AGTHX vs. ITB
AGTHX (American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A) and ITB (iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF) are both funds - AGTHX is a Large Cap Growth Equities fund actively managed by Capital Group, while ITB is a Building & Construction fund tracking the Dow Jones U.S. Select Home Construction Index. AGTHX is actively managed, while ITB is passively managed. Over the past 10 years, AGTHX returned 15.79%/yr vs 14.32%/yr for ITB. A 0.62 correlation means they provide meaningful diversification when combined. AGTHX charges 0.59%/yr vs 0.38%/yr for ITB.
Performance
AGTHX vs. ITB - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, AGTHX achieves a 6.60% return, which is significantly higher than ITB's 1.18% return. Over the past 10 years, AGTHX has outperformed ITB with an annualized return of 15.79%, while ITB has yielded a comparatively lower 14.32% annualized return.
AGTHX
- 1D
- 0.27%
- 1M
- 0.45%
- YTD
- 6.60%
- 6M
- 7.72%
- 1Y
- 21.49%
- 3Y*
- 22.87%
- 5Y*
- 11.31%
- 10Y*
- 15.79%
ITB
- 1D
- 0.31%
- 1M
- 12.49%
- YTD
- 1.18%
- 6M
- -4.59%
- 1Y
- 8.99%
- 3Y*
- 7.33%
- 5Y*
- 8.75%
- 10Y*
- 14.32%
AGTHX vs. ITB - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGTHX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A | 6.60% | 19.73% | 28.02% | 37.22% | -30.75% | 19.32% | 37.83% | 28.16% | -3.15% | 26.14% |
ITB iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF | 1.18% | -5.26% | 2.06% | 68.91% | -26.26% | 49.25% | 26.42% | 48.70% | -30.92% | 59.65% |
Correlation
The correlation between AGTHX and ITB is 0.38, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.50 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.60 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.57 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 5, 2006 | 0.62 |
Over the past year, the correlation between AGTHX and ITB has dropped to 0.38 - well below their long-term average of 0.62, suggesting their price drivers have been diverging.
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Return for Risk
AGTHX vs. ITB — Risk / Return Rank
AGTHX
ITB
AGTHX vs. ITB - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX) and iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| AGTHX | ITB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +0.95 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.03 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.23 | 1.08 | +0.15 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.46 | 0.35 | +1.12 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.60 | 0.67 | +4.93 |
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Drawdowns
AGTHX vs. ITB - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum AGTHX drawdown since its inception was -51.91%, smaller than the maximum ITB drawdown of -86.53%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for AGTHX and ITB.
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Drawdown Indicators
| AGTHX | ITB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -51.91% | -86.53% | +34.62% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -13.76% | -26.04% | +12.28% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -21.57% | -33.35% | +11.78% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -36.38% | -40.55% | +4.17% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -36.38% | -52.10% | +15.72% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -3.49% | -23.30% | +19.81% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -9.19% | -37.08% | +27.89% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 3.59% | 13.49% | -9.90% |
Volatility
AGTHX vs. ITB - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A (AGTHX) is 6.25%, while iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF (ITB) has a volatility of 9.26%. This indicates that AGTHX experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than ITB based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| AGTHX | ITB | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.25% | 9.26% | -3.01% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 12.77% | 20.89% | -8.12% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 16.00% | 29.80% | -13.80% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.37% | 29.29% | -8.92% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.75% | 30.06% | -10.31% |
AGTHX vs. ITB - Expense Ratio Comparison
AGTHX has a 0.59% expense ratio, which is higher than ITB's 0.38% expense ratio.
Dividends
AGTHX vs. ITB - Dividend Comparison
AGTHX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 10.03%, more than ITB's 1.33% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AGTHX American Funds The Growth Fund of America Class A | 10.03% | 10.69% | 8.99% | 7.40% | 4.05% | 8.18% | 4.30% | 7.15% | 11.99% | 7.03% | 6.61% | 8.87% |
ITB iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF | 1.33% | 1.67% | 0.46% | 0.48% | 0.86% | 0.37% | 0.46% | 0.50% | 0.63% | 0.28% | 0.43% | 0.34% |
Frequently Asked Questions
AGTHX and ITB have a correlation of 0.38, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
ITB has higher volatility (9.26%) compared to AGTHX (6.25%). In terms of maximum drawdown, AGTHX dropped -51.91% vs ITB's -86.53%.
AGTHX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.26 vs 0.30), 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.
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