NEAIX vs. WBSIX
Compare and contrast key facts about Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class (NEAIX) and William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund (WBSIX).
NEAIX is an actively managed fund by Needham. It was launched on Dec 30, 2016. WBSIX is managed by William Blair. It was launched on Dec 27, 1999.
Performance
NEAIX vs. WBSIX - Performance Comparison
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NEAIX vs. WBSIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEAIX Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class | 7.37% | 26.99% | 14.86% | 38.37% | -27.02% | 38.46% | 52.49% | 44.68% | -15.64% | 10.07% |
WBSIX William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund | -5.23% | 3.03% | 32.88% | 16.38% | -21.46% | 12.64% | 38.87% | 22.53% | -2.08% | 26.58% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NEAIX achieves a 7.37% return, which is significantly higher than WBSIX's -5.23% return.
NEAIX
- 1D
- -3.89%
- 1M
- -9.47%
- YTD
- 7.37%
- 6M
- 10.73%
- 1Y
- 55.63%
- 3Y*
- 25.66%
- 5Y*
- 15.35%
- 10Y*
- —
WBSIX
- 1D
- -1.26%
- 1M
- -10.26%
- YTD
- -5.23%
- 6M
- -2.35%
- 1Y
- 9.76%
- 3Y*
- 12.31%
- 5Y*
- 4.37%
- 10Y*
- 13.07%
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NEAIX vs. WBSIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
NEAIX has a 1.20% expense ratio, which is lower than WBSIX's 1.25% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
NEAIX vs. WBSIX — Risk / Return Rank
NEAIX
WBSIX
NEAIX vs. WBSIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class (NEAIX) and William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund (WBSIX). 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 | WBSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.89 | 0.40 | +1.49 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.45 | 0.74 | +1.71 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.34 | 1.09 | +0.25 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.57 | 0.45 | +3.11 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 12.81 | 1.56 | +11.25 |
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
| NEAIX | WBSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.89 | 0.40 | +1.49 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.64 | 0.18 | +0.45 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.57 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.72 | 0.51 | +0.21 |
Correlation
The correlation between NEAIX and WBSIX is 0.84, 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.
Dividends
NEAIX vs. WBSIX - Dividend Comparison
NEAIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.88%, less than WBSIX's 7.90% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEAIX Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class | 1.88% | 2.01% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 6.84% | 3.80% | 10.42% | 16.35% | 5.14% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
WBSIX William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund | 7.90% | 7.49% | 20.14% | 1.53% | 3.55% | 17.85% | 9.73% | 2.07% | 12.60% | 16.89% | 5.42% | 8.25% |
Drawdowns
NEAIX vs. WBSIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NEAIX drawdown since its inception was -35.93%, smaller than the maximum WBSIX drawdown of -62.35%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NEAIX and WBSIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NEAIX | WBSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.93% | -62.35% | +26.42% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.98% | -13.31% | -0.67% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -35.93% | -38.13% | +2.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -39.16% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.55% | -12.75% | +1.20% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -8.73% | -11.20% | +2.47% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.89% | 4.02% | -0.13% |
Volatility
NEAIX vs. WBSIX - Volatility Comparison
Needham Aggressive Growth Fund Institutional Class (NEAIX) has a higher volatility of 10.98% compared to William Blair Small Cap Growth Fund (WBSIX) at 6.91%. This indicates that NEAIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than WBSIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NEAIX | WBSIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.98% | 6.91% | +4.07% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 19.41% | 14.89% | +4.52% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 28.68% | 23.53% | +5.15% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 24.28% | 23.78% | +0.50% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 24.42% | 22.91% | +1.51% |