PARFX vs. VWUSX
PARFX (T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund) and VWUSX (Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Investor Shares) are both mutual funds - PARFX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by T. Rowe Price, while VWUSX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, PARFX returned 10.97%/yr vs 17.82%/yr for VWUSX. Their correlation of 0.89 means they have usually moved in the same direction. PARFX charges 0.89%/yr vs 0.35%/yr for VWUSX.
Performance
PARFX vs. VWUSX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, PARFX achieves a 10.66% return, which is significantly higher than VWUSX's -2.93% return. Over the past 10 years, PARFX has underperformed VWUSX with an annualized return of 10.97%, while VWUSX has yielded a comparatively higher 17.82% annualized return.
PARFX
- 1D
- 1.77%
- 1M
- -0.04%
- 6M
- 6.84%
- YTD
- 10.66%
- 1Y
- 21.85%
- 3Y*
- 15.59%
- 5Y*
- 8.48%
- 10Y*
- 10.97%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.14%
VWUSX
- 1D
- 1.98%
- 1M
- -3.71%
- 6M
- -0.40%
- YTD
- -2.93%
- 1Y
- 2.37%
- 3Y*
- 16.16%
- 5Y*
- 9.19%
- 10Y*
- 17.82%
- ALL TIME*
- 8.69%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
PARFX vs. VWUSX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PARFX T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund | 10.66% | 18.56% | 13.90% | 20.55% | -19.31% | 17.22% | 18.32% | 25.12% | -7.93% | 20.76% |
VWUSX Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Investor Shares | -2.93% | 15.39% | 31.65% | 45.17% | -39.64% | 35.76% | 58.63% | 45.61% | 0.65% | 31.11% |
Correlation
The correlation between PARFX and VWUSX is 0.80, 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. | 0.80 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.81 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.85 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.84 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2007 | 0.89 |
The correlation between PARFX and VWUSX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.80 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
PARFX vs. VWUSX — Risk / Return Rank
PARFX
VWUSX
PARFX vs. VWUSX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund (PARFX) and Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Investor Shares (VWUSX). 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.
| PARFX | VWUSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.51 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +2.01 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.28 | 1.02 | +0.26 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.04 | 0.03 | +2.01 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.77 | 0.07 | +8.70 |
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Drawdowns
PARFX vs. VWUSX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum PARFX drawdown since its inception was -53.67%, smaller than the maximum VWUSX drawdown of -73.31%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PARFX and VWUSX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| PARFX | VWUSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -53.67% | -73.31% | +19.64% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.77% | -19.15% | +9.38% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.48% | -25.01% | +9.53% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -28.08% | -42.18% | +14.10% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -32.52% | -42.18% | +9.66% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -0.97% | -8.06% | +7.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -7.59% | -22.77% | +15.18% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.27% | 6.80% | -4.53% |
Volatility
PARFX vs. VWUSX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund (PARFX) is 3.49%, while Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Investor Shares (VWUSX) has a volatility of 5.29%. This indicates that PARFX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VWUSX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| PARFX | VWUSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.49% | 5.29% | -1.80% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.78% | 14.35% | -3.57% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 12.93% | 18.17% | -5.24% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.20% | 27.03% | -11.83% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.38% | 24.72% | -9.34% |
PARFX vs. VWUSX - Expense Ratio Comparison
PARFX has a 0.89% expense ratio, which is higher than VWUSX's 0.35% expense ratio.
Dividends
PARFX vs. VWUSX - Dividend Comparison
PARFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.45%, less than VWUSX's 9.65% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
PARFX T. Rowe Price Retirement 2050 Fund | 3.45% | 3.82% | 1.69% | 4.32% | 7.60% | 6.77% | 4.27% | 5.55% | 8.33% | 2.34% | 3.11% | 4.00% |
VWUSX Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Investor Shares | 9.65% | 9.37% | 4.60% | 0.28% | 0.37% | 30.03% | 3.90% | 11.66% | 9.65% | 4.63% | 1.52% | 8.95% |
Frequently Asked Questions
PARFX and VWUSX have a correlation of 0.80, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VWUSX has higher volatility (5.29%) compared to PARFX (3.49%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PARFX dropped -53.67% vs VWUSX's -73.31%.
PARFX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.54 vs 0.03), 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.
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