AAATX vs. SCHD

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

AAATX (American Funds 2010 Target Date Retirement Fund) and SCHD (Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF) are both funds - AAATX is a Target Retirement Date fund managed by American Funds, while SCHD is a Dividend fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index. Over the past 10 years, AAATX returned 6.20%/yr vs 12.77%/yr for SCHD. Their correlation of 0.81 suggests significant overlap in exposure. AAATX charges 0.34%/yr vs 0.06%/yr for SCHD.

Performance

AAATX vs. SCHD - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in American Funds 2010 Target Date Retirement Fund (AAATX) and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, AAATX achieves a 3.76% return, which is significantly lower than SCHD's 19.01% return. Over the past 10 years, AAATX has underperformed SCHD with an annualized return of 6.20%, while SCHD has yielded a comparatively higher 12.77% annualized return.

AAATX

• 1D: -0.16%
• 1M: 0.87%
• YTD: 3.76%
• 6M: 4.45%
• 1Y: 11.67%
• 3Y*: 10.06%
• 5Y*: 5.04%
• 10Y*: 6.20%

SCHD

• 1D: 0.59%
• 1M: 1.60%
• YTD: 19.01%
• 6M: 20.36%
• 1Y: 28.08%
• 3Y*: 15.09%
• 5Y*: 8.49%
• 10Y*: 12.77%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

AAATX vs. SCHD - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
AAATX American Funds 2010 Target Date Retirement Fund	3.76%	12.73%	7.83%	8.44%	-9.50%	9.02%	8.84%	13.51%	-2.85%	9.97%
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	19.01%	4.34%	11.66%	4.54%	-3.26%	29.87%	15.03%	27.29%	-5.56%	20.85%

Correlation

The correlation between AAATX and SCHD is 0.51, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.51
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.64
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.73
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.77
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Oct 21, 2011	0.81

Over the past year, the correlation between AAATX and SCHD has dropped to 0.51 - well below their long-term average of 0.81, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.

Return for Risk

AAATX vs. SCHD — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

AAATX

AAATX Risk / Return Rank: 65
AAATX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 72
AAATX Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
AAATX Omega Ratio Rank: 73
AAATX Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
AAATX Martin Ratio Rank: 57

SCHD

SCHD Risk / Return Rank: 82
SCHD Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
SCHD Sortino Ratio Rank: 87
SCHD Omega Ratio Rank: 76
SCHD Calmar Ratio Rank: 92
SCHD Martin Ratio Rank: 77

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

AAATX vs. SCHD - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds 2010 Target Date Retirement Fund (AAATX) and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	AAATX	SCHD	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.46	2.57	-0.11
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	3.58	3.98	-0.39
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.48	1.46	+0.02
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.70	6.17	-3.47
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.59	15.20	-3.61
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

AAATX vs. SCHD - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current AAATX Sharpe Ratio is 2.46, which is comparable to the SCHD Sharpe Ratio of 2.57. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of AAATX and SCHD, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	AAATX	SCHD	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.46	2.57	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.78	0.59	+0.18
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.93	0.77	+0.17
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.56	0.86	-0.30

Drawdowns

AAATX vs. SCHD - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum AAATX drawdown since its inception was -40.44%, which is greater than SCHD's maximum drawdown of -33.37%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AAATX and SCHD.

Drawdown Indicators

	AAATX	SCHD	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-40.44%	-33.37%	-7.07%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-4.42%	-4.61%	+0.19%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-5.57%	-16.13%	+10.56%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-14.99%	-16.85%	+1.86%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-15.13%	-33.37%	+18.24%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.16%	-1.40%	+1.24%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-4.35%	-3.32%	-1.03%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	1.03%	1.87%	-0.84%

Volatility

AAATX vs. SCHD - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for American Funds 2010 Target Date Retirement Fund (AAATX) is 1.54%, while Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) has a volatility of 2.92%. This indicates that AAATX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than SCHD based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	AAATX	SCHD	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	1.54%	2.92%	-1.38%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	3.83%	7.66%	-3.83%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	4.81%	10.96%	-6.15%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	6.53%	14.38%	-7.85%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	6.68%	16.72%	-10.04%

AAATX vs. SCHD - Expense Ratio Comparison

AAATX has a 0.34% expense ratio, which is higher than SCHD's 0.06% expense ratio.

Dividends

AAATX vs. SCHD - Dividend Comparison

AAATX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 6.59%, more than SCHD's 3.26% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
AAATX American Funds 2010 Target Date Retirement Fund	6.59%	6.84%	5.16%	3.53%	3.41%	3.78%	3.72%	3.48%	3.79%	2.51%	2.67%	4.60%
SCHD Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF	3.26%	3.82%	3.64%	3.49%	3.39%	2.78%	3.16%	2.98%	3.06%	2.63%	2.89%	2.97%

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both AAATX and SCHD in my portfolio?

AAATX and SCHD have a correlation of 0.51, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, AAATX or SCHD?

SCHD has higher volatility (2.92%) compared to AAATX (1.54%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AAATX dropped -40.44% vs SCHD's -33.37%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

SCHD currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.57 vs 2.46), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.