PXWEX vs. PARMX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

PXWEX (Pax Ellevate Global Women’s Leadership Fund) and PARMX (Parnassus Mid Cap Fund) are both mutual funds - PXWEX is a Global Equities fund managed by Impax Asset Management, while PARMX is a Mid Cap Blend Equities fund managed by Parnassus. Over the past 10 years, PXWEX returned 10.57%/yr vs 8.75%/yr for PARMX. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. PXWEX charges 0.77%/yr vs 0.96%/yr for PARMX.

Performance

PXWEX vs. PARMX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Pax Ellevate Global Women’s Leadership Fund (PXWEX) and Parnassus Mid Cap Fund (PARMX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, PXWEX achieves a 10.82% return, which is significantly higher than PARMX's 6.18% return. Over the past 10 years, PXWEX has outperformed PARMX with an annualized return of 10.57%, while PARMX has yielded a comparatively lower 8.75% annualized return.

PXWEX

• 1D: 0.31%
• 1M: 5.77%
• YTD: 10.82%
• 6M: 12.61%
• 1Y: 24.28%
• 3Y*: 16.76%
• 5Y*: 7.98%
• 10Y*: 10.57%

PARMX

• 1D: 0.52%
• 1M: 1.80%
• YTD: 6.18%
• 6M: 5.41%
• 1Y: 17.48%
• 3Y*: 14.11%
• 5Y*: 4.88%
• 10Y*: 8.75%

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

PXWEX vs. PARMX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
PXWEX Pax Ellevate Global Women’s Leadership Fund	10.82%	17.41%	12.15%	18.14%	-19.99%	17.28%	13.67%	26.44%	-7.78%	24.87%
PARMX Parnassus Mid Cap Fund	6.18%	12.86%	10.05%	12.66%	-21.41%	16.38%	14.88%	28.74%	-6.67%	15.80%

Correlation

The correlation between PXWEX and PARMX is 0.82, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.82
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.83
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.87
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 2, 2005	0.89

The correlation between PXWEX and PARMX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.82 to 0.89 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

PXWEX vs. PARMX — Risk / Return Rank

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

PXWEX

PXWEX Risk / Return Rank: 49
PXWEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 49
PXWEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 47
PXWEX Omega Ratio Rank: 46
PXWEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 46
PXWEX Martin Ratio Rank: 57

PARMX

PARMX Risk / Return Rank: 23
PARMX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 21
PARMX Sortino Ratio Rank: 22
PARMX Omega Ratio Rank: 19
PARMX Calmar Ratio Rank: 24
PARMX Martin Ratio Rank: 31

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.

PXWEX vs. PARMX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Pax Ellevate Global Women’s Leadership Fund (PXWEX) and Parnassus Mid Cap Fund (PARMX). 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.

	PXWEX	PARMX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	2.06	1.31	+0.75
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.87	1.97	+0.91
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.23	+0.14
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.58	1.84	+0.75
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	11.41	7.22	+4.19
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

PXWEX vs. PARMX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current PXWEX Sharpe Ratio is 2.06, which is higher than the PARMX Sharpe Ratio of 1.31. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of PXWEX and PARMX, 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

	PXWEX	PARMX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.06	1.31	+0.75
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.50	0.28	+0.22
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.63	0.50	+0.13
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.36	0.47	-0.11

Drawdowns

PXWEX vs. PARMX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum PXWEX drawdown since its inception was -53.70%, which is greater than PARMX's maximum drawdown of -49.88%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for PXWEX and PARMX.

Drawdown Indicators

	PXWEX	PARMX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-53.70%	-49.88%	-3.82%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.60%	-10.49%	+0.89%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-18.31%	-20.73%	+2.42%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.67%	-29.27%	-0.40%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-34.47%	-37.39%	+2.92%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.61%	+0.61%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.80%	-6.90%	-2.90%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.17%	2.66%	-0.49%

Volatility

PXWEX vs. PARMX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Pax Ellevate Global Women’s Leadership Fund (PXWEX) is 3.33%, while Parnassus Mid Cap Fund (PARMX) has a volatility of 3.93%. This indicates that PXWEX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than PARMX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	PXWEX	PARMX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.33%	3.93%	-0.60%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.55%	11.30%	-1.75%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.03%	14.76%	-2.73%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.05%	17.55%	-1.50%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.97%	17.70%	-0.73%

PXWEX vs. PARMX - Expense Ratio Comparison

PXWEX has a 0.77% expense ratio, which is lower than PARMX's 0.96% expense ratio.

Dividends

PXWEX vs. PARMX - Dividend Comparison

PXWEX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.87%, less than PARMX's 9.65% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
PARMX Parnassus Mid Cap Fund	9.65%	10.25%	9.92%	2.29%	4.90%	4.88%	0.36%	4.15%	3.90%	4.19%	2.76%	6.42%
PXWEX Pax Ellevate Global Women’s Leadership Fund	8.87%	9.83%	9.47%	1.60%	3.12%	1.21%	1.04%	3.03%	4.90%	2.49%	1.80%	2.41%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both PXWEX and PARMX in my portfolio?

PXWEX and PARMX have a correlation of 0.82, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, PXWEX or PARMX?

PARMX has higher volatility (3.93%) compared to PXWEX (3.33%). In terms of maximum drawdown, PXWEX dropped -53.70% vs PARMX's -49.88%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

PXWEX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.06 vs 1.31), 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.