PARFX vs. VFIFX
Compare and contrast key facts about T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund (PARFX) and Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund (VFIFX).
PARFX is managed by T. Rowe Price. It was launched on Dec 28, 2006. VFIFX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Jun 7, 2006.
Performance
PARFX vs. VFIFX - Performance Comparison
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PARFX vs. VFIFX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PARFX T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund | -3.76% | 18.56% | 13.90% | 20.55% | -19.31% | 17.22% | 18.32% | 25.12% | -7.93% | 20.76% |
VFIFX Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund | -3.95% | 21.42% | 14.45% | 20.39% | -17.48% | 16.42% | 16.40% | 24.99% | -7.89% | 19.15% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PARFX achieves a -3.76% return, which is significantly higher than VFIFX's -3.95% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with PARFX having a 9.98% annualized return and VFIFX not far ahead at 10.29%.
PARFX
- 1D
- -0.34%
- 1M
- -9.37%
- YTD
- -3.76%
- 6M
- -1.11%
- 1Y
- 13.98%
- 3Y*
- 13.80%
- 5Y*
- 6.96%
- 10Y*
- 9.98%
VFIFX
- 1D
- -0.28%
- 1M
- -8.41%
- YTD
- -3.95%
- 6M
- -1.01%
- 1Y
- 17.29%
- 3Y*
- 14.65%
- 5Y*
- 8.11%
- 10Y*
- 10.29%
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PARFX vs. VFIFX - Expense Ratio Comparison
PARFX has a 0.89% expense ratio, which is higher than VFIFX's 0.08% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
PARFX vs. VFIFX — Risk / Return Rank
PARFX
VFIFX
PARFX vs. VFIFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund (PARFX) and Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund (VFIFX). 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.
| PARFX | VFIFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.89 | 1.17 | -0.29 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.32 | 1.70 | -0.38 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.20 | 1.25 | -0.05 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.05 | 1.48 | -0.43 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.80 | 6.86 | -2.06 |
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
| PARFX | VFIFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.89 | 1.17 | -0.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 | 0.58 | -0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.65 | 0.69 | -0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.43 | 0.47 | -0.05 |
Correlation
The correlation between PARFX and VFIFX is 0.98, 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
PARFX vs. VFIFX - Dividend Comparison
PARFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.97%, more than VFIFX's 2.18% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PARFX T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund | 3.97% | 3.82% | 1.69% | 4.32% | 7.60% | 6.77% | 4.27% | 5.55% | 8.33% | 2.34% | 3.11% | 4.00% |
VFIFX Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund | 2.18% | 2.09% | 2.26% | 2.21% | 2.38% | 12.83% | 1.84% | 2.20% | 2.51% | 0.03% | 2.04% | 2.36% |
Drawdowns
PARFX vs. VFIFX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PARFX drawdown since its inception was -53.67%, roughly equal to the maximum VFIFX drawdown of -51.68%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PARFX and VFIFX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PARFX | VFIFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.67% | -51.68% | -1.99% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.62% | -10.52% | -1.10% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.08% | -25.40% | -2.68% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -32.52% | -31.36% | -1.16% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.77% | -8.87% | -0.90% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.70% | -6.93% | -0.77% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.55% | 2.27% | +0.28% |
Volatility
PARFX vs. VFIFX - Volatility Comparison
T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund (PARFX) has a higher volatility of 5.05% compared to Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund (VFIFX) at 4.70%. This indicates that PARFX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFIFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PARFX | VFIFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.05% | 4.70% | +0.35% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.00% | 8.53% | +0.47% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.82% | 14.79% | +1.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.96% | 14.07% | +0.89% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.35% | 15.05% | +0.30% |