NEAGX vs. ^GSPC

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Needham Aggressive Growth Fund (NEAGX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC).

NEAGX is managed by Needham. It was launched on Sep 4, 2001.

Performance

NEAGX vs. ^GSPC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Needham Aggressive Growth Fund (NEAGX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

NEAGX vs. ^GSPC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NEAGX Needham Aggressive Growth Fund	11.92%	26.40%	14.31%	37.65%	-27.53%	37.56%	51.53%	43.82%	-16.09%	8.75%
^GSPC S&P 500 Index	-3.95%	16.39%	23.31%	24.23%	-19.44%	26.89%	16.26%	28.88%	-6.24%	19.42%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NEAGX achieves a 11.92% return, which is significantly higher than ^GSPC's -3.95% return. Over the past 10 years, NEAGX has outperformed ^GSPC with an annualized return of 18.04%, while ^GSPC has yielded a comparatively lower 12.24% annualized return.

NEAGX

• 1D: 4.33%
• 1M: -7.75%
• YTD: 11.92%
• 6M: 14.19%
• 1Y: 60.51%
• 3Y*: 26.85%
• 5Y*: 15.03%
• 10Y*: 18.04%

^GSPC

• 1D: 0.72%
• 1M: -4.45%
• YTD: -3.95%
• 6M: -2.02%
• 1Y: 16.73%
• 3Y*: 16.96%
• 5Y*: 10.34%
• 10Y*: 12.24%

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

Return for Risk

NEAGX vs. ^GSPC — Risk / Return Rank

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

NEAGX

NEAGX Risk / Return Rank: 93
NEAGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 94
NEAGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 91
NEAGX Omega Ratio Rank: 87
NEAGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
NEAGX Martin Ratio Rank: 96

^GSPC

^GSPC Risk / Return Rank: 67
^GSPC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
^GSPC Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
^GSPC Omega Ratio Rank: 69
^GSPC Calmar Ratio Rank: 60
^GSPC Martin Ratio Rank: 77

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.

NEAGX vs. ^GSPC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Needham Aggressive Growth Fund (NEAGX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). 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.

	NEAGX	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.14	0.92	+1.23
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.71	1.41	+1.30
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.38	1.21	+0.16
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.27	1.41	+2.85
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	15.19	6.61	+8.58
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NEAGX vs. ^GSPC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NEAGX Sharpe Ratio is 2.14, which is higher than the ^GSPC Sharpe Ratio of 0.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NEAGX and ^GSPC, 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

	NEAGX	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.14	0.92	+1.23
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62	0.61	+0.01
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.76	0.68	+0.08
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.59	0.46	+0.13

Correlation

The correlation between NEAGX and ^GSPC is 0.81, 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.

Drawdowns

NEAGX vs. ^GSPC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NEAGX drawdown since its inception was -41.80%, smaller than the maximum ^GSPC drawdown of -56.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NEAGX and ^GSPC.

Drawdown Indicators

	NEAGX	^GSPC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-41.80%	-56.78%	+14.98%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.01%	-12.14%	-1.87%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-36.31%	-25.43%	-10.88%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.31%	-33.92%	-2.39%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-7.75%	-5.78%	-1.97%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.72%	-10.75%	+2.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.93%	2.60%	+1.33%

Volatility

NEAGX vs. ^GSPC - Volatility Comparison

Needham Aggressive Growth Fund (NEAGX) has a higher volatility of 11.64% compared to S&P 500 Index (^GSPC) at 5.37%. This indicates that NEAGX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ^GSPC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NEAGX	^GSPC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	11.64%	5.37%	+6.27%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	19.84%	9.55%	+10.29%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	28.93%	18.33%	+10.60%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.33%	16.90%	+7.43%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	23.90%	18.05%	+5.85%