VEMRX vs. VIIIX

Last updated Jun 9, 2026

VEMRX (Vanguard Emerging Markets Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares) and VIIIX (Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares) are both mutual funds - VEMRX is a Emerging Markets Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while VIIIX is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, VEMRX returned 8.34%/yr vs 15.32%/yr for VIIIX. A 0.69 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VEMRX charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.02%/yr for VIIIX.

Performance

VEMRX vs. VIIIX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Emerging Markets Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VEMRX) and Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VIIIX). 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 VEMRX having a 8.65% return and VIIIX slightly lower at 8.42%. Over the past 10 years, VEMRX has underperformed VIIIX with an annualized return of 8.34%, while VIIIX has yielded a comparatively higher 15.32% annualized return.

VEMRX

• 1D: -3.38%
• 1M: -3.58%
• YTD: 8.65%
• 6M: 9.81%
• 1Y: 24.46%
• 3Y*: 16.55%
• 5Y*: 4.51%
• 10Y*: 8.34%

VIIIX

• 1D: -2.63%
• 1M: -0.08%
• YTD: 8.42%
• 6M: 8.48%
• 1Y: 24.54%
• 3Y*: 21.94%
• 5Y*: 13.54%
• 10Y*: 15.32%

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

VEMRX vs. VIIIX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VEMRX Vanguard Emerging Markets Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares	8.65%	24.84%	11.40%	8.88%	-17.74%	0.92%	15.29%	20.39%	-14.55%	31.44%
VIIIX Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares	8.42%	17.87%	26.29%	25.79%	-18.14%	28.69%	18.41%	31.48%	-4.41%	21.82%

Correlation

The correlation between VEMRX and VIIIX is 0.70, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.70
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.62
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.61
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.65
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Dec 14, 2010	0.69

The correlation between VEMRX and VIIIX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.61 to 0.70 - a consistent structural relationship.

VEMRX vs. VIIIX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VEMRX	VIIIX
Technology	29.6%	35.7%
Financial Services	19.5%	11.6%
Consumer Cyclical	10.7%	10.2%
Industrials	8.0%	8.3%
Basic Materials	8.0%	1.8%
Communication Services	7.1%	11.3%
Energy	4.6%	3.5%
Healthcare	3.9%	8.5%
Consumer Defensive	3.7%	4.9%
Utilities	2.9%	2.4%
Real Estate	2.2%	1.9%

Return for Risk

VEMRX vs. VIIIX — Risk / Return Rank

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

VEMRX

VEMRX Risk / Return Rank: 38
VEMRX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 38
VEMRX Sortino Ratio Rank: 36
VEMRX Omega Ratio Rank: 38
VEMRX Calmar Ratio Rank: 40
VEMRX Martin Ratio Rank: 41

VIIIX

VIIIX Risk / Return Rank: 59
VIIIX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 56
VIIIX Sortino Ratio Rank: 49
VIIIX Omega Ratio Rank: 53
VIIIX Calmar Ratio Rank: 62
VIIIX Martin Ratio Rank: 75

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.

VEMRX vs. VIIIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Emerging Markets Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VEMRX) and Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VIIIX). 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.

	VEMRX	VIIIX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.69	2.13	-0.44
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.35	2.87	-0.53
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.31	1.39	-0.07
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.27	2.92	-0.65
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	8.40	13.57	-5.16
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VEMRX vs. VIIIX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VEMRX Sharpe Ratio is 1.69, which is comparable to the VIIIX Sharpe Ratio of 2.13. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VEMRX and VIIIX, 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

	VEMRX	VIIIX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.69	2.13	-0.44
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.29	0.80	-0.51
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.51	0.85	-0.34
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.25	0.49	-0.24

Drawdowns

VEMRX vs. VIIIX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VEMRX drawdown since its inception was -36.01%, smaller than the maximum VIIIX drawdown of -55.18%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VEMRX and VIIIX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VEMRX	VIIIX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-36.01%	-55.18%	+19.17%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.04%	-8.90%	-2.14%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-15.74%	-18.75%	+3.01%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-32.49%	-24.50%	-7.99%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-36.01%	-33.79%	-2.22%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-4.70%	-2.94%	-1.76%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-12.82%	-10.01%	-2.81%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.97%	1.91%	+1.06%

Volatility

VEMRX vs. VIIIX - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Emerging Markets Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VEMRX) has a higher volatility of 5.78% compared to Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares (VIIIX) at 3.81%. This indicates that VEMRX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VIIIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VEMRX	VIIIX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.78%	3.81%	+1.97%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	12.40%	9.41%	+2.99%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	14.77%	12.19%	+2.58%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.45%	16.93%	-1.48%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.49%	18.08%	-1.59%

VEMRX vs. VIIIX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VEMRX has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is higher than VIIIX's 0.02% 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

VEMRX vs. VIIIX - Dividend Comparison

VEMRX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.49%, which matches VIIIX's 2.48% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VEMRX Vanguard Emerging Markets Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares	2.49%	2.79%	3.19%	3.53%	4.11%	2.63%	1.92%	3.26%	2.92%	2.35%	2.56%	3.31%
VIIIX Vanguard Institutional Index Fund Institutional Plus Shares	2.48%	2.11%	3.66%	2.66%	3.39%	4.79%	3.07%	2.86%	2.45%	1.84%	2.38%	2.47%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VEMRX and VIIIX in my portfolio?

VEMRX and VIIIX have a correlation of 0.70, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VEMRX or VIIIX?

VEMRX has higher volatility (5.78%) compared to VIIIX (3.81%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VEMRX dropped -36.01% vs VIIIX's -55.18%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VIIIX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.13 vs 1.69), 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.