iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA): Historical Returns

Simulation Settings
Category: Stocks
Period: January 1970 - April 2025 (~55 years)
Consolidated Returns as of 30 April 2025
Live Update available for May 2025
Currency: USD
Inflation: US
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Results
30 Years
All (since January 1970)
Live
Inflation Adjusted:
iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA)
1.00$
Initial Capital
May 1995
4.55$
Final Capital
April 2025
5.18%
Yearly Return
16.35%
Std Deviation
-57.38%
Max Drawdown
80months
Recovery Period
1.00$
Initial Capital
May 1995
2.16$
Final Capital
April 2025
2.60%
Yearly Return
16.35%
Std Deviation
-58.09%
Max Drawdown
158months
Recovery Period
1.00$
Initial Capital
January 1970
77.42$
Final Capital
April 2025
8.18%
Yearly Return
16.96%
Std Deviation
-57.38%
Max Drawdown
80months
Recovery Period
1.00$
Initial Capital
January 1970
9.11$
Final Capital
April 2025
4.07%
Yearly Return
16.96%
Std Deviation
-58.09%
Max Drawdown
158months
Recovery Period
---
1 Day: ---
---
Month: ---

The iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF covers to the following investment themes:

  • Asset Class: Equity
  • Size: Large Cap
  • Style: Blend
  • Region: Developed Markets
  • Country: EAFE

As of April 2025, in the previous 30 Years, the iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF obtained a 5.18% compound annual return, with a 16.35% standard deviation. It suffered a maximum drawdown of -57.38% that required 80 months to be recovered.

Disclaimer: The simulations on this website are provided in good faith but should NOT be taken as investment advice. We are not liable for any errors or actions based on this information. The authors of the website are not affiliated with the ETFs/Assets issuers. Content is for informational, educational, illustrative and entertainment purposes only.
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The iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF is part of the following Lazy Portfolios:

Portfolio Name Author EFA Weight▾ Currency
Andrew Tobias Portfolio Andrew Tobias 33.33% USD
Robo Advisor 100 Value Tilt Betterment 27.30% USD
Nano Portfolio John Wasik 20.00% USD
Long Term Portfolio Ben Stein 20.00% USD
Mid-Twenties Burton Malkiel 17.50% USD
Late Thirties to Early Forties Burton Malkiel 16.25% USD
Pinwheel Tyler 15.00% USD
Mid-Fifties Burton Malkiel 14.00% USD
Robo Advisor 50 Value Tilt Betterment 13.70% USD
Late Sixties and Beyond Burton Malkiel 10.00% USD
7Twelve Portfolio Craig Israelsen 8.33% USD
Robo Advisor 20 Value Tilt Betterment 5.60% USD
Robo Advisor 10 Value Tilt Betterment 2.80% USD
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Investment Returns as of Apr 30, 2025

The iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF guaranteed the following returns.

Returns are calculated in USD, assuming:
  • no fees or capital gain taxes.
  • dividend reinvestment, when applicable.
  • the actual US Inflation rates.
ISHARES MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF
1 January 1970 - 30 April 2025 (~55 years)
Live Update: May 2025
Swipe left to see all data
  Chg (%) Return (%) Return (%) as of Apr 30, 2025
  1 Day Time ET(*) --- YTD
(4M) 		1M 6M 1Y 5Y 10Y 30Y MAX
(~55Y)
Investment Return --- --- 12.09 3.70 8.44 13.12 11.60 5.47 5.18 8.18
US Inflation Adjusted Return 11.14 3.47 6.76 10.57 6.71 2.31 2.60 4.07
Returns over 1 year are annualized
(*) Eastern Time (ET - America/New York)
The live monthly return is calculated by assuming, for each asset, the weight defined by the base asset allocation.
US Inflation is updated to Apr 2025. Inflation (annualized) is 1Y: 2.30% , 5Y: 4.58% , 10Y: 3.10% , 30Y: 2.52%

In 2024, the iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF granted a 3.24% dividend yield. If you are interested in getting periodic income, please refer to the iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF: Dividend Yield page.

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Capital Growth as of Apr 30, 2025

An investment of 1$, from May 1995 to April 2025, would be worth 4.55$, with a total return of 355.32% (5.18% annualized).

The Inflation Adjusted Capital would be 2.16$, with a net total return of 115.72% (2.60% annualized).

