VWIGX vs. VGHCX

Last updated Aug 5, 2026

VWIGX (Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares) and VGHCX (Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares) are both mutual funds - VWIGX is a Foreign Large Cap Equities fund actively managed by Vanguard, while VGHCX is a Health & Biotech Equities fund actively managed by Vanguard. Both are actively managed. Over the past 10 years, VWIGX returned 9.69%/yr vs 9.23%/yr for VGHCX. Their 0.52 correlation means they have sometimes moved together and sometimes differently. VWIGX charges 0.38%/yr vs 0.33%/yr for VGHCX.

Performance

VWIGX vs. VGHCX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares (VWIGX) and Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares (VGHCX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, VWIGX achieves a 6.91% return, which is significantly higher than VGHCX's 3.10% return. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with VWIGX having a 9.69% annualized return and VGHCX not far behind at 9.23%.

VWIGX

• 1D: 0.60%
• 1M: 1.43%
• 6M: 4.87%
• YTD: 6.91%
• 1Y: 13.51%
• 3Y*: 11.75%
• 5Y*: -1.71%
• 10Y*: 9.69%
• ALL TIME*: 9.30%

VGHCX

• 1D: -0.32%
• 1M: -4.07%
• 6M: 2.87%
• YTD: 3.10%
• 1Y: 25.37%
• 3Y*: 11.82%
• 5Y*: 7.36%
• 10Y*: 9.23%
• ALL TIME*: 14.56%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Liquidity Comparison

Position	Avg. Volume Value (2W)	Avg. Volume Value (1M)	Avg. Volume Value (3M)
VGHCX Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00
VWIGX Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares	$0.00	$0.00	$0.00

VWIGX vs. VGHCX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VWIGX Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares	6.91%	19.96%	9.07%	14.65%	-30.86%	-11.18%	59.57%	31.36%	-12.68%	42.98%
VGHCX Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares	3.10%	19.63%	8.99%	5.46%	-1.05%	14.36%	12.57%	22.93%	1.03%	19.59%

Correlation

The correlation between VWIGX and VGHCX is 0.36, which is low. Their historical price movements had little consistent relationship.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Focuses on recent behavior, but can change the most.	0.36
Correlation (3Y) Balances recent behavior with more history.	0.47
Correlation (5Y) Shows whether the relationship held over a longer period.	0.55
Correlation (10Y) Provides a long-term view across more market conditions.	0.60
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 23, 1984	0.52

The correlation between VWIGX and VGHCX shifts across timeframes, from 0.36 (1 year) to 0.60 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

VWIGX vs. VGHCX - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	VWIGX	VGHCX
Technology	27.5%	-
Consumer Cyclical	17.5%	-
Industrials	13.5%	-
Financial Services	12.2%	0.0%
Healthcare	11.7%	99.5%
Communication Services	6.2%	-
Consumer Defensive	4.1%	1.2%
Basic Materials	2.6%	0.0%
Energy	1.9%	-
Utilities	0.5%	-
Real Estate	-	-

Return for Risk

VWIGX vs. VGHCX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare historical risk-adjusted metric ranks over the past 12 months.

VWIGX

VWIGX Risk / Return Rank: 21
VWIGX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 20
VWIGX Sortino Ratio Rank: 20
VWIGX Omega Ratio Rank: 20
VWIGX Calmar Ratio Rank: 22
VWIGX Martin Ratio Rank: 23

VGHCX

VGHCX Risk / Return Rank: 69
VGHCX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
VGHCX Sortino Ratio Rank: 78
VGHCX Omega Ratio Rank: 62
VGHCX Calmar Ratio Rank: 83
VGHCX Martin Ratio Rank: 53

The rank (0–100) uses a weighted average of the Sharpe, Sortino, Omega, Calmar, and Martin percentile ranks for the trailing 12 months. Higher means stronger historical risk-adjusted performance within the peer group.

VWIGX vs. VGHCX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares (VWIGX) and Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares (VGHCX). 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.

	VWIGX	VGHCX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	0.80	1.77	-0.98
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	1.20	2.72	-1.51
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.15	1.31	-0.16
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	1.08	2.94	-1.86
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	3.46	7.70	-4.24

VWIGX vs. VGHCX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VWIGX Sharpe Ratio is 0.80, which is lower than the VGHCX Sharpe Ratio of 1.77. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VWIGX and VGHCX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Drawdowns

VWIGX vs. VGHCX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VWIGX drawdown since its inception was -59.58%, which is greater than VGHCX's maximum drawdown of -36.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VWIGX and VGHCX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VWIGX	VGHCX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-59.58%	-36.93%	-22.65%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.06%	-9.20%	-4.86%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-20.04%	-16.08%	-3.96%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-52.69%	-16.95%	-35.74%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-53.25%	-27.18%	-26.07%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-12.88%	-4.69%	-8.19%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.80%	-5.24%	-8.56%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	4.39%	3.51%	+0.88%

Volatility

VWIGX vs. VGHCX - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares (VWIGX) has a higher volatility of 5.01% compared to Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares (VGHCX) at 4.60%. This indicates that VWIGX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than VGHCX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	VWIGX	VGHCX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	5.01%	4.60%	+0.41%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.84%	11.69%	+4.15%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	19.17%	15.30%	+3.87%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	23.43%	18.39%	+5.04%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	21.55%	17.68%	+3.87%

VWIGX vs. VGHCX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VWIGX has a 0.38% expense ratio, which is higher than VGHCX's 0.33% expense ratio.

Dividends

VWIGX vs. VGHCX - Dividend Comparison

VWIGX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.31%, less than VGHCX's 6.41% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
VGHCX Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares	6.41%	6.00%	22.72%	7.17%	5.44%	8.31%	7.96%	11.82%	9.10%	7.30%	8.54%	8.16%
VWIGX Vanguard International Growth Fund Investor Shares	6.31%	6.74%	9.68%	1.82%	6.90%	2.36%	2.28%	1.20%	5.34%	0.84%	1.26%	1.39%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VWIGX and VGHCX in my portfolio?

VWIGX and VGHCX have a correlation of 0.36, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VWIGX or VGHCX?

VWIGX has higher volatility (5.01%) compared to VGHCX (4.60%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VWIGX dropped -59.58% vs VGHCX's -36.93%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VGHCX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.77 vs 0.80), 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.