NOEMX vs. VFSAX
Compare and contrast key facts about Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund (NOEMX) and Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFSAX).
NOEMX is managed by Northern Funds. It was launched on Apr 24, 2006. VFSAX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 7, 2019.
Performance
NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Performance Comparison
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NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NOEMX Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund | 2.41% | 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 | 1.27% | 29.89% | 2.58% | 15.13% | -21.30% | 12.68% | 11.90% | 13.47% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NOEMX achieves a 2.41% return, which is significantly higher than VFSAX's 1.27% return.
NOEMX
- 1D
- 1.43%
- 1M
- -10.05%
- YTD
- 2.41%
- 6M
- 5.83%
- 1Y
- 31.13%
- 3Y*
- 15.35%
- 5Y*
- 3.42%
- 10Y*
- 7.71%
VFSAX
- 1D
- 2.40%
- 1M
- -8.22%
- YTD
- 1.27%
- 6M
- 3.64%
- 1Y
- 29.20%
- 3Y*
- 13.60%
- 5Y*
- 5.33%
- 10Y*
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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%.
Return for Risk
NOEMX vs. VFSAX — Risk / Return Rank
NOEMX
VFSAX
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 ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.89 | 2.06 | -0.17 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.52 | 2.63 | -0.10 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.37 | 1.41 | -0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.09 | 2.49 | -0.40 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.91 | 9.78 | -1.87 |
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
| NOEMX | VFSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.89 | 2.06 | -0.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.21 | 0.36 | -0.15 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.45 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.21 | 0.48 | -0.27 |
Correlation
The correlation between NOEMX and VFSAX is 0.78, 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
NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Dividend Comparison
NOEMX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.47%, less than VFSAX's 3.27% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NOEMX Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund | 2.47% | 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 | 3.27% | 3.31% | 3.36% | 3.06% | 2.22% | 2.67% | 1.85% | 3.19% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
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.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NOEMX | VFSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest 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 (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -37.28% | -33.81% | -3.47% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.49% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.81% | -9.36% | -2.45% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -19.16% | -9.42% | -9.74% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.59% | 2.92% | +0.67% |
Volatility
NOEMX vs. VFSAX - Volatility Comparison
Northern Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund (NOEMX) has a higher volatility of 7.56% compared to Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Small-Cap Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFSAX) at 6.64%. 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.
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Volatility by Period
| NOEMX | VFSAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.56% | 6.64% | +0.92% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.09% | 10.11% | +1.98% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.35% | 14.58% | +2.77% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 16.10% | 14.90% | +1.20% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 17.41% | 17.03% | +0.38% |