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An investment of 1$, from January 1970 to April 2025, would be worth 77.42$, with a total return of 7641.52% (8.18% annualized).

The Inflation Adjusted Capital would be 9.11$, with a net total return of 810.90% (4.07% annualized).

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Investment Metrics as of Apr 30, 2025

Metrics of iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF, updated as of 30 April 2025, provide a comprehensive overview of the portfolio's performance and risk characteristics.

These metrics include detailed data on returns, volatility, drawdowns and other key performance indicators. By examining them, you can gain insights into how the portfolio has performed over various time periods and understand its risk profile.

Metrics are calculated based on monthly returns, assuming:
  • no fees or capital gain taxes.
  • dividend reinvestment, when applicable.
  • the actual US Inflation rates.
ISHARES MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF
Advanced Metrics
1 January 1970 - 30 April 2025 (~55 years)
Swipe left to see all data
Metrics as of Apr 30, 2025
YTD
(4M) 		1M 3M 6M 1Y 3Y 5Y 10Y 20Y 30Y MAX
(~55Y)
Investment Return (%)
12.09 3.70 6.95 8.44 13.12 10.47 11.60 5.47 5.43 5.18 8.18
Growth of 1$ 1.12 1.04 1.07 1.08 1.13 1.35 1.73 1.70 2.88 4.55 77.42
Infl. Adjusted Return (%)
11.14 3.47 6.54 6.76 10.57 6.71 6.71 2.31 2.81 2.60 4.07
US Inflation (%) 0.86 0.22 0.39 1.57 2.30 3.53 4.58 3.10 2.55 2.52 3.94
Returns / Inflation rates over 1 year are annualized.
DRAWDOWN
Inflation Adjusted:
Inflation Adjusted:
 Current 1Y 3Y 5Y 10Y 20Y 30Y MAX
Deepest Drawdown Depth (%) 0.00 -8.36 -18.19 -27.58 -27.58 -57.38 -57.38 -57.38
Start to Recovery (# months)
7 8 28 28 80 80 80
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 10 2022 06 2021 09 2021 09 2007 11 2007 11 2007 11
Start to Bottom (# months) 3 4 13 13 16 16 16
Bottom (yyyy mm) 2024 12 2022 09 2022 09 2022 09 2009 02 2009 02 2009 02
Bottom to End (# months) 4 4 15 15 64 64 64
End (yyyy mm) 2025 04 2023 01 2023 12 2023 12 2014 06 2014 06 2014 06
Longest Drawdown Depth (%)
same
same
same
same
same
same
same
Start to Recovery (# months)
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 10 2022 06 2021 09 2021 09 2007 11 2007 11 2007 11
Start to Bottom (# months) 3 4 13 13 16 16 16
Bottom (yyyy mm) 2024 12 2022 09 2022 09 2022 09 2009 02 2009 02 2009 02
Bottom to End (# months) 4 4 15 15 64 64 64
End (yyyy mm) 2025 04 2023 01 2023 12 2023 12 2014 06 2014 06 2014 06
Longest negative period (# months)
7 17 34 62 155 155 170
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 06 2022 06 2021 01 2017 08 2007 05 2007 05 1989 02
End (yyyy mm) 2024 12 2023 10 2023 10 2022 09 2020 03 2020 03 2003 03
Annualized Return (%) -6.67 -0.04 -0.31 -0.49 -0.05 -0.05 -0.10
Deepest Drawdown Depth (%) -0.86 -9.22 -19.56 -33.65 -33.65 -58.09 -58.09 -58.09
Start to Recovery (# months)
47* 7 8 47* 47* 158 158 158
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 10 2022 06 2021 06 2021 06 2007 11 2007 11 2007 11
Start to Bottom (# months) 3 4 16 16 16 16 16
Bottom (yyyy mm) 2024 12 2022 09 2022 09 2022 09 2009 02 2009 02 2009 02
Bottom to End (# months) 4 4 31 31 142 142 142
End (yyyy mm) 2025 04 2023 01 - - 2020 12 2020 12 2020 12
Longest Drawdown Depth (%)
same
same
same
same
same
same
same
