ISCAX vs. VFSNX
ISCAX (Federated Hermes International Small-Mid Company Fund) and VFSNX (Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Institutional Shares) are both Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities funds. Over the past 10 years, ISCAX returned 10.09%/yr vs 8.21%/yr for VFSNX. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. ISCAX charges 1.24%/yr vs 0.11%/yr for VFSNX.
Performance
ISCAX vs. VFSNX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with ISCAX having a 12.00% return and VFSNX slightly lower at 11.76%. Over the past 10 years, ISCAX has outperformed VFSNX with an annualized return of 10.09%, while VFSNX has yielded a comparatively lower 8.21% annualized return.
ISCAX
- 1D
- 0.02%
- 1M
- 4.25%
- YTD
- 12.00%
- 6M
- 14.39%
- 1Y
- 21.81%
- 3Y*
- 18.24%
- 5Y*
- 6.22%
- 10Y*
- 10.09%
VFSNX
- 1D
- 0.05%
- 1M
- 1.81%
- YTD
- 11.76%
- 6M
- 14.55%
- 1Y
- 28.61%
- 3Y*
- 17.18%
- 5Y*
- 6.19%
- 10Y*
- 8.21%
ISCAX vs. VFSNX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ISCAX Federated Hermes International Small-Mid Company Fund | 12.00% | 34.01% | 5.67% | 12.61% | -23.62% | 5.98% | 31.26% | 31.76% | -18.88% | 34.73% |
VFSNX Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Institutional Shares | 11.76% | 29.97% | 2.63% | 15.18% | -21.26% | 12.74% | 11.92% | 21.72% | -18.46% | 30.30% |
Correlation
The correlation between ISCAX and VFSNX is 0.75, 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 | 0.75 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.81 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.88 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.90 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Mar 23, 2009 | 0.91 |
The correlation between ISCAX and VFSNX shifts across timeframes, from 0.75 (1 year) to 0.91 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
ISCAX vs. VFSNX — Risk / Return Rank
ISCAX
VFSNX
ISCAX vs. VFSNX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Federated Hermes International Small-Mid Company Fund (ISCAX) and Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Institutional Shares (VFSNX). 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.
| ISCAX | VFSNX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.36 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.24 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.39 | -0.07 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.26 | 2.46 | -0.20 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.93 | 9.47 | -0.54 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ISCAX | VFSNX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.75 | 2.11 | -0.36 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 | 0.41 | -0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.59 | 0.52 | +0.07 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.51 | 0.59 | -0.09 |
Drawdowns
ISCAX vs. VFSNX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ISCAX drawdown since its inception was -71.55%, which is greater than VFSNX's maximum drawdown of -43.65%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ISCAX and VFSNX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ISCAX | VFSNX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -71.55% | -43.65% | -27.90% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.91% | -11.47% | -0.44% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.90% | -14.70% | +0.80% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -40.33% | -33.75% | -6.58% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -40.33% | -43.65% | +3.32% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.74% | -1.09% | +0.35% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -22.23% | -9.49% | -12.74% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.13% | 2.98% | +0.15% |
Volatility
ISCAX vs. VFSNX - Volatility Comparison
Federated Hermes International Small-Mid Company Fund (ISCAX) has a higher volatility of 5.12% compared to Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Institutional Shares (VFSNX) at 4.30%. This indicates that ISCAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFSNX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ISCAX | VFSNX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.12% | 4.30% | +0.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.46% | 11.19% | +1.27% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.39% | 13.40% | +1.99% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.49% | 15.03% | +2.46% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.44% | 15.76% | +1.68% |
ISCAX vs. VFSNX - Expense Ratio Comparison
ISCAX has a 1.24% expense ratio, which is higher than VFSNX's 0.11% expense ratio.
Dividends
ISCAX vs. VFSNX - Dividend Comparison
ISCAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.65%, more than VFSNX's 3.01% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ISCAX Federated Hermes International Small-Mid Company Fund | 6.65% | 7.45% | 0.00% | 0.84% | 0.79% | 7.79% | 5.80% | 4.89% | 15.53% | 6.51% | 0.92% | 12.23% |
VFSNX Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Institutional Shares | 3.01% | 3.36% | 3.41% | 3.11% | 2.26% | 2.70% | 1.90% | 3.25% | 2.81% | 2.85% | 2.93% | 2.69% |
Frequently Asked Questions
ISCAX and VFSNX have a correlation of 0.75, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ISCAX has higher volatility (5.12%) compared to VFSNX (4.30%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ISCAX dropped -71.55% vs VFSNX's -43.65%.
VFSNX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.11 vs 1.75), 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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