SHSSX vs. VHCIX
SHSSX (Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional) and VHCIX (Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both Health & Biotech Equities funds. Over the past 10 years, SHSSX returned 9.37%/yr vs 9.16%/yr for VHCIX. With a 0.96 correlation, they move nearly in lockstep. SHSSX charges 0.84%/yr vs 0.10%/yr for VHCIX.
Performance
SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, SHSSX achieves a -5.37% return, which is significantly lower than VHCIX's -4.82% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with SHSSX having a 9.37% annualized return and VHCIX not far behind at 9.16%.
SHSSX
- 1D
- -1.67%
- 1M
- 0.03%
- YTD
- -5.37%
- 6M
- -5.86%
- 1Y
- 13.01%
- 3Y*
- 5.98%
- 5Y*
- 4.00%
- 10Y*
- 9.37%
VHCIX
- 1D
- -1.27%
- 1M
- 0.60%
- YTD
- -4.82%
- 6M
- -4.99%
- 1Y
- 13.36%
- 3Y*
- 5.84%
- 5Y*
- 4.43%
- 10Y*
- 9.16%
SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SHSSX Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional | -5.37% | 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 | -4.82% | 15.43% | 2.64% | 2.48% | -5.50% | 20.56% | 18.22% | 21.97% | 5.55% | 23.35% |
Correlation
The correlation between SHSSX and VHCIX is 0.98 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.98 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.97 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.98 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.98 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 3, 2004 | 0.96 |
The correlation between SHSSX and VHCIX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.96 to 0.98 - a consistent structural relationship.
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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 | 0.00 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.02 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.17 | 0.00 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.35 | 1.33 | +0.02 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 3.38 | 3.34 | +0.04 |
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 | 0.96 | 0.96 | 0.00 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.28 | 0.30 | -0.02 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 | 0.54 | +0.03 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.69 | 0.55 | +0.13 |
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 (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -15.95% | -16.89% | +0.94% |
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 | -8.10% | -7.85% | -0.25% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.98% | -5.97% | -0.01% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.91% | 4.11% | -0.20% |
Volatility
SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Volatility Comparison
Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional (SHSSX) and Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX) have volatilities of 4.16% and 4.01%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. 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 | 4.16% | 4.01% | +0.15% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.40% | 10.17% | +0.23% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 13.76% | 14.34% | -0.58% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.37% | 15.00% | -0.63% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.54% | 16.93% | -0.39% |
SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
SHSSX has a 0.84% expense ratio, which is higher than VHCIX's 0.10% expense ratio.
Dividends
SHSSX vs. VHCIX - Dividend Comparison
SHSSX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.47%, more than VHCIX's 1.72% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SHSSX Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional | 10.47% | 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 | 1.72% | 1.61% | 1.53% | 1.36% | 1.33% | 1.19% | 1.21% | 1.89% | 1.38% | 1.31% | 1.45% | 1.22% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.98, SHSSX and VHCIX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
SHSSX has higher volatility (4.16%) compared to VHCIX (4.01%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SHSSX dropped -35.40% vs VHCIX's -39.12%.
SHSSX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.96 vs 0.96), 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.
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