NOEMX vs. VFSAX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

NOEMX (Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund) and VFSAX (Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - NOEMX is a Emerging Markets Diversified fund managed by Northern Funds, while VFSAX is a Foreign Small & Mid Cap Equities fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 5 years, NOEMX returned 7.35%/yr vs 6.01%/yr for VFSAX. A 0.77 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. NOEMX charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.16%/yr for VFSAX.

Performance

NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund (NOEMX) and Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFSAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NOEMX achieves a 28.26% return, which is significantly higher than VFSAX's 11.67% return.

NOEMX

• 1D: 1.58%
• 1M: 10.45%
• YTD: 28.26%
• 6M: 30.99%
• 1Y: 57.19%
• 3Y*: 24.41%
• 5Y*: 7.35%
• 10Y*: 10.28%

VFSAX

• 1D: -0.48%
• 1M: 1.54%
• YTD: 11.67%
• 6M: 14.73%
• 1Y: 27.97%
• 3Y*: 17.10%
• 5Y*: 6.01%
• 10Y*: —

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

NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
NOEMX Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund	28.26%	33.67%	7.10%	9.20%	-20.53%	-3.36%	17.63%	9.37%
VFSAX Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Admiral Shares	11.67%	29.89%	2.58%	15.13%	-21.30%	12.68%	11.90%	13.47%

Correlation

The correlation between NOEMX and VFSAX is 0.63, 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	0.63
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.71
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.75
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 8, 2019	0.77

The correlation between NOEMX and VFSAX shifts across timeframes, from 0.63 (1 year) to 0.77 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

NOEMX vs. VFSAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

NOEMX

NOEMX Risk / Return Rank: 91
NOEMX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 97
NOEMX Sortino Ratio Rank: 92
NOEMX Omega Ratio Rank: 91
NOEMX Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
NOEMX Martin Ratio Rank: 87

VFSAX

VFSAX Risk / Return Rank: 50
VFSAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
VFSAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
VFSAX Omega Ratio Rank: 53
VFSAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 44
VFSAX Martin Ratio Rank: 47

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.

NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund (NOEMX) and Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFSAX). 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.

	NOEMX	VFSAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	3.61	2.20	+1.42
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.59	2.99	+1.60
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.66	1.40	+0.26
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.31	2.56	+1.75
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	16.77	9.86	+6.92
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NOEMX Sharpe Ratio is 3.61, which is higher than the VFSAX Sharpe Ratio of 2.20. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NOEMX and VFSAX, 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

	NOEMX	VFSAX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	3.61	2.20	+1.42
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.45	0.40	+0.05
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.59	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.26	0.55	-0.29

Drawdowns

NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NOEMX drawdown since its inception was -66.67%, which is greater than VFSAX's maximum drawdown of -39.86%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NOEMX and VFSAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NOEMX	VFSAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-66.67%	-39.86%	-26.81%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.06%	-11.48%	-1.58%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-16.34%	-14.73%	-1.61%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-37.16%	-33.81%	-3.35%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-39.49%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-1.13%	+1.13%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-19.02%	-9.26%	-9.76%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.36%	2.98%	+0.38%

Volatility

NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Volatility Comparison

Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund (NOEMX) has a higher volatility of 6.58% compared to Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFSAX) at 4.32%. This indicates that NOEMX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFSAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NOEMX	VFSAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.58%	4.32%	+2.26%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.23%	11.24%	+2.99%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.57%	13.42%	+3.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.49%	15.04%	+1.45%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.58%	17.03%	+0.55%

NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

NOEMX has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than VFSAX's 0.16% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Dividend Comparison

NOEMX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.97%, less than VFSAX's 2.96% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NOEMX Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund	1.97%	2.53%	2.98%	3.86%	2.42%	2.87%	2.36%	3.24%	2.76%	1.74%	1.92%	2.54%
VFSAX Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Admiral Shares	2.96%	3.31%	3.36%	3.06%	2.22%	2.67%	1.85%	3.19%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NOEMX and VFSAX in my portfolio?

NOEMX and VFSAX have a correlation of 0.63, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NOEMX or VFSAX?

NOEMX has higher volatility (6.58%) compared to VFSAX (4.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NOEMX dropped -66.67% vs VFSAX's -39.86%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

NOEMX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.61 vs 2.20), 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.