while VWENX (Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares) is Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, GAM returned 15.45%/yr vs 10.21%/yr for VWENX. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure.

Performance

GAM vs. VWENX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in General American Investors Company, Inc. (GAM) and Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares (VWENX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, GAM achieves a 8.70% return, which is significantly higher than VWENX's 6.44% return. Over the past 10 years, GAM has outperformed VWENX with an annualized return of 15.45%, while VWENX has yielded a comparatively lower 10.21% annualized return.

GAM

• 1D: 0.44%
• 1M: -0.51%
• YTD: 8.70%
• 6M: 8.35%
• 1Y: 30.41%
• 3Y*: 27.42%
• 5Y*: 15.05%
• 10Y*: 15.45%

VWENX

• 1D: -0.67%
• 1M: 2.72%
• YTD: 6.44%
• 6M: 6.71%
• 1Y: 20.00%
• 3Y*: 15.44%
• 5Y*: 8.77%
• 10Y*: 10.21%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

GAM vs. VWENX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
GAM General American Investors Company, Inc.	8.70%	28.63%	29.55%	26.84%	-14.84%	20.56%	5.85%	41.76%	-10.25%	21.32%
VWENX Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares	6.44%	16.63%	14.82%	14.40%	-14.31%	19.09%	10.66%	22.61%	-3.35%	14.05%

Correlation

The correlation between GAM and VWENX is 0.67, 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	0.67
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.76
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.82
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.82
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 15, 2001	0.81

The correlation between GAM and VWENX shifts across timeframes, from 0.67 (1 year) to 0.82 (5 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

GAM vs. VWENX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

GAM

GAM Risk / Return Rank: 92
GAM Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
GAM Sortino Ratio Rank: 94
GAM Omega Ratio Rank: 93
GAM Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
GAM Martin Ratio Rank: 94

VWENX

VWENX Risk / Return Rank: 67
VWENX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
VWENX Sortino Ratio Rank: 66
VWENX Omega Ratio Rank: 65
VWENX Calmar Ratio Rank: 61
VWENX Martin Ratio Rank: 74

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

GAM vs. VWENX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for General American Investors Company, Inc. (GAM) and Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares (VWENX). 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.

	GAM	VWENX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.80	2.43	+0.38
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	3.89	3.42	+0.48
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.52	1.45	+0.06
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.52	3.02	+0.50
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	17.68	13.99	+3.70
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

GAM vs. VWENX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current GAM Sharpe Ratio is 2.80, which is comparable to the VWENX Sharpe Ratio of 2.43. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of GAM and VWENX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	GAM	VWENX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.80	2.43	+0.38
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.95	0.79	+0.16
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.88	0.89	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.45	0.68	-0.22

Drawdowns

GAM vs. VWENX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum GAM drawdown since its inception was -66.63%, which is greater than VWENX's maximum drawdown of -36.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for GAM and VWENX.

Drawdown Indicators

	GAM	VWENX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-66.63%	-36.02%	-30.61%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-8.67%	-6.77%	-1.90%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-14.90%	-11.98%	-2.92%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-26.09%	-20.84%	-5.25%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-41.78%	-25.33%	-16.45%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.12%	-0.67%	-1.45%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.57%	-4.36%	-7.21%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.72%	1.46%	+0.26%

Volatility

GAM vs. VWENX - Volatility Comparison

General American Investors Company, Inc. (GAM) has a higher volatility of 2.75% compared to Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares (VWENX) at 2.61%. This indicates that GAM's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VWENX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	GAM	VWENX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.75%	2.61%	+0.14%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.99%	6.68%	+2.31%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.90%	8.42%	+2.48%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.97%	11.14%	+4.83%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.62%	11.53%	+6.09%

Dividends

GAM vs. VWENX - Dividend Comparison

GAM's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.03%, less than VWENX's 10.91% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
GAM General American Investors Company, Inc.	10.03%	11.32%	8.82%	6.17%	4.15%	1.38%	6.72%	6.49%	9.67%	9.56%	10.20%	3.60%
VWENX Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares	10.91%	11.55%	10.85%	6.08%	8.28%	8.72%	7.85%	4.74%	9.58%	5.88%	4.53%	6.58%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both GAM and VWENX in my portfolio?

GAM and VWENX have a correlation of 0.67, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, GAM or VWENX?

GAM has higher volatility (2.75%) compared to VWENX (2.61%). In terms of maximum drawdown, GAM dropped -66.63% vs VWENX's -36.02%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

GAM currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.80 vs 2.43), 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.