NWFFX vs. SFENX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

NWFFX (American Funds New World Fund Class F-1) and SFENX (Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund) are both Emerging Markets Equities funds. NWFFX is actively managed, while SFENX is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, NWFFX returned 9.97%/yr vs 9.83%/yr for SFENX. Their correlation of 0.86 means they have usually moved in the same direction. NWFFX charges 0.96%/yr vs 0.39%/yr for SFENX.

Performance

NWFFX vs. SFENX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in American Funds New World Fund Class F-1 (NWFFX) and Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund (SFENX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NWFFX achieves a 11.61% return, which is significantly lower than SFENX's 13.49% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with NWFFX having a 9.97% annualized return and SFENX not far behind at 9.83%.

NWFFX

• 1D: 3.30%
• 1M: -1.66%
• 6M: 5.35%
• YTD: 11.61%
• 1Y: 26.26%
• 3Y*: 15.03%
• 5Y*: 6.10%
• 10Y*: 9.97%
• ALL TIME*: 9.21%

SFENX

• 1D: 1.90%
• 1M: 3.71%
• 6M: 5.58%
• YTD: 13.49%
• 1Y: 27.98%
• 3Y*: 17.96%
• 5Y*: 10.51%
• 10Y*: 9.83%
• ALL TIME*: 8.18%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
NWFFX American Funds New World Fund Class F-1	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
SFENX Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

NWFFX vs. SFENX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NWFFX American Funds New World Fund Class F-1	11.61%	28.17%	6.46%	15.80%	-22.08%	4.69%	24.81%	27.54%	-12.34%	32.56%
SFENX Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund	13.49%	29.19%	12.31%	14.90%	-15.50%	13.91%	-3.01%	19.46%	-9.96%	26.44%

Correlation

The correlation between NWFFX and SFENX is 0.83, meaning they have usually moved in the same direction, including during past declines.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.83
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.82
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.81
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.83
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 2, 2009	0.86

The correlation between NWFFX and SFENX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.81 to 0.86 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

NWFFX vs. SFENX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

NWFFX

NWFFX Risk / Return Rank: 46
NWFFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 47
NWFFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 43
NWFFX Omega Ratio Rank: 49
NWFFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 45
NWFFX Martin Ratio Rank: 45

SFENX

SFENX Risk / Return Rank: 76
SFENX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
SFENX Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
SFENX Omega Ratio Rank: 76
SFENX Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
SFENX Martin Ratio Rank: 67

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

NWFFX vs. SFENX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds New World Fund Class F-1 (NWFFX) and Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund (SFENX). 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.

	NWFFX	SFENX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.36	1.80	-0.44
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.91	2.46	-0.55
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.32	-0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.85	2.73	-0.88
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.72	8.14	-1.42

NWFFX vs. SFENX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NWFFX Sharpe Ratio is 1.36, which is comparable to the SFENX Sharpe Ratio of 1.80. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NWFFX and SFENX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

NWFFX vs. SFENX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NWFFX drawdown since its inception was -56.72%, which is greater than SFENX's maximum drawdown of -47.19%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NWFFX and SFENX.

Drawdown Indicators

	NWFFX	SFENX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-56.72%	-47.19%	-9.53%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.03%	-9.45%	-3.58%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.18%	-16.51%	+1.33%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.69%	-29.26%	-4.43%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.69%	-39.59%	+5.90%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.89%	-3.23%	-2.66%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.73%	-12.81%	+3.08%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.59%	3.16%	+0.43%

Volatility

NWFFX vs. SFENX - Volatility Comparison

American Funds New World Fund Class F-1 (NWFFX) has a higher volatility of 7.07% compared to Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund (SFENX) at 4.35%. This indicates that NWFFX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SFENX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NWFFX	SFENX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.07%	4.35%	+2.72%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.91%	11.98%	+3.93%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.73%	14.34%	+3.39%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.97%	15.56%	+0.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.33%	16.79%	-0.46%

NWFFX vs. SFENX - Expense Ratio Comparison

NWFFX has a 0.96% expense ratio, which is higher than SFENX's 0.39% expense ratio.

Dividends

NWFFX vs. SFENX - Dividend Comparison

NWFFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 5.15%, more than SFENX's 3.46% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NWFFX American Funds New World Fund Class F-1	5.15%	5.75%	3.70%	2.48%	0.88%	6.95%	0.10%	3.70%	2.22%	1.92%	0.93%	0.65%
SFENX Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Equity Index Fund	3.46%	3.93%	4.67%	5.00%	5.46%	4.61%	2.95%	3.82%	2.90%	2.37%	2.16%	3.23%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both NWFFX and SFENX in my portfolio?

NWFFX and SFENX have a correlation of 0.83, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, NWFFX or SFENX?

NWFFX has higher volatility (7.07%) compared to SFENX (4.35%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NWFFX dropped -56.72% vs SFENX's -47.19%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SFENX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.80 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.