SHSSX vs. VHCIX
Compare and contrast key facts about Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional (SHSSX) and Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX).
SHSSX is a passively managed fund by BlackRock that tracks the performance of the Russell 3000 HealthCare Index. It was launched on Oct 16, 2000. VHCIX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 5, 2004.
Performance
SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Performance Comparison
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SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SHSSX Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional | -6.87% | 16.13% | 4.00% | 3.86% | -5.72% | 12.17% | 19.54% | 25.63% | 8.24% | 25.02% |
VHCIX Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares | -7.10% | 15.43% | 2.64% | 2.48% | -5.50% | 20.56% | 18.22% | 21.97% | 5.55% | 23.35% |
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with SHSSX having a -6.87% return and VHCIX slightly lower at -7.10%. Over the past 10 years, SHSSX has outperformed VHCIX with an annualized return of 9.97%, while VHCIX has yielded a comparatively lower 9.47% annualized return.
SHSSX
- 1D
- 0.31%
- 1M
- -9.09%
- YTD
- -6.87%
- 6M
- 4.09%
- 1Y
- 4.34%
- 3Y*
- 6.17%
- 5Y*
- 4.28%
- 10Y*
- 9.97%
VHCIX
- 1D
- 0.36%
- 1M
- -9.57%
- YTD
- -7.10%
- 6M
- 3.53%
- 1Y
- 2.34%
- 3Y*
- 5.37%
- 5Y*
- 4.64%
- 10Y*
- 9.47%
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SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
SHSSX has a 0.84% expense ratio, which is higher than VHCIX's 0.10% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
SHSSX vs. VHCIX — Risk / Return Rank
SHSSX
VHCIX
SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional (SHSSX) and Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX). 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.
| SHSSX | VHCIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.29 | 0.17 | +0.12 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.52 | 0.36 | +0.16 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.06 | 1.05 | +0.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.43 | 0.25 | +0.19 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.02 | 0.53 | +0.49 |
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
| SHSSX | VHCIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.29 | 0.17 | +0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.30 | 0.31 | -0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.61 | 0.56 | +0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.69 | 0.55 | +0.14 |
Correlation
The correlation between SHSSX and VHCIX 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
SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Dividend Comparison
SHSSX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.63%, more than VHCIX's 1.76% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SHSSX Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional | 10.63% | 9.90% | 8.68% | 3.82% | 7.20% | 8.96% | 4.18% | 3.87% | 8.44% | 3.59% | 2.33% | 12.29% |
VHCIX Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.76% | 1.61% | 1.53% | 1.36% | 1.33% | 1.19% | 1.21% | 1.89% | 1.38% | 1.31% | 1.45% | 1.22% |
Drawdowns
SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum SHSSX drawdown since its inception was -35.40%, smaller than the maximum VHCIX drawdown of -39.12%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SHSSX and VHCIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| SHSSX | VHCIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -35.40% | -39.12% | +3.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -9.83% | -10.39% | +0.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.90% | -17.77% | -0.13% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.34% | -28.58% | +0.24% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -9.56% | -10.07% | +0.51% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.98% | -5.96% | -0.02% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.17% | 4.94% | -0.77% |
Volatility
SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Volatility Comparison
Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional (SHSSX) has a higher volatility of 4.61% compared to Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX) at 4.33%. This indicates that SHSSX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VHCIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| SHSSX | VHCIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.61% | 4.33% | +0.28% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.73% | 10.04% | -0.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.32% | 17.53% | -1.21% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.19% | 14.84% | -0.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.53% | 16.92% | -0.39% |