PGOAX vs. VFAIX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

PGOAX (PGIM Jennison Small Company Fund) and VFAIX (Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - PGOAX is a Small Cap Growth Equities fund managed by PGIM, while VFAIX is a Financials Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Financials 25/50 Index. Over the past 10 years, PGOAX returned 12.58%/yr vs 13.41%/yr for VFAIX. Their 0.79 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. PGOAX charges 1.13%/yr vs 0.09%/yr for VFAIX.

Performance

PGOAX vs. VFAIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in PGIM Jennison Small Company Fund (PGOAX) and Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFAIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PGOAX achieves a 13.62% return, which is significantly higher than VFAIX's 5.46% return. Over the past 10 years, PGOAX has underperformed VFAIX with an annualized return of 12.58%, while VFAIX has yielded a comparatively higher 13.41% annualized return.

PGOAX

• 1D: 1.73%
• 1M: -2.33%
• 6M: 8.84%
• YTD: 13.62%
• 1Y: 27.90%
• 3Y*: 12.96%
• 5Y*: 6.39%
• 10Y*: 12.58%
• ALL TIME*: 11.01%

VFAIX

• 1D: 0.50%
• 1M: 2.34%
• 6M: 7.49%
• YTD: 5.46%
• 1Y: 13.21%
• 3Y*: 19.66%
• 5Y*: 11.54%
• 10Y*: 13.41%
• ALL TIME*: 6.81%

*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)
PGOAX PGIM Jennison Small Company Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VFAIX Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

PGOAX vs. VFAIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PGOAX PGIM Jennison Small Company Fund	13.62%	6.96%	16.26%	11.48%	-18.85%	29.05%	27.07%	41.48%	-13.69%	19.58%
VFAIX Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares	5.46%	14.90%	30.46%	14.07%	-12.26%	36.27%	-2.15%	31.63%	-13.47%	20.05%

Correlation

The correlation between PGOAX and VFAIX is 0.56, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.56
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.72
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.79
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.77
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2004	0.79

Over the past year, the correlation between PGOAX and VFAIX has dropped to 0.56 - well below their long-term average of 0.79, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

PGOAX vs. VFAIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PGOAX

PGOAX Risk / Return Rank: 67
PGOAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 59
PGOAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 64
PGOAX Omega Ratio Rank: 55
PGOAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 78
PGOAX Martin Ratio Rank: 78

VFAIX

VFAIX Risk / Return Rank: 18
VFAIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
VFAIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 19
VFAIX Omega Ratio Rank: 20
VFAIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 15
VFAIX Martin Ratio Rank: 14

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.

PGOAX vs. VFAIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for PGIM Jennison Small Company Fund (PGOAX) and Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFAIX). 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.

	PGOAX	VFAIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.44	0.70	+0.74
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.18	1.03	+1.15
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.25	1.13	+0.12
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.53	0.71	+1.82
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.37	1.85	+7.52

PGOAX vs. VFAIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PGOAX Sharpe Ratio is 1.44, which is higher than the VFAIX Sharpe Ratio of 0.70. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PGOAX and VFAIX, 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

PGOAX vs. VFAIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PGOAX drawdown since its inception was -56.57%, smaller than the maximum VFAIX drawdown of -78.64%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PGOAX and VFAIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PGOAX	VFAIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-56.57%	-78.64%	+22.07%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.88%	-14.72%	+4.84%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-23.17%	-17.31%	-5.86%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-28.19%	-25.71%	-2.48%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-47.39%	-44.37%	-3.02%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.66%	-1.08%	-3.58%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-8.96%	-18.49%	+9.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.67%	5.66%	-2.99%

Volatility

PGOAX vs. VFAIX - Volatility Comparison

PGIM Jennison Small Company Fund (PGOAX) has a higher volatility of 4.85% compared to Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFAIX) at 4.48%. This indicates that PGOAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFAIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PGOAX	VFAIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.85%	4.48%	+0.37%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.70%	11.25%	+2.45%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.41%	15.04%	+2.37%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	20.31%	19.17%	+1.14%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	22.17%	22.54%	-0.37%

PGOAX vs. VFAIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PGOAX has a 1.13% expense ratio, which is higher than VFAIX's 0.09% expense ratio.

Dividends

PGOAX vs. VFAIX - Dividend Comparison

PGOAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.14%, more than VFAIX's 1.67% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PGOAX PGIM Jennison Small Company Fund	7.14%	8.11%	5.29%	0.37%	4.11%	37.46%	14.95%	18.11%	20.80%	8.28%	5.42%	15.00%
VFAIX Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares	1.67%	1.56%	1.75%	2.08%	2.31%	2.62%	2.21%	2.17%	2.30%	1.54%	1.64%	2.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PGOAX and VFAIX in my portfolio?

PGOAX and VFAIX have a correlation of 0.56, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PGOAX or VFAIX?

PGOAX has higher volatility (4.85%) compared to VFAIX (4.48%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PGOAX dropped -56.57% vs VFAIX's -78.64%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PGOAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.44 vs 0.70), 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.