LEKIX vs. VFAIX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

LEKIX (BlackRock LifePath ESG Index 2040 Fund) and VFAIX (Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - LEKIX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by BlackRock, while VFAIX is a Financials Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Financials 25/50 Index. Over the past 5 years, LEKIX returned 6.82%/yr vs 11.54%/yr for VFAIX. Their 0.73 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. LEKIX charges 0.06%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for VFAIX.

Performance

LEKIX vs. VFAIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in BlackRock LifePath ESG Index 2040 Fund (LEKIX) and Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFAIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, LEKIX achieves a 8.61% return, which is significantly higher than VFAIX's 5.46% return.

LEKIX

• 1D: 1.53%
• 1M: -0.31%
• 6M: 6.00%
• YTD: 8.61%
• 1Y: 18.01%
• 3Y*: 12.56%
• 5Y*: 6.82%
• 10Y*: —
• ALL TIME*: 9.95%

VFAIX

• 1D: 0.50%
• 1M: 2.34%
• 6M: 7.49%
• YTD: 5.46%
• 1Y: 13.21%
• 3Y*: 19.66%
• 5Y*: 11.54%
• 10Y*: 13.41%
• ALL TIME*: 6.81%

*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)
LEKIX BlackRock LifePath ESG Index 2040 Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VFAIX Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

LEKIX vs. VFAIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020
LEKIX BlackRock LifePath ESG Index 2040 Fund	8.61%	17.47%	7.45%	18.96%	-17.72%	16.89%	12.05%
VFAIX Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares	5.46%	14.90%	30.46%	14.07%	-12.26%	36.27%	21.08%

Correlation

The correlation between LEKIX and VFAIX is 0.53, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.53
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.65
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.74
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 18, 2020	0.73

Over the past year, the correlation between LEKIX and VFAIX has dropped to 0.53 - well below their long-term average of 0.73, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

LEKIX vs. VFAIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

LEKIX

LEKIX Risk / Return Rank: 66
LEKIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 65
LEKIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 63
LEKIX Omega Ratio Rank: 62
LEKIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
LEKIX Martin Ratio Rank: 75

VFAIX

VFAIX Risk / Return Rank: 18
VFAIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
VFAIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
VFAIX Omega Ratio Rank: 20
VFAIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 15
VFAIX Martin Ratio Rank: 14

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.

LEKIX vs. VFAIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for BlackRock LifePath ESG Index 2040 Fund (LEKIX) and Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFAIX). 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.

	LEKIX	VFAIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.58	0.70	+0.88
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.25	1.03	+1.21
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	1.13	+0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.20	0.71	+1.49
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.30	1.85	+7.46

LEKIX vs. VFAIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current LEKIX Sharpe Ratio is 1.58, which is higher than the VFAIX Sharpe Ratio of 0.70. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of LEKIX and VFAIX, 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

LEKIX vs. VFAIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum LEKIX drawdown since its inception was -25.28%, smaller than the maximum VFAIX drawdown of -78.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LEKIX and VFAIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	LEKIX	VFAIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-25.28%	-78.64%	+53.36%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.64%	-14.72%	+7.08%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.24%	-17.31%	+1.07%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.28%	-25.71%	+0.43%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-44.37%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-1.24%	-1.08%	-0.16%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.53%	-18.49%	+12.96%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.80%	5.66%	-3.86%

Volatility

LEKIX vs. VFAIX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for BlackRock LifePath ESG Index 2040 Fund (LEKIX) is 3.09%, while Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFAIX) has a volatility of 4.48%. This indicates that LEKIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VFAIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	LEKIX	VFAIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.09%	4.48%	-1.39%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.93%	11.25%	-2.32%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	10.65%	15.04%	-4.39%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	13.38%	19.17%	-5.79%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	13.21%	22.54%	-9.33%

LEKIX vs. VFAIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

LEKIX has a 0.06% expense ratio, which is lower than VFAIX's 0.09% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

LEKIX vs. VFAIX - Dividend Comparison

LEKIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.77%, more than VFAIX's 1.67% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
LEKIX BlackRock LifePath ESG Index 2040 Fund	1.77%	1.92%	0.00%	2.22%	2.08%	2.85%	0.84%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VFAIX Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares	1.67%	1.56%	1.75%	2.08%	2.31%	2.62%	2.21%	2.17%	2.30%	1.54%	1.64%	2.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both LEKIX and VFAIX in my portfolio?

LEKIX and VFAIX have a correlation of 0.53, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, LEKIX or VFAIX?

VFAIX has higher volatility (4.48%) compared to LEKIX (3.09%). In terms of maximum drawdown, LEKIX dropped -25.28% vs VFAIX's -78.64%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

LEKIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.58 vs 0.70), 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.