NEAIX vs. AVEEX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

NEAIX (Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class) and AVEEX (Avantis Emerging Markets Equity Fund) are both mutual funds - NEAIX is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Needham, while AVEEX is a Emerging Markets Diversified fund managed by Avantis Investors. Over the past 5 years, NEAIX returned 23.19%/yr vs 9.37%/yr for AVEEX. A 0.65 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. NEAIX charges 1.20%/yr vs 0.33%/yr for AVEEX.

Performance

NEAIX vs. AVEEX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class (NEAIX) and Avantis Emerging Markets Equity Fund (AVEEX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NEAIX achieves a 54.77% return, which is significantly higher than AVEEX's 25.93% return.

NEAIX

• 1D: 1.05%
• 1M: 12.83%
• YTD: 54.77%
• 6M: 60.01%
• 1Y: 94.71%
• 3Y*: 37.81%
• 5Y*: 23.19%
• 10Y*: —

AVEEX

• 1D: 1.86%
• 1M: 9.03%
• YTD: 25.93%
• 6M: 28.08%
• 1Y: 52.03%
• 3Y*: 25.15%
• 5Y*: 9.37%
• 10Y*: —

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

NEAIX vs. AVEEX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
NEAIX Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class	54.77%	26.99%	14.86%	38.37%	-27.02%	38.46%	52.49%	6.67%
AVEEX Avantis Emerging Markets Equity Fund	25.93%	32.09%	7.68%	15.15%	-18.15%	5.21%	15.72%	7.38%

Correlation

The correlation between NEAIX and AVEEX is 0.67, 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	0.67
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.64
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.64
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 5, 2019	0.65

The correlation between NEAIX and AVEEX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.64 to 0.67 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

NEAIX vs. AVEEX — Risk / Return Rank

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

NEAIX

NEAIX Risk / Return Rank: 93
NEAIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
NEAIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
NEAIX Omega Ratio Rank: 84
NEAIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 97
NEAIX Martin Ratio Rank: 97

AVEEX

AVEEX Risk / Return Rank: 88
AVEEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 95
AVEEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 88
AVEEX Omega Ratio Rank: 88
AVEEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 86
AVEEX Martin Ratio Rank: 85

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.

NEAIX vs. AVEEX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class (NEAIX) and Avantis Emerging Markets Equity Fund (AVEEX). 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.

	NEAIX	AVEEX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	3.71	3.31	+0.40
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.22	4.23	0.00
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.57	1.61	-0.05
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	6.67	4.07	+2.60
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	26.99	16.21	+10.78
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NEAIX vs. AVEEX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NEAIX Sharpe Ratio is 3.71, which is comparable to the AVEEX Sharpe Ratio of 3.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NEAIX and AVEEX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	NEAIX	AVEEX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.71	3.31	+0.40
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.95	0.59	+0.36
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.90	0.70	+0.20

Drawdowns

NEAIX vs. AVEEX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NEAIX drawdown since its inception was -35.93%, roughly equal to the maximum AVEEX drawdown of -36.45%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NEAIX and AVEEX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NEAIX	AVEEX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.93%	-36.45%	+0.52%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.98%	-12.64%	-1.34%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-28.21%	-17.34%	-10.87%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.93%	-33.72%	-2.21%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.07%	0.00%	-0.07%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.60%	-10.33%	+1.73%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.46%	3.17%	+0.29%

Volatility

NEAIX vs. AVEEX - Volatility Comparison

Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class (NEAIX) has a higher volatility of 9.80% compared to Avantis Emerging Markets Equity Fund (AVEEX) at 6.81%. This indicates that NEAIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AVEEX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NEAIX	AVEEX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.80%	6.81%	+2.99%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.25%	13.49%	+6.76%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	25.68%	16.10%	+9.58%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.54%	15.86%	+8.68%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	24.58%	18.75%	+5.83%

NEAIX vs. AVEEX - Expense Ratio Comparison

NEAIX has a 1.20% expense ratio, which is higher than AVEEX's 0.33% expense ratio.

Dividends

NEAIX vs. AVEEX - Dividend Comparison

NEAIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.30%, less than AVEEX's 2.78% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
AVEEX Avantis Emerging Markets Equity Fund	2.78%	3.50%	2.93%	3.51%	3.48%	1.92%	1.52%	0.26%	0.00%	0.00%
NEAIX Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class	1.30%	2.01%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	6.84%	3.80%	10.42%	16.35%	5.14%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NEAIX and AVEEX in my portfolio?

NEAIX and AVEEX have a correlation of 0.67, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NEAIX or AVEEX?

NEAIX has higher volatility (9.80%) compared to AVEEX (6.81%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NEAIX dropped -35.93% vs AVEEX's -36.45%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NEAIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.71 vs 3.31), 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.