MSFRX vs. AGG
MSFRX (MFS Total Return Fund) and AGG (iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF) are both funds - MSFRX is a Diversified Portfolio fund managed by MFS, while AGG is a Total Bond Market fund tracking the Bloomberg U.S. Aggregate Bond Index. Over the past 10 years, MSFRX returned 7.96%/yr vs 1.52%/yr for AGG. At a 0.02 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. MSFRX charges 0.72%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for AGG.
Performance
MSFRX vs. AGG - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MSFRX achieves a 3.29% return, which is significantly higher than AGG's -0.08% return. Over the past 10 years, MSFRX has outperformed AGG with an annualized return of 7.96%, while AGG has yielded a comparatively lower 1.52% annualized return.
MSFRX
- 1D
- -0.20%
- 1M
- 1.08%
- YTD
- 3.29%
- 6M
- 4.86%
- 1Y
- 11.70%
- 3Y*
- 12.50%
- 5Y*
- 6.28%
- 10Y*
- 7.96%
AGG
- 1D
- 0.00%
- 1M
- -0.69%
- YTD
- -0.08%
- 6M
- 0.26%
- 1Y
- 4.97%
- 3Y*
- 3.88%
- 5Y*
- -0.03%
- 10Y*
- 1.52%
MSFRX vs. AGG - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSFRX MFS Total Return Fund | 3.29% | 10.98% | 14.73% | 10.34% | -9.70% | 14.00% | 9.72% | 20.20% | -5.80% | 12.18% |
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | -0.08% | 7.19% | 1.31% | 5.65% | -13.02% | -1.77% | 7.48% | 8.46% | 0.09% | 3.55% |
Correlation
The correlation between MSFRX and AGG is 0.45, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.45 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.46 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.21 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Sep 29, 2003 | 0.02 |
Over the past year, MSFRX and AGG have become more correlated (0.45) than their long-term average of 0.02, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
MSFRX vs. AGG — Risk / Return Rank
MSFRX
AGG
MSFRX vs. AGG - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for MFS Total Return Fund (MSFRX) and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG). 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.
| MSFRX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.48 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.77 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.33 | 1.23 | +0.09 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.45 | 1.81 | +0.65 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.28 | 5.44 | +1.84 |
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
| MSFRX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.79 | 1.32 | +0.48 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.65 | -0.00 | +0.65 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.76 | 0.28 | +0.48 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.65 | 0.59 | +0.06 |
Drawdowns
MSFRX vs. AGG - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MSFRX drawdown since its inception was -37.28%, which is greater than AGG's maximum drawdown of -18.43%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MSFRX and AGG.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MSFRX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -37.28% | -18.43% | -18.85% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -4.96% | -2.76% | -2.20% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -8.56% | -6.11% | -2.45% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.02% | -17.82% | +0.80% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -24.70% | -18.43% | -6.27% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.86% | -2.47% | +0.61% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.00% | -2.71% | -2.29% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.67% | 0.92% | +0.75% |
Volatility
MSFRX vs. AGG - Volatility Comparison
MFS Total Return Fund (MSFRX) has a higher volatility of 1.78% compared to iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (AGG) at 1.29%. This indicates that MSFRX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AGG based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MSFRX | AGG | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 1.78% | 1.29% | +0.49% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 4.93% | 2.77% | +2.16% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 6.78% | 3.80% | +2.98% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 9.74% | 6.09% | +3.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.45% | 5.41% | +5.04% |
MSFRX vs. AGG - Expense Ratio Comparison
MSFRX has a 0.72% expense ratio, which is higher than AGG's 0.03% expense ratio.
Dividends
MSFRX vs. AGG - Dividend Comparison
MSFRX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.77%, more than AGG's 4.00% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGG iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF | 4.00% | 3.89% | 3.74% | 3.13% | 2.39% | 1.77% | 2.14% | 2.70% | 2.72% | 2.32% | 2.39% | 2.45% |
MSFRX MFS Total Return Fund | 8.77% | 8.93% | 14.87% | 6.19% | 5.38% | 8.33% | 6.93% | 3.22% | 4.99% | 5.67% | 3.54% | 5.55% |
Frequently Asked Questions
MSFRX and AGG have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
MSFRX has higher volatility (1.78%) compared to AGG (1.29%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MSFRX dropped -37.28% vs AGG's -18.43%.
MSFRX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.79 vs 1.32), 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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