VESIX vs. VFIAX
VESIX (Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Institutional Shares) and VFIAX (Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VESIX is a Europe Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while VFIAX is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 10 years, VESIX returned 9.26%/yr vs 15.54%/yr for VFIAX. A 0.71 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. VESIX charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.04%/yr for VFIAX.
Performance
VESIX vs. VFIAX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VESIX achieves a 5.77% return, which is significantly lower than VFIAX's 10.87% return. Over the past 10 years, VESIX has underperformed VFIAX with an annualized return of 9.26%, while VFIAX has yielded a comparatively higher 15.54% annualized return.
VESIX
- 1D
- -1.24%
- 1M
- 1.32%
- YTD
- 5.77%
- 6M
- 8.92%
- 1Y
- 17.51%
- 3Y*
- 16.40%
- 5Y*
- 8.26%
- 10Y*
- 9.26%
VFIAX
- 1D
- -0.73%
- 1M
- 4.17%
- YTD
- 10.87%
- 6M
- 10.78%
- 1Y
- 27.99%
- 3Y*
- 22.42%
- 5Y*
- 13.87%
- 10Y*
- 15.54%
VESIX vs. VFIAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VESIX Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Institutional Shares | 5.77% | 35.43% | 2.02% | 20.03% | -16.07% | 16.31% | 6.46% | 24.24% | -14.78% | 27.05% |
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares | 10.87% | 17.83% | 24.97% | 26.24% | -18.16% | 28.65% | 18.32% | 31.46% | -4.45% | 21.78% |
Correlation
The correlation between VESIX and VFIAX is 0.72, 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 | 0.72 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.66 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.72 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 14, 2000 | 0.71 |
The correlation between VESIX and VFIAX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.66 to 0.72 - a consistent structural relationship.
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Return for Risk
VESIX vs. VFIAX — Risk / Return Rank
VESIX
VFIAX
VESIX vs. VFIAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Institutional Shares (VESIX) and Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX). 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.
| VESIX | VFIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.17 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.49 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.22 | 1.43 | -0.21 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.52 | 3.16 | -1.64 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.62 | 14.76 | -9.14 |
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
| VESIX | VFIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.20 | 2.37 | -1.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.48 | 0.83 | -0.35 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.51 | 0.86 | -0.35 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.26 | 0.47 | -0.21 |
Drawdowns
VESIX vs. VFIAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VESIX drawdown since its inception was -63.25%, which is greater than VFIAX's maximum drawdown of -55.20%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VESIX and VFIAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VESIX | VFIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.25% | -55.20% | -8.05% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.96% | -8.90% | -3.06% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -13.94% | -18.75% | +4.81% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.68% | -24.53% | -8.15% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.85% | -33.83% | -3.02% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -2.36% | -0.73% | -1.63% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -15.22% | -9.40% | -5.82% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.23% | 1.90% | +1.33% |
Volatility
VESIX vs. VFIAX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Institutional Shares (VESIX) has a higher volatility of 5.38% compared to Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFIAX) at 2.92%. This indicates that VESIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VFIAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VESIX | VFIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 5.38% | 2.92% | +2.46% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.58% | 8.99% | +3.59% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.24% | 11.88% | +3.36% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 17.39% | 16.90% | +0.49% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.24% | 18.07% | +0.17% |
VESIX vs. VFIAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VESIX has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is higher than VFIAX's 0.04% 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
VESIX vs. VFIAX - Dividend Comparison
VESIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 2.81%, more than VFIAX's 1.02% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VESIX Vanguard European Stock Index Fund Institutional Shares | 2.81% | 2.86% | 3.60% | 3.15% | 3.25% | 3.04% | 2.10% | 3.28% | 3.95% | 2.72% | 3.54% | 3.27% |
VFIAX Vanguard 500 Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.02% | 1.12% | 1.24% | 1.45% | 1.68% | 1.24% | 1.53% | 1.87% | 2.05% | 1.78% | 2.02% | 2.10% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VESIX and VFIAX have a correlation of 0.72, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VESIX has higher volatility (5.38%) compared to VFIAX (2.92%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VESIX dropped -63.25% vs VFIAX's -55.20%.
VFIAX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.37 vs 1.20), 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.
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