VWNEX vs. VWENX

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

VWNEX (Vanguard Windsor Fund Admiral Shares) and VWENX (Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares) are both mutual funds - VWNEX is a Large Cap Value Equities fund managed by Vanguard, while VWENX is a Diversified Portfolio fund actively managed by Vanguard. Over the past 10 years, VWNEX returned 11.87%/yr vs 10.28%/yr for VWENX. Their correlation of 0.89 suggests significant overlap in exposure. VWNEX charges 0.20%/yr vs 0.16%/yr for VWENX.

Performance

VWNEX vs. VWENX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Vanguard Windsor Fund Admiral Shares (VWNEX) and Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares (VWENX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both stocks are quite close, with VWNEX having a 7.41% return and VWENX slightly lower at 7.16%. Over the past 10 years, VWNEX has outperformed VWENX with an annualized return of 11.87%, while VWENX has yielded a comparatively lower 10.28% annualized return.

VWNEX

• 1D: 0.16%
• 1M: 3.35%
• YTD: 7.41%
• 6M: 8.93%
• 1Y: 21.54%
• 3Y*: 14.32%
• 5Y*: 9.32%
• 10Y*: 11.87%

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%

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

VWNEX vs. VWENX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
VWNEX Vanguard Windsor Fund Admiral Shares	7.41%	13.40%	9.64%	15.11%	-3.05%	27.92%	7.45%	30.53%	-12.39%	18.19%
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 VWNEX and VWENX is 0.68, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.68
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.70
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.79
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.81
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 13, 2001	0.89

Over the past year, the correlation between VWNEX and VWENX has dropped to 0.68 - well below their long-term average of 0.89, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

VWNEX vs. VWENX — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

VWNEX

VWNEX Risk / Return Rank: 45
VWNEX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 40
VWNEX Sortino Ratio Rank: 41
VWNEX Omega Ratio Rank: 39
VWNEX Calmar Ratio Rank: 56
VWNEX Martin Ratio Rank: 49

VWENX

VWENX Risk / Return Rank: 75
VWENX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 79
VWENX Sortino Ratio Rank: 75
VWENX Omega Ratio Rank: 73
VWENX Calmar Ratio Rank: 68
VWENX Martin Ratio Rank: 79

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

VWNEX vs. VWENX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Vanguard Windsor Fund Admiral Shares (VWNEX) 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.

	VWNEX	VWENX	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.85	2.57	-0.73
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.68	3.61	-0.94
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.33	1.48	-0.15
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.87	3.19	-0.32
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.17	14.78	-4.61
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

VWNEX vs. VWENX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current VWNEX Sharpe Ratio is 1.85, which is comparable to the VWENX Sharpe Ratio of 2.57. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of VWNEX and VWENX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	VWNEX	VWENX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.85	2.57	-0.73
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.54	0.82	-0.28
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.61	0.90	-0.29
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.42	0.68	-0.26

Drawdowns

VWNEX vs. VWENX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum VWNEX drawdown since its inception was -61.41%, which is greater than VWENX's maximum drawdown of -36.02%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for VWNEX and VWENX.

Drawdown Indicators

	VWNEX	VWENX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-61.41%	-36.02%	-25.39%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-7.89%	-6.77%	-1.12%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-21.72%	-11.98%	-9.74%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-21.72%	-20.84%	-0.88%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-40.12%	-25.33%	-14.79%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-9.85%	-4.36%	-5.49%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	2.22%	1.46%	+0.76%

Volatility

VWNEX vs. VWENX - Volatility Comparison

Vanguard Windsor Fund Admiral Shares (VWNEX) has a higher volatility of 2.92% compared to Vanguard Wellington Fund Admiral Shares (VWENX) at 2.53%. This indicates that VWNEX'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.

Volatility by Period

	VWNEX	VWENX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	2.92%	2.53%	+0.39%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	8.83%	6.67%	+2.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	12.27%	8.38%	+3.89%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	17.32%	11.14%	+6.18%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.64%	11.53%	+8.11%

VWNEX vs. VWENX - Expense Ratio Comparison

VWNEX has a 0.20% expense ratio, which is higher than VWENX's 0.16% 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

VWNEX vs. VWENX - Dividend Comparison

VWNEX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 7.35%, less than VWENX's 10.83% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
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%
VWNEX Vanguard Windsor Fund Admiral Shares	7.35%	7.90%	12.60%	8.34%	15.50%	11.57%	8.47%	10.36%	13.30%	3.56%	4.99%	8.62%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both VWNEX and VWENX in my portfolio?

VWNEX and VWENX have a correlation of 0.68, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, VWNEX or VWENX?

VWNEX has higher volatility (2.92%) compared to VWENX (2.53%). In terms of maximum drawdown, VWNEX dropped -61.41% vs VWENX's -36.02%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

VWENX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.57 vs 1.85), 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.