ABALX vs. GFFFX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) and American Funds The Growth Fund of America (GFFFX).
ABALX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975. GFFFX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Dec 1, 1973.
Performance
ABALX vs. GFFFX - Performance Comparison
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ABALX vs. GFFFX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | -2.86% | 18.45% | 14.63% | 13.65% | -12.13% | 15.75% | 10.85% | 18.60% | -3.35% | 14.69% |
GFFFX American Funds The Growth Fund of America | -11.18% | 19.96% | 28.28% | 37.51% | -30.61% | 19.55% | 38.16% | 28.43% | -2.96% | 26.38% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, ABALX achieves a -2.86% return, which is significantly higher than GFFFX's -11.18% return. Over the past 10 years, ABALX has underperformed GFFFX with an annualized return of 8.98%, while GFFFX has yielded a comparatively higher 14.16% annualized return.
ABALX
- 1D
- -0.14%
- 1M
- -6.82%
- YTD
- -2.86%
- 6M
- 0.85%
- 1Y
- 15.33%
- 3Y*
- 13.40%
- 5Y*
- 8.00%
- 10Y*
- 8.98%
GFFFX
- 1D
- -0.48%
- 1M
- -9.64%
- YTD
- -11.18%
- 6M
- -9.80%
- 1Y
- 13.80%
- 3Y*
- 19.10%
- 5Y*
- 8.75%
- 10Y*
- 14.16%
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ABALX vs. GFFFX - Expense Ratio Comparison
ABALX has a 0.56% expense ratio, which is higher than GFFFX's 0.40% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
ABALX vs. GFFFX — Risk / Return Rank
ABALX
GFFFX
ABALX vs. GFFFX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) and American Funds The Growth Fund of America (GFFFX). 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.
| ABALX | GFFFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.43 | 0.66 | +0.77 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.09 | 1.08 | +1.01 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.29 | 1.15 | +0.14 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.00 | 0.78 | +1.23 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.51 | 2.99 | +5.52 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| ABALX | GFFFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.43 | 0.66 | +0.77 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.77 | 0.44 | +0.34 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.85 | 0.72 | +0.12 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.79 | 0.74 | +0.04 |
Correlation
The correlation between ABALX and GFFFX is 0.92, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.
Dividends
ABALX vs. GFFFX - Dividend Comparison
ABALX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.54%, less than GFFFX's 12.33% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ABALX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A | 8.54% | 8.27% | 6.87% | 2.05% | 2.30% | 4.30% | 4.35% | 3.49% | 5.49% | 4.72% | 4.24% | 5.60% |
GFFFX American Funds The Growth Fund of America | 12.33% | 10.95% | 9.23% | 7.64% | 4.32% | 8.42% | 4.51% | 7.38% | 12.29% | 7.27% | 6.87% | 9.13% |
Drawdowns
ABALX vs. GFFFX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum ABALX drawdown since its inception was -40.20%, which is greater than GFFFX's maximum drawdown of -36.26%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for ABALX and GFFFX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| ABALX | GFFFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -40.20% | -36.26% | -3.94% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.33% | -13.74% | +6.41% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.76% | -36.26% | +17.50% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -22.34% | -36.26% | +13.92% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -7.03% | -13.74% | +6.71% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.86% | -5.60% | +1.74% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.73% | 3.56% | -1.83% |
Volatility
ABALX vs. GFFFX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class A (ABALX) is 3.26%, while American Funds The Growth Fund of America (GFFFX) has a volatility of 5.47%. This indicates that ABALX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than GFFFX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| ABALX | GFFFX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.26% | 5.47% | -2.21% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.74% | 11.61% | -4.87% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.11% | 20.77% | -9.66% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.42% | 20.17% | -9.75% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 10.61% | 19.61% | -9.00% |