MSSMX vs. CPOAX
MSSMX (Morgan Stanley Institutional Inception Fund Class A) and CPOAX (Morgan Stanley Insight A) are both mutual funds - MSSMX is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Morgan Stanley, while CPOAX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Russell 3000 Growth Index. MSSMX is actively managed, while CPOAX is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, MSSMX returned 15.01%/yr vs 15.28%/yr for CPOAX. Their correlation of 0.87 means they have usually moved in the same direction. MSSMX charges 1.35%/yr vs 1.15%/yr for CPOAX.
Performance
MSSMX vs. CPOAX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MSSMX achieves a 2.93% return, which is significantly higher than CPOAX's -5.56% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with MSSMX having a 15.01% annualized return and CPOAX not far ahead at 15.28%.
MSSMX
- 1D
- 2.93%
- 1M
- -4.22%
- 6M
- 7.61%
- YTD
- 2.93%
- 1Y
- -0.27%
- 3Y*
- 9.66%
- 5Y*
- -8.92%
- 10Y*
- 15.01%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.62%
CPOAX
- 1D
- 2.33%
- 1M
- -6.85%
- 6M
- 2.23%
- YTD
- -5.56%
- 1Y
- -1.57%
- 3Y*
- 19.60%
- 5Y*
- -3.57%
- 10Y*
- 15.28%
- ALL TIME*
- 10.54%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
MSSMX vs. CPOAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MSSMX Morgan Stanley Institutional Inception Fund Class A | 2.93% | 0.76% | 29.15% | 54.22% | -59.57% | -4.29% | 149.49% | 77.58% | -0.03% | 22.42% |
CPOAX Morgan Stanley Insight A | -5.56% | 18.91% | 46.35% | 52.72% | -61.02% | -6.83% | 115.86% | 33.08% | 11.94% | 48.40% |
Correlation
The correlation between MSSMX and CPOAX is 0.91, 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. | 0.91 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.91 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.93 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.89 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jul 28, 1997 | 0.87 |
The correlation between MSSMX and CPOAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.87 to 0.93 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
MSSMX vs. CPOAX — Risk / Return Rank
MSSMX
CPOAX
MSSMX vs. CPOAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Morgan Stanley Institutional Inception Fund Class A (MSSMX) and Morgan Stanley Insight A (CPOAX). 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.
| MSSMX | CPOAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.03 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.01 | 1.00 | 0.00 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.10 | -0.14 | +0.03 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.20 | -0.26 | +0.06 |
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Drawdowns
MSSMX vs. CPOAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MSSMX drawdown since its inception was -76.24%, smaller than the maximum CPOAX drawdown of -84.57%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MSSMX and CPOAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MSSMX | CPOAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -76.24% | -84.57% | +8.33% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -32.92% | -28.37% | -4.55% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -32.92% | -31.38% | -1.54% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -71.12% | -70.73% | -0.39% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -76.24% | -71.33% | -4.91% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -48.60% | -25.13% | -23.47% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -24.72% | -39.12% | +14.40% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 16.49% | 14.43% | +2.06% |
Volatility
MSSMX vs. CPOAX - Volatility Comparison
Morgan Stanley Institutional Inception Fund Class A (MSSMX) has a higher volatility of 8.53% compared to Morgan Stanley Insight A (CPOAX) at 8.00%. This indicates that MSSMX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than CPOAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MSSMX | CPOAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.53% | 8.00% | +0.53% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 23.96% | 23.61% | +0.35% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 31.29% | 30.51% | +0.78% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 38.12% | 39.99% | -1.87% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 34.42% | 34.26% | +0.16% |
MSSMX vs. CPOAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
MSSMX has a 1.35% expense ratio, which is higher than CPOAX's 1.15% expense ratio.
Dividends
MSSMX vs. CPOAX - Dividend Comparison
Neither MSSMX nor CPOAX has paid dividends to shareholders.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CPOAX Morgan Stanley Insight A | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.61% | 0.00% | 51.84% | 14.94% | 9.06% | 7.29% | 9.33% | 28.73% | 9.83% | 8.92% |
MSSMX Morgan Stanley Institutional Inception Fund Class A | 0.00% | 0.00% | 1.16% | 0.00% | 0.14% | 36.28% | 13.10% | 45.60% | 18.04% | 57.39% | 3.76% | 9.73% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.91, MSSMX and CPOAX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
MSSMX has higher volatility (8.53%) compared to CPOAX (8.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, MSSMX dropped -76.24% vs CPOAX's -84.57%.
MSSMX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (-0.11 vs -0.13), 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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