Start to Recovery (# months)
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 10 2022 06 2021 06 2021 06 2007 11 2007 11 2007 11
Start to Bottom (# months) 3 4 16 16 16 16 16
Bottom (yyyy mm) 2024 12 2022 09 2022 09 2022 09 2009 02 2009 02 2009 02
Bottom to End (# months) 4 4 31 31 142 142 142
End (yyyy mm) 2025 04 2023 01 - - 2020 12 2020 12 2020 12
Longest negative period (# months)
8 18 48 102 206 274 274
Start (yyyy mm) 2024 05 2022 05 2021 01 2015 05 2007 11 2000 01 2000 01
End (yyyy mm) 2024 12 2023 10 2024 12 2023 10 2024 12 2022 10 2022 10
Annualized Return (%) -0.76 -2.87 -0.90 -0.12 -0.10 -0.07 -0.07
Drawdowns / Negative periods marked with * are in progress
RISK INDICATORS
1Y 3Y 5Y 10Y 20Y 30Y MAX
Standard Deviation (%) 10.72 16.87 16.15 15.12 17.04 16.35 16.96
Sharpe Ratio 0.78 0.37 0.56 0.25 0.23 0.18 0.22
Sortino Ratio 1.01 0.51 0.80 0.34 0.31 0.24 0.31
Ulcer Index 3.40 5.41 8.02 8.72 17.55 18.60 16.02
Ratio: Return / Standard Deviation 1.22 0.62 0.72 0.36 0.32 0.32 0.48
Ratio: Return / Deepest Drawdown 1.57 0.58 0.42 0.20 0.09 0.09 0.14
Positive Months (%)
66.66 58.33 60.00 59.16 58.75 59.16 59.48
Positive Months 8 21 36 71 141 213 395
Negative Months 4 15 24 49 99 147 269
LONG TERM RETURNS
Inflation Adjusted:
Inflation Adjusted:
 1Y 3Y 5Y 10Y 20Y 30Y MAX
Best 10 Years Return (%) - Annualized 5.47 9.57 9.61 24.60
Worst 10 Years Return (%) - Annualized 0.59 -0.59 -0.59
Best 10 Years Return (%) - Annualized 2.31 7.68 7.68 16.99
Worst 10 Years Return (%) - Annualized -1.18 -3.10 -3.76
TIMEFRAMES
Inflation Adjusted:
Inflation Adjusted:
 1M 3M 6M 1Y 3Y 5Y 10Y 20Y 30Y MAX
··· As of Apr 2025 - Over the previous 30Y
Best Rolling Return (%) - Annualized 58.71 31.18 23.35 9.61 7.26 5.18
Worst Rolling Return (%) - Annualized -50.02 -19.65 -7.41 -0.59 1.87
Positive Periods (%) 64.7 76.9 81.0 98.7 100.0 100.0
Best Rolling Return (%) - Annualized 55.99 27.62 19.86 7.68 4.63 2.60
Worst Rolling Return (%) - Annualized -50.03 -21.58 -9.26 -3.10 -0.21
Positive Periods (%) 61.3 64.6 63.4 81.3 99.1 100.0
95% VaR - Value at Risk (%) - Cumulative
7.23 11.84 15.81 23.60 33.43 17.85 0.00 0.00
95% CVaR - Conditional Value at Risk (%) 9.19 15.24 20.61 35.61 38.78 23.85 0.00 0.00
99% VaR - Value at Risk (%) - Cumulative
10.45 17.41 23.69 46.06 43.41 26.88 2.40 0.00
99% CVaR - Conditional Value at Risk (%) 12.49 20.96 28.70 48.74 46.52 29.57 5.73 0.00
Short term VaRs: analytical | 1+ year VaRs: historical data
Safe Withdrawal Rate (%) 65.07 21.67 13.19 7.26 4.35 4.53
Perpetual Withdrawal Rate (%) --- --- --- --- --- 2.43
% based on initial capital, inflation-adj. monthly withdrawals afterwards | Credits: BestRetirementPortfolio.com
··· All available data (Jan 1970 - Apr 2025)
Best Rolling Return (%) - Annualized 90.05 60.37 42.40 24.60 16.26 12.94
Worst Rolling Return (%) - Annualized -50.02 -19.65 -7.41 -0.59 1.23 3.73
Positive Periods (%) 68.3 81.2 88.7 99.4 100.0 100.0
Best Rolling Return (%) - Annualized 87.10 55.74 38.06 16.99 9.76 7.53
Worst Rolling Return (%) - Annualized -50.03 -21.58 -9.26 -3.76 -1.56 1.20
Positive Periods (%) 60.7 65.0 68.4 86.6 98.1 100.0
95% VaR - Value at Risk (%) - Cumulative
7.27 11.61 15.06 20.66 24.62 9.04 0.00 0.00 0.00
95% CVaR - Conditional Value at Risk (%) 9.31 15.13 20.04 30.15 33.60 19.18 0.00 0.00 0.00
99% VaR - Value at Risk (%) - Cumulative
10.61 17.39 23.23 41.04 39.62 24.14 0.00 0.00 0.00
