VEXPX vs. AGTHX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares (VEXPX) and American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX).
VEXPX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Dec 11, 1967. AGTHX is managed by Equity. It was launched on Dec 1, 1973.
Performance
VEXPX vs. AGTHX - Performance Comparison
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VEXPX vs. AGTHX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VEXPX Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares | -0.11% | 7.08% | 17.25% | 19.78% | -23.32% | 15.96% | 31.36% | 31.27% | -2.46% | 22.49% |
AGTHX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A | -8.07% | 19.73% | 28.02% | 37.22% | -30.75% | 19.32% | 37.83% | 28.16% | -3.15% | 26.14% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VEXPX achieves a -0.11% return, which is significantly higher than AGTHX's -8.07% return. Over the past 10 years, VEXPX has underperformed AGTHX with an annualized return of 12.03%, while AGTHX has yielded a comparatively higher 14.32% annualized return.
VEXPX
- 1D
- 3.79%
- 1M
- -5.78%
- YTD
- -0.11%
- 6M
- 1.65%
- 1Y
- 17.03%
- 3Y*
- 11.98%
- 5Y*
- 4.26%
- 10Y*
- 12.03%
AGTHX
- 1D
- 3.56%
- 1M
- -6.34%
- YTD
- -8.07%
- 6M
- -7.16%
- 1Y
- 16.84%
- 3Y*
- 20.26%
- 5Y*
- 8.96%
- 10Y*
- 14.32%
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VEXPX vs. AGTHX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VEXPX has a 0.40% expense ratio, which is lower than AGTHX's 0.61% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
VEXPX vs. AGTHX — Risk / Return Rank
VEXPX
AGTHX
VEXPX vs. AGTHX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares (VEXPX) and American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX). 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.
| VEXPX | AGTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.79 | 0.84 | -0.05 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.25 | 1.34 | -0.10 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.17 | 1.19 | -0.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.20 | 1.26 | -0.06 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.02 | 4.78 | +0.24 |
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
| VEXPX | AGTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.79 | 0.84 | -0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.20 | 0.45 | -0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.55 | 0.73 | -0.18 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.50 | 0.68 | -0.18 |
Correlation
The correlation between VEXPX and AGTHX is 0.87, 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
VEXPX vs. AGTHX - Dividend Comparison
VEXPX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.39%, less than AGTHX's 11.63% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VEXPX Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares | 7.39% | 7.38% | 12.59% | 0.79% | 5.09% | 16.00% | 6.64% | 4.97% | 10.95% | 11.46% | 4.49% | 10.71% |
AGTHX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A | 11.63% | 10.69% | 8.99% | 7.40% | 4.05% | 8.18% | 4.30% | 7.15% | 11.99% | 7.03% | 6.61% | 8.87% |
Drawdowns
VEXPX vs. AGTHX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VEXPX drawdown since its inception was -57.40%, which is greater than AGTHX's maximum drawdown of -51.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VEXPX and AGTHX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VEXPX | AGTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -57.40% | -51.91% | -5.49% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.15% | -13.76% | -0.39% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -32.71% | -36.38% | +3.67% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -39.87% | -36.38% | -3.49% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.78% | -10.70% | +3.92% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -12.95% | -9.23% | -3.72% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.38% | 3.63% | -0.25% |
Volatility
VEXPX vs. AGTHX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares (VEXPX) has a higher volatility of 7.50% compared to American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX) at 6.76%. This indicates that VEXPX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AGTHX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VEXPX | AGTHX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.50% | 6.76% | +0.74% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 13.17% | 12.13% | +1.04% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 22.25% | 21.01% | +1.24% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 21.32% | 20.23% | +1.09% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 21.81% | 19.64% | +2.17% |