VEMAX vs. ABALX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares (VEMAX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX).
VEMAX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Jun 23, 2006. ABALX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975.
Performance
VEMAX vs. ABALX - Performance Comparison
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VEMAX vs. ABALX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VEMAX Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares | -2.51% | 24.76% | 11.34% | 8.82% | -17.79% | 0.85% | 15.24% | 20.29% | -14.59% | 31.37% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | -2.86% | 18.45% | 14.63% | 13.65% | -12.13% | 15.75% | 10.85% | 18.60% | -3.35% | 14.69% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VEMAX achieves a -2.51% return, which is significantly higher than ABALX's -2.86% return. Over the past 10 years, VEMAX has underperformed ABALX with an annualized return of 7.28%, while ABALX has yielded a comparatively higher 8.98% annualized return.
VEMAX
- 1D
- -0.82%
- 1M
- -9.73%
- YTD
- -2.51%
- 6M
- -1.16%
- 1Y
- 19.13%
- 3Y*
- 12.46%
- 5Y*
- 3.36%
- 10Y*
- 7.28%
ABALX
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -6.82%
- YTD
- -2.86%
- 6M
- 0.85%
- 1Y
- 15.33%
- 3Y*
- 13.40%
- 5Y*
- 8.00%
- 10Y*
- 8.98%
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VEMAX vs. ABALX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VEMAX has a 0.14% expense ratio, which is lower than ABALX's 0.56% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
VEMAX vs. ABALX — Risk / Return Rank
VEMAX
ABALX
VEMAX vs. ABALX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares (VEMAX) and American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX). 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.
| VEMAX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.23 | 1.43 | -0.19 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.70 | 2.09 | -0.39 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.29 | -0.06 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.53 | 2.00 | -0.47 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.69 | 8.51 | -2.83 |
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
| VEMAX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.23 | 1.43 | -0.19 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.22 | 0.77 | -0.55 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.45 | 0.85 | -0.40 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.26 | 0.79 | -0.53 |
Correlation
The correlation between VEMAX and ABALX is 0.73, 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
VEMAX vs. ABALX - Dividend Comparison
VEMAX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.73%, less than ABALX's 8.54% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VEMAX Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares | 2.73% | 2.74% | 3.13% | 3.47% | 4.05% | 2.57% | 1.87% | 3.20% | 2.85% | 2.31% | 2.51% | 3.25% |
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | 8.54% | 8.27% | 6.87% | 2.05% | 2.30% | 4.30% | 4.35% | 3.49% | 5.49% | 4.72% | 4.24% | 5.60% |
Drawdowns
VEMAX vs. ABALX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VEMAX drawdown since its inception was -66.45%, which is greater than ABALX's maximum drawdown of -40.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VEMAX and ABALX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VEMAX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -66.45% | -40.20% | -26.25% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.08% | -7.33% | -3.75% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.60% | -18.76% | -13.84% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.11% | -22.34% | -13.77% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.05% | -7.03% | -4.02% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -16.25% | -3.86% | -12.39% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.99% | 1.73% | +1.26% |
Volatility
VEMAX vs. ABALX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Emerging Markets Stock Index Fund Admiral Shares (VEMAX) has a higher volatility of 6.36% compared to American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) at 3.26%. This indicates that VEMAX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than ABALX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VEMAX | ABALX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.36% | 3.26% | +3.10% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.70% | 6.74% | +3.96% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.26% | 11.11% | +4.15% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 15.18% | 10.42% | +4.76% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.37% | 10.61% | +5.76% |