NEEGX vs. RING
NEEGX (Needham Growth Fund) and RING (iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF) are both funds - NEEGX is a Mid Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Needham, while RING is a Gold fund tracking the MSCI ACWI Select Gold Miners Investable Market Index. Over the past 10 years, NEEGX returned 14.06%/yr vs 10.69%/yr for RING. Their 0.18 correlation means their historical movements had little consistent relationship. NEEGX charges 1.78%/yr vs 0.39%/yr for RING.
Performance
NEEGX vs. RING - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NEEGX achieves a 34.50% return, which is significantly higher than RING's -12.74% return. Over the past 10 years, NEEGX has outperformed RING with an annualized return of 14.06%, while RING has yielded a comparatively lower 10.69% annualized return.
NEEGX
- 1D
- 5.86%
- 1M
- -10.02%
- 6M
- 17.12%
- YTD
- 34.50%
- 1Y
- 51.33%
- 3Y*
- 16.90%
- 5Y*
- 8.81%
- 10Y*
- 14.06%
- ALL TIME*
- 12.59%
RING
- 1D
- -3.07%
- 1M
- -5.09%
- 6M
- -20.44%
- YTD
- -12.74%
- 1Y
- 45.25%
- 3Y*
- 41.73%
- 5Y*
- 19.27%
- 10Y*
- 10.69%
- ALL TIME*
- 2.79%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
NEEGX Needham Growth Fund | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| $77.74M | $52.06M | $43.86M |
NEEGX vs. RING - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEEGX Needham Growth Fund | 34.50% | 8.76% | 14.45% | 26.85% | -33.57% | 27.63% | 41.73% | 42.33% | -10.56% | 8.33% |
RING iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | -12.74% | 164.72% | 15.98% | 12.29% | -15.40% | -7.46% | 24.98% | 49.92% | -13.14% | 10.24% |
Correlation
The correlation between NEEGX and RING is 0.42, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.42 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.29 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.27 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.19 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2012 | 0.18 |
Over the past year, NEEGX and RING have become more correlated (0.42) than their long-term average of 0.18, meaning their price movements have been converging.
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Return for Risk
NEEGX vs. RING — Risk / Return Rank
NEEGX
RING
NEEGX vs. RING - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Needham Growth Fund (NEEGX) and iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING). 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.
| NEEGX | RING | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.44 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.49 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.19 | +0.05 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.00 | 1.24 | +0.75 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.32 | 2.72 | +5.60 |
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Drawdowns
NEEGX vs. RING - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NEEGX drawdown since its inception was -53.60%, smaller than the maximum RING drawdown of -79.47%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NEEGX and RING.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NEEGX | RING | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.60% | -79.47% | +25.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -23.15% | -38.61% | +15.46% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -38.66% | -38.61% | -0.05% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -43.35% | -47.94% | +4.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -43.35% | -52.04% | +8.69% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -18.65% | -35.37% | +16.72% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.88% | -47.24% | +36.36% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.68% | 17.57% | -11.89% |
Volatility
NEEGX vs. RING - Volatility Comparison
Needham Growth Fund (NEEGX) has a higher volatility of 12.98% compared to iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING) at 12.19%. This indicates that NEEGX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than RING based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NEEGX | RING | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 12.98% | 12.19% | +0.79% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 26.85% | 39.42% | -12.57% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 32.47% | 48.68% | -16.21% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 29.42% | 37.26% | -7.84% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 25.90% | 36.65% | -10.75% |
NEEGX vs. RING - Expense Ratio Comparison
NEEGX has a 1.78% expense ratio, which is higher than RING's 0.39% expense ratio.
Dividends
NEEGX vs. RING - Dividend Comparison
NEEGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.63%, more than RING's 1.42% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEEGX Needham Growth Fund | 5.63% | 7.57% | 3.92% | 0.00% | 1.78% | 6.92% | 5.73% | 11.31% | 17.79% | 9.70% | 4.22% | 6.74% |
RING iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 1.42% | 0.84% | 1.43% | 2.01% | 2.29% | 2.38% | 0.83% | 0.83% | 0.70% | 0.42% | 1.41% | 0.96% |
Frequently Asked Questions
NEEGX and RING have a correlation of 0.42, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NEEGX has higher volatility (12.98%) compared to RING (12.19%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NEEGX dropped -53.60% vs RING's -79.47%.
NEEGX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.42 vs 0.99), 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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