AFMBX vs. FXAIX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-3 (AFMBX) and Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX).
AFMBX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975. FXAIX is a passively managed fund by Fidelity that tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index. It was launched on Feb 17, 1988.
Performance
AFMBX vs. FXAIX - Performance Comparison
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AFMBX vs. FXAIX - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AFMBX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-3 | -2.79% | 18.82% | 15.36% | 13.89% | -11.83% | 16.12% | 11.17% | 18.96% | -3.07% | 10.06% |
FXAIX Fidelity 500 Index Fund | -7.05% | 17.84% | 25.01% | 26.29% | -18.14% | 28.71% | 18.42% | 31.48% | -4.43% | 13.83% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AFMBX achieves a -2.79% return, which is significantly higher than FXAIX's -7.05% return.
AFMBX
- 1D
- -0.11%
- 1M
- -6.77%
- YTD
- -2.79%
- 6M
- 1.01%
- 1Y
- 15.69%
- 3Y*
- 13.85%
- 5Y*
- 8.39%
- 10Y*
- —
FXAIX
- 1D
- -0.39%
- 1M
- -7.68%
- YTD
- -7.05%
- 6M
- -4.59%
- 1Y
- 14.42%
- 3Y*
- 17.17%
- 5Y*
- 11.40%
- 10Y*
- 13.75%
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AFMBX vs. FXAIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
AFMBX has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than FXAIX's 0.02% expense ratio. However, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.
Return for Risk
AFMBX vs. FXAIX — Risk / Return Rank
AFMBX
FXAIX
AFMBX vs. FXAIX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-3 (AFMBX) and Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX). 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.
| AFMBX | FXAIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.46 | 0.84 | +0.63 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.14 | 1.30 | +0.84 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.20 | +0.10 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.05 | 1.05 | +1.00 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.76 | 5.13 | +3.64 |
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
| AFMBX | FXAIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.46 | 0.84 | +0.63 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.81 | 0.68 | +0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.77 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.84 | 0.75 | +0.09 |
Correlation
The correlation between AFMBX and FXAIX is 0.94, 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
AFMBX vs. FXAIX - Dividend Comparison
AFMBX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.86%, more than FXAIX's 1.20% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AFMBX American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-3 | 8.86% | 8.57% | 7.51% | 2.27% | 2.63% | 4.60% | 4.65% | 3.78% | 5.81% | 4.94% | 0.00% | 0.00% |
FXAIX Fidelity 500 Index Fund | 1.20% | 1.11% | 1.25% | 1.45% | 1.69% | 1.22% | 1.60% | 2.06% | 2.72% | 1.97% | 2.52% | 2.83% |
Drawdowns
AFMBX vs. FXAIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AFMBX drawdown since its inception was -22.34%, smaller than the maximum FXAIX drawdown of -33.79%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AFMBX and FXAIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AFMBX | FXAIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -22.34% | -33.79% | +11.45% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.34% | -12.13% | +4.79% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.58% | -24.50% | +5.92% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -33.79% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.98% | -8.89% | +1.91% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.25% | -3.83% | +0.58% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.72% | 2.50% | -0.78% |
Volatility
AFMBX vs. FXAIX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-3 (AFMBX) is 3.26%, while Fidelity 500 Index Fund (FXAIX) has a volatility of 4.24%. This indicates that AFMBX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than FXAIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AFMBX | FXAIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.26% | 4.24% | -0.98% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.74% | 9.08% | -2.34% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.10% | 18.13% | -7.03% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.42% | 16.88% | -6.46% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.16% | 18.03% | -6.87% |