SBAC vs. VWELX

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

SBAC (SBA Communications Corporation) is a stock, while VWELX (Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares) is Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, SBAC returned 8.07%/yr vs 9.87%/yr for VWELX. At a 0.38 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

SBAC vs. VWELX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC) and Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with SBAC having a 4.78% return and VWELX slightly lower at 4.55%. Over the past 10 years, SBAC has underperformed VWELX with an annualized return of 8.07%, while VWELX has yielded a comparatively higher 9.87% annualized return.

SBAC

• 1D: -3.81%
• 1M: -7.73%
• YTD: 4.78%
• 6M: 6.13%
• 1Y: -9.24%
• 3Y*: -1.79%
• 5Y*: -7.33%
• 10Y*: 8.07%

VWELX

• 1D: -2.02%
• 1M: -0.51%
• YTD: 4.55%
• 6M: 4.96%
• 1Y: 17.46%
• 3Y*: 14.67%
• 5Y*: 8.31%
• 10Y*: 9.87%

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

SBAC vs. VWELX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SBAC SBA Communications Corporation	4.78%	-3.13%	-18.18%	-8.15%	-27.30%	38.95%	17.81%	49.30%	-0.90%	58.20%
VWELX Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares	4.55%	16.54%	14.73%	14.29%	-14.36%	18.99%	10.57%	22.51%	-3.43%	13.98%

Correlation

The correlation between SBAC and VWELX is 0.04, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.04
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.17
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.34
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.34
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 17, 1999	0.38

Over the past year, the correlation between SBAC and VWELX has dropped to 0.04 - well below their long-term average of 0.38, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

SBAC vs. VWELX — Risk / Return Rank

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

SBAC

SBAC Risk / Return Rank: 29
SBAC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 30
SBAC Sortino Ratio Rank: 26
SBAC Omega Ratio Rank: 26
SBAC Calmar Ratio Rank: 32
SBAC Martin Ratio Rank: 31

VWELX

VWELX Risk / Return Rank: 55
VWELX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
VWELX Sortino Ratio Rank: 50
VWELX Omega Ratio Rank: 54
VWELX Calmar Ratio Rank: 52
VWELX Martin Ratio Rank: 65

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.

SBAC vs. VWELX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC) and Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX). 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.

	SBAC	VWELX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	-0.29	2.09	-2.38
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	-0.25	2.89	-3.13
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.97	1.39	-0.42
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.31	2.67	-2.98
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	-0.58	12.31	-12.89
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SBAC vs. VWELX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SBAC Sharpe Ratio is -0.29, which is lower than the VWELX Sharpe Ratio of 2.09. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SBAC and VWELX, 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

	SBAC	VWELX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-0.29	2.09	-2.38
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	-0.25	0.75	-1.00
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.29	0.86	-0.57
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.23	0.84	-0.61

Drawdowns

SBAC vs. VWELX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SBAC drawdown since its inception was -99.65%, which is greater than VWELX's maximum drawdown of -36.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SBAC and VWELX.

Drawdown Indicators

	SBAC	VWELX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-99.65%	-36.12%	-63.53%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-29.80%	-6.78%	-23.02%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-32.21%	-11.98%	-20.23%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-54.50%	-20.88%	-33.62%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-54.50%	-25.33%	-29.17%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-44.54%	-2.39%	-42.15%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-35.39%	-3.92%	-31.47%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	15.87%	1.47%	+14.40%

Volatility

SBAC vs. VWELX - Volatility Comparison

SBA Communications Corporation (SBAC) has a higher volatility of 10.12% compared to Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares (VWELX) at 3.12%. This indicates that SBAC's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VWELX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SBAC	VWELX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	10.12%	3.12%	+7.00%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	27.55%	7.00%	+20.55%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	32.40%	8.67%	+23.73%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	29.32%	11.17%	+18.15%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	28.12%	11.55%	+16.57%

Dividends

SBAC vs. VWELX - Dividend Comparison

SBAC's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.36%, less than VWELX's 11.02% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SBAC SBA Communications Corporation	2.36%	2.30%	1.92%	1.34%	1.01%	0.60%	0.66%	0.31%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
VWELX Vanguard Wellington Fund Investor Shares	11.02%	11.46%	10.76%	6.01%	8.19%	8.64%	7.77%	4.67%	9.49%	5.82%	4.44%	7.03%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SBAC and VWELX in my portfolio?

SBAC and VWELX have a correlation of 0.04, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SBAC or VWELX?

SBAC has higher volatility (10.12%) compared to VWELX (3.12%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SBAC dropped -99.65% vs VWELX's -36.12%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VWELX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.09 vs -0.29), 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.