AFMBX vs. VSMIX
Compare and contrast key facts about American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-3 (AFMBX) and Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares (VSMIX).
AFMBX is managed by American Funds. It was launched on Jul 26, 1975. VSMIX is managed by Vanguard. It was launched on Oct 29, 1982.
Performance
AFMBX vs. VSMIX - Performance Comparison
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AFMBX vs. VSMIX - 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% |
VSMIX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares | 6.62% | 18.01% | 24.82% | 23.14% | 4.58% | 36.67% | 11.14% | 32.32% | -25.45% | 13.05% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AFMBX achieves a -2.79% return, which is significantly lower than VSMIX's 6.62% return.
AFMBX
- 1D
- -0.11%
- 1M
- -6.77%
- YTD
- -2.79%
- 6M
- 1.01%
- 1Y
- 15.69%
- 3Y*
- 13.85%
- 5Y*
- 8.39%
- 10Y*
- —
VSMIX
- 1D
- -1.87%
- 1M
- -10.11%
- YTD
- 6.62%
- 6M
- 13.97%
- 1Y
- 33.62%
- 3Y*
- 24.68%
- 5Y*
- 17.55%
- 10Y*
- 15.58%
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AFMBX vs. VSMIX - Expense Ratio Comparison
AFMBX has a 0.25% expense ratio, which is higher than VSMIX's 0.20% 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. VSMIX — Risk / Return Rank
AFMBX
VSMIX
AFMBX vs. VSMIX - 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 Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares (VSMIX). 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 | VSMIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.46 | 1.29 | +0.17 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 2.14 | 1.80 | +0.34 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.30 | 1.26 | +0.04 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.05 | 1.66 | +0.39 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 8.76 | 6.43 | +2.33 |
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 | VSMIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.46 | 1.29 | +0.17 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.81 | 0.76 | +0.05 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | — | 0.59 | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.84 | 0.45 | +0.39 |
Correlation
The correlation between AFMBX and VSMIX is 0.76, 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. VSMIX - Dividend Comparison
AFMBX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 8.86%, more than VSMIX's 8.00% 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% |
VSMIX Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares | 8.00% | 8.53% | 7.40% | 4.71% | 9.53% | 15.84% | 0.40% | 2.37% | 26.83% | 15.94% | 1.65% | 10.91% |
Drawdowns
AFMBX vs. VSMIX - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AFMBX drawdown since its inception was -22.34%, smaller than the maximum VSMIX drawdown of -57.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AFMBX and VSMIX.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AFMBX | VSMIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -22.34% | -57.53% | +35.19% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -7.34% | -16.58% | +9.24% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -18.58% | -25.26% | +6.68% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | — | -57.53% | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -6.98% | -11.39% | +4.41% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -3.25% | -9.58% | +6.33% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 1.72% | 4.49% | -2.77% |
Volatility
AFMBX vs. VSMIX - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds American Balanced Fund Class F-3 (AFMBX) is 3.26%, while Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund Investor Shares (VSMIX) has a volatility of 8.30%. This indicates that AFMBX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than VSMIX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AFMBX | VSMIX | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 3.26% | 8.30% | -5.04% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 6.74% | 16.62% | -9.88% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 11.10% | 25.78% | -14.68% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 10.42% | 23.13% | -12.71% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 11.16% | 26.69% | -15.53% |