TFTIX vs. TCIEX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

TFTIX (TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund) and TCIEX (TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class) are both mutual funds - TFTIX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by TIAA Investments, while TCIEX is a Large Cap Blend Equities fund tracking the MSCI EAFE Index. Over the past 10 years, TFTIX returned 11.26%/yr vs 9.38%/yr for TCIEX. Their correlation of 0.88 suggests significant overlap in exposure. TFTIX charges 0.22%/yr vs 0.05%/yr for TCIEX.

Performance

TFTIX vs. TCIEX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund (TFTIX) and TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class (TCIEX). 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 TFTIX having a 9.63% return and TCIEX slightly lower at 9.52%. Over the past 10 years, TFTIX has outperformed TCIEX with an annualized return of 11.26%, while TCIEX has yielded a comparatively lower 9.38% annualized return.

TFTIX

• 1D: 0.51%
• 1M: 4.44%
• YTD: 9.63%
• 6M: 10.31%
• 1Y: 24.42%
• 3Y*: 17.80%
• 5Y*: 9.09%
• 10Y*: 11.26%

TCIEX

• 1D: 0.33%
• 1M: 4.10%
• YTD: 9.52%
• 6M: 11.87%
• 1Y: 22.18%
• 3Y*: 17.07%
• 5Y*: 8.81%
• 10Y*: 9.38%

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

TFTIX vs. TCIEX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TFTIX TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund	9.63%	18.80%	14.28%	20.02%	-17.71%	16.37%	17.42%	26.21%	-9.90%	20.54%
TCIEX TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class	9.52%	31.55%	3.69%	18.21%	-14.19%	11.30%	8.13%	21.82%	-13.27%	25.34%

Correlation

The correlation between TFTIX and TCIEX is 0.87, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.87
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.84
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.87
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.87
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2008	0.88

The correlation between TFTIX and TCIEX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.84 to 0.88 - a consistent structural relationship.

Return for Risk

TFTIX vs. TCIEX — Risk / Return Rank

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

TFTIX

TFTIX Risk / Return Rank: 53
TFTIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 54
TFTIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
TFTIX Omega Ratio Rank: 52
TFTIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
TFTIX Martin Ratio Rank: 59

TCIEX

TCIEX Risk / Return Rank: 26
TCIEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 25
TCIEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 24
TCIEX Omega Ratio Rank: 25
TCIEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 26
TCIEX Martin Ratio Rank: 30

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.

TFTIX vs. TCIEX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund (TFTIX) and TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class (TCIEX). 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.

	TFTIX	TCIEX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.15	1.42	+0.73
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.00	2.04	+0.96
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.39	1.26	+0.14
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.68	1.89	+0.79
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.75	7.06	+4.69
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

TFTIX vs. TCIEX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TFTIX Sharpe Ratio is 2.15, which is higher than the TCIEX Sharpe Ratio of 1.42. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TFTIX and TCIEX, 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

	TFTIX	TCIEX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.15	1.42	+0.73
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.62	0.55	+0.07
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.71	0.57	+0.14
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.43	0.41	+0.02

Drawdowns

TFTIX vs. TCIEX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TFTIX drawdown since its inception was -51.99%, smaller than the maximum TCIEX drawdown of -59.27%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TFTIX and TCIEX.

Drawdown Indicators

	TFTIX	TCIEX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-51.99%	-59.27%	+7.28%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-9.33%	-11.35%	+2.02%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.58%	-13.58%	-2.00%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-25.68%	-29.25%	+3.57%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-32.44%	-33.58%	+1.14%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	-0.49%	+0.49%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-7.71%	-10.58%	+2.87%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.12%	3.02%	-0.90%

Volatility

TFTIX vs. TCIEX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund (TFTIX) is 3.34%, while TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class (TCIEX) has a volatility of 4.65%. This indicates that TFTIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than TCIEX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	TFTIX	TCIEX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.34%	4.65%	-1.31%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	9.21%	12.25%	-3.04%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	11.61%	15.11%	-3.50%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	14.69%	16.10%	-1.41%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.98%	16.65%	-0.67%

TFTIX vs. TCIEX - Expense Ratio Comparison

TFTIX has a 0.22% expense ratio, which is higher than TCIEX's 0.05% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

TFTIX vs. TCIEX - Dividend Comparison

TFTIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.70%, more than TCIEX's 3.55% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
TCIEX TIAA-CREF International Equity Index Fund Institutional Class	3.55%	3.89%	3.17%	3.14%	2.82%	3.02%	1.96%	3.08%	3.42%	2.78%	2.95%	3.06%
TFTIX TIAA-CREF Lifecycle 2050 Fund	6.70%	7.34%	3.79%	2.01%	8.81%	11.71%	6.91%	5.63%	5.37%	0.84%	3.85%	3.53%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TFTIX and TCIEX in my portfolio?

TFTIX and TCIEX have a correlation of 0.87, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TFTIX or TCIEX?

TCIEX has higher volatility (4.65%) compared to TFTIX (3.34%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TFTIX dropped -51.99% vs TCIEX's -59.27%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

TFTIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.15 vs 1.42), 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.