NVS vs. VWELX

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

NVS (Novartis AG) is a stock, while VWELX (Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares) is Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, NVS returned 10.33%/yr vs 9.87%/yr for VWELX. At a 0.45 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

NVS vs. VWELX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Novartis AG (NVS) and Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NVS achieves a 9.43% return, which is significantly higher than VWELX's 4.55% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with NVS having a 10.33% annualized return and VWELX not far behind at 9.87%.

NVS

• 1D: -1.84%
• 1M: 0.27%
• YTD: 9.43%
• 6M: 15.91%
• 1Y: 27.84%
• 3Y*: 17.18%
• 5Y*: 13.87%
• 10Y*: 10.33%

VWELX

• 1D: -2.02%
• 1M: -0.51%
• YTD: 4.55%
• 6M: 4.96%
• 1Y: 17.46%
• 3Y*: 14.67%
• 5Y*: 8.31%
• 10Y*: 9.87%

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

NVS vs. VWELX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NVS Novartis AG	9.43%	46.95%	0.02%	16.14%	8.06%	-3.65%	3.34%	13.92%	5.95%	19.42%
VWELX Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares	4.55%	16.54%	14.73%	14.29%	-14.36%	18.99%	10.57%	22.51%	-3.43%	13.98%

Correlation

The correlation between NVS and VWELX is 0.30, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.30
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.25
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.33
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.42
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 8, 1996	0.45

The correlation between NVS and VWELX shifts across timeframes, from 0.25 (3 years) to 0.45 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

NVS vs. VWELX — Risk / Return Rank

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

NVS

NVS Risk / Return Rank: 77
NVS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 80
NVS Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
NVS Omega Ratio Rank: 73
NVS Calmar Ratio Rank: 77
NVS Martin Ratio Rank: 78

VWELX

VWELX Risk / Return Rank: 55
VWELX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
VWELX Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
VWELX Omega Ratio Rank: 54
VWELX Calmar Ratio Rank: 52
VWELX Martin Ratio Rank: 65

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.

NVS vs. VWELX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Novartis AG (NVS) and Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX). 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.

	NVS	VWELX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.36	2.09	-0.73
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.94	2.89	-0.95
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.24	1.39	-0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.21	2.67	-0.46
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	5.43	12.31	-6.87
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NVS vs. VWELX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NVS Sharpe Ratio is 1.36, which is lower than the VWELX Sharpe Ratio of 2.09. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NVS and VWELX, 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

	NVS	VWELX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.36	2.09	-0.73
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.74	0.75	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.53	0.86	-0.33
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	0.84	-0.42

Drawdowns

NVS vs. VWELX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NVS drawdown since its inception was -42.10%, which is greater than VWELX's maximum drawdown of -36.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NVS and VWELX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NVS	VWELX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.10%	-36.12%	-5.98%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.65%	-6.78%	-5.87%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-19.95%	-11.98%	-7.97%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.42%	-20.88%	+0.46%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-26.03%	-25.33%	-0.70%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-10.52%	-2.39%	-8.13%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.93%	-3.92%	-7.01%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	5.14%	1.47%	+3.67%

Volatility

NVS vs. VWELX - Volatility Comparison

Novartis AG (NVS) has a higher volatility of 6.16% compared to Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX) at 3.12%. This indicates that NVS's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VWELX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NVS	VWELX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.16%	3.12%	+3.04%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.45%	7.00%	+7.45%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	20.63%	8.67%	+11.96%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.85%	11.17%	+7.68%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.62%	11.55%	+8.07%

Dividends

NVS vs. VWELX - Dividend Comparison

NVS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.26%, less than VWELX's 11.02% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NVS Novartis AG	3.26%	2.90%	3.84%	3.44%	3.70%	3.86%	3.22%	3.03%	3.47%	3.24%	3.73%	3.10%
VWELX Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares	11.02%	11.46%	10.76%	6.01%	8.19%	8.64%	7.77%	4.67%	9.49%	5.82%	4.44%	7.03%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NVS and VWELX in my portfolio?

NVS and VWELX have a correlation of 0.30, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NVS or VWELX?

NVS has higher volatility (6.16%) compared to VWELX (3.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NVS dropped -42.10% vs VWELX's -36.12%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VWELX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.09 vs 1.36), 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.