ROUS vs. VFMFX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

ROUS (Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF) and VFMFX (Vanguard U.S. Multifactor Fund Admiral Shares) are both funds - ROUS is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund tracking the Hartford Multi-factor Large Cap Index, while VFMFX is a Multi-factor fund managed by Vanguard. Over the past 5 years, ROUS returned 12.96%/yr vs 12.49%/yr for VFMFX. Their correlation of 0.91 suggests significant overlap in exposure. ROUS charges 0.19%/yr vs 0.18%/yr for VFMFX.

Performance

ROUS vs. VFMFX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF (ROUS) and Vanguard U.S. Multifactor Fund Admiral Shares (VFMFX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, ROUS achieves a 16.53% return, which is significantly higher than VFMFX's 14.08% return.

ROUS

• 1D: 0.51%
• 1M: 5.76%
• YTD: 16.53%
• 6M: 17.04%
• 1Y: 30.27%
• 3Y*: 20.87%
• 5Y*: 12.96%
• 10Y*: 13.01%

VFMFX

• 1D: 0.25%
• 1M: 2.35%
• YTD: 14.08%
• 6M: 16.68%
• 1Y: 31.57%
• 3Y*: 21.55%
• 5Y*: 12.49%
• 10Y*: —

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

ROUS vs. VFMFX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
ROUS Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF	16.53%	15.21%	17.61%	15.05%	-9.65%	27.33%	6.61%	23.94%	-11.27%
VFMFX Vanguard U.S. Multifactor Fund Admiral Shares	14.08%	14.50%	17.21%	17.89%	-5.78%	30.78%	3.58%	21.81%	-14.83%

Correlation

The correlation between ROUS and VFMFX is 0.90, 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	0.90
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.90
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.89
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 27, 2018	0.91

The correlation between ROUS and VFMFX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.89 to 0.91 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

ROUS vs. VFMFX — Risk / Return Rank

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

ROUS

ROUS Risk / Return Rank: 84
ROUS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 81
ROUS Sortino Ratio Rank: 83
ROUS Omega Ratio Rank: 77
ROUS Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
ROUS Martin Ratio Rank: 90

VFMFX

VFMFX Risk / Return Rank: 74
VFMFX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 68
VFMFX Sortino Ratio Rank: 69
VFMFX Omega Ratio Rank: 58
VFMFX Calmar Ratio Rank: 88
VFMFX Martin Ratio Rank: 85

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.

ROUS vs. VFMFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF (ROUS) and Vanguard U.S. Multifactor Fund Admiral Shares (VFMFX). 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.

	ROUS	VFMFX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.67	2.41	+0.26
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.76	3.48	+0.28
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.47	1.42	+0.04
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.12	4.32	+0.80
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	21.11	16.10	+5.00
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

ROUS vs. VFMFX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current ROUS Sharpe Ratio is 2.67, which is comparable to the VFMFX Sharpe Ratio of 2.41. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of ROUS and VFMFX, 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

	ROUS	VFMFX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.67	2.41	+0.26
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.91	0.70	+0.21
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.77	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.67	0.55	+0.12

Drawdowns

ROUS vs. VFMFX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum ROUS drawdown since its inception was -35.51%, smaller than the maximum VFMFX drawdown of -41.18%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ROUS and VFMFX.

Drawdown Indicators

	ROUS	VFMFX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.51%	-41.18%	+5.67%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-5.97%	-7.31%	+1.34%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.81%	-21.18%	+5.37%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.91%	-21.18%	+2.27%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.51%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.19%	+0.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.24%	-5.89%	+1.65%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.45%	1.96%	-0.51%

Volatility

ROUS vs. VFMFX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF (ROUS) is 2.61%, while Vanguard U.S. Multifactor Fund Admiral Shares (VFMFX) has a volatility of 2.92%. This indicates that ROUS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VFMFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	ROUS	VFMFX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.61%	2.92%	-0.31%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.54%	9.23%	-0.69%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.37%	13.20%	-1.83%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.38%	18.04%	-3.66%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.96%	21.26%	-4.30%

ROUS vs. VFMFX - Expense Ratio Comparison

ROUS has a 0.19% expense ratio, which is higher than VFMFX's 0.18% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

ROUS vs. VFMFX - Dividend Comparison

ROUS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.32%, less than VFMFX's 2.75% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
ROUS Hartford Multifactor US Equity ETF	1.32%	1.52%	1.62%	1.91%	1.88%	1.38%	2.01%	2.12%	1.89%	1.54%	1.97%	1.62%
VFMFX Vanguard U.S. Multifactor Fund Admiral Shares	2.75%	2.69%	3.29%	1.66%	2.09%	1.37%	1.48%	1.63%	1.45%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both ROUS and VFMFX in my portfolio?

ROUS and VFMFX have a correlation of 0.90, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, ROUS or VFMFX?

VFMFX has higher volatility (2.92%) compared to ROUS (2.61%). In terms of maximum drawdown, ROUS dropped -35.51% vs VFMFX's -41.18%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

ROUS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.67 vs 2.41), 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.