MASKX vs. VFAIX
MASKX (iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund) and VFAIX (Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - MASKX is a Small Cap Blend Equities fund managed by BlackRock, while VFAIX is a Financials Equities fund managed by BlackRock. Over the past 10 years, MASKX returned 11.12%/yr vs 12.42%/yr for VFAIX. Their correlation of 0.80 suggests significant overlap in exposure. MASKX charges 0.12%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for VFAIX.
Performance
MASKX vs. VFAIX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MASKX achieves a 18.62% return, which is significantly higher than VFAIX's -5.08% return. Over the past 10 years, MASKX has underperformed VFAIX with an annualized return of 11.12%, while VFAIX has yielded a comparatively higher 12.42% annualized return.
MASKX
- 1D
- 0.89%
- 1M
- 4.97%
- YTD
- 18.62%
- 6M
- 17.33%
- 1Y
- 41.04%
- 3Y*
- 18.52%
- 5Y*
- 6.53%
- 10Y*
- 11.12%
VFAIX
- 1D
- 0.03%
- 1M
- -0.39%
- YTD
- -5.08%
- 6M
- -2.61%
- 1Y
- 3.83%
- 3Y*
- 18.99%
- 5Y*
- 8.33%
- 10Y*
- 12.42%
MASKX vs. VFAIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MASKX iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund | 18.62% | 12.76% | 11.35% | 16.99% | -20.39% | 14.54% | 19.99% | 25.54% | -11.03% | 14.61% |
VFAIX Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares | -5.08% | 14.90% | 30.46% | 14.07% | -12.26% | 36.27% | -2.15% | 31.63% | -13.47% | 20.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between MASKX and VFAIX is 0.66, 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 | 0.66 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.74 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.78 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.77 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 3, 2004 | 0.80 |
The correlation between MASKX and VFAIX shifts across timeframes, from 0.66 (1 year) to 0.80 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
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Return for Risk
MASKX vs. VFAIX — Risk / Return Rank
MASKX
VFAIX
MASKX vs. VFAIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund (MASKX) 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.
| MASKX | VFAIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.99 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.64 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.37 | 1.06 | +0.31 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.95 | 0.29 | +3.66 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.03 | 0.76 | +13.27 |
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
| MASKX | VFAIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.28 | 0.29 | +1.99 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 | 0.43 | -0.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.47 | 0.55 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.37 | 0.23 | +0.13 |
Drawdowns
MASKX vs. VFAIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MASKX drawdown since its inception was -59.06%, smaller than the maximum VFAIX drawdown of -78.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MASKX and VFAIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MASKX | VFAIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -59.06% | -78.64% | +19.58% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.01% | -14.72% | +3.71% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -27.53% | -17.31% | -10.22% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -31.98% | -25.71% | -6.27% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -41.68% | -44.37% | +2.69% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.13% | -7.97% | +7.84% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -11.63% | -18.61% | +6.98% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.09% | 5.51% | -2.42% |
Volatility
MASKX vs. VFAIX - Volatility Comparison
iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund (MASKX) has a higher volatility of 5.60% compared to Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFAIX) at 3.07%. This indicates that MASKX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFAIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MASKX | VFAIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.60% | 3.07% | +2.53% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.57% | 10.98% | +2.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 19.10% | 14.68% | +4.42% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 23.16% | 19.33% | +3.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 23.70% | 22.60% | +1.10% |
MASKX vs. VFAIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
MASKX has a 0.12% expense ratio, which is higher than VFAIX's 0.10% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
MASKX vs. VFAIX - Dividend Comparison
MASKX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.64%, more than VFAIX's 1.54% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MASKX iShares Russell 2000 Small-Cap Index Fund | 2.64% | 3.13% | 4.81% | 2.92% | 1.70% | 7.64% | 1.42% | 3.43% | 4.26% | 3.15% | 4.60% | 3.63% |
VFAIX Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.54% | 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
MASKX and VFAIX have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MASKX has higher volatility (5.60%) compared to VFAIX (3.07%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MASKX dropped -59.06% vs VFAIX's -78.64%.
MASKX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.28 vs 0.29), 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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