RING vs. NEEGX
RING (iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF) and NEEGX (Needham Growth Fund) are both funds - RING is a Gold fund tracking the MSCI ACWI Select Gold Miners Investable Market Index, while NEEGX is a Mid Cap Growth Equities fund managed by Needham. Over the past 10 years, RING returned 12.92%/yr vs 17.07%/yr for NEEGX. At a 0.17 correlation, their price movements are largely independent. RING charges 0.39%/yr vs 1.78%/yr for NEEGX.
Performance
RING vs. NEEGX - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, RING achieves a -8.53% return, which is significantly lower than NEEGX's 65.21% return. Over the past 10 years, RING has underperformed NEEGX with an annualized return of 12.92%, while NEEGX has yielded a comparatively higher 17.07% annualized return.
RING
- 1D
- -4.54%
- 1M
- -9.24%
- YTD
- -8.53%
- 6M
- -13.08%
- 1Y
- 52.30%
- 3Y*
- 44.79%
- 5Y*
- 20.81%
- 10Y*
- 12.92%
NEEGX
- 1D
- 1.92%
- 1M
- 12.74%
- YTD
- 65.21%
- 6M
- 61.80%
- 1Y
- 99.86%
- 3Y*
- 30.16%
- 5Y*
- 15.00%
- 10Y*
- 17.07%
RING vs. NEEGX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RING iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | -8.53% | 164.72% | 15.98% | 12.29% | -15.40% | -7.46% | 24.98% | 49.92% | -13.14% | 10.24% |
NEEGX Needham Growth Fund | 65.21% | 8.76% | 14.45% | 26.85% | -33.57% | 27.63% | 41.73% | 42.33% | -10.56% | 8.33% |
Correlation
The correlation between RING and NEEGX is 0.37, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.37 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2012 | 0.17 |
The correlation between RING and NEEGX shifts across timeframes, from 0.17 (all time) to 0.37 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
RING vs. NEEGX — Risk / Return Rank
RING
NEEGX
RING vs. NEEGX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING) and Needham Growth Fund (NEEGX). 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.
| RING | NEEGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.35 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.39 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.52 | -0.31 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.47 | 7.51 | -6.04 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.91 | 25.00 | -21.09 |
Loading charts...
Drawdowns
RING vs. NEEGX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum RING drawdown since its inception was -79.47%, which is greater than NEEGX's maximum drawdown of -53.60%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for RING and NEEGX.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| RING | NEEGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -79.47% | -53.60% | -25.87% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -35.72% | -13.27% | -22.45% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -35.72% | -38.66% | +2.94% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -47.94% | -43.35% | -4.59% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -52.04% | -43.35% | -8.69% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -32.25% | 0.00% | -32.25% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -47.33% | -10.88% | -36.45% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 13.40% | 3.98% | +9.42% |
Volatility
RING vs. NEEGX - Volatility Comparison
iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING) has a higher volatility of 17.22% compared to Needham Growth Fund (NEEGX) at 12.90%. This indicates that RING's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than NEEGX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| RING | NEEGX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 17.22% | 12.90% | +4.32% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 39.95% | 22.94% | +17.01% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 48.04% | 28.97% | +19.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 36.94% | 28.72% | +8.22% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 36.73% | 25.53% | +11.20% |
RING vs. NEEGX - Expense Ratio Comparison
RING has a 0.39% expense ratio, which is lower than NEEGX's 1.78% expense ratio.
Dividends
RING vs. NEEGX - Dividend Comparison
RING's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.35%, less than NEEGX's 4.58% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NEEGX Needham Growth Fund | 4.58% | 7.57% | 3.92% | 0.00% | 1.78% | 6.92% | 5.73% | 11.31% | 17.79% | 9.70% | 4.22% | 6.74% |
RING iShares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF | 1.35% | 0.84% | 1.43% | 2.01% | 2.29% | 2.38% | 0.83% | 0.83% | 0.70% | 0.42% | 1.41% | 0.96% |
Frequently Asked Questions
RING and NEEGX have a correlation of 0.37, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
RING has higher volatility (17.22%) compared to NEEGX (12.90%). In terms of maximum drawdown, RING dropped -79.47% vs NEEGX's -53.60%.
NEEGX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.45 vs 1.09), 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.
Find the right allocation for RING and NEEGX
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer