RFGTX vs. VIIIX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds 2040 Target Date Retirement Fund Class R6 (RFGTX) and Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VIIIX).
RFGTX is an actively managed fund by American Funds. It was launched on Feb 1, 2007. VIIIX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Jul 7, 1997.
Performance
RFGTX vs. VIIIX - Performance Comparison
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RFGTX vs. VIIIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RFGTX American Funds 2040 Target Date Retirement Fund Class R6 | -4.71% | 19.52% | 14.80% | 19.33% | -17.53% | 16.88% | 18.79% | 24.37% | -5.51% | 21.98% |
VIIIX Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares | -7.06% | 17.87% | 26.29% | 25.79% | -18.14% | 28.69% | 18.41% | 31.48% | -4.41% | 21.82% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RFGTX achieves a -4.71% return, which is significantly higher than VIIIX's -7.06% return. Over the past 10 years, RFGTX has underperformed VIIIX with an annualized return of 10.65%, while VIIIX has yielded a comparatively higher 13.82% annualized return.
RFGTX
- 1D
- -0.23%
- 1M
- -8.12%
- YTD
- -4.71%
- 6M
- -1.86%
- 1Y
- 14.78%
- 3Y*
- 13.87%
- 5Y*
- 7.66%
- 10Y*
- 10.65%
VIIIX
- 1D
- -0.39%
- 1M
- -7.68%
- YTD
- -7.06%
- 6M
- -4.59%
- 1Y
- 14.44%
- 3Y*
- 17.57%
- 5Y*
- 11.54%
- 10Y*
- 13.82%
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RFGTX vs. VIIIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
RFGTX has a 0.36% expense ratio, which is higher than VIIIX's 0.02% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
RFGTX vs. VIIIX — Risk / Return Rank
RFGTX
VIIIX
RFGTX vs. VIIIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds 2040 Target Date Retirement Fund Class R6 (RFGTX) and Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VIIIX). 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.
| RFGTX | VIIIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.12 | 0.84 | +0.29 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.67 | 1.30 | +0.37 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.20 | +0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.43 | 1.06 | +0.38 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 6.45 | 5.14 | +1.31 |
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
| RFGTX | VIIIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.12 | 0.84 | +0.29 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.58 | 0.69 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.76 | 0.77 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.73 | 0.46 | +0.27 |
Correlation
The correlation between RFGTX and VIIIX is 0.96, 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
RFGTX vs. VIIIX - Dividend Comparison
RFGTX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.52%, more than VIIIX's 2.90% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RFGTX American Funds 2040 Target Date Retirement Fund Class R6 | 6.52% | 6.22% | 3.80% | 2.81% | 6.71% | 5.22% | 3.53% | 4.59% | 5.29% | 2.70% | 3.88% | 5.43% |
VIIIX Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares | 2.90% | 2.11% | 3.66% | 2.66% | 3.39% | 4.79% | 3.07% | 2.86% | 2.45% | 1.84% | 2.38% | 2.47% |
Drawdowns
RFGTX vs. VIIIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RFGTX drawdown since its inception was -28.52%, smaller than the maximum VIIIX drawdown of -55.18%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RFGTX and VIIIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| RFGTX | VIIIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -28.52% | -55.18% | +26.66% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.23% | -12.12% | +2.89% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -24.85% | -24.50% | -0.35% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.52% | -33.79% | +5.27% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -8.39% | -8.90% | +0.51% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.94% | -10.07% | +6.13% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.05% | 2.49% | -0.44% |
Volatility
RFGTX vs. VIIIX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds 2040 Target Date Retirement Fund Class R6 (RFGTX) is 3.97%, while Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VIIIX) has a volatility of 4.24%. This indicates that RFGTX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VIIIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| RFGTX | VIIIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.97% | 4.24% | -0.27% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 7.76% | 9.08% | -1.32% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.24% | 18.13% | -4.89% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 13.20% | 16.85% | -3.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 14.05% | 18.02% | -3.97% |