VFIFX vs. VWENX
VFIFX (Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund) and VWENX (Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VFIFX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by Vanguard, while VWENX is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VFIFX returned 11.74%/yr vs 10.28%/yr for VWENX. With a 0.95 correlation, they move nearly in lockstep. VFIFX charges 0.08%/yr vs 0.16%/yr for VWENX.
Performance
VFIFX vs. VWENX - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFIFX achieves a 12.06% return, which is significantly higher than VWENX's 7.16% return. Over the past 10 years, VFIFX has outperformed VWENX with an annualized return of 11.74%, while VWENX has yielded a comparatively lower 10.28% annualized return.
VFIFX
- 1D
- 0.35%
- 1M
- 5.14%
- YTD
- 12.06%
- 6M
- 12.99%
- 1Y
- 28.12%
- 3Y*
- 19.67%
- 5Y*
- 10.35%
- 10Y*
- 11.74%
VWENX
- 1D
- 0.07%
- 1M
- 3.88%
- YTD
- 7.16%
- 6M
- 7.40%
- 1Y
- 21.14%
- 3Y*
- 15.70%
- 5Y*
- 9.06%
- 10Y*
- 10.28%
VFIFX vs. VWENX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFIFX Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund | 12.06% | 21.42% | 14.45% | 20.39% | -17.48% | 16.42% | 16.40% | 24.99% | -7.89% | 19.15% |
VWENX Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares | 7.16% | 16.63% | 14.82% | 14.40% | -14.31% | 19.09% | 10.66% | 22.61% | -3.35% | 14.05% |
Correlation
The correlation between VFIFX and VWENX is 0.94, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.93 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.94 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jun 8, 2006 | 0.95 |
The correlation between VFIFX and VWENX has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.95 - a consistent structural relationship.
VFIFX vs. VWENX - Sectors Allocation Comparison
Sectors
VFIFX
VWENX
Technology
Financial Services
Industrials
Consumer Cyclical
Healthcare
Communication Services
Consumer Defensive
Energy
Basic Materials
Utilities
Real Estate
Technology
VFIFX
VWENX
Financial Services
VFIFX
VWENX
Industrials
VFIFX
VWENX
Consumer Cyclical
VFIFX
VWENX
Healthcare
VFIFX
VWENX
Communication Services
VFIFX
VWENX
Consumer Defensive
VFIFX
VWENX
Energy
VFIFX
VWENX
Basic Materials
VFIFX
VWENX
Utilities
VFIFX
VWENX
Real Estate
VFIFX
VWENX
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Return for Risk
VFIFX vs. VWENX — Risk / Return Rank
VFIFX
VWENX
VFIFX vs. VWENX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund (VFIFX) and Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares (VWENX). 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.
| VFIFX | VWENX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.06 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -0.14 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.46 | 1.48 | -0.02 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 3.21 | 3.19 | +0.03 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.25 | 14.78 | -0.53 |
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
| VFIFX | VWENX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.51 | 2.57 | -0.06 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.73 | 0.82 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.78 | 0.90 | -0.11 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.52 | 0.68 | -0.17 |
Drawdowns
VFIFX vs. VWENX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFIFX drawdown since its inception was -51.68%, which is greater than VWENX's maximum drawdown of -36.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFIFX and VWENX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFIFX | VWENX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.68% | -36.02% | -15.66% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -8.87% | -6.77% | -2.10% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -14.54% | -11.98% | -2.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -25.40% | -20.84% | -4.56% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -31.36% | -25.33% | -6.03% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -6.88% | -4.36% | -2.52% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.00% | 1.46% | +0.54% |
Volatility
VFIFX vs. VWENX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund (VFIFX) has a higher volatility of 3.35% compared to Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares (VWENX) at 2.53%. This indicates that VFIFX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VWENX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFIFX | VWENX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.35% | 2.53% | +0.82% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 9.02% | 6.67% | +2.35% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.36% | 8.38% | +2.98% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.18% | 11.14% | +3.04% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.11% | 11.53% | +3.58% |
VFIFX vs. VWENX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFIFX has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is lower than VWENX's 0.16% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Dividends
VFIFX vs. VWENX - Dividend Comparison
VFIFX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.86%, less than VWENX's 10.83% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFIFX Vanguard Target Retirement 2050 Fund | 1.86% | 2.09% | 2.26% | 2.21% | 2.38% | 12.83% | 1.84% | 2.20% | 2.51% | 0.03% | 2.04% | 2.36% |
VWENX Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares | 10.83% | 11.55% | 10.85% | 6.08% | 8.28% | 8.72% | 7.85% | 4.74% | 9.58% | 5.88% | 4.53% | 6.58% |
Frequently Asked Questions
With a correlation of 0.94, VFIFX and VWENX move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.
VFIFX has higher volatility (3.35%) compared to VWENX (2.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VFIFX dropped -51.68% vs VWENX's -36.02%.
VWENX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.57 vs 2.51), 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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