LCGFX vs. WBGSX

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about William Blair Large Cap Growth Fund (LCGFX) and William Blair Growth Fund (WBGSX).

LCGFX is managed by William Blair. It was launched on Dec 27, 1999. WBGSX is managed by William Blair. It was launched on Mar 20, 1946.

Performance

LCGFX vs. WBGSX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in William Blair Large Cap Growth Fund (LCGFX) and William Blair Growth Fund (WBGSX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

LCGFX vs. WBGSX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
LCGFX William Blair Large Cap Growth Fund	-15.23%	11.79%	26.09%	40.48%	-32.48%	28.29%	36.64%	36.44%	5.18%	31.29%
WBGSX William Blair Growth Fund	-14.33%	10.69%	85.99%	37.75%	-29.75%	21.71%	36.12%	32.11%	4.88%	24.19%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, LCGFX achieves a -15.23% return, which is significantly lower than WBGSX's -14.33% return. Over the past 10 years, LCGFX has underperformed WBGSX with an annualized return of 14.43%, while WBGSX has yielded a comparatively higher 17.34% annualized return.

LCGFX

• 1D: 0.20%
• 1M: -8.36%
• YTD: -15.23%
• 6M: -16.74%
• 1Y: 5.47%
• 3Y*: 14.52%
• 5Y*: 7.31%
• 10Y*: 14.43%

WBGSX

• 1D: -0.17%
• 1M: -8.60%
• YTD: -14.33%
• 6M: -14.51%
• 1Y: 8.39%
• 3Y*: 29.23%
• 5Y*: 14.76%
• 10Y*: 17.34%

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

LCGFX vs. WBGSX - Expense Ratio Comparison

LCGFX has a 0.65% expense ratio, which is lower than WBGSX's 1.20% expense ratio.

WBGSX

William Blair Growth Fund

LCGFX

William Blair Large Cap Growth Fund

Return for Risk

LCGFX vs. WBGSX — Risk / Return Rank

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

LCGFX

LCGFX Risk / Return Rank: 11
LCGFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 11
LCGFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 12
LCGFX Omega Ratio Rank: 12
LCGFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 9
LCGFX Martin Ratio Rank: 8

WBGSX

WBGSX Risk / Return Rank: 13
WBGSX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 15
WBGSX Sortino Ratio Rank: 16
WBGSX Omega Ratio Rank: 15
WBGSX Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
WBGSX Martin Ratio Rank: 10

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.

LCGFX vs. WBGSX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for William Blair Large Cap Growth Fund (LCGFX) and William Blair Growth Fund (WBGSX). 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.

	LCGFX	WBGSX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.26	0.37	-0.11
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.55	0.70	-0.15
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	1.09	-0.02
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.13	0.23	-0.10
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	0.41	0.72	-0.31
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

LCGFX vs. WBGSX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current LCGFX Sharpe Ratio is 0.26, which is comparable to the WBGSX Sharpe Ratio of 0.37. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of LCGFX and WBGSX, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	LCGFX	WBGSX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.26	0.37	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.34	0.46	-0.13
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.68	0.66	+0.02
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.31	0.49	-0.18

Correlation

The correlation between LCGFX and WBGSX is 0.97, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

LCGFX vs. WBGSX - Dividend Comparison

LCGFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.10%, less than WBGSX's 51.32% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
LCGFX William Blair Large Cap Growth Fund	10.10%	8.56%	5.97%	0.00%	0.82%	4.29%	3.83%	6.46%	17.08%	0.56%	1.10%	9.86%
WBGSX William Blair Growth Fund	51.32%	43.96%	69.07%	12.73%	4.59%	14.82%	15.07%	10.27%	38.86%	38.00%	8.81%	13.92%

Drawdowns

LCGFX vs. WBGSX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum LCGFX drawdown since its inception was -62.95%, which is greater than WBGSX's maximum drawdown of -53.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LCGFX and WBGSX.

Drawdown Indicators

	LCGFX	WBGSX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-62.95%	-53.05%	-9.90%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-20.59%	-19.70%	-0.89%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-37.25%	-36.90%	-0.35%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-37.25%	-36.90%	-0.35%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-20.44%	-19.70%	-0.74%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-21.57%	-11.53%	-10.04%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	6.62%	6.36%	+0.26%

Volatility

LCGFX vs. WBGSX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for William Blair Large Cap Growth Fund (LCGFX) is 5.18%, while William Blair Growth Fund (WBGSX) has a volatility of 5.49%. This indicates that LCGFX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than WBGSX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	LCGFX	WBGSX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.18%	5.49%	-0.31%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	11.74%	12.56%	-0.82%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.13%	22.60%	-0.47%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	21.74%	31.93%	-10.19%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.22%	26.42%	-5.20%