VHCIX vs. SHSSX
Compare and contrast key facts about Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX) and Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional (SHSSX).
VHCIX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Feb 5, 2004. SHSSX is a passively managed fund by BlackRock that tracks the performance of the Russell 3000 HealthCare Index. It was launched on Oct 16, 2000.
Performance
VHCIX vs. SHSSX - Performance Comparison
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VHCIX vs. SHSSX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VHCIX Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares | -7.10% | 15.43% | 2.64% | 2.48% | -5.50% | 20.56% | 18.22% | 21.97% | 5.55% | 23.35% |
SHSSX Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional | -6.87% | 16.13% | 4.00% | 3.86% | -5.72% | 12.17% | 19.54% | 25.63% | 8.24% | 25.02% |
Returns By Period
The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with VHCIX having a -7.10% return and SHSSX slightly higher at -6.87%. Over the past 10 years, VHCIX has underperformed SHSSX with an annualized return of 9.47%, while SHSSX has yielded a comparatively higher 9.97% annualized return.
VHCIX
- 1D
- 0.36%
- 1M
- -9.57%
- YTD
- -7.10%
- 6M
- 3.53%
- 1Y
- 2.34%
- 3Y*
- 5.37%
- 5Y*
- 4.64%
- 10Y*
- 9.47%
SHSSX
- 1D
- 0.31%
- 1M
- -9.09%
- YTD
- -6.87%
- 6M
- 4.09%
- 1Y
- 4.34%
- 3Y*
- 6.17%
- 5Y*
- 4.28%
- 10Y*
- 9.97%
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VHCIX vs. SHSSX - Expense Ratio Comparison
VHCIX has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than SHSSX's 0.84% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
VHCIX vs. SHSSX — Risk / Return Rank
VHCIX
SHSSX
VHCIX vs. SHSSX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX) and Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional (SHSSX). 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.
| VHCIX | SHSSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 0.17 | 0.29 | -0.12 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 0.36 | 0.52 | -0.16 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.05 | 1.06 | -0.02 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 0.25 | 0.43 | -0.19 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 0.53 | 1.02 | -0.49 |
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
| VHCIX | SHSSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.17 | 0.29 | -0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.31 | 0.30 | +0.01 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.56 | 0.61 | -0.04 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.55 | 0.69 | -0.14 |
Correlation
The correlation between VHCIX and SHSSX is 0.96, 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
VHCIX vs. SHSSX - Dividend Comparison
VHCIX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.76%, less than SHSSX's 10.63% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VHCIX Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares | 1.76% | 1.61% | 1.53% | 1.36% | 1.33% | 1.19% | 1.21% | 1.89% | 1.38% | 1.31% | 1.45% | 1.22% |
SHSSX Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional | 10.63% | 9.90% | 8.68% | 3.82% | 7.20% | 8.96% | 4.18% | 3.87% | 8.44% | 3.59% | 2.33% | 12.29% |
Drawdowns
VHCIX vs. SHSSX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum VHCIX drawdown since its inception was -39.12%, which is greater than SHSSX's maximum drawdown of -35.40%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VHCIX and SHSSX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| VHCIX | SHSSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -39.12% | -35.40% | -3.72% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -10.39% | -9.83% | -0.56% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -17.77% | -17.90% | +0.13% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -28.58% | -28.34% | -0.24% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.07% | -9.56% | -0.51% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -5.96% | -5.98% | +0.02% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.94% | 4.17% | +0.77% |
Volatility
VHCIX vs. SHSSX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Vanguard Health Care Index Fund Admiral Shares (VHCIX) is 4.33%, while Health Sciences Opportunities Fund Class Institutional (SHSSX) has a volatility of 4.61%. This indicates that VHCIX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SHSSX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| VHCIX | SHSSX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 4.33% | 4.61% | -0.28% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 10.04% | 9.73% | +0.31% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 17.53% | 16.32% | +1.21% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 14.84% | 14.19% | +0.65% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 16.92% | 16.53% | +0.39% |