VALIX vs. BWBIX

Last updated Apr 1, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. (VALIX) and Baron WealthBuilder Fund (BWBIX).

VALIX is managed by T. Rowe Price. It was launched on Sep 29, 1952. BWBIX is managed by Baron Capital Group, Inc.. It was launched on Dec 28, 2017.

Performance

VALIX vs. BWBIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. (VALIX) and Baron WealthBuilder Fund (BWBIX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

VALIX vs. BWBIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018
VALIX Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc.	-10.01%	20.76%	21.20%	34.45%	-29.86%	6.69%	33.13%	26.20%	-9.03%
BWBIX Baron WealthBuilder Fund	-9.86%	10.23%	19.62%	25.77%	-32.58%	14.76%	62.85%	36.41%	-12.02%

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with VALIX having a -10.01% return and BWBIX slightly higher at -9.86%.

VALIX

• 1D: -0.31%
• 1M: -5.75%
• YTD: -10.01%
• 6M: -9.23%
• 1Y: 14.18%
• 3Y*: 15.78%
• 5Y*: 5.27%
• 10Y*: 10.81%

BWBIX

• 1D: -0.10%
• 1M: -8.51%
• YTD: -9.86%
• 6M: -5.37%
• 1Y: 7.86%
• 3Y*: 10.63%
• 5Y*: 2.69%
• 10Y*: —

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

VALIX vs. BWBIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VALIX has a 1.07% expense ratio, which is higher than BWBIX's 0.05% expense ratio.

VALIX

Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc.

BWBIX

Baron WealthBuilder Fund

Return for Risk

VALIX vs. BWBIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

VALIX

VALIX Risk / Return Rank: 36
VALIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
VALIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 44
VALIX Omega Ratio Rank: 37
VALIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 32
VALIX Martin Ratio Rank: 27

BWBIX

BWBIX Risk / Return Rank: 16
BWBIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 15
BWBIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 17
BWBIX Omega Ratio Rank: 16
BWBIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 16
BWBIX Martin Ratio Rank: 17

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.

VALIX vs. BWBIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. (VALIX) and Baron WealthBuilder Fund (BWBIX). 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.

	VALIX	BWBIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	0.81	0.41	+0.41
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.31	0.75	+0.55
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.17	1.10	+0.07
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	0.88	0.46	+0.42
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	2.93	1.76	+1.16
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VALIX vs. BWBIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VALIX Sharpe Ratio is 0.81, which is higher than the BWBIX Sharpe Ratio of 0.41. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VALIX and BWBIX, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VALIX	BWBIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.81	0.41	+0.41
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.28	0.13	+0.15
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.58	—	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.54	0.47	+0.07

Correlation

The correlation between VALIX and BWBIX is 0.90, 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

VALIX vs. BWBIX - Dividend Comparison

VALIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.70%, less than BWBIX's 8.44% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VALIX Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc.	6.70%	6.03%	0.79%	0.75%	11.01%	10.83%	5.49%	9.79%	8.28%	5.57%	5.75%	6.86%
BWBIX Baron WealthBuilder Fund	8.44%	7.61%	0.77%	0.06%	3.21%	3.75%	1.24%	3.51%	0.14%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%

Drawdowns

VALIX vs. BWBIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VALIX drawdown since its inception was -35.14%, smaller than the maximum BWBIX drawdown of -39.14%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VALIX and BWBIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VALIX	BWBIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-35.14%	-39.14%	+4.00%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-12.36%	-12.76%	+0.40%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-35.14%	-39.14%	+4.00%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-35.14%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-12.36%	-11.65%	-0.71%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.58%	-11.88%	+5.30%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.71%	3.35%	+0.36%

Volatility

VALIX vs. BWBIX - Volatility Comparison

Value Line Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. (VALIX) has a higher volatility of 4.76% compared to Baron WealthBuilder Fund (BWBIX) at 4.45%. This indicates that VALIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than BWBIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VALIX	BWBIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	4.76%	4.45%	+0.31%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	10.35%	11.07%	-0.72%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.39%	19.80%	-2.41%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.05%	21.17%	-2.12%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	18.78%	23.30%	-4.52%