NEWFX vs. MAIIX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

NEWFX (American Funds New World Fund) and MAIIX (iShares MSCI EAFE International Index Fund) are both mutual funds - NEWFX is a Emerging Markets Diversified fund managed by American Funds, while MAIIX is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund managed by BlackRock. Over the past 10 years, NEWFX returned 10.92%/yr vs 9.32%/yr for MAIIX. Their correlation of 0.82 suggests significant overlap in exposure. NEWFX charges 0.96%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for MAIIX.

Performance

NEWFX vs. MAIIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in American Funds New World Fund (NEWFX) and iShares MSCI EAFE International Index Fund (MAIIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NEWFX achieves a 16.61% return, which is significantly higher than MAIIX's 9.25% return. Over the past 10 years, NEWFX has outperformed MAIIX with an annualized return of 10.92%, while MAIIX has yielded a comparatively lower 9.32% annualized return.

NEWFX

• 1D: 0.38%
• 1M: 7.04%
• YTD: 16.61%
• 6M: 18.49%
• 1Y: 35.41%
• 3Y*: 19.19%
• 5Y*: 6.60%
• 10Y*: 10.92%

MAIIX

• 1D: -0.28%
• 1M: 2.57%
• YTD: 9.25%
• 6M: 12.17%
• 1Y: 21.02%
• 3Y*: 17.01%
• 5Y*: 8.70%
• 10Y*: 9.32%

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

NEWFX vs. MAIIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NEWFX American Funds New World Fund	16.61%	28.16%	6.45%	15.75%	-22.08%	4.69%	24.79%	27.51%	-12.32%	32.56%
MAIIX iShares MSCI EAFE International Index Fund	9.25%	31.62%	3.65%	18.35%	-14.15%	11.25%	8.03%	21.82%	-13.43%	25.24%

Correlation

The correlation between NEWFX and MAIIX is 0.74, 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	0.74
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.79
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.84
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.84
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 18, 1999	0.82

The correlation between NEWFX and MAIIX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.74 to 0.84 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

NEWFX vs. MAIIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

NEWFX

NEWFX Risk / Return Rank: 64
NEWFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
NEWFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
NEWFX Omega Ratio Rank: 70
NEWFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 50
NEWFX Martin Ratio Rank: 55

MAIIX

MAIIX Risk / Return Rank: 27
MAIIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 26
MAIIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 25
MAIIX Omega Ratio Rank: 25
MAIIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 27
MAIIX Martin Ratio Rank: 32

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.

NEWFX vs. MAIIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds New World Fund (NEWFX) and iShares MSCI EAFE International Index Fund (MAIIX). 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.

	NEWFX	MAIIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.49	1.48	+1.00
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.46	2.13	+1.34
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.47	1.27	+0.20
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.74	2.00	+0.74
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.28	7.51	+3.77
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NEWFX vs. MAIIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NEWFX Sharpe Ratio is 2.49, which is higher than the MAIIX Sharpe Ratio of 1.48. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NEWFX and MAIIX, 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

	NEWFX	MAIIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.49	1.48	+1.00
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.43	0.54	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.68	0.56	+0.12
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.53	0.31	+0.21

Drawdowns

NEWFX vs. MAIIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NEWFX drawdown since its inception was -56.71%, smaller than the maximum MAIIX drawdown of -61.05%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NEWFX and MAIIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NEWFX	MAIIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-56.71%	-61.05%	+4.34%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.03%	-11.31%	-1.72%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.18%	-13.68%	-1.50%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.68%	-29.31%	-4.37%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.68%	-34.01%	+0.33%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.75%	+0.75%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-11.74%	-15.34%	+3.60%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.17%	3.02%	+0.15%

Volatility

NEWFX vs. MAIIX - Volatility Comparison

American Funds New World Fund (NEWFX) has a higher volatility of 5.50% compared to iShares MSCI EAFE International Index Fund (MAIIX) at 4.75%. This indicates that NEWFX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than MAIIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NEWFX	MAIIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.50%	4.75%	+0.75%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.50%	12.26%	+0.24%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.75%	15.13%	-0.38%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.42%	16.14%	-0.72%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.14%	16.65%	-0.51%

NEWFX vs. MAIIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

NEWFX has a 0.96% expense ratio, which is higher than MAIIX's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

NEWFX vs. MAIIX - Dividend Comparison

NEWFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.89%, more than MAIIX's 3.39% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
MAIIX iShares MSCI EAFE International Index Fund	3.39%	3.71%	3.38%	3.16%	2.76%	3.00%	1.94%	3.29%	4.53%	2.42%	2.81%	2.40%
NEWFX American Funds New World Fund	4.89%	5.71%	3.66%	2.46%	0.89%	6.89%	0.10%	3.65%	2.26%	1.90%	0.92%	0.60%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NEWFX and MAIIX in my portfolio?

NEWFX and MAIIX have a correlation of 0.74, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NEWFX or MAIIX?

NEWFX has higher volatility (5.50%) compared to MAIIX (4.75%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NEWFX dropped -56.71% vs MAIIX's -61.05%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NEWFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.49 vs 1.48), 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.