TIIEX vs. SAHMX

Last updated Aug 1, 2026

TIIEX (TIAA-CREF International Equity Fund) and SAHMX (SA International Value Fund) are both Foreign Large Cap Equities funds. Over the past 10 years, TIIEX returned 8.81%/yr vs 11.38%/yr for SAHMX. Their 0.78 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. TIIEX charges 0.46%/yr vs 1.11%/yr for SAHMX.

Performance

TIIEX vs. SAHMX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in TIAA-CREF International Equity Fund (TIIEX) and SA International Value Fund (SAHMX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, TIIEX achieves a 9.92% return, which is significantly lower than SAHMX's 16.30% return. Over the past 10 years, TIIEX has underperformed SAHMX with an annualized return of 8.81%, while SAHMX has yielded a comparatively higher 11.38% annualized return.

TIIEX

• 1D: 3.29%
• 1M: 1.95%
• 6M: 3.84%
• YTD: 9.92%
• 1Y: 27.15%
• 3Y*: 15.57%
• 5Y*: 8.33%
• 10Y*: 8.81%
• ALL TIME*: 5.96%

SAHMX

• 1D: 1.60%
• 1M: 4.58%
• 6M: 9.89%
• YTD: 16.30%
• 1Y: 36.09%
• 3Y*: 21.59%
• 5Y*: 15.23%
• 10Y*: 11.38%
• ALL TIME*: 6.27%

*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)
SAHMX SA International Value Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
TIIEX TIAA-CREF International Equity Fund	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

TIIEX vs. SAHMX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
TIIEX TIAA-CREF International Equity Fund	9.92%	33.20%	4.00%	16.91%	-17.33%	10.81%	15.81%	23.20%	-23.48%	31.49%
SAHMX SA International Value Fund	16.30%	44.08%	5.44%	16.49%	-3.70%	17.59%	-2.48%	14.61%	-17.95%	25.06%

Correlation

The correlation between TIIEX and SAHMX is 0.65, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.65
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.66
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.74
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.74
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 3, 2000	0.78

The correlation between TIIEX and SAHMX shifts across timeframes, from 0.65 (1 year) to 0.78 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Return for Risk

TIIEX vs. SAHMX — Risk / Return Rank

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

TIIEX

TIIEX Risk / Return Rank: 55
TIIEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
TIIEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 57
TIIEX Omega Ratio Rank: 55
TIIEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
TIIEX Martin Ratio Rank: 48

SAHMX

SAHMX Risk / Return Rank: 96
SAHMX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 98
SAHMX Sortino Ratio Rank: 97
SAHMX Omega Ratio Rank: 94
SAHMX Calmar Ratio Rank: 95
SAHMX Martin Ratio Rank: 94

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.

TIIEX vs. SAHMX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for TIAA-CREF International Equity Fund (TIIEX) and SA International Value Fund (SAHMX). 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.

	TIIEX	SAHMX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.42	3.16	-1.74
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.04	4.42	-2.37
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.26	1.57	-0.31
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.95	4.39	-2.44
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	6.63	14.73	-8.10

TIIEX vs. SAHMX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current TIIEX Sharpe Ratio is 1.42, which is lower than the SAHMX Sharpe Ratio of 3.16. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of TIIEX and SAHMX, 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

TIIEX vs. SAHMX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum TIIEX drawdown since its inception was -64.69%, roughly equal to the maximum SAHMX drawdown of -66.58%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for TIIEX and SAHMX.

Drawdown Indicators

	TIIEX	SAHMX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-64.69%	-66.58%	+1.89%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-13.24%	-8.72%	-4.52%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.60%	-14.85%	-0.75%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.07%	-25.10%	-6.97%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-42.07%	-48.63%	+6.56%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.06%	0.00%	-0.06%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-20.10%	-16.09%	-4.01%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.88%	2.55%	+1.33%

Volatility

TIIEX vs. SAHMX - Volatility Comparison

TIAA-CREF International Equity Fund (TIIEX) has a higher volatility of 5.73% compared to SA International Value Fund (SAHMX) at 3.47%. This indicates that TIIEX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than SAHMX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	TIIEX	SAHMX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.73%	3.47%	+2.26%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.57%	9.62%	+5.95%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	18.18%	12.17%	+6.01%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.52%	15.42%	+2.10%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	17.79%	16.06%	+1.73%

TIIEX vs. SAHMX - Expense Ratio Comparison

TIIEX has a 0.46% expense ratio, which is lower than SAHMX's 1.11% expense ratio.

Dividends

TIIEX vs. SAHMX - Dividend Comparison

TIIEX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.66%, more than SAHMX's 4.60% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
SAHMX SA International Value Fund	4.60%	5.35%	3.57%	3.46%	4.06%	3.05%	2.09%	3.66%	1.93%	2.46%	2.89%	1.91%
TIIEX TIAA-CREF International Equity Fund	10.66%	11.72%	2.56%	2.66%	2.22%	2.84%	1.21%	1.67%	7.72%	1.29%	1.51%	1.28%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both TIIEX and SAHMX in my portfolio?

TIIEX and SAHMX have a correlation of 0.65, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, TIIEX or SAHMX?

TIIEX has higher volatility (5.73%) compared to SAHMX (3.47%). In terms of maximum drawdown, TIIEX dropped -64.69% vs SAHMX's -66.58%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SAHMX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (3.16 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.