EFA vs VBIAX: 0% overlap
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF and Vanguard Balanced Index Admiral share 0.1% of their portfolios by weight — computed as Σ min(wA, wB) over every holding both funds own.
Different holding dates. These holdings were published about 4 months apart — VBIAX as of 2026-03-31, the rest through 2026-07-23. Each fund is compared using its most recent file, so any trading in between shows up as a difference.
You would hold two tickers and get the diversification of 2.0. Two funds that shared nothing would score 2.0; two identical funds score 1.0.
Top shared holdings
EFA and VBIAX hold 4 of the same securities. The ten contributing most to the overlap figure:
| Holding | in EFA | in VBIAX | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEL | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| CASH | 0.0% | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| ACA | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| ENR | 0.6% | 0.0% | 0.6% |
Where EFA and VBIAX differ
Sector weights as a share of each fund, ordered by the size of the gap rather than the size of the sector — two funds that overlap heavily still usually diverge somewhere.
| Sector | EFA | VBIAX | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unclassified | 0.0% | 55.1% | −55.1pp |
| Financials | 25.8% | 3.6% | +22.2pp |
| Treasuries | 0.0% | 19.1% | −19.1pp |
| Industrials | 19.0% | 0.7% | +18.3pp |
| Information Technology | 12.0% | 1.0% | +11.1pp |
| MBS Pass-Through | 0.0% | 8.1% | −8.1pp |
| Consumer Discretionary | 8.3% | 0.5% | +7.8pp |
| Consumer Staples | 7.0% | 0.2% | +6.9pp |
Δ is EFA minus VBIAX, in percentage points. Sector data is not published by every issuer, so “Unclassified” is a real category rather than a gap in the table.
What each fund holds alone
98.8% of EFA by weight, held in no part of VBIAX.
99.0% of VBIAX by weight, held in no part of EFA.
A large count with a small weight is the usual shape: the positions one fund adds are typically its smallest ones.
Concentration and cost
| EFA | VBIAX | |
|---|---|---|
| Top 10 holdings | 14.5% | 45.2% |
| Positions held | 678 | 5,119 |
| Cost per $10,000 held, per year | $33 | $7 |
Cost is the expense ratio applied to $10,000; it excludes any brokerage commission, bid-ask spread or tax consequence. Figures are facts about the funds, not a suggestion about which to hold.
Frequently asked
How much do EFA and VBIAX overlap?
EFA and VBIAX overlap 0.1% by portfolio weight — largely distinct portfolios. They share 4 holdings. The figure comes from current issuer holdings files (EFA as of 2026-07-23, VBIAX as of 2026-03-31).
How is the overlap between EFA and VBIAX calculated?
As the sum of the smaller weight in each fund, over every holding both funds own: Σ min(wA, wB). If EFA holds a stock at 6% and VBIAX holds the same stock at 4%, 4% counts as shared. The result is bounded between 0% and 100%, and it is computed after looking through any fund-of-funds to the underlying holdings.
Is it redundant to hold both EFA and VBIAX?
That depends on your goals — we state facts, not advice. At 0.1% overlap, each fund still contributes meaningfully distinct exposure.
What does EFA own that VBIAX doesn't?
EFA holds 678 positions and VBIAX holds 5,119; 673 of EFA's positions don't appear in VBIAX at all, and they are 98.8% of EFA by weight.
You probably hold more than two funds
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Related comparisons
Sources: issuer holdings files, EFA as of 2026-07-23, VBIAX as of 2026-03-31. Weights are fractions of each fund. Diagnostics, not advice.