VPMCX’s worst drop since 1999 was 53%
Vanguard PRIMECAP Fund (VPMCX) fell 53% from Jul 2000 to Oct 2002. It took 5.5 years from that peak to close at a new high, in Jan 2006. Over the same years the S&P 500 fell as much as 55%.
That drop ranks 40th deepest among the 109 mutual funds PortfolioAutopsy tracks.
Drawdown from the last high, 1999 to now
How VPMCX held up in each crash
| Crash | Years | VPMCX | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dot-com bust | 2000–02 | −52.6% | −47.5% |
| Financial crisis | 2007–09 | −48.4% | −55.2% |
| COVID crash | 2020 | −32.6% | −33.7% |
| 2022 rate shock | 2022 | −24.5% | −24.5% |
Each number is the deepest fall from a high inside that window, using daily prices with dividends reinvested.
See how VPMCX behaves inside your whole mix, with the worst 12 months, loss odds and crash replays. Free, no signup, and the math runs in your browser.
Open VPMCX in PortfolioAutopsyCheck my whole portfolioQuestions
What was VPMCX’s maximum drawdown?
VPMCX’s deepest fall since 1999 was 52.6%, from its high on July 17, 2000 to its low on October 9, 2002. The figure uses daily prices with dividends reinvested.
How long did VPMCX take to recover?
5.5 years. VPMCX first closed above its Jul 2000 high again on January 5, 2006.
Was VPMCX riskier than the S&P 500?
Over the same years, VPMCX’s worst drop was 52.6% against 55.2% for the S&P 500 (SPY), and its worst 12 months were −42.0% against −47.4%.
Compare with
Daily adjusted closes from Yahoo Finance, January 5, 1999 through October 13, 2026, dividends reinvested. Historical facts, not a forecast and not investment advice.