SEQUX vs. ^GSPC

Last updated Apr 3, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Sequoia Fund (SEQUX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC).

SEQUX is managed by Sequoia. It was launched on Jul 15, 1970.

Performance

SEQUX vs. ^GSPC - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Sequoia Fund (SEQUX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

SEQUX vs. ^GSPC - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SEQUX Sequoia Fund	-9.44%	22.01%	20.77%	27.83%	-30.61%	25.35%	23.54%	29.18%	-3.09%	20.04%
^GSPC S&P 500 Index	-3.84%	16.39%	23.31%	24.23%	-19.44%	26.89%	16.26%	28.88%	-6.24%	19.42%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SEQUX achieves a -9.44% return, which is significantly lower than ^GSPC's -3.84% return. Over the past 10 years, SEQUX has underperformed ^GSPC with an annualized return of 11.09%, while ^GSPC has yielded a comparatively higher 12.29% annualized return.

SEQUX

• 1D: 1.80%
• 1M: -5.58%
• YTD: -9.44%
• 6M: -9.85%
• 1Y: 4.66%
• 3Y*: 17.21%
• 5Y*: 6.12%
• 10Y*: 11.09%

^GSPC

• 1D: 0.11%
• 1M: -3.43%
• YTD: -3.84%
• 6M: -1.98%
• 1Y: 16.08%
• 3Y*: 16.86%
• 5Y*: 10.37%
• 10Y*: 12.29%

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

Return for Risk

SEQUX vs. ^GSPC — Risk / Return Rank

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

SEQUX

SEQUX Risk / Return Rank: 8
SEQUX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 9
SEQUX Sortino Ratio Rank: 9
SEQUX Omega Ratio Rank: 8
SEQUX Calmar Ratio Rank: 7
SEQUX Martin Ratio Rank: 8

^GSPC

^GSPC Risk / Return Rank: 58
^GSPC Sharpe Ratio Rank: 52
^GSPC Sortino Ratio Rank: 55
^GSPC Omega Ratio Rank: 59
^GSPC Calmar Ratio Rank: 52
^GSPC Martin Ratio Rank: 71

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.

SEQUX vs. ^GSPC - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Sequoia Fund (SEQUX) and S&P 500 Index (^GSPC). 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.

	SEQUX	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.34	0.88	-0.54
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	0.57	1.37	-0.80
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.08	1.21	-0.13
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.29	1.39	-1.10
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	1.06	6.43	-5.37
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SEQUX vs. ^GSPC - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SEQUX Sharpe Ratio is 0.34, which is lower than the ^GSPC Sharpe Ratio of 0.88. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SEQUX and ^GSPC, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SEQUX	^GSPC	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.34	0.88	-0.54
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.36	0.62	-0.26
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.63	0.68	-0.05
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.68	0.46	+0.22

Correlation

The correlation between SEQUX and ^GSPC is 0.78, 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.

Drawdowns

SEQUX vs. ^GSPC - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SEQUX drawdown since its inception was -45.81%, smaller than the maximum ^GSPC drawdown of -56.78%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SEQUX and ^GSPC.

Drawdown Indicators

	SEQUX	^GSPC	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-45.81%	-56.78%	+10.97%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-16.62%	-9.10%	-7.52%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-38.07%	-25.43%	-12.64%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-38.07%	-33.92%	-4.15%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-13.05%	-5.67%	-7.38%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.55%	-10.75%	+3.20%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.56%	2.62%	+1.94%

Volatility

SEQUX vs. ^GSPC - Volatility Comparison

Sequoia Fund (SEQUX) has a higher volatility of 5.72% compared to S&P 500 Index (^GSPC) at 5.29%. This indicates that SEQUX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ^GSPC based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SEQUX	^GSPC	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.72%	5.29%	+0.43%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.98%	9.55%	+1.43%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	16.46%	18.33%	-1.87%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.54%	16.90%	+0.64%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.88%	18.04%	-0.16%