TCIEX vs. FAOAX

Last updated Aug 4, 2026

TCIEX (TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class) and FAOAX (Fidelity Advisor Overseas Fund Class A) are both Foreign Large Cap Equities funds. Over the past 10 years, TCIEX returned 9.61%/yr vs 7.41%/yr for FAOAX. Their correlation of 0.92 means they have usually moved in the same direction. TCIEX charges 0.05%/yr vs 1.43%/yr for FAOAX.

Performance

TCIEX vs. FAOAX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class (TCIEX) and Fidelity Advisor Overseas Fund Class A (FAOAX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

Over the past 10 years, TCIEX has outperformed FAOAX with an annualized return of 9.61%, while FAOAX has yielded a comparatively lower 7.41% annualized return.

TCIEX

• 1D: -0.76%
• 1M: 1.27%
• 6M: 5.70%
• YTD: 11.81%
• 1Y: 25.18%
• 3Y*: 16.53%
• 5Y*: 9.40%
• 10Y*: 9.61%
• ALL TIME*: 7.75%

FAOAX

• 1D: 0.00%
• 1M: 0.00%
• 6M: 0.00%
• YTD: 0.00%
• 1Y: -0.36%
• 3Y*: 7.62%
• 5Y*: 2.49%
• 10Y*: 7.41%
• ALL TIME*: 5.44%

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

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
FAOAX Fidelity Advisor Overseas Fund Class A	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
TCIEX TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

TCIEX vs. FAOAX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TCIEX TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class	11.81%	31.55%	3.69%	18.21%	-14.19%	11.30%	8.13%	21.82%	-13.27%	25.34%
FAOAX Fidelity Advisor Overseas Fund Class A	0.00%	14.93%	4.63%	20.01%	-24.61%	18.90%	14.71%	27.39%	-15.10%	29.66%

Correlation

The correlation between TCIEX and FAOAX is 0.45, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.45
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.80
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.87
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.90
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 2, 2003	0.92

Over the past year, the correlation between TCIEX and FAOAX has dropped to 0.45 - well below their long-term average of 0.92, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

TCIEX vs. FAOAX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

TCIEX

TCIEX Risk / Return Rank: 62
TCIEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 63
TCIEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 62
TCIEX Omega Ratio Rank: 60
TCIEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 63
TCIEX Martin Ratio Rank: 61

FAOAX

FAOAX Risk / Return Rank: 2
FAOAX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 2
FAOAX Sortino Ratio Rank: 2
FAOAX Omega Ratio Rank: 1
FAOAX Calmar Ratio Rank: 2
FAOAX Martin Ratio Rank: 2

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

TCIEX vs. FAOAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class (TCIEX) and Fidelity Advisor Overseas Fund Class A (FAOAX). 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.

Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.

	TCIEX	FAOAX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.61	-0.32	+1.94
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.30	-0.39	+2.69
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.29	0.93	+0.36
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.24	-0.34	+2.58
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.45	-0.52	+8.97

TCIEX vs. FAOAX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TCIEX Sharpe Ratio is 1.61, which is higher than the FAOAX Sharpe Ratio of -0.32. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TCIEX and FAOAX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

TCIEX vs. FAOAX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TCIEX drawdown since its inception was -59.27%, roughly equal to the maximum FAOAX drawdown of -60.03%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TCIEX and FAOAX.

Drawdown Indicators

	TCIEX	FAOAX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.27%	-60.03%	+0.76%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.35%	-7.29%	-4.06%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.58%	-13.99%	+0.41%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-29.25%	-36.50%	+7.25%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-33.58%	-36.50%	+2.92%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.76%	-5.87%	+5.11%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.52%	-14.52%	+4.00%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.00%	4.49%	-1.49%

Volatility

TCIEX vs. FAOAX - Volatility Comparison

TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class (TCIEX) has a higher volatility of 4.62% compared to Fidelity Advisor Overseas Fund Class A (FAOAX) at 0.00%. This indicates that TCIEX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than FAOAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	TCIEX	FAOAX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.62%	0.00%	+4.62%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	13.45%	0.00%	+13.45%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	15.80%	7.67%	+8.13%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	16.24%	16.65%	-0.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.40%	16.28%	+0.12%

TCIEX vs. FAOAX - Expense Ratio Comparison

TCIEX has a 0.05% expense ratio, which is lower than FAOAX's 1.43% expense ratio.

Dividends

TCIEX vs. FAOAX - Dividend Comparison

TCIEX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.48%, less than FAOAX's 8.54% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
FAOAX Fidelity Advisor Overseas Fund Class A	8.54%	8.54%	1.33%	0.74%	0.38%	2.12%	0.00%	1.37%	4.64%	3.64%	1.75%	0.38%
TCIEX TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class	3.48%	3.89%	3.17%	3.14%	2.82%	3.02%	1.96%	3.08%	3.42%	2.78%	2.95%	3.06%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TCIEX and FAOAX in my portfolio?

TCIEX and FAOAX have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TCIEX or FAOAX?

TCIEX has higher volatility (4.62%) compared to FAOAX (0.00%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TCIEX dropped -59.27% vs FAOAX's -60.03%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

TCIEX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.61 vs -0.32), 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.