VFAIX vs. WFSPX
VFAIX (Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares) and WFSPX (iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Class K) are both mutual funds - VFAIX is a Financials Equities fund tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Financials 25/50 Index, while WFSPX is a S&P 500 fund tracking the S&P 500 Index. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, VFAIX returned 13.51%/yr vs 15.03%/yr for WFSPX. Their correlation of 0.82 means they have usually moved in the same direction. VFAIX charges 0.09%/yr vs 0.03%/yr for WFSPX.
Performance
VFAIX vs. WFSPX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFAIX achieves a 5.34% return, which is significantly lower than WFSPX's 10.11% return. Over the past 10 years, VFAIX has underperformed WFSPX with an annualized return of 13.51%, while WFSPX has yielded a comparatively higher 15.03% annualized return.
VFAIX
- 1D
- -0.11%
- 1M
- 2.23%
- 6M
- 6.28%
- YTD
- 5.34%
- 1Y
- 13.08%
- 3Y*
- 19.65%
- 5Y*
- 11.51%
- 10Y*
- 13.51%
- ALL TIME*
- 6.80%
WFSPX
- 1D
- 0.71%
- 1M
- 0.14%
- 6M
- 7.96%
- YTD
- 10.11%
- 1Y
- 21.43%
- 3Y*
- 19.37%
- 5Y*
- 12.81%
- 10Y*
- 15.03%
- ALL TIME*
- 16.27%
Liquidity Comparison
| Position | Avg. Volume Value (2W) | Avg. Volume Value (1M) | Avg. Volume Value (3M) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | |
| $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
VFAIX vs. WFSPX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFAIX Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.34% | 14.90% | 30.46% | 14.07% | -12.26% | 36.27% | -2.15% | 31.63% | -13.47% | 20.05% |
WFSPX iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Class K | 10.11% | 17.83% | 24.94% | 26.25% | -18.14% | 28.63% | 18.43% | 31.45% | -4.83% | 21.27% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFAIX and WFSPX is 0.55, which is moderate. They have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently, sharing some price drivers without tracking each other closely.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most. | 0.55 |
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history. | 0.65 |
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period. | 0.74 |
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions. | 0.73 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 2004 | 0.82 |
Over the past year, the correlation between VFAIX and WFSPX has dropped to 0.55 - well below their long-term average of 0.82, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
VFAIX vs. WFSPX — Risk / Return Rank
VFAIX
WFSPX
VFAIX vs. WFSPX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFAIX) and iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Class K (WFSPX). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| VFAIX | WFSPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.79 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -1.03 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.14 | 1.27 | -0.14 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.75 | 2.20 | -1.45 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 1.94 | 9.44 | -7.50 |
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Drawdowns
VFAIX vs. WFSPX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFAIX drawdown since its inception was -78.64%, which is greater than WFSPX's maximum drawdown of -58.21%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFAIX and WFSPX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFAIX | WFSPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -78.64% | -58.21% | -20.43% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.72% | -8.90% | -5.82% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.31% | -18.74% | +1.43% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.71% | -24.51% | -1.20% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -44.37% | -33.74% | -10.63% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -1.19% | -1.41% | +0.22% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -18.49% | -12.72% | -5.77% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.66% | 2.07% | +3.59% |
Volatility
VFAIX vs. WFSPX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares (VFAIX) has a higher volatility of 4.07% compared to iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Class K (WFSPX) at 3.52%. This indicates that VFAIX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than WFSPX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFAIX | WFSPX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.07% | 3.52% | +0.55% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 11.21% | 10.11% | +1.10% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.04% | 12.86% | +2.18% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 19.16% | 16.99% | +2.17% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 22.54% | 18.03% | +4.51% |
VFAIX vs. WFSPX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFAIX has a 0.09% expense ratio, which is higher than WFSPX's 0.03% 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
VFAIX vs. WFSPX - Dividend Comparison
VFAIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.67%, which matches WFSPX's 1.66% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFAIX Vanguard Financials Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.67% | 1.56% | 1.75% | 2.08% | 2.31% | 2.62% | 2.21% | 2.17% | 2.30% | 1.54% | 1.64% | 2.00% |
WFSPX iShares S&P 500 Index Fund Class K | 1.66% | 1.72% | 1.41% | 1.50% | 2.02% | 1.82% | 1.66% | 1.99% | 2.00% | 1.62% | 2.37% | 2.49% |
Frequently Asked Questions
VFAIX and WFSPX have a correlation of 0.55, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
VFAIX has higher volatility (4.07%) compared to WFSPX (3.52%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VFAIX dropped -78.64% vs WFSPX's -58.21%.
WFSPX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.52 vs 0.73), 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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