99% CVaR - Conditional Value at Risk (%) 12.73 21.07 28.43 46.20 43.73 27.53 1.60 0.00 0.00
Short term VaRs: analytical | 1+ year VaRs: historical data
Safe Withdrawal Rate (%) 65.07 21.67 13.19 7.26 4.35 3.36
Perpetual Withdrawal Rate (%) --- --- --- --- --- 1.07
% based on initial capital, inflation-adj. monthly withdrawals afterwards | Credits: BestRetirementPortfolio.com
Terms and Definitions
  • Annualized Portfolio Return: it's the annualized geometric mean return of the portfolio.
  • Deepest/Longest Drawdown: a drawdown refers to the decline in value from a relative peak value to a relative trough. The deepest (or maximum) drawdown is the maximum observed loss from a peak to a trough of a portfolio before a new peak is attained. The longest drawdown is the period observed from a peak to the subsequent peak with the greatest duration.
  • Longest negative period: it's the maximum period for which an overall negative return has been observed.
  • Standard Deviation: it's a measure of the dispersion of returns around the mean.
  • Sharpe Ratio: it's a measure of risk-adjusted performance of the portfolio. It's calculated by dividing the excess return of the portfolio over the risk-free rate by the portfolio standard deviation. The risk-free rate here considered is the 1-3 Mth T-Bill return.
  • Sortino Ratio: another measure of risk-adjusted performance of the portfolio. It's a modification of the Sharpe Ratio (same formula but the denominator is the portfolio downside standard deviation).
  • Ulcer Index: it's a measure of downside risk that quantifies the depth and duration of drawdowns in an investment portfolio.
  • Best/Worst 10Y returns: the best and the worst 10-year return over a time frame.
  • Rolling Returns: N-year returns over a time frame, calculated over all the available data source (best, worst, % of positive returns). Each rolling period, longer than the longest negative period, yielded a non-negative minimum return.
  • Value at Risk (VaR): it's an evaluation of a cumulative worst-case loss (in absolute value), associated with a probability (95%-99%) and a time horizon. For short term, it's calculated based on the expected return and standard deviation, assuming a normal distribution of monthly returns. For long term is retrieved by the historical rolling return data.
  • Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR): it represents the average expected loss if that worst-case threshold (95%-99%) is ever crossed.
  • Safe Withdrawal Rate (SWR): it's the percentage of the initial portfolio balance that can be withdrawn at the beginning of each month with inflation adjustment, without the portfolio running out of money in any case (money amount withdrawal).
    For instance: Your initial invested capital is 100.000$; withdrawal rate (annualized) is 4%. This means that, in the first month, you will withdraw 100.000 * 4% * 1/12 = 333.33$. The second month, you’ll withdraw 333.33$ plus the inflation monthly rate. You’ll continue adjusting your withdraw monthly for inflation.
  • Perpetual Withdrawal Rate (PWR): it's the percentage of the initial portfolio balance that can be withdrawn at the beginning of each month with inflation adjustment, preserving the original invested capital, adjusted for inflation too.
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Correlations as of Apr 30, 2025

