IEFA vs. MDCPX
IEFA (iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF) and MDCPX (BlackRock Balanced Capital Fund Investor A Shares) are both funds - IEFA is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE IMI Index (Net), while MDCPX is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by BlackRock. IEFA is passively managed, while MDCPX is actively managed. Over the past 10 years, IEFA returned 9.37%/yr vs 9.99%/yr for MDCPX. Their correlation of 0.82 suggests significant overlap in exposure. IEFA charges 0.07%/yr vs 0.78%/yr for MDCPX.
Performance
IEFA vs. MDCPX - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IEFA achieves a 7.49% return, which is significantly higher than MDCPX's 6.42% return. Over the past 10 years, IEFA has underperformed MDCPX with an annualized return of 9.37%, while MDCPX has yielded a comparatively higher 9.99% annualized return.
IEFA
- 1D
- 0.63%
- 1M
- -1.17%
- YTD
- 7.49%
- 6M
- 10.04%
- 1Y
- 19.61%
- 3Y*
- 16.13%
- 5Y*
- 7.82%
- 10Y*
- 9.37%
MDCPX
- 1D
- -1.99%
- 1M
- -0.68%
- YTD
- 6.42%
- 6M
- 7.39%
- 1Y
- 16.87%
- 3Y*
- 14.13%
- 5Y*
- 7.95%
- 10Y*
- 9.99%
IEFA vs. MDCPX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 7.49% | 32.08% | 3.26% | 17.95% | -15.24% | 11.63% | 8.18% | 22.64% | -14.14% | 26.57% |
MDCPX BlackRock Balanced Capital Fund Investor A Shares | 6.42% | 15.32% | 12.47% | 16.59% | -15.70% | 16.49% | 15.07% | 21.59% | -3.48% | 14.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between IEFA and MDCPX is 0.89, 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 | 0.89 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.84 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.85 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.82 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 25, 2012 | 0.82 |
The correlation between IEFA and MDCPX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.82 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
IEFA vs. MDCPX — Risk / Return Rank
IEFA
MDCPX
IEFA vs. MDCPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) and BlackRock Balanced Capital Fund Investor A Shares (MDCPX). 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.
| IEFA | MDCPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.74 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.97 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.38 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.71 | 2.80 | -1.09 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.52 | 12.12 | -5.61 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IEFA | MDCPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.30 | 2.04 | -0.74 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 | 0.72 | -0.25 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.54 | 0.87 | -0.33 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 0.66 | -0.15 |
Drawdowns
IEFA vs. MDCPX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IEFA drawdown since its inception was -34.78%, smaller than the maximum MDCPX drawdown of -41.98%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IEFA and MDCPX.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| IEFA | MDCPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -34.78% | -41.98% | +7.20% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.50% | -6.22% | -5.28% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.76% | -10.65% | -3.11% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -30.41% | -21.99% | -8.42% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.78% | -24.58% | -10.20% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.44% | -2.36% | -0.08% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.69% | -5.09% | -1.60% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.02% | 1.43% | +1.59% |
Volatility
IEFA vs. MDCPX - Volatility Comparison
iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) has a higher volatility of 4.54% compared to BlackRock Balanced Capital Fund Investor A Shares (MDCPX) at 3.07%. This indicates that IEFA's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MDCPX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| IEFA | MDCPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.54% | 3.07% | +1.47% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.74% | 7.03% | +5.71% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.22% | 8.55% | +6.67% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.55% | 11.09% | +5.46% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.32% | 11.48% | +5.84% |
IEFA vs. MDCPX - Expense Ratio Comparison
IEFA has a 0.07% expense ratio, which is lower than MDCPX's 0.78% expense ratio.
Dividends
IEFA vs. MDCPX - Dividend Comparison
IEFA's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.30%, less than MDCPX's 8.09% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 3.30% | 3.55% | 3.47% | 3.20% | 2.70% | 3.32% | 1.90% | 3.18% | 3.46% | 2.57% | 2.96% | 2.63% |
MDCPX BlackRock Balanced Capital Fund Investor A Shares | 8.09% | 8.61% | 7.44% | 2.63% | 3.82% | 12.27% | 4.02% | 5.25% | 7.84% | 19.39% | 4.67% | 5.04% |
Frequently Asked Questions
IEFA and MDCPX have a correlation of 0.89, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
IEFA has higher volatility (4.54%) compared to MDCPX (3.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IEFA dropped -34.78% vs MDCPX's -41.98%.
MDCPX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.04 vs 1.30), 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.
Find the right allocation for IEFA and MDCPX
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer