IEFA vs VBIAX: 0% overlap

iShares Core 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.

Hold both, 50/50
2.0Effective Funds

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.

Overlap
0.1%
IEFA expense ratio
0.07%
VBIAX expense ratio
0.07%

Top shared holdings

IEFA and VBIAX hold 12 of the same securities. The ten contributing most to the overlap figure:

Holdingin IEFAin VBIAXΔ
TEL0.0%0.1%0.0%
CASH0.0%1.8%1.8%
ACA0.1%0.0%0.1%
HAS0.0%0.0%0.0%
AMG0.0%0.0%0.0%
ALK0.0%0.0%0.0%
PLUS0.0%0.0%0.0%
NHC0.0%0.0%0.0%
FOUR0.0%0.0%0.0%
DIS0.0%0.2%0.2%

Where IEFA 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.

SectorIEFAVBIAXΔ
Unclassified0.0%55.1%55.1pp
Financials24.2%3.6%+20.6pp
Treasuries0.0%19.1%19.1pp
Industrials19.6%0.7%+18.9pp
Information Technology11.9%1.0%+10.9pp
Consumer Discretionary8.8%0.5%+8.2pp
MBS Pass-Through0.0%8.1%8.1pp
Consumer Staples6.7%0.2%+6.5pp

Δ is IEFA 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

Only in IEFA
2,554 positions

98.8% of IEFA by weight, held in no part of VBIAX.

Only in VBIAX
5,106 positions

98.8% of VBIAX by weight, held in no part of IEFA.

A large count with a small weight is the usual shape: the positions one fund adds are typically its smallest ones.

Concentration and cost

IEFAVBIAX
Top 10 holdings12.5%45.2%
Positions held2,5675,119
Cost per $10,000 held, per year$7$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 IEFA and VBIAX overlap?

IEFA and VBIAX overlap 0.1% by portfolio weight — largely distinct portfolios. They share 12 holdings. The figure comes from current issuer holdings files (IEFA as of 2026-07-23, VBIAX as of 2026-03-31).

How is the overlap between IEFA and VBIAX calculated?

As the sum of the smaller weight in each fund, over every holding both funds own: Σ min(wA, wB). If IEFA 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 IEFA 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 IEFA own that VBIAX doesn't?

IEFA holds 2,567 positions and VBIAX holds 5,119; 2,554 of IEFA's positions don't appear in VBIAX at all, and they are 98.8% of IEFA by weight.

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Related comparisons

Sources: issuer holdings files, IEFA as of 2026-07-23, VBIAX as of 2026-03-31. Weights are fractions of each fund. Diagnostics, not advice.