Correlation measures to what degree the returns of two assets move in relation to each other. It is a statistical measure that describes the extent to which the returns of one asset are related to the returns of another asset.

The following table shows the monthly correlations of iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF vs the main Asset Classes, over different timeframes. Columns are sortable (click on table header to sort).

ISHARES MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF
Monthly correlations as of 30 April 2025
Swipe left to see all data
Correlation vs EFA
Asset Class 1 Year 5 Years 10 Years 30 Years
VTI
 US Total Stock Market 0.29 0.83 0.85 0.84
SPY
 US Large Cap Blend 0.29 0.83 0.85 0.83
IJH
 US Mid Cap Blend 0.33 0.80 0.81 0.80
IJR
 US Small Cap Blend 0.30 0.73 0.75 0.74
VNQ
 US REITs 0.57 0.80 0.73 0.61
QQQ
 US Technology 0.10 0.71 0.75 0.66
PFF
 US Preferred Stocks 0.53 0.75 0.71 0.50
VT
 World All Countries 0.59 0.93 0.94 0.89
EEM
 Emerging Markets 0.48 0.78 0.81 0.82
BND
 US Total Bond Market 0.75 0.72 0.49 0.20
TLT
 US Long Term Treasuries 0.66 0.58 0.19 -0.08
BIL
 US Cash 0.04 0.02 0.03 -0.03
TIP
 US TIPS 0.78 0.71 0.53 0.22
LQD
 US Invest. Grade Bonds 0.71 0.79 0.66 0.38
HYG
 US High Yield Bonds 0.66 0.80 0.80 0.70
CWB
 US Convertible Bonds 0.31 0.73 0.77 0.77
BNDX
 International Bonds 0.45 0.61 0.44 0.20
EMB
 Emerg. Market Bonds 0.77 0.87 0.77 0.61
GLD
 Gold 0.27 0.30 0.19 0.19
DBC
 Commodities -0.34 0.34 0.44 0.43
Terms and Definitions
Correlation values range between -1 and +1
  • A correlation of +1 indicates that the returns of the two assets move in perfect synchrony; when one asset's returns go up, the other asset's returns also go up by the same percentage, and vice versa. This perfect positive correlation implies that the assets perform similarly in different market conditions.
  • A correlation of -1 indicates a perfect inverse relationship between the returns of the two assets. When one asset's returns go up, the other asset's returns go down by the same percentage. This perfect negative correlation suggests that the assets move in opposite directions, providing a diversification benefit by reducing overall portfolio risk.
  • A correlation of 0 means that there is no linear relationship between the returns of the two assets. The returns of one asset do not predict the returns of the other.
Learn about historical correlations here: see how the main asset classes relate to each other.

Drawdowns

A drawdown refers to the decline in value from a relative peak value to a relative trough. A maximum drawdown is the maximum observed loss from a peak to a trough of a portfolio before a new peak is attained.

ISHARES MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF
Drawdown periods
Drawdown periods - Inflation Adjusted
1 May 1995 - 30 April 2025 (30 Years)
1 January 1970 - 30 April 2025 (~55 years)
Inflation Adjusted:

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Rolling Returns

For a detailed rolling return analysis, click here
iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF: Rolling Returns

A rolling return is a measure of investment performance that calculates the return of an investment over a set period of time, with the starting date rolling forward. This approach can provide a more accurate representation of the investment's historical performance and helps investors to evaluate the investment's consistency over time.

ISHARES MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF
Annualized Rolling Returns
Annualized Rolling Returns - Inflation Adjusted
1 May 1995 - 30 April 2025 (30 Years)
1 January 1970 - 30 April 2025 (~55 years)
Inflation Adjusted:

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The values shown for the rolling periods represent key statistical points: the minimum, maximum, median, and the 15th and 85th percentiles. These percentiles give insight into the distribution of the data, indicating the range within which the central 70% of the values lie, while the median represents the middle value.

Seasonality

In which months is it better to invest in iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF?

Both the Average Return and the Gain Frequency (Win %) are useful to get an idea of what happened in the past. They are retrieved considering the time period from January 1970 to April 2025.

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For further information about the seasonality, check the Asset Class Seasonality page.

Monthly Returns

This section provides a visual/tabular representation of the performance variability in the iShares MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF over time. It illustrates the distribution of monthly returns, showcasing the range and frequency of positive and negative returns.

ISHARES MSCI EAFE (EFA) ETF
Monthly Returns Distribution
1 May 1995 - 30 April 2025 (30 Years)
1 January 1970 - 30 April 2025 (~55 years)
213 Positive Months (59%) - 147 Negative Months (41%)
395 Positive Months (59%) - 269 Negative Months (41%)

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Methodology

Returns, up to December 2001, have been derived using the historical series of equivalent ETFs / Assets.
You can find additional information on extended Data Sources here.

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