JIGTX vs. IEFA
JIGTX (John Hancock Funds International Growth Fund Class R6) and IEFA (iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF) are both Foreign Large Cap Equities funds. Over the past 10 years, JIGTX returned 9.78%/yr vs 9.65%/yr for IEFA. Their correlation of 0.88 means they have usually moved in the same direction. JIGTX charges 0.89%/yr vs 0.07%/yr for IEFA.
Performance
JIGTX vs. IEFA - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, JIGTX achieves a 10.11% return, which is significantly lower than IEFA's 13.48% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with JIGTX having a 9.78% annualized return and IEFA not far behind at 9.65%.
JIGTX
- 1D
- 0.44%
- 1M
- -2.24%
- 6M
- 3.44%
- YTD
- 10.11%
- 1Y
- 19.52%
- 3Y*
- 17.64%
- 5Y*
- 5.27%
- 10Y*
- 9.78%
- ALL TIME*
- 9.68%
IEFA
- 1D
- 1.23%
- 1M
- 2.65%
- 6M
- 7.30%
- YTD
- 13.48%
- 1Y
- 24.94%
- 3Y*
- 17.81%
- 5Y*
- 8.97%
- 10Y*
- 9.65%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.64%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $788.09M | $867.51M | $939.35M | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
JIGTX vs. IEFA - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
JIGTX John Hancock Funds International Growth Fund Class R6 | 10.11% | 29.93% | 10.83% | 13.06% | -26.72% | 9.81% | 22.57% | 28.47% | -11.94% | 36.84% |
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 13.48% | 32.08% | 3.26% | 17.95% | -15.24% | 11.63% | 8.18% | 22.64% | -14.14% | 26.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between JIGTX and IEFA is 0.86, 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. | 0.86 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.89 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.91 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.88 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 4, 2016 | 0.88 |
The correlation between JIGTX and IEFA has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.86 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
JIGTX vs. IEFA — Risk / Return Rank
JIGTX
IEFA
JIGTX vs. IEFA - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for John Hancock Funds International Growth Fund Class R6 (JIGTX) and iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA). 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.
| JIGTX | IEFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.57 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.77 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.29 | -0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.55 | 2.18 | -0.63 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.51 | 8.36 | -2.85 |
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Drawdowns
JIGTX vs. IEFA - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum JIGTX drawdown since its inception was -38.16%, which is greater than IEFA's maximum drawdown of -34.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JIGTX and IEFA.
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Drawdown Indicators
| JIGTX | IEFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -38.16% | -34.78% | -3.38% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.70% | -11.50% | -2.20% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.70% | -13.76% | +0.06% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -38.16% | -30.41% | -7.75% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -38.16% | -34.78% | -3.38% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.24% | 0.00% | -6.24% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.92% | -6.62% | -2.30% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.84% | 2.99% | +0.85% |
Volatility
JIGTX vs. IEFA - Volatility Comparison
John Hancock Funds International Growth Fund Class R6 (JIGTX) has a higher volatility of 7.39% compared to iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF (IEFA) at 4.65%. This indicates that JIGTX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IEFA based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| JIGTX | IEFA | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.39% | 4.65% | +2.74% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 18.54% | 13.64% | +4.90% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.53% | 15.69% | +4.84% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.62% | 16.64% | +0.98% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.22% | 17.04% | +0.18% |
JIGTX vs. IEFA - Expense Ratio Comparison
JIGTX has a 0.89% expense ratio, which is higher than IEFA's 0.07% expense ratio.
Dividends
JIGTX vs. IEFA - Dividend Comparison
JIGTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 0.15%, less than IEFA's 3.29% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IEFA iShares Core MSCI EAFE ETF | 3.29% | 3.55% | 3.47% | 3.20% | 2.70% | 3.32% | 1.90% | 3.18% | 3.46% | 2.57% | 2.96% | 2.63% |
JIGTX John Hancock Funds International Growth Fund Class R6 | 0.15% | 0.16% | 0.87% | 2.75% | 13.65% | 15.45% | 0.30% | 1.12% | 3.04% | 0.57% | 1.05% | 0.00% |
Frequently Asked Questions
JIGTX and IEFA have a correlation of 0.86, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
JIGTX has higher volatility (7.39%) compared to IEFA (4.65%). In terms of maximum drawdown, JIGTX dropped -38.16% vs IEFA's -34.78%.
IEFA currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.60 vs 1.03), 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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