KESGX vs. VEMPX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

KESGX (Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund) and VEMPX (Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares) are both Mid Cap Blend Equities funds. Over the past 5 years, KESGX returned 8.06%/yr vs 6.20%/yr for VEMPX. Their correlation of 0.94 means they have usually moved in the same direction. KESGX charges 0.82%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VEMPX.

Performance

KESGX vs. VEMPX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund (KESGX) and Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VEMPX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, KESGX achieves a 20.48% return, which is significantly higher than VEMPX's 13.98% return.

KESGX

• 1D: 0.45%
• 1M: -1.38%
• 6M: 14.17%
• YTD: 20.48%
• 1Y: 28.88%
• 3Y*: 14.68%
• 5Y*: 8.06%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 12.45%

VEMPX

• 1D: 1.41%
• 1M: -2.62%
• 6M: 11.32%
• YTD: 13.98%
• 1Y: 23.79%
• 3Y*: 16.00%
• 5Y*: 6.20%
• 10Y*: 11.65%
• ALL TIME*: 11.38%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
KESGX Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VEMPX Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

KESGX vs. VEMPX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
KESGX Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund	20.48%	9.58%	9.35%	16.57%	-17.82%	25.38%	20.98%	9.16%
VEMPX Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares	13.98%	11.43%	15.50%	26.98%	-26.45%	12.48%	32.24%	5.75%

Correlation

The correlation between KESGX and VEMPX is 0.88, 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.	0.88
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.92
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.94
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 8, 2019	0.94

The correlation between KESGX and VEMPX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.88 to 0.94 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

KESGX vs. VEMPX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

KESGX

KESGX Risk / Return Rank: 56
KESGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
KESGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
KESGX Omega Ratio Rank: 48
KESGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
KESGX Martin Ratio Rank: 60

VEMPX

VEMPX Risk / Return Rank: 46
VEMPX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
VEMPX Sortino Ratio Rank: 42
VEMPX Omega Ratio Rank: 37
VEMPX Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
VEMPX Martin Ratio Rank: 52

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

KESGX vs. VEMPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund (KESGX) and Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VEMPX). 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.

	KESGX	VEMPX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.45	1.16	+0.29
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.22	1.72	+0.51
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.20	+0.05
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.20	2.02	+0.18
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.17	6.87	+1.30

KESGX vs. VEMPX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current KESGX Sharpe Ratio is 1.45, which is comparable to the VEMPX Sharpe Ratio of 1.16. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of KESGX and VEMPX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

KESGX vs. VEMPX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum KESGX drawdown since its inception was -41.09%, roughly equal to the maximum VEMPX drawdown of -41.62%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for KESGX and VEMPX.

Drawdown Indicators

	KESGX	VEMPX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-41.09%	-41.62%	+0.53%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.74%	-10.25%	-1.49%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-22.94%	-26.83%	+3.89%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.14%	-36.32%	+11.18%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-41.62%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-2.05%	-3.74%	+1.69%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.84%	-7.91%	+0.07%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.16%	3.02%	+0.14%

Volatility

KESGX vs. VEMPX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund (KESGX) is 3.60%, while Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VEMPX) has a volatility of 3.90%. This indicates that KESGX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VEMPX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	KESGX	VEMPX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.60%	3.90%	-0.30%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.15%	13.32%	-0.17%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.77%	17.80%	-0.03%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.20%	22.41%	-2.21%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.42%	22.34%	+1.08%

KESGX vs. VEMPX - Expense Ratio Comparison

KESGX has a 0.82% expense ratio, which is higher than VEMPX's 0.04% expense ratio.

Dividends

KESGX vs. VEMPX - Dividend Comparison

KESGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.34%, more than VEMPX's 1.04% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
KESGX Kennedy Capital ESG SMID Cap Fund	4.34%	5.23%	0.19%	0.29%	0.46%	6.65%	0.21%	0.21%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VEMPX Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares	1.04%	1.15%	1.11%	1.27%	1.17%	1.15%	1.09%	1.32%	1.68%	1.27%	1.46%	1.39%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both KESGX and VEMPX in my portfolio?

KESGX and VEMPX 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.

Which is riskier, KESGX or VEMPX?

VEMPX has higher volatility (3.90%) compared to KESGX (3.60%). In terms of maximum drawdown, KESGX dropped -41.09% vs VEMPX's -41.62%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

KESGX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.45 vs 1.16), 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.