PEQUX vs. VWUAX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

PEQUX (Putnam Focused International Equity Fund) and VWUAX (Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - PEQUX is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund managed by Putnam, while VWUAX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, PEQUX returned 10.49%/yr vs 16.19%/yr for VWUAX. Their correlation of 0.83 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PEQUX charges 1.07%/yr vs 0.28%/yr for VWUAX.

Performance

PEQUX vs. VWUAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Putnam Focused International Equity Fund (PEQUX) and Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares (VWUAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PEQUX achieves a 13.28% return, which is significantly higher than VWUAX's 4.81% return. Over the past 10 years, PEQUX has underperformed VWUAX with an annualized return of 10.49%, while VWUAX has yielded a comparatively higher 16.19% annualized return.

PEQUX

• 1D: 1.06%
• 1M: 6.71%
• YTD: 13.28%
• 6M: 16.18%
• 1Y: 30.64%
• 3Y*: 19.46%
• 5Y*: 9.09%
• 10Y*: 10.49%

VWUAX

• 1D: -0.76%
• 1M: 5.92%
• YTD: 4.81%
• 6M: 3.39%
• 1Y: 17.83%
• 3Y*: 22.40%
• 5Y*: 7.20%
• 10Y*: 16.19%

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

PEQUX vs. VWUAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PEQUX Putnam Focused International Equity Fund	13.28%	36.14%	3.56%	19.05%	-18.17%	10.46%	10.12%	26.66%	-12.63%	28.08%
VWUAX Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares	4.81%	15.49%	31.79%	45.32%	-39.58%	2.43%	58.80%	48.42%	0.77%	31.26%

Correlation

The correlation between PEQUX and VWUAX is 0.66, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.66
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.64
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.70
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.76
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 14, 2001	0.83

The correlation between PEQUX and VWUAX shifts across timeframes, from 0.64 (3 years) to 0.83 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

PEQUX vs. VWUAX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PEQUX

PEQUX Risk / Return Rank: 50
PEQUX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
PEQUX Sortino Ratio Rank: 46
PEQUX Omega Ratio Rank: 50
PEQUX Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
PEQUX Martin Ratio Rank: 56

VWUAX

VWUAX Risk / Return Rank: 13
VWUAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 16
VWUAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 15
VWUAX Omega Ratio Rank: 15
VWUAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 10
VWUAX Martin Ratio Rank: 9

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.

PEQUX vs. VWUAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Putnam Focused International Equity Fund (PEQUX) and Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares (VWUAX). 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.

	PEQUX	VWUAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.12	1.11	+1.01
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.87	1.58	+1.29
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.39	1.20	+0.18
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.68	0.97	+1.71
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.33	2.88	+8.45
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PEQUX vs. VWUAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PEQUX Sharpe Ratio is 2.12, which is higher than the VWUAX Sharpe Ratio of 1.11. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PEQUX and VWUAX, 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

	PEQUX	VWUAX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.12	1.11	+1.01
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.57	0.29	+0.28
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.62	0.69	-0.07
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.16	0.41	-0.26

Drawdowns

PEQUX vs. VWUAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PEQUX drawdown since its inception was -83.68%, which is greater than VWUAX's maximum drawdown of -50.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PEQUX and VWUAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PEQUX	VWUAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-83.68%	-50.37%	-33.31%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.80%	-19.12%	+7.32%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-11.80%	-25.01%	+13.21%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-33.42%	-50.17%	+16.75%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.75%	-50.17%	+14.42%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.76%	+0.76%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-33.96%	-12.82%	-21.14%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.79%	6.41%	-3.62%

Volatility

PEQUX vs. VWUAX - Volatility Comparison

Putnam Focused International Equity Fund (PEQUX) has a higher volatility of 4.39% compared to Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares (VWUAX) at 3.66%. This indicates that PEQUX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VWUAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PEQUX	VWUAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.39%	3.66%	+0.73%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.24%	12.49%	-0.25%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.06%	16.60%	-1.54%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.95%	24.93%	-8.98%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.99%	23.71%	-6.72%

PEQUX vs. VWUAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PEQUX has a 1.07% expense ratio, which is higher than VWUAX's 0.28% expense ratio.

Dividends

PEQUX vs. VWUAX - Dividend Comparison

PEQUX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.15%, less than VWUAX's 9.06% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PEQUX Putnam Focused International Equity Fund	6.15%	6.96%	3.75%	1.01%	2.79%	34.47%	0.53%	0.05%	0.00%	0.35%	1.59%	0.56%
VWUAX Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund Admiral Shares	9.06%	9.50%	4.70%	0.37%	0.49%	3.60%	4.00%	13.28%	9.80%	4.63%	1.67%	9.10%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PEQUX and VWUAX in my portfolio?

PEQUX and VWUAX have a correlation of 0.66, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PEQUX or VWUAX?

PEQUX has higher volatility (4.39%) compared to VWUAX (3.66%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PEQUX dropped -83.68% vs VWUAX's -50.37%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PEQUX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.12 vs 1.11), 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.