VFWSX vs. VBIAX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund Institutional Shares (VFWSX) and Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX).
VFWSX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Apr 30, 2007. VBIAX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Nov 13, 2000.
Performance
VFWSX vs. VBIAX - Performance Comparison
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VFWSX vs. VBIAX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFWSX Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund Institutional Shares | -1.04% | 32.38% | 5.45% | 15.59% | -15.48% | 8.11% | 11.37% | 21.58% | -13.97% | 27.24% |
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares | -4.19% | 13.61% | 14.58% | 17.54% | -16.90% | 14.21% | 16.40% | 21.78% | -2.86% | 13.89% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, VFWSX achieves a -1.04% return, which is significantly higher than VBIAX's -4.19% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VFWSX having a 8.67% annualized return and VBIAX not far ahead at 8.77%.
VFWSX
- 1D
- -0.15%
- 1M
- -11.06%
- YTD
- -1.04%
- 6M
- 3.62%
- 1Y
- 23.65%
- 3Y*
- 14.37%
- 5Y*
- 7.04%
- 10Y*
- 8.67%
VBIAX
- 1D
- -0.06%
- 1M
- -5.43%
- YTD
- -4.19%
- 6M
- -2.40%
- 1Y
- 10.89%
- 3Y*
- 11.56%
- 5Y*
- 6.33%
- 10Y*
- 8.77%
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VFWSX vs. VBIAX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VFWSX has a 0.08% expense ratio, which is higher than VBIAX's 0.07% 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%.
Return for Risk
VFWSX vs. VBIAX — Risk / Return Rank
VFWSX
VBIAX
VFWSX vs. VBIAX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund Institutional Shares (VFWSX) and Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX). 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.
| VFWSX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.45 | 1.01 | +0.44 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.95 | 1.51 | +0.44 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.22 | +0.07 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.88 | 1.31 | +0.57 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 7.45 | 6.22 | +1.23 |
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
| VFWSX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.45 | 1.01 | +0.44 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.47 | 0.58 | -0.10 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.54 | 0.79 | -0.24 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.24 | 0.60 | -0.36 |
Correlation
The correlation between VFWSX and VBIAX is 0.82, 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
VFWSX vs. VBIAX - Dividend Comparison
VFWSX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.01%, less than VBIAX's 5.84% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VFWSX Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund Institutional Shares | 3.01% | 3.08% | 3.23% | 3.31% | 3.10% | 3.06% | 1.99% | 3.10% | 3.28% | 2.67% | 2.97% | 2.97% |
VBIAX Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares | 5.84% | 6.00% | 5.27% | 4.35% | 2.83% | 3.19% | 2.65% | 2.28% | 2.32% | 1.95% | 2.09% | 2.09% |
Drawdowns
VFWSX vs. VBIAX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VFWSX drawdown since its inception was -61.60%, which is greater than VBIAX's maximum drawdown of -35.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VFWSX and VBIAX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VFWSX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -61.60% | -35.90% | -25.70% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -11.34% | -7.78% | -3.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -29.37% | -21.53% | -7.84% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -34.87% | -22.78% | -12.09% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.34% | -5.83% | -5.51% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -13.35% | -4.47% | -8.88% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 2.86% | 1.64% | +1.22% |
Volatility
VFWSX vs. VBIAX - Volatility Comparison
Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US Index Fund Institutional Shares (VFWSX) has a higher volatility of 6.92% compared to Vanguard Balanced Index Fund Admiral Shares (VBIAX) at 3.07%. This indicates that VFWSX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VBIAX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VFWSX | VBIAX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.92% | 3.07% | +3.85% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.63% | 5.93% | +4.70% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 15.78% | 11.27% | +4.51% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.93% | 11.02% | +3.91% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 15.98% | 11.17% | +4.81% |