Core Four Portfolio
Apr 10, 2007 – Nov 12, 2026, Rebalanced annually, BND starts Apr 10, 2007
| Final balance | CAGR | Max drawdown | Sharpe ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Four | $42,833 | +7.71% | −47.94% | 0.55 |
| S&P 500 | $74,751 | +10.81% | −55.19% | 0.62 |
| Final balance | CAGR | Max drawdown | Sharpe ratio | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Four | $42,833 | +7.71% | −47.94% | 0.55 |
| S&P 500 | $74,751 | +10.81% | −55.19% | 0.62 |
| Core Four | S&P 500 | |
|---|---|---|
| Final balance | $42,833 | $74,751 |
| CAGR | +7.71% | +10.81% |
| Max drawdown | −47.94% | −55.19% |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.55 | 0.62 |
Loading the growth chart…
Growth of $10,000
Key metrics
| Return | Core Four | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Final balance | $42,833 | $74,751 |
| Total return | +328.33% | +647.51% |
| CAGR | +7.71% | +10.81% |
| Calendar years | Core Four | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Best year | +26.04% | +32.31% |
| Worst year | −29.76% | −36.80% |
| Positive years | 13 of 18 | 15 of 18 |
| Risk | Core Four | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Max drawdown | −47.94% | −55.19% |
| Longest drawdown | 3.3 years | 4.9 years |
| Volatility (daily, annualized) | 15.73% | 19.62% |
| Risk-adjusted | Core Four | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratio | 0.55 | 0.62 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.77 | 0.88 |
| Calmar ratio | 0.16 | 0.20 |
Annual returns
| Year | Core Four | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | +17.86% | +21.71% |
| 2018 | −6.42% | −4.57% |
| 2019 | +24.04% | +31.22% |
| 2020 | +13.95% | +18.33% |
| 2021 | +17.18% | +28.73% |
| 2022 | −17.83% | −18.18% |
| 2023 | +18.38% | +26.18% |
| 2024 | +13.43% | +24.89% |
| 2025 | +17.65% | +17.72% |
| 2026 to Nov 12 | +9.14% | +11.89% |
Worst drawdowns
| Decline | Peak | Bottom | Recovered | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| −47.9% | Oct 2007 | Mar 2009 | Feb 2011 | 3.3 years |
| −28.4% | Feb 2020 | Mar 2020 | Aug 2020 | 6 months |
| −24.3% | Jan 2022 | Oct 2022 | Mar 2024 | 2.2 years |
| −17.2% | Apr 2011 | Oct 2011 | Feb 2012 | 10 months |
| −14.3% | Aug 2018 | Dec 2018 | Apr 2019 | 7 months |
About the Core Four Portfolio
Rick Ferri introduced the Core Four on the Bogleheads forum in 2007. It's the Three-Fund plus a separate slice of real estate (REITs). This page uses his version with 80% in stocks.
Commercial real estate is a large part of the economy, but a small part of the stock market. That's why Ferri holds REITs on their own. VEU tracks the international index he first picked. The newer VXUS only started in 2011.
Its worst fall took 3.3 years to recover, and it beat the S&P 500 in 2 of 18 full years.
Daily closes with dividends reinvested and fund fees included, before taxes and trading costs.